The Speakers Bureau provides speakers at no cost to service clubs, schools, senior centers, and other groups in the local area.
Booking a speaker is easy. Just e-mail your request to the CSUMB Public Information Officer.
CSUMB faculty and staff members are currently offering talks on the following topics:
Researchers at the university bring in millions of dollars in grants. Those funds create jobs and support the development of new knowledge. We’re eager to discuss economic development and to share ideas for cooperation and collaboration between the university and industry.
Presented by a university administrator.
The talk discusses innovative ways to address the unprecedented threats of climate change, sea level rise, ocean acidification, pollution, fishery declines, coastal erosion, algal blooms and storm intensification on the coastal oceans and communities.
Presented by Dr. Rikk Kvitek
Although the global ocean is the driver of weather, a highway for marine commerce, a reservoir of vast marine resources, and our playground, we know more about distant planets than we do about the seafloor. Imagine if the next time you were standing at the ocean's edge that instead of watching crashing waves, you were able to visualize submarine canyons, underwater seamounts and ridges, and even a kelp forest teeming with marine life. The State of California has undertaken a cutting-edge project to make this possible by mapping the seafloor of all the state's waters. Dr. Kvitek will show you the first images created from this effort and share with you how this new information is already being used in a multitude of ways.
Presented by Dr. Rikk Kvitek
The CSUMB Science Division includes experts from both terrestrial and marine realms. Their common mission is to use sound science to solve environmental problems in the tri-county area. They use cutting-edge technology and student power for the good of the community.
Presented by Dr. Doug Smith
San Clemente Dam will be removed from the Carmel River to reduce the risk of dam failure and to foster the historic salmon run. This large-scale project will have long-term impacts on the watershed, and could be a model for other dam removal projects in California.
Presented by Dr. Doug Smith
People on the coast between Carmel and Seaside have been seeking a sustainable water resource for decades. The search has been fraught with technical, political and legal pitfalls. What are the technical solutions? What are the political/legal constraints? What's the latest plan?
Presented by Dr. Doug Smith
Wherever you stand, there is a stack of rocks below your feet that records the local geological history and governs the kind of urban development that is suited to the region. We will consider the water resources and environmental hazards of our region. Water is scarce, and urban expansion is locally constrained by coastal erosion, landslides and hill slope erosion potential.
Presented by Dr. Doug Smith
The primary goal of the IfAME is to provide science in support of government decision-making ranging from local municipalities to state, federal and international governments. That science includes monitoring the new state marine protected areas along California's coast, exploring the resources of National Marine Sanctuaries from Monterey to New England, studying the impact of commercial bottom trawling on seafloor habitats around the world, and diving from the world's only undersea laboratory in the Florida Keys. The closely linked secondary goal is to involve CSUMB students in the conduct of this research.
Presented by Dr. James Lindholm
New research examining thousands of students in two dozen California school districts finds that students already doing well in math in the seventh grade are more likely to take advanced math courses in high school and meet college entrance requirements. But for many students who struggle with math in grade seven, there is no clear path to learning and achievement. CSUMB math professor Hongde Hu uses math games, engaging presentations and curriculum he has been refining for years to reach those youngsters.
Presented by Dr. Hongde Hu
Higher education is facing challenges in an era of increased demand, changing demographics and declining state support. American colleges and universities will need to adopt new educational approaches and technologies to serve more students while maintaining quality. CSUMB is addressing this through a variety of ways: a new three-year computer science degree developed in partnership with Hartnell College; creation of an Institute for Innovation and Economic Development; and exploring the potential to use technology for online programs.
Presented by Dr. Eric Tao
Eyewitnesses are notoriously bad in the identification of the perpetrator of a crime. If you witness a crime, can you be sure that your memory for that event is accurate? Not really. Scientific evidence explains that memory changes over time, is malleable and is easy to manipulate via suggestibility and misattribution. Find out why eyewitnesses are so bad at remembering details of the crime and in the identification of the perpetrator.
Presented by Dr. Jill Yamashita
False memories are the remembering of events that never took place. Memory is easily manipulated and can change without our awareness. Memory research shows that it is easy to create false memories (for example, a memory of getting lost in the mall). One of the issues with false memory is that you cannot tell the difference between a false memory and a real one.
Presented by Dr. Jill Yamashita
The other-race effect is a deficit in the ability to recognize or identify a face that is of a different race. You might hear a child say, “All of the faces look the same,” which is common response when looking at faces of an unfamiliar or different race. I examine what influences the other-race effect and what helps to minimize this effect.
Presented by Dr. Jill Yamashita
CSUMB has won national acclaim for integrating community service with each student’s academic experience, and is changing lives – and our ideas about learning and community – in the process
Presented by Dr. Seth Pollack
Immigrants aren’t always who you think they are.
Presented by Dr. Juan Gutierrez
John Avella, head of CSUMB’s hospitality program, has 40 years of human resource development and teaching experience in the hospitality industry. He has been vice president of human resources for Marriott Corporation, The Rainbow Room and Windows on the World, and president of Human Resource Concepts. His work focused on management and executive development, Customer service and organizational strategic change. He has studied the application of emotional intelligence to customer service/loyalty, emotional labor and leadership. He has developed a process that teaches people to “connect” to the customer.
Presented by Dr. John Avella
The lingering effects of the recession and looming water problems are just two issues facing the local tourism/hospitality industry. What’s on the horizon?
Presented by Dr. John Avella
Presented by Dr. John Avella
Kinesiology – the study of human movement – is the fastest-growing major on campus. As the U.S. population skews older – and fatter – there’s a demand for fitness trainers, physical therapists and researchers who study the science of movement and performance. Dr. Kent Adams, a prolific researcher as well as head of the kinesiology department, shares his findings to help people keep fit across the lifespan.
Presented by Dr. Kent Adams
The health care industry is coping with the “silver tsunami” of aging baby boomers, combined with the impact of health care reform. Nurses will play a big role in meeting both challenges, but will need more than a two-year degree to do so. CSUMB has partnered with four community colleges in the region to offer a four-year degree that prepares them to serve as health care navigators, helping patients manage multiple conditions such as hypertension and diabetes outside a hospital setting.
Presented by Marianne Hultgren
Mark O’Shea, a professor education at CSUMB, has been studying the standards movement from the perspective of the classroom teacher for years. He has conducted extensive clinical research in standards-based education and has consulted with school districts and state departments of education. He can also talk about the new Common Core standards – he helped state officials develop the science standards – and their implementation in California.
Presented by Dr. Mark O’Shea
Dr. Ruben Mendoza is an archaeologist, writer, and photographer who has explored the length and breadth of Mexico, Central America, Europe, and the U.S. Southwest documenting both pre-Columbian and Colonial era sites and collections. He has directed major archaeological investigations and conservation projects at missions San Juan Bautista, Carmel, and Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, among others. Recent efforts at the Royal Presidio of Monterey resulted in the tandem discovery of the earliest Serra era Christian houses of worship in California dated to 1770 and 1771. And he has made astronomically and liturgically significant discoveries of solstice, equinox, and feast day solar illuminations of mission church altars throughout California, the U.S. Southwest, and Mesoamerica.
Presented by Dr. Ruben Mendoza
Are you sitting on an idea for the next great American novel and don't know how to begin? Would you like to understand contemporary art? Ever wonder where our special brand of weather comes from? Would you like to know the history of Cannery Row? Then the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI@CSUMB) is the place for you. These are just some of the topics that have been covered in courses that range from one day to eight weeks during the Fall and Spring semesters each year. For adults age 50 or better and funded in part by the Bernard Osher Foundation, many of our courses are taught by CSUMB professors. There are no test and no grades, just good fun and great fellowship with friends and neighbors in our region. Learn how and why OLLI@CSUMB came into being and how it has evolved to reflect the interests of our adult learners.
Presented by Michele Crompton
Sword fights, improvisational comedy, animation, painting: Summer school was never this much fun. Several hundred students – high school, college, and adult members of the local community – come to the university in July for the annual CSU Summer Arts program. The longtime CSU program relocated to CSUMB in the summer of 2012 for a five-year run. The program includes a couple of dozen public events, including lectures, readings, concerts and theatrical productions – in other words, the area’s summer arts scene has gotten a lot more interesting.
Presented by Dr. Ilene Feinman
People across campus are working on many fronts to make Cal State Monterey Bay a more sustainable university. We developed a Climate Action Plan that will provide a road map for eliminating greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and Issues surrounding sustainability are addressed in many classes. We've also have a robust alternative transportation program in place. Mike Lerch, CSUMB's Manager of Energy and Utilities, can speak to the many energy efficiency upgrades on campus (that have cut our energy use 20% and reduced our carbon footprint.
Presented by Mike Lerch, CSUMB’s associate director of facilities services and operations
Science illustration is all around us – in books, magazines, posters, on websites, in films and TV, and in museums. Most of us don’t notice the extraordinary technical skill, the precision and carefully observed detail, or the beauty of these illustrations because we’re busy absorbing information from them. CSUMB is home to a nationally renowned science illustration program; graduates’ work is in the Smithsonian Institution, the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History; in top science magazines such as National Geographic, Scientific American, Nature and Audubon; at the National Zoo, in Washington, D.C., and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Presented by Jenny Keller
CSUMB is dedicated to building champions, one victory at a time -- in our community, in the classroom and in competition. The university fields 12 teams competing at the NCAA Division II level. It has earned a national title in men’s golf, and a number of California Collegiate Athletic Association titles.
Presented by Kirby Garry, athletic director
CSUMB now offers a Master of Social Work program, created in collaboration with community partners to address a shortage of social workers with graduate degrees in the region.
Presented by Lisa Stewar
Dr. Rob Weisskirch, a professor of human development, can talk about a number of topics including:
How do you present your business or yourself online? Liz MacDonald addresses how to develop a content strategy that works across websites, social media platforms and emerging technologies. The end result is clear, organized information that helps you reach your audiences, and helps your users make the most of the services you provide.
Presented by Liz MacDonald, web user experience specialist
The focus of creating new businesses has changed from writing a business plan to creating a business model. This talk tells what it takes to develop a killer business model - and how to do it.
Presented by Dr. Brad Barbeau
New opportunities for raising funding are emerging in online crowdfunding. When should a startup use angels, banks, and crowdfunding? This talk covers the latest developments in venture funding and where they fit into the founder's toolkit for fundraising.
Presented by Dr. Brad Barbeau
A discussion of current economic data and its meaning for business.
Presented by Dr. Brad Barbeau
In case of local emergency, up-to-date information will be available to members of the CSUMB community by calling the public information phone line, 582-5044.
For information on what to do in case of emergency, visit the Emergency Management website.
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Cal State Monterey Bay has an active and engaged faculty, staff and student body, and we love interactive ways to connect and share information online. The university encourages its faculty, staff and students to use tools such as social media to advance their work and heighten their experience as members of the campus community.
In an effort to give direction when using social media, University Communications has developed the following guidelines. These guidelines are not intended for Internet activities that do not associate or identify a faculty or staff member with CSUMB, do not use CSUMB email addresses, do not discuss CSUMB and are purely about personal matters.
We consider social media any technology tool or online space for integrating and sharing user-generated content in order to engage in conversations. These guidelines do not attempt to name every current and emerging platform, but some examples are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.
Be connected. If you have been authorized by your supervisor to create a CSUMB social media site or a video for posting in locations such as YouTube, please contact University Communications for an approved logo and other images and to ensure coordination with other CSUMB sites and content. Social media channels are not considered official unless they are developed or authorized by University Communications, which maintains and publicizes a list of all official university social media channels.
As the administrator of a CSUMB social media channel, you accept the responsibility for maintaining current and accurate content and monitoring and moderating posts to that channel, including deleting comments and posts that do not meet the criteria set forth in these guidelines.
Be respectful. As a CSUMB employee or representative, you should be mindful of the university’s public mission as a forum for thoughtful discussion of opposing ideas. Some online communities can be volatile, tempting users to behave in ways they otherwise wouldn’t. Your reputation, and CSUMB's, are best served when you remain above the fray.
Be responsive. If a question or comment is directed toward you via your social media site or page, you should do your best to reply in a timely and appropriate fashion. If the comment is a complaint or critique, follow these tips to resolve the situation: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/7-tips-for-dealing-with-upset-faceboo...
Be transparent. If you participate in or maintain a social media site on behalf of the university, clearly state your role and goals. Discuss with your supervisor when you are empowered to respond directly to users and when you may need approval.
Be thoughtful. Before you jump into a discussion thread or respond to a posting, think about the implications. Will your response stimulate positive discussion, provide new information or insight, or inflame? If you have any questions about whether it’s appropriate to enter into a social media discussion or write about certain kinds of material in your role as a CSUMB employee, ask your supervisor before you post or contact University Communications.
Know the rules. Comply with FERPA, the CSUMB honor code and policies related to Conflict of Interest, Privacy, Security, Safety, Intellectual Property, Computing and Technology Resources, and Human Resources. Become familiar with the terms of service and policies of sites and networks in which you participate. Pay attention to updates. If the legal language is hard to follow, follow a respected blogger or two who discuss service changes in their posts.
You are responsible for gaining the expressed consent of all involved parties for the right to distribution or publication of recordings, photos, images, video, text, slideshow presentations, artwork and advertisements whether those rights are purchased or obtained without compensation.
Keep your personal views separate. Uphold the university’s mission and values in your activities. Don’t include political or personal comments. This includes changes to your photo or avatar in relation to political or social issues. Do not use CSUMB's name to promote or endorse any product, cause, or political party or candidate.
Be authentic. Be honest about your identity. In personal posts, you may identify yourself as a CSUMB faculty or staff member, but please be clear that you are sharing your personal views, not representing CSUMB. This parallels media relations practices at CSUMB.
A common practice among individuals who write about the industry in which they work is to include a disclaimer on their site, usually on their “About Me” page. If you discuss higher education on your own social media site, we suggest you include a sentence similar to this: “The views expressed on this [blog, Web site] are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of CSUMB.”
Don’t be a mole. Never pretend to be someone else and post about CSUMB. Tracking tools enable supposedly anonymous posts to be traced back to their authors. There have been several high-profile and embarrassing cases of company executives anonymously posting about their own organizations.
Take the high ground. If you identify your affiliation with CSUMB in your comments, readers will associate you with the university, even with the disclaimer that your views are your own. Remember that you’re most likely to build a high-quality following if you discuss ideas and situations civilly.
Be aware of liability. You are legally liable for what you post on your own site and on the sites of others. Follow the same CSUMB honor code, FERPA, Conflict of Interest Policy, Privacy and general civil behavior guidelines cited above including respecting copyrights and disclosures, and not revealing proprietary financial, intellectual property or similar sensitive or private content. Individual bloggers have been held liable for commentary deemed to be proprietary, copyrighted, defamatory, libelous or obscene (as defined by the courts).
Remember that all content contributed on all platforms becomes immediately searchable and can be immediately shared. This content leaves the contributing individual faculty/staff/students members’ control forever. Employers are increasingly conducting Web searches on job candidates before extending offers. Be sure that what you post today will not come back to haunt you.
Follow a code of ethics. There are numerous codes of ethics for bloggers and other active participants in social media, all of which will help you participate responsibly in online communities. If you have your own social media site, you may wish to post your own code of ethics or adapt an existing code already on the Web. Monitor comments. Most people who maintain social media sites welcome comments; it builds credibility and community. However, you can set your site so that you can review and approve comments before they appear. This allows you to respond to comments in a timely way. It also allows you to delete spam comments and to block any individuals who repeatedly post offensive or frivolous comments.
Share and link back. Please share content posted on official CSUMB social media channels across your personal networks, and link back from your site to CSUMB.EDU. By virtue of self identifying as part of CSUMB in such a network, faculty/staff/students connect themselves to, and reflect upon, the university.
Applications are being accepted for the Master's in Public Policy program at California State University, Monterey Bay.
The MPP program is a partnership between the university's Department of Health, Human Services and Public Policy and the Leon and Sylvia Panetta Institute for Public Policy. Application deadline is March 1, 2008 for the class that starts next fall. Classes are small, interactive, academically rigorous and professionally focused.
To learn more about the program, the public is invited to an open house on Wednesday, Nov. 7 from 5:30 to 7:30 in the Alumni and Visitors Center on campus. Mr. Panetta will be on hand, schedule permitting, to talk about the importance of the program.
Courses are offered in the evenings to encourage working professionals to attend. Among the courses offered are: -Congressional and Presidential Politics and Policy -Separate courses on Budget Policy, Health Policy and Social Policy -Money, Media and Influence in Policymaking Environments -Policy Analysis and Public Action in Diverse Communities -Collaborative Leadership and Ethical Policymaking
Students currently enrolled in the program come from the management ranks of local governments, educational institutions and non-profit organizations; the broad range of professional backgrounds creates a dynamic learning environment.
For more information about the Master's of Public Policy program, visit the web at http://csumb.edu/mpp; to receive an application packet, call (831) 582-3565 or e-mail mpp@csumb.edu
Tony Boles has joined California State University, Monterey Bay as associate vice president of Campus Development and Operations.
He will oversee campus master planning and building space management, all campus design and construction services, environmental protection and facilities maintenance.
" I see coming to the CSU MB as a great opportunity to be part of the growth and development of a new and exciting campus in one of the most beautiful places in the world," Mr. Boles said.
He brings 25 years experience in all phases of architectural design work, planning and construction project development for a wide range of private- and public-sector facilities. He comes from Gafcon Construction and Project Management, where he managed the development of a $1.1 billion, 1,700-acre park project in Irvine.
Earlier, he was senior deputy director/county architect for the County of San Diego, where he managed the capital improvement and master planning programs. He also served as associate director and construction administrator at San Diego State University, where he oversaw more than $50 million in campus improvement projects.
Mr. Boles served in the U. S. Navy's Civil Engineer Corps, where he directed major construction projects throughout the world. He completed his Navy career as the base closure manager for the Marine Corps air stations in El Toro and Tustin.
He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in architecture from Cal Poly Pomona and also earned a master's degree in city and regional planning from San Diego State University. He is a registered architect in California.
Mr. Boles joined the university on Oct. 18. He replaces Niraj Dangoria, who left CSUMB earlier this year to become assistant dean, facilities planning and management, at Stanford University.
Location, location, location.
The real estate agents’ mantra may also explain the next undergraduate major to be added to the curriculum at Cal State Monterey Bay.
It is location that attracted Elyssa Farmer, a freshman from Pacifica.
“As a 10-year-old, I fell in love with the Monterey Bay Aquarium and wanted to become a marine biologist just like the ones at the aquarium,” she said. When it came time to choose a college, she decided on CSUMB because “it’s located next to one of the richest marine regions in the world. Because of that, I figured it would be sensible to study it here.”
As faculty member Bill Head, a professor in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy, points out, “When you think of Monterey Bay, you think of marine science.
“We have a more concentrated number of marine science institutions here than anywhere in the country.”
Marine science has been part of the curriculum almost since the beginning of the university, offered as a concentration called “marine and coastal ecology” within the Environmental Science, Technology and Policy degree program. Courses have been added over the years, including a scientific diving program that was introduced last spring. It filled up in a day-and-a-half.
As soon as the approval process is completed, that concentration – which has by far the largest enrollment of the five available in the ESTP major – will be renamed “marine science” and elevated to a separate program, leading to a bachelor of science degree.
Elevating the popular program to degree status meets student demand for a degree with a more recognizable name and serves to make the program more visible and attractive to prospective students.
“Our job is to present students with a suite of opportunities,” said Dr. James Lindholm, the Rote Distinguished Professor of Marine Science and Policy. “It’s the Field of Dreams approach – create it and they will come.”
And it meets the needs of employers.
“Employer surveys show a demand for graduates who can address real-world, interdisciplinary problems and have good technical skills,” said Dr. Marsha Moroh, dean of the College of Science.
An important part of the program is the hands-on experience students get with advanced technologies for collecting, analyzing and communicating scientific data.
Students get that hands-on experience in the laboratory and through fieldwork, often working alongside professors on real-world research projects. Teaching and mentoring are at the heart of the experience.
“We give students training in geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing and seafloor mapping,” Dr. Lindholm said.
A prolific researcher, he involves students – undergraduates as well as graduate students in the Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy program – in much of his work.
Since joining the faculty at CSUMB in 2007, Dr. Lindholm has established the Institute for Applied Marine Ecology. The goal of the institute is to understand the interaction of marine ecological systems and human activities.
Among the institute’s many projects is one surveying deep-water habitats in the newly created marine protected areas along California’s north central coast – from San Mateo County north to Mendocino County, using a remotely operated vehicle. The information gathered will serve as the foundation of a program to evaluate the status of fish, invertebrates and their seafloor habitats inside and outside the new MPAs.
Another project involves collecting video and photos that help to explore, describe and catalogue the resources of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
He’s also researching the recovery of seafloor habitats off Morro Bay and the Gulf of Maine following the cessation of trawling.
Perhaps the project with the highest visibility is Dr. Lindholm’s work with Aquarius, the world’s only underwater laboratory.
In 2008, he led a mission that studied the movement and behavior of coral reef fish off Key Largo in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Dr. Lindholm supported the mission from the surface, but three CSUMB graduate students spent 10 days in the lab, 60 feet below the sea surface.
He returned in October to lead Aquarius 2010: If Reefs Could Talk, a mission designed to educate the public so they can make informed decisions about how their actions impact the world’s most important resource – the ocean.
Dr. Lindholm and a graduate student lived in the laboratory, which he says is similar to the International Space Station in size and functionality. Two students worked from the surface, and two more were “ambassadors” for the program, working with Monterey County schools that showed live broadcasts from the lab.
Qualifying for the mission isn't easy. The physical requirements are similar to what potential astronauts face. All participants have to be experienced divers with research and rescue certifications.
"This is truly a remarkable opportunity for these students," Dr. Lindholm said. "What they are going to experience is extraordinary."
Other opportunities – and jobs – are available to students through the university’s Seafloor Mapping Lab.
Supported through grant and contract work, the Seafloor Mapping Lab conducts marine habitat survey work from the Arctic to the Antarctic. The lab has been instrumental in the ongoing California Seafloor Mapping Project, an effort to create the first comprehensive, high-resolution map of California's state waters – from the shoreline out three nautical miles.
The project involves industry, resource management agencies and universities. Final products will include a series of maps showing the seafloor and coastal geology in unprecedented detail.
“We know more about the surface of Mars than the three-mile strip of state waters along our coast,” Dr. Kvitek said. “If the goal is to protect and sustainably manage our marine resources, we don’t have the tools to do it without that basic map. You can see everything down to the size of a lawn chair, and you can look for changes year after year.”
Dr. Kvitek’s work has been featured on the Discovery Channel and in National Geographic magazine, among other publications.
These opportunities to do hands-on research appeal to students.
“I chose CSUMB because the fieldwork with the marine program is a big part of it, and I like working outside, with people,” said Jazmyn Julius, a freshman from Santa Maria.
Katie Wrubel can tell Jazmyn about that.
Wrubel, a 2010 graduate of the ESTP program, spent the summer working with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The 10-week program was identified by CSUMB’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center and sponsored by Oregon State University.
She’s now pursuing a Ph.D. in environmental science at Washington State University in Vancouver.
“The people I met are the best part,” Wrubel told OSU. “The marine science world is so small and it seems that everyone knows everyone, so joining that circle has opened so many doors for me.”
AT A GLANCE
Currently, more than half of the 300 Environmental Science, Technology and Policy majors at Cal State Monterey Bay and about 30 percent of the 400 biology majors are pursuing marine-related concentrations.
No other school in the 23-campus California State University system offers a B.S. in marine science. Pending approval, the degree is scheduled to be offered at CSUMB in the fall of 2012.
Marine scientists deal with a variety of issues – from climate change, declining fisheries and eroding coastlines to the invention of new technologies to explore the sea.
According to NOAA, there’s a huge potential for growth in the field as researchers learn more about the ocean and its interactions with the land and atmosphere, how humans affect the ocean, and the impact of ocean resources on our quality of life.
President Dianne Harrison urged faculty and staff of Cal State Monterey Bay to answer a call to service and excellence for the university and its students in her annual State of the University address in August.
“… In spite of the still-sluggish economy and the unresolved state budget, I have never been so proud of our entire university or felt more confident of its continued progress,” she said.
Dr. Harrison pointed out the positive response the university has received from the organization reviewing its application for re-accreditation. “California State University, Monterey Bay has turned an important corner from its formative years and is maturing as a comprehensive university for the 21st century,” she said.
More than 1,100 new students – freshmen and transfers – attended campus orientation sessions during the summer. But Dr. Harrison reminded her audience that more than 3,200 qualified applicants had to be turned away because of a budget-imposed cap on enrollment.
The new students, she pointed out, “come with high expectations, and they are counting on us to help them achieve their goals – regardless of the state budget.”
Money will continue to be tight for years to come, she said. “A scarcity of public dollars has become the new normal.”
But Dr. Harrison quickly moved beyond money to talk about a few of the university's recent accomplishments.
The biology, psychology, kinesiology, business, math and computer science majors have clearly resonated with students. And so does the new Master of Social Work program, which started its first class with approximately 40 students.
“We will not be stymied by state budgets or be satisfied to simply ride out the storm,” Dr. Harrison said. “Together we will continue to innovate and be leaders in our disciplines and services and in higher education.”
The number of CSUMB students from the tri-county area increased in Fall 2010. Residents of Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties now make up 33 percent of enrollment, compared with 31 percent last year. Northern California and Southern California each supply approximately another third of students.
Total enrollment is 4,790 this semester, including 829 freshmen and 490 new transfer students. This year’s incoming class has a grade-point average of 3.25, up slightly from last year.
Marina Mayor Bruce Delgado presented a ceremonial key to the city to President Dianne Harrison as part of Otter Fest 2010, the city’s welcome-back event for students held Aug. 29, the first Sunday of the fall semester.
Prior to the event, Delgado told the City Council, Marina “wants them, loves them and needs them,” referring to students and the potential boon they represent to the city. Otter Fest included extended hours at the weekly farmers market, food, cooking and gardening demonstrations, live music from a trio of bands, and a business promotion with “Otter Fest passports” and prizes designed to get students into many of the city’s businesses.
Cal State Monterey Bay is one of the most racially diverse schools in its category, according to U.S. News & World Report in the 2011 edition of America’s Best Colleges.
CSUMB is tied with Amherst College at No. 11 on the magazine’s “diversity index” among national liberal arts colleges – schools that award at least half their degrees in the fields of liberal arts. Approximately 265 colleges and universities are in the category. The “diversity index” factors in the total proportion of minority students and the overall mix of groups. The information is drawn from each school’s 2009-10 student body.
CSUMB also was a leader in the U.S. News category of least debt owed by students. Members of the class of 2009 who borrowed money had an average debt of $15,254.
Washington Monthly magazine rated CSUMB highly, as well.
The university ranked second among the nation’s public liberal arts colleges in its contribution to the public good, according to the magazine’s 2010 College Guide.
The Washington Monthly rates schools based on: recruitment and graduation of low-income students; cutting-edge scholarship and Ph.D.s; and students who give back to their communities.
For the third straight year, CSUMB has received a grant from the outdoor recreation retailer REI for the university’s Return of the Natives project.
The $15,000 grant will support work with school children and local teachers, university students and community volunteers on habitat-restoration projects on Fort Ord public lands, the creeks of Salinas and Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District lands in Locke-Paddon Park and Marina Dunes Preserve.
Return of the Natives is dedicated to bringing people closer to nature and nature closer to people through hands-on experience in restoring habitats. The REI grant is one of many received by CSUMB, totaling $18.2 million in 2009-10.
In an effort to maximize the education students receive outside the classroom, CSUMB now offers residents the opportunity to live in “themed” learning communities.
Students can choose to live on residence hall floors set aside for those interested in science and math, outdoor adventure, liberal studies or business. While no academic content is tied to the living arrangement, leisure-time activities are scheduled around the topics.
Freshmen also have the option of participating in Project Higher Ground, where they live in residence halls with a group of students who take at least two courses together.
Filmmaker Magazine has honored CSUMB alumni Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck.
The magazine, a quarterly publication and website devoted to independent film, named the pair to its annual list of “25 New Faces.”
The list is the magazine's “bet on the individuals who will be shaping the independent film world of the future.”
When Machoian (Class of '07) and Ojeda-Beck ('09) met as students in the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department, they had different styles but found a third when working together.
The films they have made together display classic art house film style, according to the magazine. Visuals are the key, along with colorful imagery and solitary characters in simple situations, with editing that tells a story without much dialogue.
At CSUMB, their goal was to make as many films as they could over the course of a semester, resulting in 14 shorts. “Ella and the Astronaut” was shown at festivals all over the world, and “Charlie and the Rabbit” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last January.
Machoian has become the first TAT alumnus to get a university teaching job. He has a full-time position this semester at Cal State Sacramento, replacing a faculty member who is on leave. Ojeda-Beck is enrolled in the Master of Fine Arts program at UC Berkeley with a fellowship to help cover the cost.
Dance is at center stage for the World Theater’s 10th anniversary season.
The Paul Taylor Dance Company returns Nov. 11. Taylor has choreographed a new dance called “Brief Encounters,” in celebration of his 80th birthday. The piece is set to the music of Claude Debussy’s “Children’s Corner.”
On Oct. 21, Madrid-based Noche Flamenca made its first visit to campus, presenting the Spanish folk art form of rapid, fluid guitar playing, heart-piercing vocals and impassioned dancing.
The fall schedule will close Dec. 11 with a Hawaiian family holiday performance featuring slack key guitarist George Kahumoku. Known as Hawaii’s Renaissance man, Kahumoku is an accomplished musician as well as a sculptor, painter, teacher, farmer and captivating storyteller.
All performances start at 7:30 p.m. For ticket information, visit the theater online at CSUMB.EDU/worldtheater or call 831-582-4580.
After a career in the Army, and a second one spent in the mining industry in Peru, Dick Guthrie of Pebble Beach was looking for ways to satisfy his curiosity about, well, almost everything.
He heard about the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute from someone he knew and discovered that for a $149 annual fee, he could participate in a variety of programs for a single price.
Guthrie signed up, and is now in his second year.
“I have a wide range of interests, and OLLI satisfies them,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity for everyone in the area.” This year, he’s taking writing classes and one in archaeology.
TO GET INVOLVED: An annual OLLI membership fee of $149 covers up to six classes. Become a member by going online at CSUMB.EDU/olli. The site has course and enrollment information. Membership includes a university parking pass and discounts to the World Theater and athletic events, as well as use of athletic facilities. Students may also choose to pay a per-class fee. To register by mail, call the OLLI office at 831-582-5500
Guthrie is one of several hundred people participating in OLLI, which was established at Cal State Monterey Bay four years ago with funding from the Bernard Osher Foundation of San Francisco. The 80-year-old Osher is a champion of lifelong learning who backs up that passion with donations of hundreds of millions of dollars. His generosity has funded 119 OLLI programs around the country.
The program is intended for people over 50. Classes focus on personal enrichment and come in a variety of formats: Some are lectures, others are discussions; still others are hands-on. The courses require no tests, research papers or grades.
Most classes are held on campus, though a few are held at other community locations. Topics this semester include gospel choir; modern spiritual masters and integral philosophy, both taught by John Provost; weather and hurricanes; a cultural history of jazz; autumn bird migration; and the California elections, taught by former State Assemblyman Fred Keeley.
Guthrie and nine others turned out on a Thursday morning in September to resume the OLLI Writers’ Circle. All of them are continuing students. They range from beginning writers to published professionals. They’re working on all kinds of projects and all receive constructive feedback on their work. Guthrie is writing a memoir about his experience as a company commander in Vietnam. And he’s serious about it.
“I won’t rest until I’ve told about the soldiers’ bravery and sacrifice under trying conditions,” he said. “The OLLI writing courses have helped me stay focused and productive.”
If he can’t secure a traditional publisher, he intends to self-publish the book.
Kathy Whilden of Monterey, a retired social worker, has been in the Writers Circle since it formed.
“I always thought of myself as a writer – I loved that part of my job. I’m reporting on my life now; I reported on other people’s lives then,” she said.
“Writing about my life is a way to give it validation.”
Andrea Gilliland, a psychology major and certified pastry chef, works for Sodexo in the Catering Department and the Otter Bay Cafe.
During last year’s Otter Orientation, she inquired about a gluten-free meal for her mother. This inquiry, along with her culinary experience, landed her a chef position for Sodexo while she continues as a full-time student. Gilliland has since introduced gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan options for diners.
“Working in the Catering Department has provided me with challenges and also the ability to branch out in my creativity,” said the senior from San Luis Obispo. She also created menu items for the Have a Heart for Students Dinner and Auction, the Business Showcase Dinner, and this year’s post-Commencement luncheon.
After graduation in spring 2011, she plans to cook her way through school as she completes a Master of Social Work degree.
Austin Long, a senior in the Visual and Public Art Department, already has the sensitivity and worldliness of a great photographer. The son of an artist and a military officer, he spent half of his high school career in Bolivia, where he soaked up the culture and dabbled in photography.
But what was once a hobby is now his career focus. Last year, Long received recognition for his talents as a photographer, winning the first Roy De Carva/Carrie Mae Weems Photo Prize, a $1,000 scholarship awarded by CSUMB’s VPA program to outstanding student photographers.
“I’m more at home in the VPA program,” he said. “The program’s strength is teaching us how to think like artists, how to conceptualize our work, not just produce it.”
Long needed a compelling portfolio to receive the award, and he had one.
Two summers ago, while on a trip with his grandfather to the Dominican Republic, he documented daily life.
Cupping a 1987 Model Nikon N4004 camera in his hand and shooting with Velvia slide film, Long traversed the cities of Jaibon and Santo Domingo. The simple moments of children playing jump rope, elderly men relaxing in the afternoon, and teenagers chatting under a tree caught his eye.
Long plans to be a commercial photographer when he graduates this spring while continuing to pursue his art.
“Everyone here actually has an art career, on top of teaching,” he said. “It is cool to be able to talk to people who are working artists.”
For the first time since its inception in 1985, CSU Summer Arts will reside at CSU Monterey Bay, bringing an artistic explosion to Monterey County. On July 2, the first of Summer Arts' five-year residency at CSUMB began. – California State University website, July 2, 2012
Cal State Monterey Bay didn’t land an athlete at the Olympics, but the university will be represented in another way.
Reference and instruction librarian Sarah Dahlen is a member of the Monterey Peninsula Choral Society. The 113-member group will perform at several venues in London during the Games, one of just six choirs in the world invited to sing during the 17-day run of the Olympics.
“The choir typically has rehearsals once a week, but for the weeks leading up to our departure, we’ve had four each week,” Dahlen said. “And I’ve done a lot of work on my own as well, and am usually singing in the car.”
The choir is scheduled to perform at Olympic Park, where as many as 30,000 people are expected to be in the audience. The singers will also perform at Canterbury Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and several other venues.
“Our repertoire includes about 25 songs and I’ve pretty much got all of them memorized at this point,” she said.
The society will present a bon voyage concert July 27 at a church in Carmel; Dahlen will leave for Paris the next morning.
“We’re skipping the craziness of the Opening Ceremonies to sing at a couple of venues in Paris: La Madeleine Church and EuroDisney,” Dahlen said.
The group, which also includes retired CSUMB staff member Diane Ehlers, will take a ferry to the United Kingdom on Aug. 1, in time to do some sightseeing before their concerts.
“I’ve never been to the Olympics before, but I think it’s an amazing event and it will be great to be around the energy of the athletes and spectators in the park, even if we’re not able to attend a competition” Dahlen said.
The organizers were not able to secure tickets for the large group, but “they made up for it by getting us tickets to see Wicked in London’s West End.”
Most members of the group will return home on Aug. 6, but Dahlen will head to Finland for a couple of weeks. She’ll attend a meeting of the International Federation of Library Associations, where she’s scheduled to present a workshop on using rubrics for information literacy instruction. And then she’s headed to Kuusamo, 37 miles south of the Arctic Circle, for a week of vacation.
“I’m hoping to do some hiking there and enjoy the long daylight hours,” she said.
Editor's Note: Bon Voyage Concert, 8 p.m., July 27, at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Dolores Street and Ninth Avenue, Carmel. Information: www.thempcs.org
The Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department at CSU Monterey Bay will present a screening of “I Am Secretly an Important Man” at the Osio Theater in Monterey on March 5.
The documentary film, directed by Peter Sillen, will be shown at 7 p.m.
In the film, Sillen examines the life of subculture hero Steven Jesse Bernstein. Bernstein, a songwriter, poet and performance artist, was a literary rebel and vivid presence in Seattle’s underground scene in the 1970s and ’80s. Cited as the “godfather of grunge,” he opened concerts for Nirvana and Soundgarden and recorded albums of songs and poetry for Sub Pop Records.
The film’s title comes from one of his poems, “Come Out Tonight.” It became an inspiration and an anthem for the grunge-rock movement.
Using video and audio clips of his subject, along with interviews with the artist’s family, friends and colleagues, and powerful footage of the darker side of Seattle, Sillen shows the poet’s self-examination and what Bernstein called just plain “doing your job.”
The director will be on hand to introduce the film and to take questions from the audience after the showing. A New York based documentary filmmaker, Sillen is best known for his low-tech approach and sensitivity to his subjects and their environment. He has screened his films at a wide array of festivals and venues including the Sundance Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival, South By Southwest, Slamdance, the Museum of Modern Art, Brooklyn Academy of Music and San Francisco’s Castro Theater.
Mike Plante, an associate programmer of the Sundance Film Festival who has worked with TAT for several years, selected the film.
According to TAT department chair Enid Blader, “Mike selected it not only because it fits with the literary tradition of the Monterey Bay area, but also to continue championing films that might otherwise go unseen, and to support a filmmaker who is telling a story in a distinct and stylish way.”
Tickets can be purchased at the door at the regular Osio prices: $9 for general admission, $6.25 for seniors, $6.75 for students/military with ID.
Whether he’s a grunge footnote, a beatnik wannabe, or a beautiful, belated loser, the film allows you to decide. – Seattle Weekly
Whether at a field site or in a lab, the chance to conduct research is a game-changer for many CSU Monterey Bay students when it comes to earning a degree.
The experiences, they say, can ignite a passion, build and reinforce confidence, keep them on track for graduation and provide a head start on graduate school.
At CSUMB, the challenge of pursuing a hypothesis down a rigorous line of research is infused throughout the curriculum. The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center – UROC – builds on the curriculum to engage students in research beyond the classroom.
UROC is a cross-campus center that serves students in multiple disciplines. These experiences help students make the link between their classroom and the wider world and help them to develop critical skills for success in graduate school and professional life.
Now, campuses in the CSU are coming together to do some serious thinking about undergraduate research across the 23-campus system. Because of its leadership in this area, CSUMB has been selected to participate in a workshop next October designed to improve and expand the opportunities for students. Eight other campuses will also participate. The emphasis will be on the STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – fields.
The workshop will emphasize connecting current undergraduate research activities across campuses, developing databases to track students’ progress, building undergraduate research into faculty workload and identifying a curriculum model that would provide every undergraduate access to research opportunities.
UROC began in January 2009. Since then, nearly 200 students have been served; currently, 60 students are engaged in or pursuing research placements.
“We know the power of undergraduate research here at CSUMB,” said Dr. Bill Head, UROC director and professor in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy. “We’re proud of the commitment and leadership our campus has shown at providing these opportunities for our students.
“We look forward to collaborating with our partner campuses to expand these opportunities throughout the CSU educational experience.”
Learn about the work done by UROC students.
About UROC: UROC is home to CSU Monterey Bay’s strong and growing undergraduate research-related programs, such as the McNair Scholars Program, the National Science Foundation Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program (LSAMP), and the Department of Education’s College Cost Reduction and Access Act grant program. The center is housed in the new Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library and funded through federal grants, private contributions, and corporate donations.
Image above: Taken from a video highlighting the research project by Xeromino Castaneda
As of July 1, the Business and Information Technology (BIT) building was approximately 40 percent complete.
Groundbreaking for CSUMB's newest academic building was held on Nov. 12. The $43 million, 58,000-square-foot structure will house the College of Business and the School of Information Technology and Communications Design.
Housing the two programs together allows students to integrate technology and business practices, and encourages the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship crucial for learning.
Located on the south side of Divarty Street next to the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library, the technology-rich building will have eight classrooms, 12 labs, offices, conference rooms and student study areas.
Check out the progress of construction via webcam View the latest image
Sustainability strategies are incorporated into the design. Spaces are organized to ensure learning environments and staff areas receive natural light; storm water runoff will be contained on site; water conserving plumbing fixtures will be used; and heat-producing direct sunlight kept to a minimum with the exterior screen wall. The building has been designed to LEED Gold standards.
The project is expected to be completed for the 2015-16 academic year.
Facts about the building:
• Location: Divarty Street, next to the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library
• Function: Will house the College of Business and the School of Information Technology & Communication Design
• Features: The technology-rich building will have two and three levels tied together by an atrium and will include eight classrooms; 12 laboratories; offices for faculty members, departments and the dean of the College of Business; conference rooms; student study areas; and a graduate student lounge.
• Sustainable features: Sustainability strategies are incorporated into the design. Spaces are organized to ensure learning environments and staff areas receive natural light; storm water runoff is to be contained on site; water conserving plumbing fixtures will be used; and heat-producing direct sunlight kept to a minimum with the exterior screen wall. The building has been designed to be LEED Gold certified.
• Architect: HMC Architects of San Jose (other projects include San Francisco State University library renovation and expansion; UC San Diego School of Management; College of the Desert Nursing Complex)
• General contractor: Rudolph and Sletten
• Size: 58,000 gross square feet
• Start of construction: November 2013
• Estimated completion: For the 2015-16 academic year
• Cost of construction: $43 million ($30 million for construction and $13 million for indirect costs including architects and engineer fees, consultants, agency reviews, furniture and equipment, etc.)
• Funded by: $43 million of state funds
Dr. Cheryl Keyes, professor of ethnomusicology in the School of Music at UCLA, will lecture on the development of rap/hip-hop music when she visits CSU Monterey Bay on Dec. 6.
The free lecture will be held from 10 to 11:50 a.m. in the Music Hall on Sixth Avenue and Butler Street.
Dr. Keyes is the author of “Rap Music and Street Consciousness,” which received a CHOICE award for outstanding academic books when it was published in 2004.
This professor speaks the language of the streets; she also speaks on panels and at seminars as a nationally recognized rap/hip-hop scholar whose academic credentials include a Ph.D. from Indiana University.
While “rap” defines the music, Dr. Keyes told the Long Beach Press-Telegram, hip-hop embodies a larger “youth art movement,” composed of music, graffiti, attitude and dress. Her work draws on research she has done in West Africa, New York City, Detroit, Los Angeles and London.
Rap music, according to Dr. Keyes, is a forum that addresses the political and economic disenfranchisement of black youths and other groups, fosters ethnic pride, and displays cultural values and aesthetics. Blending popular culture with folklore and ethnomusicology, she offers a nuanced portrait of the artists, themes, and various styles reflective of urban life and street consciousness. A filmmaker, she has completed a documentary called “Beyond Central Avenue: Contemporary Female Jazz Instrumentalists of Los Angeles,” funded by UCLA’s Center for Community Partnerships. Her musical creative works have been performed by the Women’s Jazz Orchestra of Los Angeles. As a performer, she played with trumpeter Clark Terry’s All-Girl All-Star Jazz Band, and she has recorded with New Orleans rhythm-blues pianist Eddie Bo, and with jazz clarinetist Alvin Batiste. Her debut CD, Let Me Take You There, won an Image Award from the NAACP in the category of Outstanding World Music Album.” Driving directions and a campus map are available here. While the lecture is free, visitors must buy a parking permit from machines located on the adjacent lot.
For more information or to arrange for disability accommodations, contact Nicole Mendoza at 582-3009.
Imagine if, over a decade, San Francisco Bay lost enough sediment to fill about 5,000 Olympic swimming pools with sand and gravel, and some mud.
That's appears to be what happened.
According to research just published by CSU Monterey Bay professor Rikk Kvitek (pictured at right) and U.S. Geological Survey researcher Patrick L. Barnard, an analysis of bathymetric (or sea-bottom) measurements taken in 1997 and again in 2008 indicates that the west-central San Francisco Bay – roughly from the Golden Gate to about a mile east of Angel Island and Alcatraz – lost about 14.1 million cubic meters of sediment. That's the equivalent of about a square mile piled about 17 feet high – or those 5,000 pools.
The report appears in the current issue of San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science. Access it here.
The 2008 analysis, they wrote, benefited from advances in Global Positioning Systems (GPS) that virtually eliminated inaccuracies due to changing tides or rocking vessels; and from recent improvements in multi-beam sonar, seafloor sampling and underwater video that more clearly reveal the depth and nature of sediments above bedrock.
"The seafloor position can now be mapped with unprecedented detail and precision," the researchers wrote.
Their mapping covered about 15.6 square miles, about one-fourth of which was under lease for aggregate mining. The leased areas, they found, lost sediment at more than four times the rate of the non-leased areas. (Overall, based on soundings taken from 1947 to 1979, San Francisco Bay appears to be losing sediment three times faster than it did in the mid- to late-20th century.)
Kvitek and Barnard conclude that the recently lost, predominantly coarse, sediment was "material that would otherwise have been available for transport to eroding, open-coast beaches" along the San Francisco shoreline.
. . . Cal State Monterey Bay made history on CBS Sports Network with the first-ever national telecast of a CCAA women's basketball game. – The Salinas Californian, Feb. 17, 2014
In celebration of Black History Month, the CSUMB chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Black Students United and other organizations have kept really busy. – Monterey Herald, Feb. 14, 2014
Four business owners will share their experiences starting and running successful ventures and the lessons they learned along the way at the spring Entrepreneurship Forum set for Feb. 26 at CSU Monterey Bay.
The free forum, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the University Center, is sponsored by the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development and CSUMB’s College of Business.
Panel members include Paul Temple from Advanced Onion; Shawn Bakker from Bakker Construction; Carlos Lopez from Lopez Tax Services; and Ben Holber from YoDerm, winner of the 2012 Monterey Bay Regional Business Plan Competition. Audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions after the presentations.
For more information, contact MaryJo Zenk at 831-582-3230 or e-mail her at mzenk@csumb.edu.
The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Driving directions and a campus map can be found here. Visitors must purchase a parking permit from the machine on the lot.
**About CSU Monterey Bay’s Entrepreneurship Forums****Each semester, the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development, in partnership with the College of Business, hosts an Entrepreneurship Forum. Past forums have addressed topics such as how startups quickly nail the product that sells; advice from lenders; and a look at crowdfunding.
Millions of viewers across the country will get the chance to watch CSUMB's women's basketball make its TV debut this weekend. – KION-TV, Feb. 14, 2014
CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa kicked off an annual recruiting event aimed at African American communities. – KSBW-TV, Feb. 15, 2014
Work by students at California State University, Monterey Bay will be presented at the third annual Carmel Short Film Festival scheduled for dusk on June 19 at the Outdoor Forest Theater.
Sponsored by the Forest Theater Guild, CSU Monterey Bay's Department of Teledramatic Arts and Technology and the Monterey Bay Film Society, the screening is an encore presentation of work shown at the university’s Capstone Festival in May. "Capstones" are senior projects, a graduation requirement for all CSUMB students.
Among the "shorts" – all are under six minutes – to be screened are music videos, documentaries, animation and narratives. All films are family-friendly (PG-13 content). Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at the door. The program is expected to start around 8 p.m. Spectators are advised to wear warm clothing and may want to bring a blanket. Concessions will be available.The Forest Theater is located at the corner of Mountain View and Santa Rita streets near downtown Carmel. For information, visit the web at www.foresttheaterguild.org. On the program are:
Into the Dream by Evelyn Montes A woman's passions and dreams are kept alive through music.
A World of Her Own by Ralph Blanchard This short documentary is a portrait of Patri, a victim of schizophrenia and her family who has adapted to her world.
The Gift by Anthony Spedaliere and Joab Perez The passing of a gift from one person to another.
They Call Us Brats by Tabitha Enanoria andKatherine Foltz Strength and hope are just two words that describe the Moberly family. Mark Moberly is an active duty member in the Army. His wife Kelly and their five children have just moved to Seaside California. In this documentary film we explore the children’s perspective and how they feel about growing up in a Military family.
Newly Dead by Aaron Roy Recently demised, a soul discovers how the system works in the afterlife. Due to budget cuts, it is now up to the soul to choose between heaven or hell. both Angel and Demon, serving as representatives for both systems, try to sell one place over the other. Ultimately, everyone finds themselves stuck in purgatory because of decisions made by upper management.
A Daughter's Journey by Lori Zaknich A Daughter’s Journey is a film that looks at the memories of my father after his death. It touches on the emotions that relate to those memories and our relationship. This film is about honoring him as well as truthfully expressing the difficult feelings that come up when remembering my childhood. It is a discovery of self through the experiences in my life. And it is about continuing forward with strength and good intentions for my own child.
Viaje al Mar by Ryan Elam and Bryan Elbert A young boy living on a farm decides to embark on a journey to see the ocean for the first time.
Serious Leisure by Tanya Mullen An ambitious and mildly ludicrous man has a love for hobbies but unbeknownst to him is disastrous at all of them.
Lords, Ladies by Casey Poma When medieval knight Marek has enough of standing in a watch tower day after day, he urges his friend and fellow knight Borin to join him for a trip in the woods.
Addictive Application by Rachel Asendorf Documentary about the Facebook virtual reality game Farmville where players spend numerous amounts of time harvesting a virtual plot of land. A Farmville player takes a day to work on a real organic farm in Salinas, CA to gain perspective on the reality of farm work.
The Karl Krogstad Dimension by Kelly Hills Karl Krogstad is both truth and fiction in his own autobiography. The Seattle born artist finally settles down after sixty-five films and seventeen music videos, and thousands of paintings but who’s counting? Karl is one of the best independent, surrealist filmmakers and how can he not be when he is best friends with Gus Van Sant and Tom Robbins. The outrageous, loud, wild and out there KK has finally summed up his sixty plus years of life with this autobiography. This is just a small peek through the window into the world of Karl Krogstad.
The Wet Sand by Joshua Fryou Traumatized from their experiences at war, two discharged soldiers find closure from one special dog.
Bright Black by Shantel Byrd A tap dancer, a hip hop dancer and a ballerina unite performing together on stage creating their own mixed form of dance. The dancers not only prove their successes alone, but also show how paths to new and different opportunities can await when they congregate with others.
Clueless by Petey Camarillo Ava Brown cheats, lies and doesn’t have a care in the world. Too bad her parents are too dense to notice.
Good Morning, Day! by Calvin Alice-Demorest On a day brimming with good vibes, several strangers collide and bring their energies together while waiting for the bus. When it shows, everything about the journey seems distant and strange, until a mysterious and flirty girl thinks she’s got skills at tic-tac-toe.
Resurrection by Nichole Worden Both Eric and Vickie Worden were bikers before being a biker was the hip thing to do. From their early twenties both had been riding Harleys, but that lifestyle was put on hold when they started their family. Now that all the kids have grown up, and the business is doing well, it is time to don the leathers and ride again.
EPIC! by Tyler Lee A pair of adventurers in a fantasy role-playing game find themselves faced with a seemingly unbeatable foe: A Dungeon Master that takes himself too seriously. What will happen when rules are overlooked and egos get in the way? Find out in an adventure where imagination and reality collide!
ON BOARD by Dustin Brockman A personal narrative-style documentary that brings viewers literally “on board” into the world of surfing, told by those who truly embrace it.
The CSU Monterey Bay Rotaract Club will host a Zumbathon to benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, March 29 at Water City Skate in Marina.
Relay for Life is more than just a fundraiser. It’s a time to “celebrate, remember and fight back” against cancer. CSUMB Rotaract, a campus organization dedicated to community service and affiliated with Rotary International, is doing just that with this upbeat, high-energy event.
According to club co-president Charn Singh, a junior biology major, Rotaract brings together college students for the purpose of humanitarian service, networking, building goodwill and promoting peace around the world. Said Singh: “One thing that makes our club unique is that we’re not university-based; instead, we’re community-based. Students from Monterey Peninsula College, Hartnell College, Monterey Institute of International Studies and the Defense Language Institute can join, and we have several members from each of those institutions.”
Zumbathon participants are asked to make a $10 minimum donation. All proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society. Raffles, prizes and giveaways from local restaurants and businesses will be part of the fun.
Relay for Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone a chance to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost and fight back against the disease.
“Everyone knows someone touched by cancer, which in itself is really scary. It’s important for our community to come together and help finish the fight against cancer,” Singh said.
“Sometimes, it’s easy to feel small when you want to do something major. As long as we have passionate individuals who want to help in any way, then I know we can make a difference. It’s all about ‘Service Above Self’.”
Participants should bring water, a towel and a smile to this event. To find out more about the Zumbathon, contact Carina at candrade@csumb.edu. Water City Skate is located at 2800 Second Ave.
. . . CSU Monterey Bay is ranked fourth among the nation's public liberal arts colleges in its contribution to the public good. The university is also ranked third overall in research expenditures, according to the Washington Monthly 2011 College Guide published this week. – The Salinas Californian, Sept. 3, 2011
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has once again honored CSU Monterey Bay for its focus on service and public engagement, making it one of only 361 institutions in the United States to hold the classification.
The 2015 Community Engagement Classification documents CSUMB’s “excellent alignment among campus mission, culture, leadership, resources and practices that support dynamic and noteworthy community engagement,” according to the foundation. Community engagement, as defined by the foundation, focuses on the collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources. “We appreciate this recognition by the Carnegie Foundation,” said CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa.
“Community engagement has been a cornerstone of CSUMB since our founding and its importance has only grown over the years. We want to continue to build on our tradition of service learning and to seek new and meaningful ways to build partnerships that help move our community forward,” the president said.
In 1970, the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education developed the first classification system for American colleges and universities as a research tool to describe and represent the diversity of U.S. higher education. The Community Engagement category was first created in 2006, and the designation was awarded to CSUMB that year. It is one indication of the growing importance of community service and civic engagement as a priority for higher education. About the university’s community engagement initiatives ?CSUMB's community engagement initiatives are diverse and originate from every academic program, emblematic of CSUMB's commitment to active learning and its concern for its role as a "steward of the region."
CSUMB is one of the few universities in the nation – public or private – to have made service learning a graduation requirement for all students. Through service learning, all CSUMB academic departments and programs have been able to develop strong relationships throughout the community.
Nearly half of CSUMB students enroll in service learning courses each year, contributing more than 65,000 hours of service to more than 250 schools, non-profit organizations and government agencies in the region. A few examples of the university’s outstanding accomplishments in service learning and community engagement include:
• CSUMB's Chinatown Renewal Project, which involves over 100 students each year in the revitalization of Chinatown neighborhood in Salinas;
• Return of the Natives environmental restoration project, which works with over 60 students in various environmental efforts;
• The Seafloor Mapping Project, which develops detailed maps for state agencies;
• The Mission Conservation Program, which involves dozens of students in conservation and interpretation projects at the region's historic missions;
• The Algebra Academy and Imagine College, which work directly with local youth in college preparation courses. The university was honored with another community engagement award in December – the 2014 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, awarded by the Corporation for National and Community Service. CSUMB is the only two-time recipient of the prestigious President’s Award for Community Service in Higher Education.
Work by alumnus Lew Aytes will be on display at the American Tin Cannery through March 31. The exhibit, “Steinbeck: The Art of Fiction,” features artistic interpretations of John Steinbeck’s work in sculpture, photography and painting.
Aytes’ pieces are three-dimensional faces that represent his visions of Steinbeck’s characters.
Works by photographer Robert Nease and painter Warren Chang are included in the exhibit, along with the Robert Lewis exhibit of Cannery Row photographs from 1957-58.
The exhibit was created for the National Steinbeck Center by Aytes and Nease, and displayed there last year. The current exhibit has been expanded to include Chang’s paintings of fieldworkers and Lewis’ historic images of Cannery Row.
Aytes earned a bachelor’s degree from Sacramento State, where he studied music performance and conducting, and an MBA in finance from California Southern University. A re-entry student at CSUMB, he earned a degree in Visual and Public Art in 2012.
On his website, he says: “In one form or another, art has existed in my life as long as I have memory. My first conscious production of art was musical . . . Music also transported me into the medium of sculpture later in life.”
The exhibit is on display on the second floor of the American Tin Cannery, 125 Ocean View Blvd., Pacific Grove. The building is located around the corner from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. *Photos Top: John Steinbeck sculpture by Lew Aytes Above: Aytes hanging his work at last year's exhibit at the National Steinbeck Center*
Students, especially in grades 2 through 6, will get a chance to step into the outdoors and wrap their eager minds around the basics of natural science. The program is offered by Return of the Natives, part of the Watershed Institute at CSUMB. – The Salinas Californian, Oct. 13, 2010
CSUMB men's soccer team earns national ranking – Monterey Herald, Sept. 20, 2013
For the fifth consecutive year, Cal State Monterey Bay has been named a "military-friendly school" by G.I. Jobs magazine. –* The Salinas Californian*, Sept. 16, 2013
The community is invited to a screening of Godfrey Reggio’s prophetic 1982 film, Koyaanisqatsi at 4 p.m., Oct. 1, in the TAT studio. The director will make a presentation and then screen the film. Koyaanisqatsi – “life out of balance” in the Hopi language – is a visual tone poem with no dialogue and no conventional plot, which the director describes as a reversal of the typical saying that “a picture is worth a thousand words,” and is instead “a thousand images to convey the power of one word.” The film presents a stunning montage of images from urban traffic to desert vistas to electronic circuits, accompanied by a score from Philip Glass to explore the threats posed to nature by modern civilization. One critic called it a “unique, contemplative film.”
Said Walter Ryce in the Monterey County Weekly: "It is a wordless work that said much about the world then (1982), and the world we live in now." The showing and talk kicks off the Philip Glass Center for the Arts, Science and the Environment's annual Days and Nights Festival at Big Sur's Henry Miller Library and Carmel's Sunset Center. Faculty filmmakers' work screened at Days and Nights Festival
A seven-year stint in the U.S. Coast Guard offered Bridget Hoover many exciting experiences. It was also a time when she saw the water quality of the ocean at its worst.
After responding to many oil spills off the Eastern Seaboard and the Northwest, this 1999 CSUMB graduate knew she had the potential to do something more.
“It became very disheartening, and I wanted a job that was more proactive and preventative in nature. So that is how I directed my education,” said Hoover, who received a B.S. in Earth Systems Science & Policy.
For her senior capstone project, Hoover measured the water quality of runoff flowing from the outfalls in Monterey. She attributes her current career to the ESSP’s strong scientific foundation.
Today, she is director of water quality protection for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Within the program Hoover and her staff work with cities to implement storm water management, assist agricultural industry efforts to reduce runoff into the ocean, and educate the community about preserving the Earth’s most valuable resource – water.
“We all contribute to the pollution entering the sanctuary,” she said, “and we are all part of the solution.”
“Save the Carmel River – Conserve Water Today” is the topic of the last class of the year offered by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Cal State Monterey Bay.
The free, hourlong class will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 6 in the OLLI annex, located on the corner of Inter-Garrison Road and Sixth Avenue on the CSUMB campus.
The session will be led by CSUMB students Erin Frolli, Jessica Chapman, Kat Miller and Sarah Jeffries. The class will consist of a short lecture and tips on how to get rebates for household items (information will be specific for local water districts) and how to garden using drought-tolerant plants. Free plants – provided by CSUMB’s Return of the Natives project – will be given out.
In addition, information will be provided on where to shop for drought-tolerant plants, sprinkler systems and more.
Snacks will be provided. Register at the door at via e-mail at efrolli@csumb.edu. For more information on OLLI at CSUMB, visit olli.csumb.edu Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map.
The community is invited to experience Afro-Peruvian music on April 25 at a free concert on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay.
The performance features master Afro-Peruvian musician Pedro Rosales and his group, Proyecto Landó, an ensemble of 10 musicians and four dancers. With elements of jazz and salsa, the group provides a colorful and powerful swing that makes people want to dance – and attendees will have the chance to do just that.
The evening includes an opportunity to talk with Rosales and his group about the music, the history of blacks in Peru, the relative influence of Afro-Peruvian culture in the three main regions of Peru (coast, mountain and Amazon), and the importance of black Peru within the wider African Diaspora.
The performance will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Black Box Cabaret, located adjacent to the Health and Wellness Services building on Inter-Garrison Road and Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard. Best place to park is the lot in front of Health and Wellness Services.
While the concert is free, visitors must purchase a parking permit from a machine in the lot. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
For information or to request disability accommodations, call 582-3673. The event is sponsored by Special Events Funding, the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the Division of Humanities and Communication. Learn about the Africana Studies concentration at CSUMB.
Cynthia Nelson Holmsky is joining CSU Monterey Bay in an administrative appointment to be director of the Monterey County Cradle to Career Partnership.
In that capacity, Ms. Holmsky will be responsible for establishing the Cradle to Career Partnership as a catalyst for regional partners to work together, across sectors, and along the social and educational continuum to drive better results in education, for every child from cradle to career.
The director will provide leadership and facilitate the achievement of the coalition’s goals to ensure that every child is prepared for school, supported inside and outside of school, succeeds in school, enrolls in some form of postsecondary education, graduates, and enters a career.
The Monterey County Cradle to Career partnership will be based on a model adopted by more than 100 communities across the country that share best practices through the Cradle to Career Network.
The network’s motto is “Every Child. Cradle to Career.” Cradle to Career Network communities promote a broad commitment among social service, education, business and philanthropic agencies to work together to achieve agreed-upon goals for student success.
Since the first Cradle to Career partnership began in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky in 2006, communities in 37 states and the District of Columbia have established programs.
A Monterey resident, Ms. Holmsky has a background in non-profit and business organizations, including those devoted to student learning and career readiness. She comes to the university from a position as vice president for talent and organization development at Pacific Metrics Corp. in Monterey. Prior to that position, she was vice president for human resources at Shop.com and a consultant and general manager for the Big Sur Land Trust.
In volunteer capacities, she has served as board president of Camp SEA Lab, a program that helps youngsters discover the ocean through summer camps and outdoor school programs; has been a board member of the YMCA of the Monterey Peninsula; and an adviser and grant writer for a local independent high school.
She earned a master’s degree in human resource and organization development from the University of San Francisco.
Ms. Holmsky will assume the position on Feb. 17.
The Vagina Monologues returns to CSU Monterey Bay Feb. 12, 13 and 14.
The play has received rave reviews in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. Written by Eve Ensler, the "Vagina Monologues" tells the stories of a variety of women, their connections with each other and with the world.
CSUMB's production is student-run, student-directed and features student actors. The monologues address issues such as rape, birth, sex and relationships; some are serious, some are funny, all are enlightening and explore new and interesting viewpoints for both men and women.
The play's staging at CSUMB is part of this year's V-Day campaign. V-Day's mission: to celebrate women and girls and to stop the sexual violence being perpetrated against them all over the world. V-Day has raised millions of dollars since it started 15 years ago and has been named one of Worth Magazine's "100 Best Charities." V-Day has grown exponentially, from an underground feminist event to a mainstream media one. Benefit performances are scheduled around the world in connection with Valentine's Day.
The CSUMB production is put on by EMPOWER, a student organization that educates the community about violence against women. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to local organizations working to do just that. This year's production will feature new monologues. Parents, please note the mature content and adult themes of the play.
Tickets may be purchased by calling 582-4580.
DETAILS
Event: Vagina Monologues
Where: World Theater on Sixth Avenue
When: Feb. 12, 13, 14; all performances at 8 p.m.
Tickets: $15 general admission; $10 students with ID and seniors
Parking: Attendees must purchase a permit from a machine on the parking lot
For more than a century, the Delta Sigma Theta sorority has been committed to public service, with a primary focus on the black community. Now, there is a chapter at CSU Monterey Bay, the first historically African American sorority established on campus. The Upsilon Xi chapter was chartered in April with seven members: Diamond Gaskins, Shiyla Goodie, Nancy Her, Brigette Johnson, Tyler Posey, Courtney Thomas and Tiffany Williams.
The chapter plans service projects for the fall that focus on physical and mental health issues that include all students, specifically geared toward under-represented women.
Delta Sigma Theta is the largest black Greek organization in the country. More than a thousand chapters have initiated 200,000 members. It was founded in 1913 at Howard University to promote academic excellence and provide assistance to those in need.
Delta Sigma Theta is the eighth sorority to be chartered at CSUMB; six fraternities are also active. (A complete list can be found here.)
"We are grateful for CSUMB's enthusiastic support for a collegiate chapter. Upsilon Xi will extend Delta's legacy of scholarship, service and sisterhood to the campus community, while connecting members committed to public service," said Brenda Grayson Shinault, the chapter's primary adviser and a member of the sorority’s Monterey Peninsula alumnae chapter.
*From left to right: Tiffany Williams; Nancy Her; Courtney Thomas; President of the Monterey Peninsula alumnae chapter Chasette Harper; Far West regional director Sandra Philips Johnson; Tyler Posey, Brigette Johnson, Shiyla Goodie, and Diamond Gaskins. *
Cal State Monterey Bay faculty member Kathryn England-Aytes believes in the power of real-world experience. As a lecturer in psychology, she works to give her students a chance to learn first-hand from professionals. This semester, students in her clinical psychology course are getting that opportunity thanks to a collaboration with the Kinship Center, a nonprofit that provides mental health and counseling services to children and families touched by adoption, foster care, relative caregiving or legal guardianship. Professionals at the Kinship Center are providing students with a look at the field of child welfare and mental health. Using clinical theory, hands-on activities and lectures at the center’s Salinas campus, the course brings real-life applications to students considering careers in the mental health field. The Kinship Center, a member of the Seneca Family of Agencies, has been honored nationally for its life-changing outcomes for more than 2,500 children each year through therapeutic foster care, kinship (relative) care, mental health services for children and families, intensive support for families in crisis, prevention programs to keep children out of child welfare, adoption and education and training for parents and professionals. “We’re excited about this collaboration,” Professor England-Aytes said. “It’s already connecting students with the community in ways that make us proud." Kinship staff members will deliver six lectures during the course of the semester, covering topics including cultural issues, child trauma, behavioral psychotherapy, group and family therapy and working with children and adolescents. After two lectures, students are clearly enthusiastic. Student evaluations have included these comments:
?• “This experience has helped me choose my area of future study.” • “Great information from first-hand accounts.” • “The lectures get me thinking about what I really want to do with my education.” Kinship co-founder Carol Biddle said she is “delighted” to partner with the university to give students a better understanding of the practical applications of their educational program. She noted that the center has hired a number of CSUMB psychology graduates over the years. The center has also provided placements for students in CSUMB’s master’s program in social work, including two former students of England-Aytes.
"Being able to share our remarkable psychology students with the mental health care community before they are seeking career positions is helpful for them; Kinship Center makes it truly meaningful," Professor England-Aytes said. Learn about the psychology program at CSUMB. Learn about the Kinship Center
Clinical psychology students enjoy the benefits of a collaboration with the Kinship Center. Professor Kathryn England-Aytes is pictured at far left.
Oct. 12, 2010
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO FROM THE MISSION HERE
On Oct. 12, Dr. James Lindholm and graduate student Jessica Watson embarked on a scientific mission inside the world's only undersea research station.
The station, named the Aquarius Undersea Laboratory, is similar to the International Space Station. But while astronauts explore outer space, "aquanauts explore inner space," said Watson.
The pair, along with four other researchers, will live underwater for 10 days, diving eight hours a day to study coral reefs in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Two other CSUMB students, Chelsea Parrish-Kuhn and Alexandra Davis, are also in Florida, working from the surface to support the underwater team.
The Aquarius is about the size of a mobile home. It's equipped with hot showers, an Internet connection and other communications equipment. (And it's loaded with freeze-dried "hiker foods, reconstituted with hot water," Dr. Lindholm said.)
It's owned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and operated by the University of North Carolina Wilmington. It sits 60 feet underwater, four miles from shore off Key Largo. Its mission: scientific research, coral reef and ocean observation, undersea technology development, training, and ocean education and outreach. Since 1994, it has hosted 90 missions.
The current mission is entitled "Aquarius 2010: If Reefs Could Talk." It is designed to bring the science of ocean conservation and the underwater world to classrooms and communities nationwide. Live broadcasts each day will focus on biodiversity, climate change and technology for field science.
Although the aquanauts will be taking the time to conduct live broadcasts, their main focus is still the science behind the mission. They are studying the behavioral interactions of fishes that live in a range of coral habitats across the reef area.
Living in Aquarius, Dr. Lindholm said, allows scientists to conduct research over an extended period of time. It's called saturation diving, when the body is completely saturated with nitrogen.
Surface diving allows scientists a limited amount of time to reach the bottom and collect data before the body begins to "bend" – experiencing pain, said Dr. Lindholm, director of the Institute for Applied Marine Ecology or IfAME at CSUMB. But with saturation diving, he said, they can spend hours each day swimming with the fish they are studying.
"There's a lot more time to observe things, things that you may not see elsewhere," he said.
All this information will help marine biologists everywhere have a much better understanding of coral reef communities and how diverse species interact to find prey and avoid predators.
The reason for the educational component is simple: A more informed public will make better decisions about what they do in their everyday lives and how those actions impact the world's most important resource – the oceans.
This is Dr. Lindholm's fifth saturation mission and Watson's first.
"I'm so thankful to have this opportunity," she said a few days before leaving for Florida. "I'll get to see the fish I'm studying." For her master's thesis, Watson is exploring how the feeding and swimming behaviors of three kinds of fish influence their movements.
More information, including a schedule of broadcasts is available here: http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/missions/2010aquarius/
Follow the mission on Twitter: http://twitter.com/sanctuaries
Move over, Rube Goldberg. There's a new generation of inventors out there, melding old and new technology to create fascinating stuff. It was evident Friday afternoon as 17 students in the Inventor's Workshop, part of CSU Monterey Bay's Summer Arts program, displayed their works. – The Salinas Californian, July 14, 2014
The first practice of the basketball season didn't feel that way for Kerri Nakamoto. The CSU Monterey Bay women's basketball coach had been interacting with the play for the last couple of weeks. – The Salinas Californian, Oct. 18, 2013
CSU Monterey Bay’s new research vessel, the Harold Heath, was launched on May 16 after three months of extensive work in dry dock.
Santa Cruz attorney Paul Meltzer donated the 46-foot Hatteras sport fishing yacht to the university last December. The boat was renamed “Harold Heath” in honor of Mr. Meltzer’s great-grandfather, a marine scientist and Stanford University professor.
With the refitting – which included mounting sonar devices and other equipment – the vessel is ready for use by CSUMB’s Seafloor Mapping Lab (SFML), where it will support marine research, training and education. It is also equipped to support remotely operated vehicles and habitat survey work done by the university’s Institute for Applied Marine Ecology.
After the launch in Moss Landing Harbor, finishing touches were added in preparation for the SFML’s field season this summer.
That work involves mapping the last remaining section of state waters, along the southern Big Sur coast. “Because of the remote nature of this part of the coast, the work will require that we spend four or five days at a time at sea,” said Rikk Kvitek, a professor in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy and director of the lab.
“The Hatteras – which can accommodate a crew of five for extended stays at sea – is ideal for this work.”
The SFML has been instrumental in the ongoing California Seafloor Mapping Project, an effort to create the first comprehensive, high-resolution map of California’s state waters – from the shoreline out three nautical miles. The project involves industry, resource management agencies and universities. Final products will include a series of maps showing the seafloor and coastal geology in unprecedented detail.
Once the seafloor mapping project is finished, the boat will be used as a base for launching smaller vessels, like jet skis, rigged with video equipment and other devices to conduct further research near coastlines and other hard-to-reach spots.
To learn more about the Seafloor Mapping Lab at CSUMB, click here.
To learn about CSUMB’s new degree program in marine science, click here.
CSU Monterey Bay was a finalist for the Presidential Award as part of the 2012 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to community service.
The Corporation for National and Community Service received applications from more than 640 colleges and universities. Five received the Presidential Award; 14 were named finalists.
In 2006, the program’s inaugural year, CSU Monterey Bay was one of three recipients of the top award. It has been named to the Honor Roll each year since then. The university earned the top honor again last year, making it the only two-time recipient of the President’s Award.
"Not only is service learning woven into our curriculum," President Dianne Harrison said, "it also is part of our university's ethos of engaging with and contributing to our surrounding communities."
The university was honored in the category of general community service, which recognizes the quality of and commitment to community service initiatives, and emphasizes long-term partnerships and measurable outcomes as a result of the service.
Salinas Public Library and fútbol – an inspiring match helped along by Service Learners. Read about it here
CSUMB is the only public university in California, and one of the few nationally, where service learning is a requirement for all students. Each year, nearly 50 percent of CSUMB’s students enroll in service learning courses contributing more than 65,000 hours of service to more than 250 schools, non-profit organizations and government agencies in the tri-county area. And service learning is an academic department, where issues of service, diversity, social justice and social responsibility are linked to the core curriculum.
“It’s wonderful to see our program being recognized nationally and even internationally,” said Dr. Seth Pollack, director of CSUMB’s Service Learning Institute.
“No other university in the country has made as significant a commitment to developing students’ capacity for service and social responsibility,” Dr. Pollack said.
“We have a very special program, and it feels great to again be recognized as a national leader.”
The awards ceremony was held March 12 in Los Angeles.
According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, honorees are chosen based on a series of selection factors, including the scope and innovation of service projects, the extent to which service-learning is embedded in the curriculum, the school’s commitment to long-term campus-community partnerships, and measurable community outcomes as a result of the service. Learn more about the Service Learning Institute at CSUMB.
Short-story writer Lysley Tenorio will read from his work April 8 at CSU Monterey Bay. The public is invited to this free event.
Tenorio is the author of Monstress, which binds together eight tales of isolated misfits in San Francisco and the Philippines. They have been described as “tender” and “quirky,” written from the point of view of charlatans, B movie starlets, superhero obsessives and transgender cocktail waitresses.
NPR said of the stories: “Filipino traditions meet Californian modernity again and again, each encounter revealing something unexpected about both cultures.”
The roots of Tenorio's tales are buried in his family's decision to immigrate to California when he was 7 months old. He grew up in a home eager to assimilate.
His stories have appeared in The Atlantic magazine and The Best New American Voices and Pushcart Prize anthologies. A Whiting Writer's Award winner and a former Stegner Fellow at Stanford University, he has received fellowships from the University of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Tenorio lives in San Francisco and is an associate professor at Saint Mary’s College of California.
The event will be held at 7 p.m. in the University Center living room, located on Sixth Avenue and B Street. While the reading is free, visitors must purchase a parking permit from a machine on the lot. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Tenorio’s appearance is part of CSUMB’s celebration of Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month and is part of a series of readings called Writers from the Edge. In March, poet Aimee Suzara read from her first full-length collection, Souvenir. The series started in February with a reading by novelist Keenan Norris.
For more information, contact Professor Ernest Stromberg at 582-3114.
The reading is sponsored by the Division of Humanities and Communication; the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Student Activities and Leadership Development; Asian Pacific Islander Association; and the Office of Inclusive Excellence.
Tenorio…has taken a uniquely Filipino-American perspective, polyglot and glittering with cinema dreams, and used it to make a bold collection of stories of the rejected, the helpless and the lost. Monstress is the debut of a singular talent. ?– NPR
*. . . refreshingly off-kilter…his stories are impeccably constructed, leading us calmly but insistently through the characters’ external and internal landscapes.* ?– The New York Times Book Review
Head baseball coach Walt White’s tenure at CSUMB is off to a good start with the early signing of nine recruits for fall 2011.
“This is the best early-sign class I have had in my 16 years of coaching,” White said. “This is a deep, balanced, dynamic, and athletic class that will come in and have a huge impact on our program. Every one of these players has great baseball ability, but more importantly, they bring an attitude and personality to our program that will set the tone for this baseball team from here on out.”
With the new recruits, White thinks his team will have the potential to emerge as a national power.
“The recruiting process by our staff was all about building relationships, trust, and the belief in our program by these players. This is the first step of something very special. We will put this recruiting class up against any other one in the nation . . . at any level.”
The recruits are:
• Matt Blake, right-handed pitcher from West Ranch High School. Blake was part of two playoff teams in the very tough Foothill Athletic League. Through fall games, he sports a 1.81 ERA.
• Chris Blanton, first baseman, outfielder, left-handed pitcher from Burlingame High School. Blanton’s team won the Central Coast Section Division II Championship in 2010. As a junior, he was named All-Peninsula Athletic League first team, All-San Mateo County first team and All-Northern California second team. Blanton was also named to the all-tournament team in the prestigious NorCal World Series. He holds Burlington school records for RBI in a game (6) and in a season (37).
• Steven Farnworth, right-handed pitcher from West Ranch High School. In the Valley Invitational League, Farnworth compiled a 2.62 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 24 innings, and a 4.5 strikeout/walk ratio. • Devin Finn, outfielder from Amador Valley High School. Finn led his team to an East Bay Athletic League title and the first North Coast Section title in school history. During his junior year, Finn batted .330 with five doubles. • Nolan Flashman, right-handed pitcher from University High School. During his junior season at University, Flashman earned an All-League first team selection with a 4-2 record, 2.28 ERA and.197 opponent batting average. He was also dominant at the plate, hitting .426 with 30 RBI.
• Garrett Gemgnani, catcher from Culver City High School. As a junior, he was the most valuable player in the Ocean Athletic League, batting .326 with 30 runs scored and 32 runs batted in while flashing supreme defensive skills. • Matt Urakami, infielder from Branham High School. An All-Blossom Valley Athletic League first team infielder in 2010, he hit .402 with a .622 slugging percentage and a .510 on-base percentage. He is widely considered one of the premier defensive players in Northern California. • Cody Van Aken, right-handed pitcher and catcher from Live Oak High School. Van Aken is a threat on the mound and behind the plate. The All-Blossom Valley Athletic League first-team selection batted .391 with a .596 slugging percentage and 18 runs batted in. As a pitcher he went 4-3, striking out 29 batters in 35 innings. • Jesse White, catcher from Salinas High School. White led the Cowboys to a 22-8 record in 2010 behind the plate with his stellar glove work and rocket arm. He was named to the All-Tri-County Athletic League second team.
Coach White joined CSUMB in July after 15 seasons as an assistant at Sonoma State. In 2008, he was instrumental in leading the Seawolves to a third-place finish in the NCAA Division II World Series after winning the CCAA and NCAA West Regional championships.
He was the starting shortstop at Sonoma State in 1993 and 1994, then spent five seasons in the Florida Marlins minor-league system and three years at Triple A Tucson in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ organization. In 2002, he returned to Sonoma State to earn his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology. In 2005, he received a master’s degree in education from the University of Phoenix.
To read Coach White’s comments on each player, click http://otterathletics.com/news/2010/11/29/BB_1129103236.aspx
The intersection of music and technology will be on display April 12 in the CSU Monterey Bay Music Hall.
In a lecture-demonstration at 1 pm., composer and music technologist Steven Kemper will discuss the growing field of musical robotics and his work with Expressive Machines Musical Instruments (EMMI), a collective dedicated to creating and composing music for robotic instruments.
He will also demonstrate TAPI – Transportable Automatic Percussion Instrument – created by EMMI.
Kemper composes acoustic and electronic music for humans, computers and robots. He earned a Ph.D. in 2012 from the University of Virginia in the Composition and Computer Technologies program.
At 7 p.m., the public is invited to an evening of interactive electronic music, from experimental to beat-based.
“Beats, bellies & bots: A concert of interactive belly dance and electronic music” will be performed by Kemper and composer-performer Aurie Hsu. The lecture-concert highlights compositions and improvisations featuring interactive belly dance and electronic music. Kemper and Hsu co-created the RAKS (Remote electroAcoustic Kinesthetic Sensing) system, a wireless sensor interface for belly dance movement.
The event is free, but visitors must purchase a $2 parking permit. The Music Hall is located on Sixth Avenue near Butler Street. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
CSUMB had a notable fall sports season when it came to academics. Thirty-two student-athletes were selected for CCAA all-academic teams. – The Salinas Californian, Dec. 19, 2014
California State University, Monterey Bay’s World Theater will present a tribute to the greatest hits of the 1950s and ’60s when The Alley Cats perform on Oct. 20.
Showtime is 7:30 p.m.
By bringing their own contemporary style to tunes from that era, The Alley Cats appeal to fans of all ages, breathing new life into everyone's favorite doo-wop classics.
For the uninitiated, doo-wop is an ebullient, rhythm and blues-fueled harmony vocal style where one person sings lead and the others harmonize or mimic the sounds of instruments behind them. It rose to prominence in the 1950s. The first real boy bands, before N’Sync and the Backstreet Boys, were doo-wop groups like the Del Vikings and Dion and the Belmonts, and in the Motown era, The Temptations, Four Tops and Miracles.
The four members of The Alley Cats are a perfect blend both vocally and personally. Every Alley Cat performance is accompanied by the sounds of laughter and voices joining in to sing the melodies we all know and love.
The Cats' engaging wit and humor have won over audiences nationally as they relate directly to the crowd with jokes, stories and audience participation that appeals to young and old alike. Tight harmonies, universal humor, and unbelievable a cappella energy have made The Alley Cats America's premier doo-wop group.
The group has performed with Jay Leno, the Beach Boys and at the White House.
Tickets are $40 premium, $29 general. Discounts are available for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased online at csumb.edu/worldtheater or by calling the box office at 582-4580.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
On your mark, get set and go.
The CSU Monterey Bay’s fall athletic teams – cross country, soccer and volleyball – kicked off their 2011 seasons on Aug. 15 with each team’s first official practice.
The Otter soccer programs are under new leadership, with Rob Cummings guiding the men's side and Erin Reinke leading the women's team. With a lot of new faces, both squads will strive to garner some attention in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) this season.
“I'm not sure how much you actually learn from the very first practice, but it was great to finally get out on the field and start working,” Cummings said. “We have a lot of new faces and it will be fun to start putting the pieces together.”
Reinke echoed that feeling.
“It's great to finally get everybody on the field,” Reinke said. “This is an important time for us. The work and preparation we do over the next few weeks is where we will learn to compete at the level we expect.”
Practicing on a freshly resurfaced floor in the Kelp Bed, the Otter volleyball student-athletes came out crushing balls. Their focus is on preparing for their first game, a newly scheduled home match-up against Notre Dame de Namur on Aug. 30.
“Day 1 is down,” said volleyball head coach Jody Garry. “I was really impressed with our returning starting libero Dionna Lucas. You can tell she had another good summer.”
The key to any team is defense and the defensive leader, Garry said.
The men's and women's cross country teams will field the most talented runners in program history. The full squad of 25 can be found running the old Fort Ord trails.
“It was almost overwhelming seeing so many new faces on the first day,” said cross-country head coach Greg Rhines. “It was very exciting to see so many talented runners training together.”
For more information, including rosters and schedules, click here.
. . . the film festival on Dec. 19 was one of the most energizing events of the year. It's the energy of the young filmmakers that turns it out. – *Monterey County Weekly*, Dec. 31, 2014
Elementary and middle-school students from across Monterey County are jump-starting their college careers with a summer program at the local state university. As part of CSU Monterey Bay's Junior Otters program, now in its third year, 240 migrant education students are practicing their math and language arts skills on the college campus. – The Salinas Californian, July 23, 2011
With a computer keystroke on July 29, President Dianne Harrison filed a report that earned CSU Monterey Bay a gold rating from the nation’s leading advocacy group for sustainability in higher education. The university is one of only 18 institutions to receive that distinction.
CSUMB becomes the first campus in the California State University system and the second public university in California to qualify for the gold rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
The rating, awarded in the organization's STARS program, signifies that the university is doing an outstanding job of going “green” in areas ranging from curriculum and construction to conservation of resources. STARS – which stands for Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System – measures and encourages sustainability in education and research, operations, and planning, administration and engagement.
The rating is the result of a thorough, yearlong self-evaluation process that involved faculty, staff and students. STARS is a widely used sustainability self-assessment tool that helps colleges evaluate and publicly report how they’re doing, where they can improve, what peers are doing and mark progress over time.
Examples of CSUMB’s sustainable practices: • Education and research: All students are required to take service learning courses that address sustainability; 35 percent of tenure-track faculty members are conducting research relating to sustainability. • Waste reduction: 90 percent of construction and demolition debris is diverted from landfills. • Water conservation: drought-tolerant landscaping, waterless urinals • Energy efficiency: reduced energy consumption by more than 25 percent over five years • Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions: All members of the campus community have access to free public transportation throughout the region.
“The idea of sustainability is embedded in the curriculum here at CSUMB,” said Kevin Saunders, vice president for administration and finance. “We’re educating the region on these issues.”
And because it is embedded in the curriculum, “Our students – who are our future leaders – can move through their lives and careers with this ethic of sustainability,” President Harrison said. In the innovation category, the university earned the maximum four points for: • The annual Focus the Region event, a daylong teach-in on environmental issues • The Chinatown Renewal Project, an effort to help revitalize a blighted though historically rich neighborhood in Salinas. Sustainability has been a consistent theme in these efforts, which include a community garden where organic food is grown; workshops on natural building techniques; a composting enterprise; a solar-energy-generating gazebo; and a vermiculture micro-enterprise. • Planning for and use of electric vehicles • The TRIPwise program, an effort to educate the campus community about alternate forms of transportation and make them accessible.
With the evaluation complete, CSUMB will continue to seek further gains in such areas as energy management, alternative transportation and waste reduction.
“This is a starting point,” President Harrison said. “We know there are many more things we can do."
John Avella has been elected to the Monterey County Hospitality Association’s board of directors. Dr. Avella, assistant professor of hospitality management and hotel/resort management in CSU Monterey Bay's School of Business, will join the board in January. He’ll serve on the association’s education committee. His background includes 40 years of human resource development and teaching experience in the hospitality industry and higher education. He has been vice president of human resources for Marriott Corporation, The Rainbow Room and Windows on the World, and president of Human Resource Concepts. His work focused on management and executive development, customer service and organizational strategic change. His clients included Marriott Corporation, University of Florida, and Hilton Hotels, to name a few. Dr. Avella has taught on the graduate and undergraduate level at Columbia University, Empire State College, Fairleigh Dickinson University and City University of New York. In 2001, he was director of human resources for the food service group at the Salt Lake City Olympics – an operation that served 125,000 meals per day. In 2011, he was a consultant on tourism issues in Anhui Province, China. He has a doctorate from Columbia University, with a concentration in Adult and Organizational Learning. Among his research interests is the application of emotional intelligence to customer service/loyalty, emotional labor and leadership. He has developed a process that teaches people to “connect” to the customer and staff to create loyalty.
Learn more about the School of Business at CSUMB.
Each year, hundreds of CSU students study abroad. Some debate international politics in Germany, some savor gelato in Italy, some learn about architecture – and enjoy the beaches of South Africa. This year, Guadalupe Arias is one of 81 CSU Monterey Bay students studying in 26 countries. The senior humanities major from Sacramento is spending the year at the Universidad de Granada in southern Spain.
Like Arias, the majority of CSUMB students who study abroad do so for a full academic year.
“We encourage students to stay that long in order to learn the language and customs and feel like a local rather than a traveler," said Holly White, CSUMB's international program manager.
As she begins her second semester, Arias said she has adapted quite well to the culture and customs of Spain.
“I start my day with a warm café con leche, a Spanish tostada and fresh orange juice,” she wrote in a photo essay on the CSU website. “From 2 to 4 in the afternoon, the Spanish have their siestas. At the beginning, I felt guilty for having two hours to nap and relax, but I have adjusted to the Spanish way of living. “I use that free time to do homework or take walks around the city.” She reported that she’s enjoying her classes and likes Granada’s proximity to the Mediterranean. “I left home with an open mind and ready to absorb other cultures. Half of Granada’s population is composed of students from all over Europe and the Americas. I have learned so much about other parts of the world since I’ve been here,” she said. “This is my new home.” View a photo essay of Arias’ time in Spain here.
Learn more from CSUMB’s Office of International Programs here.
Visit the CSU Office of International Programs here.
Photos courtesy of Guadalupe Arias Top photo: Arias at the Universidad de Granada *Bottom photo: The university's *Centro de Lenguas Modernas
CSU Monterey Bay will be closed on March 30 in honor of Cesar Chavez. Chavez led the non-violent movement for farm workers’ rights, a movement that extended beyond the fields and into cities and towns across the nation, and helped found the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers (UFW). Even with campus closed, the university community is still in action. On that day, and during the following weeks, many faculty, staff and students dedicate their time to both service and learning. ??March 30 will mark the start of CSUMB’s second annual Cesar Chavez Challenge, a 36-day community service drive – it ends on Cinco de Mayo – coordinated by the Purposeful Service Opportunities program. PSO is a joint project of the AmeriCorps VIP program and the Service Learning Institute. The theme for this year’s challenge is “Creating a Culture of Service,” and involves a friendly competition among student clubs, Greek organizations, athletic teams and residence halls to document 3,600 hours of service.
This year, extra points will be awarded for uploading photos to a Facebook page that show volunteers at work, and registering for an online volunteer account with the Volunteer Center of Monterey County. Also new this year: Points will be awarded for philanthropic efforts, such as fundraisers and food drives, and for civic engagement, such as voter registration and attendance at city council meetings.
Registration, contest rules and point system can be found here. Volunteer opportunities on or around Cesar Chavez Day include: • The Comics for Kids fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monterey County, March 27-31
• The PURSUIT Youth Expo at the University Center ballroom, April 13. Mandatory volunteer training, March 31 • The 30-Hour Famine, sponsored by the Otter Christian Fellowship, March 30 and 31 • Return of the Natives clean-up effort, March 31
For information on the above opportunities, click here. To learn more about CSUMB's Service Learning Institute, click here.
The end of all education should surely be service to others. – Cesar Chavez
Oct. 12, 2010
As part of the California Library Association's "Snapshot: One Day in the Life of California Libraries," CSU Monterey Bay joined others throughout the state – including 19 other CSU campuses – to gather statistics for a typical day.
All information was collected for one day during the week of Oct. 4; CSUMB collected its data on Oct. 5.
The information reflects the libraries' invaluable services and will be used to advocate for libraries in Sacramento in November. Insights gathered from "snapshot" data will also help the CSU libraries improve and enhance their collections and services, according to the CSU Chancellor's Office.
On Oct. 5, nearly 3,700 people visited the Tanimura and Antle Family Memorial Library at CSUMB. Kathlene Hanson, the library's electronic resources coordinator who was in charge of gathering data, said that number needs to be put in context.
It represents the total number of times people walked through the doors. "That includes everyone who used the building as a shortcut to get from the café side to the classroom side; and, it counts people who entered multiple times," she said. "Nevertheless, it's an impressive number."
Perhaps more important is the number of times the library's website was accessed that day: 40,670. Nearly 400 people used the library's computers, and another 600 used their own computers in the building.
Despite today's transition to digital media, the American Library Association reports that visits to college libraries are on the rise – partly due to the fact that academic libraries are adapting to meet students' changing needs.
University libraries are unique. Not only do they foster research and innovation, they prepare students to enter the knowledge-based workforce upon graduation.
Support for academic success is the primary mission of the CSUMB library. It's student-centered, with student-friendly spaces for study, for group work, and for co-curricular programs. It's an active social space (with a café and outdoor patio) that supports student learning.
Like other modern libraries, the one at CSUMB is collaborative, technology-infused and adaptive to change. It's a place to get access to information in many formats and from many sources. Mobile access as well as "Ask a Librarian," a program that allows students to get help via instant messaging, are extending services beyond the physical walls of the building.
Kim Bui-Burton, California Library Association president and director of the Monterey Public Library, has pointed out that library usage is up across the state and demand is growing for books and other resources, knowledgeable staff assistance and computer/Internet access – despite budget cuts, reduced hours and programs.
"Snapshot" statistics will demonstrate to decision makers the extent that students, other library users and future leaders rely on California libraries for critical services, resources and programs – "now, more than ever," Bui-Burton said.
Learn more about CSUMB's library.
Oct. 10, 2010
The Greater Vision series of public forums on topics relevant to local agriculture continues Oct. 22, when industry professionals, educators and elected officials meet at California State University, Monterey Bay to discuss "Our Shared Legacy: Land and Water."
The forum will be held in the University Center on Sixth Avenue, starting at 1 p.m.
Assemblywoman Anna Caballero will be the keynote speaker. Her topic: Land and Water – A Mosaic of Public Interests. In her remarks, she will provide some context for understanding public policy from the local, regional and state levels.
A panel chaired by Jim Bogart of the Grower-Shipper Association will look at issues surrounding land use. Panelists will include Bill Leahy of the Big Sur Land Trust, Bob Roach of the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner's Office, Amy White of Landwatch Monterey County, and But Lindley, local grower and former member of the county Board of Supervisors.
A panel chaired by Darlene Din of the Grower-Shipper Association Foundation will look at conflicts and solutions around water issues. Panelists will include Dr. Marc Los Huertos of CSUMB, Catherine Bowie of California American Water, Kay Mercer of Central Coast Ag Water Coalition and Curtis Weeks of the Monterey County Water Resources Agency.
Salinas Mayor Dennis Donahue will offer closing remarks on where the community goes from here.
CSUMB's School of Business, the Grower-Shipper Association Foundation and the Central Coast Ag Task Force are sponsoring the forum, one in a series of discussions on agriculture-related issues open to the public.
The event is free to the public. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map.
The day's schedule: 12:30-1 p.m. – Check-in at University Center on Sixth Avenue 1-1:10 p.m. – Opening remarks by Dr. Brad Barbeau of CSUMB's School of Business
1:10-1:20 p.m. – Welcome remarks by CSUMB President Dianne Harrison
1:20-1:30 p.m. – Overview of Greater Vision Series by Dr. Marylou Shockley, chair of the School of Business
1:30-1:55 p.m. – Keynote address by Assemblywoman Anna Caballero
1:55-3:10 p.m. – Panel 1: Land
3:10-4:25 p.m. – Panel 2: Water
4:25-4:40 p.m. – Closing remarks by Salinas Mayor Dennis Donahue
Oct. 10, 2010
Francisco Alarcon among poets at CSUMB on Oct. 28
Francisco Alarcon, Odilia Galvan Rodriguez and Abel Salas will be featured at Voces de Justicia-Voices of Justice, a poetry reading to be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 28 in the University Center ballroom at CSU Monterey Bay. The event is free and open to the public.
Alarcon, award-winning Chicano poet and educator born in Los Angeles, has written 11 volumes of poetry. He teaches at the University of California at Davis, where he directs the Spanish for Native Speakers program.
Moved by student protests against Arizona's immigration law, he created a Facebook page called Poets Responding to SB 1070. Many of the poems from the page have been republished on La Bloga at labloga.blogspot.com.
He told the Tucson Weekly that he started the Facebook page on April 20, when he saw the demonstration in front of the Arizona State Capitol, and learned that nine students had been arrested.
"Those Latino students were sitting in front of the Capitol, very Gandhi-like in nonviolence, protesting the xenophobia of SB 1070," he told the paper. "In response, I wrote a poem, 'For the Capitol Nine.' . . . I posted it on my Facebook page, and I kept getting a lot of responses. Now, we have more than 3,500 members."
He added that his Facebook page gets responses about the posted poems from all kinds of writers, all over the world. "That means there are a number of poets who
have taken the time and are motivated to respond to this discriminatory law."
Galvan Rodriguez and Salas, who work with Alarcon to moderate the Facebook page, will also read their work at CSUMB.
Galvan Rodriguez is a poet, writer and teacher. She teaches writing workshops, "Empowering People Through Creative Writing."
Salas has written for the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine and is editor and publisher of Brooklyn & Boyle, an L.A. arts, culture and community paper. He occasionally teaches creative writing in Los Angeles County juvenile halls. His poetry has appeared in a variety of publications.
All three poets will answer questions and copies of Alarcon's books will be available for purchase. He'll sign copies before and after the reading.
The reading is sponsored by the Department of Human Communication, Student Activities and Leadership Development, and the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map.
When Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, arrives, family members of departed souls set out water, candles, food and decorated sugar skulls to welcome their lost loved ones. Widely celebrated in Latin America, the day honors the dead as living entities. It celebrates the departed, and helps keep them present in life.
This year's Dia de los Muertos celebration at California State University, Monterey Bay, will be held on Nov. 2.
The free event will begin at 6 p.m. in the University Center on Sixth Avenue with performances by Aztec dancers and musicians and will include a processional, an outdoor exhibition, live music, pan dulce and hot chocolate. The main altar will be displayed in the University Center ballroom; smaller altars constructed by student and community groups will also be on display.
Members of the community are invited to honor the memory of their departed relatives and friends by registering them for the university's Wall of Remembrance. A photo, name and brief memorial message can be submitted at http://csumb-archives.github.io/vpa/dead/wall.htm. Photos, which should be submitted in jpg format no larger than 500kb, will be printed and displayed on our Wall of Remembrance and a candle in each name will be placed on the large community altar.
Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map. More information is available at csumb.edu/art.
Learn more about Day of the Dead.
View a video of Day of the Dead at CSUMB, including a video featuring Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains.
Oct. 5, 2010
UROC PLAYS BIG ROLE IN SUCCESS OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH EFFORTS
CSU Monterey Bay students took a first-place award and a third at the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science conference Sept. 30-Oct. 3 in Anaheim.
Maren Mitch, a McNair Scholar who works in the campus laboratory of Professor Corey Garza, won first prize in the undergraduate poster competition in marine biology. Approximately 60 posters were entered in that category.
Mitch (pictured at left) is a senior Environmental Science, Technology and Policy major.
According to Dr. Garza, "The judging was razor thin. The deciding factor was the fact that in addition to having a broader understanding of her project's relevance, it was clear to the judges that Maren was conducting her own research as opposed to working on a small part of a larger project."
Mitch looked at how to use GIS models to predict the distribution and abundance of sea stars as a function of intertidal habitat complexity in Monterey Bay.
Dr. Garza added that the judges were impressed that CSUMB students are able to integrate geospatial technologies into their research as undergraduates.
Anthony Basilio, another marine science student, took third place. He is studying fish bio-mechanics at Moss Landing Marine Labs.
Both students are part of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center. With training and support from UROC, students work on innovative research projects at CSU Monterey Bay and at regional research institutions. Their work is guided by a research mentor and includes training in proposal writing, presentation and communication skills. It also helps students apply to graduate school. Learn more about UROC.
SACNAS presents the poster sessions at its annual conference to help students prepare for science careers and the rigors of professional conferences.
Oct. 18, 2010
Dr. Jack Tchen, keynote speaker at the Salinas Chinatown: Once and Again Symposium on Oct. 15, told the gathering of 200 people at CSU Monterey Bay, "We, too, are in search of America."
He was referring to the subtitle of John Steinbeck's book, Travels with Charley. "In some ways," he said, "the legacy of Steinbeck's writing is what keeps us going."
Dr. Tchen, a historian, professor at New York University and co-founder of New York's Museum of Chinese in America, as well as several other museum professionals and artists were invited to the university to talk about the Salinas Chinatown Cultural Center and Museum, which will be housed in the former Republic Café on Soledad Street. They were joined by university faculty members, students and community members.
Dr. Tchen (pictured at right) pointed out that the museum will be important nationally, because it will share a history that is often overlooked. Most Asian cultural museums represent the urban experience. The one in Salinas will cover the rural and agricultural history of the Chinese, Japanese and Filipino communities who lived there from the nineteenth century into the 1950s.
Karin Higa, curator of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, advised the group to define "community" broadly as it goes about the work of preparing the museum to open its doors.
Wellington Lee, Wally Ahtye, Alfred Baguio and Larry Hirahara – community members with ties to Chinatown – talked about their experiences.
A plea for community members to share their artifacts and their memories of Chinatown was made by Dr. Lila Staples, who teaches museum studies classes at CSUMB. In collaboration with the National Steinbeck Center, Dr. Staples and her students are assembling the material that will be displayed in the center.
The last words came from architect Richard Fe Tom, who drew up the plans for the museum.
"You guys are going to get there. It's just a matter of time," he told the group.
To read more about the symposium, click here.
Andrea Valdez, a senior biology major, is on a microbe mission. Valdez, in conjunction with Dr. Gretchen Hofmann’s lab at UC Santa Barbara, is studying a wasting disease contributing to the recent demise of sea stars, a keystone species in the near-shore environment. Valdez is using molecular techniques to determine the diversity of bacterial organisms found on sea stars with wasting disease, and comparing them to bacterial populations on healthy sea stars.
The work, which comprises much of the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program application that Valdez is writing this semester, will contribute to a greater understanding of this complex disease. Valdez began the study in Hofmann’s lab last summer, and continues it this semester in the campus lab of Dr. Aparna Sreenivasan. She is funded in part by the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation and CSUMB’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center, and hopes to present this project at regional and national conferences this year. She has also found time to serve other students in a variety of ways. She’s an officer in the university’s chapter of Beta Beta Beta, the national biological honor society; helps other students through the Peer-to-Peer Mentor program; works as a teaching assistant for molecular biology and organic chemistry courses; and co-directed last semester’s Undergraduate Research Week events.
Valdez is one of three CSUMB students featured in a new publication from the CSU. The California State University Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program has published its first “Program Recognizing Outstanding Undergraduate Distinction” or PROUD, an online look at outstanding students throughout the system’s 23 campuses.
Lilyana Gross, a math major, and Jenny Brown, a biology major, are featured along with Valdez. All are UROC participants.
See page 31 of the publication.pdf) to read their stories.
*Read more field notes from the Division of Science and Environmental Policy*
*Information for this story provided by Aparna Sreenivasan and PROUD.*
Ever wonder what it takes to be an entrepreneur? CSU Monterey Bay will be a great place to find out when the university hosts Startup Weekend Monterey Bay Jan. 23-25. Startup Weekend will connect local entrepreneurs, developers, designers and startup enthusiasts with mentors and resources. Throughout the course of this 54-hour event, attendees will share ideas, form teams and launch startups.“Startup Weekend is a great way to get into entrepreneurship and test it out, said Mary Jo Zenk, a member of the organizing team. “This event will foster an innovating environment for entrepreneurs to share, vet and launch their ideas.” Here’s how it works: The weekend opens with open mic pitches on Friday, where attendees are encouraged to bring their best ideas and inspire others to join their team. You don't have to have an idea to attend. Teams form around the top ideas (as deemed by popular vote) and then it’s a 54-hour frenzy of business model creation, coding, designing and market validation.
On Sunday evening, teams demonstrate their prototypes in front of local entrepreneurial leaders with another opportunity for critical feedback. Startup veterans and mentors – including faculty members and local entrepreneurs – will be on hand throughout the weekend to provide expertise and give talks on their experiences. About 70 people participated in CSUMB’s Startup Weekend in 2014. With the help of 18 coaches and five judges, 10 companies were formed over the weekend.
The event is organized by the College of Business’ Institute for Innovation and Economic Development. The institute focuses on the need for more job opportunities in the region and offers programs that work toward developing entrepreneurs and supporting innovative ideas that lead to new business opportunities. Participants must purchase a ticket prior to the event. Tickets are currently on sale as Early Bird discounted prices of $75 and $39 for students. Tickets will increase to $99 and $49 after Jan. 3. Each ticket includes registration, meals for the weekend, snacks and parking. Register here. The public is invited to attend the final team presentations and judging, and to meet these new entrepreneurs starting at 4 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 25. Tickets are $25 and include dinner. Register here. For more information, contact Program Manager Mary Jo Zenk at (831) 582-3230 or mzenk@csumb.edu or online.
CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison joined Chancellor Charles Reed and her fellow CSU presidents today in a meeting with Gov. Jerry Brown in Sacramento to discuss the state budget and its impact on higher education.
Like her counterparts, Harrison was accompanied at the meeting by a local business leader, Mary Ann Leffel, president of the Monterey County Business Council.
Harrison said she was encouraged by Brown's continued commitment to avoiding an "all-cuts" budget for fiscal year 2011-2012, which could mean a $1 billion reduction in funding for the CSU.
"The governor clearly understands how devastating an all-cuts budget would be to our universities and to the people of California," Harrison said. "We are all looking to the Legislature to fulfill its responsibilities and support the extension of needed revenue."
Brown's proposed budget contains a $500 million cut to the CSU, which would result in a deep $5.1 million funding cut to CSUMB. If necessary state taxes are not extended, an additional system-wide cut of up to $500 million would force the CSU to increase tuition up to an additional 32 percent and possibly close admissions for 2012.
Harrison said the debate over extending the taxes is more philosophical than financial – a fundamental choice about whether California should maintain its investment in such basic services as higher education and public safety.
"If we're not going to invest in these things, then we will have to deal with the ramifications," she said.
Leffel, who emphasized the role of higher education in preparing a workforce to meet local needs, said a decline in state support means that more qualified students will be shut out of the state's public universities.
"Educating fewer students will slow our economic recovery and ultimately lead to a smaller tax base,” she said.
Jihan Ejan, a retention adviser with the Center for Student Success at CSU Monterey Bay, was chosen to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Kika de la Garza Education Fellowship Program this summer in Washington, D.C.
The program is named for the Texas Congressman and former chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. It is part of the USDA’s Hispanic-Serving Institutions program.
Ejan is one of 13 college and university faculty and staff members chosen for this year’s program. Fellows experience first-hand the education policymaking process and build linkages to research and funding opportunities. In addition to meeting with USDA personnel, fellows connect with and work on short-term projects with other federal agencies and organizations such as the Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Commerce Department, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
She will be in Washington from June 26 through July 16.
“The opportunity to be a Fellow will further my understanding of the educational challenges and career opportunities facing the Latino community,” Ejan said. “With this information, I hope to be a better advocate and adviser. The fellowship will give me ideas on how to better serve our students.”
Ejan joined the university in July of 2010. She earned bachelor’s degrees in sociology and Asian American Studies from UC Davis and a master’s degree in counseling with an emphasis in college student personnel counseling from San Francisco State University.
Her work experience includes academic and career counseling, mentoring, college retention, college outreach and recruitment, admissions evaluations and teaching. She has worked with students at all levels – from elementary school through university. She previously worked at CSU Channel Islands, UC Berkeley, City College of San Francisco, and for the nonprofit League of United Latin American Citizens National Educational Service Centers, Inc.
It seems that people and food come together in times of great tragedy.
After the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of Japan, Aya Kamata, an international student from that country, contacted Campus Dining at CSU Monterey Bay with the idea of featuring Japanese cuisine as a fundraising opportunity.
Kamata and Sodexo, the university's food service provider, had worked together in the fall semester when her entry in the “Favorites from Home” contest was selected as one of the winners. She had submitted a recipe for tonkatsu, a meal traditionally served in Japan before a major competition – such as an exam or sports event.
Charles Wesley, campus general manager for Sodexo, readily agreed to the idea. As a result, Tuesday, March 29, was designated Japanese Relief Day. Food from that country was offered all day in the Dining Commons. Fifty percent of cash sales – on all food sold, not just the Japanese dishes – was donated to the relief effort. By the end of the day, more than $1,000 had been raised.
During the lunch and dinner hours that day, visitors to the Dining Commons were able to get a lesson in origami (Japanese paper folding), get their name written in Japanese characters and learn some basic facts about the country.
Japanese exchange students at CSUMB, as well as students in the Japan Club and the International Club began raising money to help victims almost immediately after news reports broke. By March 17, when most students left campus for spring break, $700 had been raised. That money was donated to the Japan Democratic Medical Organization. Donations are still being collected at various locations around campus.
To view local news coverage of the event, click here. To view a video made by CSUMB Strategic Communications, click here.
Cal State Monterey Bay now offers a Professional Science Master’s degree in Coastal and Watershed Science & Policy. The new program complements the traditional, thesis-based master of science degree in applied marine and watershed science that has been offered at CSUMB for five years.
The “plus” element includes a professional internship and training in advanced geospatial technologies; professional and scientific communication; scientific ethics; and environmental economics and policy analysis.
Students typically do their internships in the second year, or over the summer between the first and second years of the program. Some work on campus in the Seafloor Mapping Lab and the Institute for Applied Marine Ecology. Others work with government agencies such as NASA and the U.S. Forest Service, as well as with environmental consulting groups and non-profit agencies.
Sixteen students are enrolled this semester. “We capped it at 16 because we wanted to be able to place them in the best internships,” said Dr. Susan Alexander, director of the program.
“Students find this new option appealing because of the ability to link applied marine and watershed science to professional skills and jobs,” she said.
“Many of the students we’re seeing are returning professionals. They have several years of work experience and are looking to gain advanced scientific and technical skills that will help them move forward in their careers.”
Academic research groups, government agencies and non-profits are likely to employ these graduates, but the program will also address the needs of regional “green” business and consulting firms.
Cal State Monterey Bay volleyball coach Jody Garry says this year’s squad is “not afraid to lose.” As the 2010 season continues, it is very clear they aren’t afraid to win, either.
The Otters piled up a 10-2 record by early October, earning a no. 21 national ranking and demonstrating the chemistry that Garry strives for.
“We’re playing as a team and not as six individuals on the court,” said junior Rheann Fall, an outside hitter from Elk Grove, who on Sept. 21 was named NCAA Division II National Player of the Week by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
Fall’s strong performance in the season’s opening weeks was capped by her school-record 29 kills in the Otters’ thrilling 3-2 victory over No. 11-ranked UC San Diego. A kill is a spiked shot that is not returned by the other team, resulting in a point.
Even with the Otters’ strong start this season, Garry said she’s equally excited about the team’s future, thanks to a strong recruiting effort that brought in four promising freshmen, including three from the Monterey-San Jose region.
“Yes, we’re going to do well this year,” she said, reflecting back on last year’s 13-19 record. “But we’re going to get better and better and better. It’s not a quick fix. I’m not a quick fix coach.”
Garry credits the success of CSUMB volleyball camps, including free Youth Otter Clinics this spring for youngsters in eighth grade and under, paid for with grant funds.
Through the camps, the recruits had a chance to meet her and the returning players, as well as spend time on campus.
“They knew me; they knew my program,” said Garry, who is now in her fourth season at CSUMB. “They assimilated so well. The key is to have that relationship.”
The Otters can’t match most conference opponents in size or strength, she said, so they have to be smarter.
“They’re not the biggest, they’re not the fastest,” Garry said. “They’re just kids who are willing to put the work in.”
Dr. Gerald Shenk, professor of social and behavioral sciences, is co-editor of “Citizen and Soldier: A Sourcebook on Military Service and National Defense from Colonial America to the Present,” a newly published book from Routledge Press.
Dr. Barbara Sayad, faculty member in kinesiology, is co-author of the first university textbook on human sexuality to be published in China. McGraw-Hill agreed to release the book, “Human Sexuality: Diversity in Contemporary America” as a trade publication to circumvent censorship issues.
Drs. James Lindholm and Rikk Kvitek, professors, were among 40 researchers who presented Sept. 7-10 at the California and the World Ocean Conference in San Francisco. Dr. Lindholm, Rote Distinguished Professor of Marine Science and Policy, addressed management plans for overfished populations. Dr. Kvitek, director of the CSUMB Seafloor Mapping Lab, made a presentation on California’s seafloor mapping program as a model for collaboration.
Dr. David Anderson, professor of history, was invited by the Bureau of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs at the Department of State to take part in an international conference in Washington, D.C., in September. “The American Experience in Southeast Asia, 1946-1975” was the topic of the conference. Dr. Anderson participated in a session on the U.S. war debate, “Ours to Reason Why: Intervention in Vietnam, Reaction in America.”
Dr. Yong Lao, a professor of geography, and a colleague at the University of Cincinnati will spend a year studying transportation-related air pollution and health risks to children. With a $50,000 grant from the Leonard Transportation Center at CSU San Bernardino, they will analyze traffic volume in Bakersfield and map vehicle emissions using geographic information systems (GIS).
Johanna Poethig, professor of painting and public art, had her latest mural dedicated Aug. 4 at the International Hotel in San Francisco. It depicts the history of the site, where Filipino and Chinese immigrants were evicted in 1968. She also completed a project at Skyline College in San Bruno composed of two mosaic pillars, “Mission Tapestry” and “Vision Tapestry.”
Enid Baxter Blader, chair of the Department of Teledramatic Arts and Technology, is co-editor of Water, CA, a series of 22 contemporary projects that explore California’s troubled relationship with water. Blader wrote and illustrated two of the entries, one examining the Central Valley and the battle over California’s water, the other on the history of the Salinas River. Visit www.watercalifornia.org.
Dr. Kent Adams, professor of kinesiology, was honored in July by the National Strength and Conditioning Association for editorial excellence in his work on the group’s publication, the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. He serves as associate editor of the publication.
Dr. Barbara Mossberg, director of the Integrated Studies program, is spending this academic year as Poet in Residence for the city of Pacific Grove. In that capacity, she organizes poetry-related community activities. As part of the position, she is living the Poet’s Perch, a historic home in downtown Pacific Grove.
Dr. Pat Tinsley McGill, associate professor of business administration, received the 2010 Allen Griffin Award for excellence in post-secondary teaching at the annual awards ceremony sponsored by the Community Foundation for Monterey County.
John Wineglass, lecturer, is an award-winning composer and musician whose new work was presented in August at the Kennedy Center by the D.C. Youth Orchestra for its 50th anniversary celebration. The Washington Post noted that the conductor “drew from the group iridescent colors in the premiere of a beautifully crafted suite by DCYO alumnus John Wineglass.”
ALEXIS HALL (B.S., Environmental Science, Technology & Policy) is pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Her research involves the field of marine ecosystem-based management, studying the relationship among flatfish, crabs and trawling in the eastern Bering Sea. Her graduate education is being funded with a National Science Foundation MESAS (Marine Ecosystem Sustainability in the Arctic and Subarctic) Ph.D. fellowship. At the Surfrider Foundation, she volunteers as an environmental educator. Hall lives in Juneau.
CHRIS SENTIERI (Master of Public Policy) is the director of Competitive Clusters for the Monterey County Business Council, a partnership with the County of Monterey designed to strengthen the county’s ability to attract businesses and create jobs. He earned a B.A. in community studies from UC Santa Cruz in 2007. Sentieri volunteers for the Monterey Bay Electric Vehicle Alliance, the Monterey Museum of Arts’ Monterey Contemporaries, the Monterey Bay Climate Action Compact and several other organizations. He and his wife, Katrina Dawn Sentieri, have three children, April, 21, Forest, 19, and Cole, 2. They live in Marina.
ADAN ROMERO (B.S., Biology) is pursuing a Ph.D. in biological engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A Medtronic Graduate Fellowship and the National Institutes of Health Chemistry-Biology NIH Chemistry-Biology Interface Graduate Training Program are funding his graduate education. He was a McNair Scholar while attending CSUMB. Romero lives in Boston.
DIANA HAY (B.S., Math) has begun a Ph.D. program at Iowa State University of Science and Technology on a full tuition scholarship. She earned a B.S. in physical anthropology from UC Santa Cruz in 2004. Hay lives in Ames, Iowa.
KAREN WALTERS (2010, Master of Public Policy), is a senior health educator and perinatal services coordinator for the Monterey County Health Department. She presents nutrition, health education and psychosocial training in perinatal services to 17 clinic providers in Monterey County. Walters earned a master’s degree in public health from San José State in 2000 and a B.A. in health services from Pepperdine University in 1998. She has two adult children, Kari and Gary. Walters lives in Morgan Hill.
MARCUS LAWRENCE (B.S., Kinesiology) is pursuing a master’s degree in exercise science at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. His work as a graduate assistant there involves researching the role of inflammation in sarcopenia; the loss of muscle due to aging. After earning a master’s degree, he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in exercise physiology from the University of Connecticut or the University of Kansas.
CARRIE FREDERICK (M.A., Education) earned an education credential from CSUMB and a B.A. in biology from LaSierra University in Riverside. She writes and publishes short stories about the world of motherhood. She and her husband, Brian Frederick, have two children, John, 3, and Zach, 2. They live in Ben Lomond.
RODRIGO OJEDA-BECK (B.A., Teledramatic Arts and Technology) is a filmmaker who is enrolled in the Master of Fine Arts program at UC Berkeley and been awarded a fellowship to help cover the cost. Filmmaker Magazine recently named him to its annual list of “25 New Faces.” Ojeda-Beck lives in Berkeley.
ZEKE BEAN (B.S., Environmental Science, Technology & Policy) is an environmental projects analyst for the City of Santa Cruz Water Department. He is on the board of the nonprofit Chuck Hagan Conservation Fund and co-founder of Santa Cruz Rivers and Parks (SCRAP). Bean is married to Rosemary (Kenner) Bean (B.S.,’04 Earth Systems Science & Policy). The couple lives in Santa Cruz.
JANELL FLEENOR (B.S., Business Administration) is operations manager for Doug Fleenor Design, Inc., a manufacturer of electronic devices that control stage lighting and effects in the entertainment industry. She’s a member of San Luis Obispo County Golden Retrievers, which benefits local dog shelters. Max Ledworowski (M.S., ’10 Management and Information Technology) is her boyfriend of four years. Fleenor lives in Arroyo Grande.
ROBERT MACHOIAN (B.A., Teledramatic Arts and Technology) is a filmmaker who is also full-time instructor at Sacramento State. Filmmaker Magazine recently named him to its annual list of “25 New Faces.” Machoian lives in Davis.
JESSICA BROWN (M.S., Instructional Science and Technology) is the assistant director of CSUMB’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC). The center works across campus to engage undergraduates in hands-on, real-world research that prepares them for the workforce and graduate school. She earned a B.S. in ecology, behavior and evolution from UC San Diego. Brown is a member of the Council on Undergraduate Research and the National Association of Science Writers. She lives in Santa Cruz.
JARED ELIA (B.S., Earth Systems Science and Policy) is a resource biologist for Environmental Science Associates. Working with the Department of Water Resources and local government agencies, his responsibilities include species and habitat protection, land management, restoration and re-vegetation planning. In August 2010 he married Lacey Villa. The couple lives in Walnut Creek.
CHRISTIAN CAZARES (2005, B.A., Teledramatic Arts and Technology) has been a photojournalist for KGTV, the ABC affiliate station in San Diego, for four years. He writes, reports and videotapes stories for both English and Spanish audiences. Cazares is researching schools to pursue a master’s program in film and broadcasting studies. During his career, he’s won three Emmy awards for investigative reporting and has been nominated for four Emmys this year. Cazares lives in San Diego.
NICOLE NEADEAU (B.S., Telecommunications, Multimedia, and Applied Computing) is a graphic designer for TMD Creative in Salinas but telecommutes from her home in Truckee. She helps second-grade students with reading and math as a volunteer at the Truckee Elementary School. She’s married to Tony Neadeau (B.A., ‘05 Business) who is an assistant golf professional at Martis Camp in Truckee. A member of the Professional Golfers Association, he volunteers to teach swing instruction and game etiquette to the girls golf team at Truckee High School. They have two children, Tyler, 7, and Myles, 3. The family lives in Truckee.
ALEX HOFMANN (B.S., Earth Systems Science and Policy) is an engineering ser- vices specialist at the American Public Power Association. His work involves engineering analysis and support for non-profit municipally owned electric utilities. Hofmann earned a master’s degree in public administration from Columbia University in 2009. He volunteers his time to organizations that focus on feeding the hungry and helping bring energy to people who might not other wise be able to afford it. Hofmann lives in Washington, D.C.
WILLIAM BUFFINGTON (B.S., Telecommunications, Multimedia, and Applied Computing) is a full-time designer of marketing solutions for NetShelter Technology Media. He has attended classes at the Academy of Art in San Francisco. Buffington volunteers with an athletics and sports club that’s sponsoring a competitive weight lifting event called The One Hour Long Cycle, with the proceeds going to charity. He also works as a freelance graphic designer and is starting to design and publish books. Buffington was married in July. He lives in Oakland.
KELLEEN (HARTER) HARRIS (B.S., Earth Systems Science and Policy) is an environmental projects analyst for the City of Santa Cruz Water Department, where she collects fishery data, water quality data in lagoons and ensures that the city’s water rights are maintained. She volunteers for fish rescues with the Carmel River Steelhead Association and is a member of the Salmonid Restoration Federation. Harris is married and lives in Aptos.
MONIQUE PRECIADO (Teacher Credential Program) is a fifth-grade teacher at Alice Stroud Elementary School. She won the Stanislaus County Office of Education Bell Award in 2009 for teaching excellence. Preciado earned a B.A. in 2002 from San Diego State University and is pursuing an M.A. in educational technology from Cal State Stanislaus. She and her husband, Jose Cardenas, have two children, Diego, 6, and Nayeli, 4. They live in Modesto.
VERONICA GONZALES (B.A., Social and Behavioral Sciences) is a social worker III for the Avanza Transition Age Youth Program at the County of Monterey Children’s Behavioral Health Division. She provides intensive case management and rehabilitation services for a caseload of about 15 clients, ages 16 to 25, who have mental disorders. She and her husband, Miguel Parra, have a son, Alex Parra-Gonzales, 1. They live in Watsonville.
**KATHY (NITAYANGUL) PUGH **(2001, B.S., Earth Systems Science and Policy) is a land surveyor for Whitson Engineers in Monterey, where she manages the survey department of this private civil engineering firm. Pugh has returned to CSUMB to earn a master’s degree from the Coastal and Watershed Science & Policy program.
KATWYN (KT) DELAROSA (B.A., Social and Behavioral Sciences) is an attorney with the law offices of Bennett & Sharpe, Inc. She earned her law degree from San Joaquin College of Law. In her work, DeLaRosa represents unions, wrongly disciplined or mistreated employees, and all levels of public sector employees. Her husband, Robert DeLaRosa (B.A.,’01 Human Communication), is owner of Steal One, Inc., a wholesale distribution company, following a nine-year career as a casino marketing executive. With their son, Miles Danger DeLaRosa, 3, the family lives in Clovis.
**MELANIE VINCENT **(B.S., Earth Systems Science and Policy) is an associate planner at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. The agency regulates development within the watershed of Lake Tahoe. Her job involves determining the types of soil and land coverage surrounding the lake, with the goal of limiting the amount of impervious surfaces to improve the lake’s water quality. Vincent lives in South Lake Tahoe.
KELLEE (HUMPHREY) LUSK (B.A., Liberal Studies) is a first-grade teacher at Edenvale Elementary School, where she also trains a teacher intern from San José State three days a week. She earned an M.A. in education from UC Berkeley in 2005. Lusk volunteers at Paradise Baptist Church and belongs to Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. With her children, Hallee, 9, and LJ, 3, she lives in Hayward.
KATIE ANGARANO (B.A., Liberal Studies) is a second-grade teacher. She earned a teaching credential from CSUMB in 1999 and an M.A. in education in 2005 from San José State. Angarano volunteers for the American Red Cross and Kaiser Hospital Volunteer Services. With her daughter, she lives in the Bay Area.
CSU Monterey Bay's first class of 10 nursing graduates participated in a pinning ceremony on Dec. 20. The ceremony marked a milestone for the students and for the university. – *Monterey Herald*, Dec. 31, 2014
Generations of California elementary school students have visited the adobe missions that dot the state from San Diego to Sonoma. The 21 missions, begun in 1769 by Father Junipero Serra, had a big impact on Dr. Ruben Mendoza.
“My interest in history started on a fourth-grade field trip from my home in Fresno to Mission San Juan Bautista,” Dr. Mendoza explained. “I fell in love with it, but I wanted to know more.”
That school trip ignited a lifelong passion.
Dr. Mendoza went on to earn an undergraduate degree from CSU Bakersfield and graduate degrees in archaeology at the University of Arizona. He came to CSU Monterey Bay as a founding faculty member in 1995.
A chance meeting with the pastor of Mission San Juan Bautista resulted in an invitation to work there. That was 15 years ago. Since then, he’s worked at many of the California missions, as well as some in the American Southwest and Mexico. Dr. Mendoza is also a charter board member of the California Missions Foundation. He’s become the local go-to expert on the subject and one of only a handful of mission archaeology and conservation specialists in California.
Students in CSUMB’s Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies can pursue a concentration in archaeology. Each year, 15 to 20 students do so, many of them attracted by the prospect of working with Dr. Mendoza. Some continue on to graduate school. Public agencies and contractors hire others. Because much of the California coast is archaeologically sensitive, contractors need trained people to determine whether an area under construction is historically significant.
When asked what appeals to students about the subject, Dr. Mendoza has a ready answer. “They see it as sexy, interesting ... the ‘Indiana Jones’ mystique. My job is to demystify the field,” he said. He may “demystify” it, but he does it in a way that attracts students.
Adrian Lopez, a 2007 graduate of CSUMB, is pursuing a master’s degree in urban and regional planning at San José State University, focusing on historic preservation. That interest is the result of Lopez’s work at the Soledad Mission, Mission San Juan Bautista and the Royal Presidio Chapel in Monterey while enrolled in Dr. Mendoza’s classes.
“He’s involved with students in a very direct way,” Lopez said. “He’s an educator, a motivator and an inspiration. He inspired me to continue my education.”
When they work with him at the missions, students take on specific community service projects. Some of what they do involves answering questions from the public, conducting tours and installing museum exhibits. They also do fieldwork, learning to identify, catalog and interpret their findings through the science of archaeology, and they learn about public service.
“There’s nothing better than putting them in the field for hands-on work,” Dr. Mendoza said.
Brenna Wheelis enrolled in his Mission Archaeology class in 2007 to fulfill a Service Learning requirement. “I was hooked. I completed over 160 Service Learning hours that semester,” she said, well beyond what she needed.
Since graduating last spring, Wheelis has been part of the excavation and recovery of a Native American burial site in Carmel Valley, and she co-authored a historic structures report on the 1932 Maryknoll Rectory at Mission San Juan Bautista with Dr. Mendoza. Many of his students are cited in his scholarly publications for their contributions to the work.
“He’s highly accessible to his students,” Wheelis said, “and never discourages their curiosity. He takes a genuine interest in what his students think ... and creates a curriculum that develops individual scholarship. He’s had a tremendous influence on my decision to apply to graduate school in order to pursue archaeology as a career.”
Digging into the missions’ past is more than an academic exercise or teaching tool for Dr. Mendoza. He believes that knowing what went on there helps us understand who we are today, and how California became what it is.
Asked to name the most significant work he’s done, he didn’t hesitate.
“Discovering the Serra chapels at the Royal Presidio of Monterey,” he said. He’s referring to the discoveries in the summer of 2008 of the “first” and “second” chapels, each consisting of rectangular adobe buildings located directly in front of the present San Carlos Cathedral (constructed in 1791-95). The area marks the spot where, in 1770, Father Junipero Serra celebrated the earliest Mass in a formally constructed church on the California coast.
“And the solstice studies are turning out to be a big thing. It’s like a Dan Brown novel,” he said, referring to the author of ‘The Da Vinci Code.’
“I’m looking at symbology, iconography and ancient secrets. I’ve got competitors, I’ve got collaborators.”
Dr. Mendoza has documented that 12 missions in California alone are aligned to mark the winter or summer solstice. The solar geometry was first brought to his attention on the morning of Dec. 21, 1997, at Mission San Juan Bautista by the pastor, when the altar was bathed in sunlight, casting what he calls “an intense column of light” directly on the tabernacle. He is convinced it’s the result of a deliberate design by the Spanish missionaries who built the missions.
Dr. Mendoza predicted and documented a similar illumination at Mission San Carlos Borromeo in Carmel on the summer solstice on June 21, 2003. He has gone on to document scores of other solstice and feast day sites in the American Southwest and Mexico and presented his findings before the Society for American Archaeology in St. Louis this April.
The public will have an opportunity to learn more about Dr. Mendoza’s work at Mission San Juan Bautista. PBS television plans a documentary on the archaeology, historiography and conservation efforts there.
Mission study is an emerging field, he said: “There’s so much that’s unknown. Many records have not yet been scrutinized. We’re in a post-colonial era. What happened in the colonial era?
“No answer you give in this moment will hold in the next moment. For me, that’s exciting,” he said. “When I see the fourth-graders at the mission ... I do this for them.”
Fortune shone on Stacy Mauzey of Salinas the day in 2009 when she met Carolee Bull. "Without Dr. Bull's help, I wouldn't be where I am today," Mauzey said. "Working with her has proven to be consciousness-raising."
– The Salinas Californian, Sept. 15, 2010
In a finding that suggests how global warming could impact infectious disease, scientists from Yale University, in collaboration with other institutions, have determined that climate impacts the severity of Lyme Disease by influencing the feeding patterns of deer ticks that carry and transmit it. . . . the paper appears in the April issue of Applied and Environmental Microbiology. Other authors are . . . Forrest Melton of California State University, Monterey Bay. – Science Daily, April 27, 2009
More than 150 films have been submitted to California State University, Monterey Bay's first Teen Film Festival, which takes place today at 1 p.m. in the World Theater. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. Since last fall, students from 13 to 19 years old have been encouraged to submit their five-minute videos and films. Submissions have come from around the state - from Marin County to San Diego - but most were local, said Enid Baxter Blader, professor of film and video at CSUMB. – Monterey Herald, April 19, 2009
CSUMB administrators are welcoming the largest freshman class in the school's history this year. Thousands of students are returning or coming for the first time to the Central Coast to start classes on Monday. Students moved into their dorms today and will continue through the weekend. The university's president, Dr. Dianne Harrison, says the increase in students is just one sign the school is headed in the right direction. – KION Aug. 24, 2007
Documentary filmmaker Warren Miller's latest snow-thrill movie, Wintervention, will be shown at California State University, Monterey Bay's World Theater at 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. It's free, and the public is invited.
Narrated by Olympic gold medalist Jonny Moseley, it's another globe-trotting adventure, showing skiers taming the slopes of Antarctica as well as Telluride, Alaska, Norway, New Zealand and Austria.
If you can't wait to hit the slopes this ski season, this is the film for you. Miller's films attract a cult-like following and mark the official start of winter for sports enthusiasts everywhere.
Twenty-nine students and two faculty members from CSU Monterey Bay are preparing income taxes for free during the next few months at various locations around the area through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. VITA is coordinated by the United Way of Monterey County.
The volunteer tax-preparers took training classes over the semester break and were certified by the IRS through an exam before beginning to work with clients. The student volunteers come from the university's School of Business. Most are in the accounting concentration; some are satisfying their service-learning requirement.
The service is available at four locations in Salinas, and in Seaside, Castroville, Soledad and King City. Some students also work at locations in Santa Cruz County.
This is the second year that business students and faculty members are volunteering with the program. Approximately $100,000 in income tax refunds was returned to clients, and by extension, the local community, as a result of their work last year.
Susan Morse, service-learning instructor in the School of Business, is “always looking for ways to incorporate community involvement addressing issues of justice, culture and equity with activities that use and expand students’ business skills,” she said. “VITA does both.”
Accounting professor Cathy Ku was also involved with recruiting students and coordinating the various agencies involved.
The program reaches out to low-income wage earners who can’t afford income tax preparation assistance or are not aware that they may be eligible for tax refunds. To be eligible for the program, household income must be less than $49,000.
“The community also benefits from an infusion of otherwise lost income as the refunds are, for the most part, spent locally,” Morse said.
Click here for more information or to download aflyer listing the Monterey County locations, or call 211.
If you're thinking of having a burger for lunch at CSU Monterey Bay – and it's a Monday – you might want to reconsider that choice.
An initiative by Sodexo, the university's food service provider, is highlighting meatless options at all five campus dining locations every Monday during the school year. They're making it easy for diners to abstain from eating meat one day a week.
If you're a carnivore and you've already scarfed down a double cheeseburger, don't worry. You're not in trouble. It's voluntary.
"The idea isn't to take any choices away," said Tyler McBrian, Sodexo's campus marketing and sustainability manager. "The idea is to add vegetarian options and to make them visible," he said.
Sodexo is doing that by featuring a special serving station for vegetarian fare in the Dining Commons.
In addition, the library café features veggie hummus wraps, the Otter Express offers veggie sandwiches and the Otter Bay Restaurant has a new Meatless Monday option every week.
The company's website says it is offering more vegetarian fare to improve students' health and reduce their environmental impact.
"Did you know that it takes 2,500 gallons of water to make one pound of beef," McBrian asks people.
The Meatless Monday trend is sweeping through learning institutions from elementary to graduate schools. Pioneers include UC Davis, Yale University and the Baltimore City schools.
Dozens of colleges and universities now highlight meatless options each week, according to Sodexo. Many of the efforts to bring Meatless Monday to campuses were student-led, a testament to increased awareness about the connections between diet and overall health. Each college has added its own promotion style to the campaign, including videos, Facebook pages and pledge drives.
And it's not just schools that have signed on to the idea.
When celebrity chef Mario Batali starts to push people to eat their vegetables, you know something is happening. The famous chef and restaurant owner has joined the Meatless Monday movement, which is backed by a broad array of public-health advocates.
In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a study of fruit and vegetable consumption. It found that only 26 percent of adults eat vegetables three or more times a day – which falls far short of guidelines set by the federal government. When it comes to fruits and vegetables, the average American eats less than half of what public health officials suggest. And that figure hasn't budged since 2000.
Nor is the idea new. During World War I, people were urged to skip meat one day a week as a rationing effort. Now, that idea has been reinvented as a hip, easy way to be environmentally friendly and health conscious.
Learn more about dining at CSUMB.
Two staff members from California State University, Monterey Bay have been honored for their work with the univesity's outreach efforts.
The awards were given by the Central California region of the Western Association of Educational Opportunity Personnel at its meeting in Fresno Oct. 7 and 8.
Blanca Melchor, an academic adviser in CSUMBs Upward Bound Program, received the "Adviser of the Year" award. Perry Angle, director of the university's early outreach and support services, was named "Director of the Year." The awards were presented at the organization's professional development seminar held at the University of California Center in Fresno.
Educator reporter Claudia Melendez Salinas tells of a local student project: "What does it take to build peace?" Twenty-three high school and CSUMB students tackled the issue through the Summer Youth Leadership Training Project. -Monterey Herald, Nov. 14, 2010
Oct. 26, 2010 A redesigned website for Cal State Monterey Bay debuted on Oct. 25, after more than a year of work by members of the Strategic Communications and Information Technology departments and an outside contractor, White Whale Web Services of Oakland.
Dozens of staff members and students gathered for the official launch in the University Center Living Room. President Dianne Harrison cut the ribbon that “launched” the site. “Today is an exciting day for our campus,” Dr. Harrison told the group. “This is a massive undertaking. Our website reflects who we are, what our identity is, what kind of research our faculty and students are doing . . . the website reflects the personality of the campus.” She quoted an Information Technology student as saying: “ ‘I feel like this website reflects me as a student.’ And that’s the best thing that can be said.” Chief Information Officer Chip Lenno explained that the site was created using open source software. “As of today, we have contributed more than 25,000 lines of code back to the open-source community,” he said with obvious pride. The president and founder of White Whale, Jason Pontius, was complimentary of CSUMB’s web team. “We work with a number of colleges and universities, and I have never in my career worked with a team of people who were as calm, confident and prepared for this re-design,” he told the gathering, singling out Elizabeth MacDonald, Kevin Miller, Kevin Garcia and Greg Pool by name. “The code has been masterful . . . ,” he added, a reference to Miller’s work. In addition to the people Pontius named, many others worked behind the scenes to make the redesign successful, including Joan Iguban and Molly Nance of Strategic Communications, Paul Hall of IT and student assistant Chi Tran. The redesigned site features work contributed by members of the campus community, including student-produced photos and videos. The site has also been geared for ease of use, with a blend of need-to-know information and room to click around and discover unexpected stories about the university, and its students and faculty.
The President’s Speaker Series resumes Nov. 30 when photographer Jeff Sheng visits campus. His talk will start at 7 p.m. in the World Theater.
Sheng, an artist who teaches Asian American studies and photography at UC Santa Barbara, will talk about his work, which deals with sexuality and homophobia. He’ll also talk about his experiences as an activist of color.
He’ll present “Fearless,” a series of photos he has worked on since 2003 that depict lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender high school and college athletes who are open about their sexuality.
“Fearless” was shown at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and, in the last four years, has toured more than 40 colleges and high schools. It’s exhibited mostly in student centers and gymnasiums – high traffic areas that allow a large audience to see the photos.
He’ll also talk about his recent series of photos depicting closeted members of the military, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” In 2008, when “Fearless” was first featured in the national media, Sheng received e-mails from service members, saying they had been moved by the photos. He realized he had found his next project.
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is a series of portraits of gay men and lesbians, all of them shown in uniform but with their faces obscured in some way. In one image, an airman sits on a hotel bed, his hand cupping his face to shield it from the lens. The portrait conveys a sense of isolation and loneliness. It’s the image that landed on the book cover, and in Time magazine last February.
He traveled around the country to interview and photograph military personnel. At first, he paid his own expenses; later, he was helped by a grant.
While the “Fearless” photos were shot on film, Sheng used a digital camera for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” That way, he could show his subjects their pictures right away – and so, he told the New York Times, help build their trust.
He describes his subjects, identified only by pseudonyms, as people who didn’t want to risk their careers, but wanted to take some kind of stand.
The photos have attracted national attention and have been featured in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, ABC World News, Time magazine, NPR and the BBC, among other media outlets.
“I think photographs have the power to move people that sometimes words don't," Sheng says. "And you look at these images and what you see is that people who are gay look very similar, the same, as people you would assume to be straight. That's a powerful message.”
In conjunction with the lecture, “Fearless” will be exhibited on campus. From Nov. 8-19, the photos can be seen in the University Center on Sixth Avenue during normal business hours. From Nov. 22-30, the photos will be displayed in the lobby of the World Theater. Please call the theater at (831) 582-4580 for exhibit times.
The lecture and exhibit are free. Reservations for the lecture are recommended and can be made online at csumb.edu/speakers. For more information, or to request disability accommodations, call (831) 582-4580.
The dozen students who were selected to receive scholarships from the Fort Ord Alumni Association cover the spectrum of academic majors available at Cal State Monterey Bay: human communication; business; liberal studies; global studies; teledramatic arts and technology; environmental science, technology and policy; health and human services; marine science; kinesiology.
And they aspire to varied careers: sports journalist; pharmacist; public relations practitioner; master chef; teacher; filmmaker; environmental engineer; nurse; scientist; physical therapist.
One plans to study abroad; two are members of the university’s athletic teams; some come from military families or have been on active duty; all have served their communities in some way.
What the 12 students have in common is the ability to embrace the opportunities that life offers. The awards, which were given at the association’s annual luncheon on Oct. 27, bring to 112 the total number of scholarships – all in the amount of $1,000 – given by FOAA since its scholarship program began. The Fort Ord Alumni Association was established in 1996 – shortly after the university opened its doors on a portion of the former Army base – to provide financial assistance to students and to honor and preserve the heritage of Fort Ord and the contributions of the soldiers, civilians and their families who lived and worked there. Membership is open to anyone who wishes to join in these efforts. This year, more than 140 scholarship applications were received. Grade-point average, leadership, participation in extra-curricular activities and volunteer work at school or in the local community were considered in the evaluation process. Recipients and the scholarships they were awarded:
Memorial Scholarships • Gen. E.O.C. Ord Scholarship: Patrick Kelley, Chula Vista • Gen. Joseph Stilwell Scholarship: Pavan Gill, Chowchilla • Sgt. James Rucker and Helen Rucker Scholarship: Nicole Cometa • Gen. James Moore Jr. and Joan Moore Scholarship: Christina Alig, Castroville • Gen. William Gourley and Molly Gourley Scholarships: David Collins, Marina; Linnea Hoffmann, Woodcrest • Gen. Bertram Bishop Scholarship: Collin Spencer, Novato
FOAA Scholarships • Col. Hank Hendrickson Scholarship: Joseph Blackburn, Atascadero • 1st Sgt. Willie B. Smith Scholarship: Lilyana Staight, Oceanside • Col. Robert Furney and Mary Furney Scholarship: Heather Cusson, Oakdale • Lt. Col. John McCutchon and Col. Ila Mettee-McCutchon Scholarship: April Garrett, Fresno • Fort Ord Alumni Association Scholarship: Hayley Tharp, San Jose
For more information, visit csumb.edu/foaa.
Nov. 1, 2010
Huddled over a gray robot, a student pushed the start button and watched as the small machine lurched forward, completed a turn and moved toward an obstacle.
Then disaster struck. The robot veered off course, driving over white masking tape and spinning around several times – disqualifying the team that programmed it.
It was back to the computer for a team of students in the First Year Seminar: Otter DotCom class.
The class is part of Project Higher Ground, a program where students live in the same dormitory (in this case, Avocet Hall) and take at least two classes together.
The 25 students in the class formed themselves into eight teams. Each team assembled a Lego Mindstorm robot, then programmed it via computer “to do what we want,” one student explained.
The teams competed on a recent Thursday morning. Each team’s bot covered two courses. One was an oval-shaped track (think NASCAR); the robots had to stay inside a set of parallel lines marked off with masking tape. The other course was oddly shaped and was covered twice, once with obstacles obstructing the way, the other obstacle-free.
The competitive part of it clearly engaged the students.
“We even made a test track in the lobby of their dorm, so they could practice over the weekend when the lab was locked,” said Dr. Kate Lockwood, assistant professor of Computer Science and Information Technology.
Team No. 4 – whose robot was named “Cookie” – was the overall winner. Team members Megan Louth, Ryan Lorea and Chris Carpenter piloted Cookie to victory on the oval track, and covered the obstacle course – successfully avoiding the pair of obstacles placed in its way – in 42.3 seconds to top that race as well.
Winner of the obstacle-free race was Team No. 5, whose robot was named “Yellow” (for the color of the Lego box, they said). Members of the team: Gonzalo Sanchez, Brayant Galvez and Ben Fulanovich.
If you’re interested in robots, there’ll be another opportunity to see them in competition.
In mid-December, students in Dr. Sathya Narayanan’s computer architecture class will face off with sumo wrestling robots they have assembled, wired and programmed.
Art historian Laura Meyer comes to campus on Nov. 10 as the visiting artist lecture series continues.
Dr. Meyer is the author of “A Studio of Their Own: The Legacy of the Fresno Feminist Experiment,” and organized an exhibition and symposium on that theme last year at Fresno State University. Her work documents the nation’s first feminist art education program, which was established at Fresno State in 1970, and its enduring legacy in contemporary art. Meeting off campus in a Studio of Their Own, 15 female students and instructor Judy Chicago helped pioneer key strategies of the early feminist art movement, including collaboration, the use of “female technologies” such as costume, performance, and video, and early forms of media critique.
Many art history textbooks trace the roots of feminist art education in the U.S. to the program established by Chicago and Miriam Schapiro at the California Institute of the Arts in 1971, overlooking its beginnings at Fresno State the previous year. “A Studio of Their Own: The Legacy of the Fresno Feminist Experiment” highlights previously undocumented painting, sculpture, photography, film, installation, and performance art produced during the first year of the Fresno experiment, as well as recent work by program participants. Together, all helped lay the groundwork for what one critic has called “a whole new relationship between art and society.” Dr. Meyer earned an MFA in painting from CSU Los Angeles and a Ph.D. in art history from UCLA. She is an associate professor of modern and contemporary art at Fresno State. The event, sponsored by the Department of Visual and Public Art, will start with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by the lecture at 6:30 in the University Center living room. The public is invited. No reservations are needed for this free event.
Earl Lawson was sworn in as the chief of police at Cal State Monterey Bay on Nov. 2, three weeks after university President Dianne Harrison named him to the position.
Several dozen members of local law enforcement agencies joined the campus community to witness Nate Johnson, chief law enforcement officer for the California State University system, administer the traditional oath of office.
Lawson’s wife, America, pinned the chief’s badge on while their daughter, Brianna, looked on.
Lawson has served in a number of important roles since joining the University Police Department in 1995, most recently as operations lieutenant and briefly as interim police chief upon the retirement of former chief Fred Hardee in June.
Dr. Harrison said Lawson was selected for the breadth of his experience, which includes special training in disaster preparedness and collaboration with local law enforcement. “Chief Lawson understands that the police department is essential to ensuring a safe environment for our students, employees and visitors and helping to maintain an atmosphere that is conducive to learning and personal growth,” she said. “I know he will do an outstanding job.” Praise came from Chief Johnson, who called Lawson “an out-of-the-box thinker who sees the big picture.” In his brief remarks, Lawson reiterated his commitment to the university. “This is my home; the people on this campus are my extended family. I’m heavily invested in the success of this university,” he said. His top priorities are to expand the university’s emergency preparedness and community policing programs. He promised to be “accessible and flexible,” and to “always do what I think is right for the community.” Lawson has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Cal Poly Pomona and a minor certificate in criminal justice. His extensive professional education includes training at the FBI National Academy. He started his law enforcement career in 1993.
Disabilities are a reality for many students at local colleges and universities, but cutting-edge technology, modern teaching methods and specialized services can make education less of an obstacle at CSU Monterey Bay. – Media dis&dat blog (news about disability issues), Nov. 2, 2010
The CSUMB men’s golf team pulled off the double-double at the Dennis Rose Invitational in Hawaii, as the Otters won the team title and Oskar Nystrom won the individual title. – Monterey Herald, Nov. 3, 2010
Estudiantes de la Universidad Estatal de la Bahia de Monterey, un professor y otros cientificos vivieron debajo del mar por diez dias para estudiar la vida marina. – KMUV-23 (Telemundo), Nov. 1, 2010
It has gone from a dream, to a grant ($600,000 last year) and now the Salinas Chinatown Cultural Center and Museum and project is taking an important next step. CSU Monterey Bay will host a symposium featuring national museum professionals who will share their experiences and lend their advice on how to best plan and create the Salinas museum. – Monterey Herald, Oct. 14, 2010
Film showings, lectures and panel presentations are all part of the celebration of Native American History Week at California State University, Monterey Bay Nov. 12-18. Organized by members of the faculty in the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies, the schedule includes three films by the producer-director team of Steven Heape and Chip Richie and a variety of other events. Here’s the schedule: • Nov. 12: Film showing, noon-2 p.m., University Center on Sixth Avenue Our Spirits Don’t Speak English: Indian Boarding School, which presents a Native American perspective on Indian boarding schools and uncovers the dark history of U.S. government policy which took Indian children from their homes, forced them into boarding schools and enacted a policy of educating them in the ways of Western society. • Nov. 15: Film showing, 6-8 p.m., University Center on Sixth Avenue The Trail of Tears: Cherokee Legacy, an award-winning film that documents the forced removal of the Cherokee Nation to Oklahoma as a result of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Nearly a quarter of the Cherokee died during the Trail of Tears, arriving in Indian Territory with few elders and even fewer children. Moderated by Professor Kathryn England-Aytes. • Nov. 16 Film showing, 6-8 p.m., University Center on Sixth Avenue Don’t Get Sick After June: American Indian Healthcare, a documentary telling the story of Indian healthcare and the Indian Health Service, told from the Native American prospective. Moderated by Dr. George Baldwin. Artist demonstration, time and place to be determined (will be repeated on Nov. 17) Carmel artist Emy Ledbetter specializes in Native American paintings. She’ll demonstrate a mixed-media process on canvas involving acrylics and a resist process that is repeated again and again, layer by layer. Ultimately figures appear that seem to float in a field of texture and color. • Nov. 17 Panel presentation, noon-2 p.m., University Center on Sixth Avenue Two Daughters of Coyote, featuring Cari Herthel talking about "Protecting Sacred Sites in Monterey,” and Lorraine Escobar speaking on “Worthless Paper, Shattered Identities.”
Guest speaker, 6-9:30 p.m., University Center on Sixth Avenue Dr. Amy Lonetree of UC Santa Cruz will talk on the topic of “Visualizing Native Survivance: Encounters with my Ho-Chunk Ancestors in the Photographs of Charles Van Schaick, 1879-1925” • Nov. 18 Guest speaker, 4-5:20 p.m., Music Hall on Sixth Avenue Dr. Paul Steele will talk on “Reflections on Children Living on Tribal Lands.” Dr. Steele presented his research on child abuse involving children on tribal lands before a Congressional subcommittee several years ago, and is a nationally known child advocate. The community is welcome to attend the events, which are free. For more information or disability accommodatiions, call 582-3890. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map.
Nov. 12, 2010
INDIANAPOLIS – In the latest Division II regional rankings released by the NCAA, the Cal State Monterey Bay women’s volleyball team is ranked sixth in the West for the third straight week.
The Otters have one home game remaining in the regular season, Friday, Nov. 12.
The top eight teams in each of the nation's eight regions will receive bids to the 2010 NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Championships that begin on Friday, Nov. 18. At 12-9 in CCAA play and 15-9 overall, the Otters are currently in fifth place in conference.
The tournament field will be announced on Monday, Nov. 15, on www.ncaa.com.
For more information and photos, click here.
Nov. 10, 2010
“Slackheads” will get a rare treat on Dec. 11, when Grammy-winning slack-key guitarist George Kahumoku brings a bit of the islands to Cal State Monterey Bay’s World Theater for a Hawaiian holiday show.
And in the true spirit of Hawaiian family tradition, Kahumoku will be joined on stage by his wife and son, Keoki, an accomplished musician and entertainer.
The performance isn’t just for transplanted Hawaiians. It’s a chance for lovers of diverse music to hear a style that – despite a rich tradition – isn’t all that well known on the mainland.
Slack-key performances have a laid-back Hawaiian feel, with performers “talking story” between songs, spinning yarns and tales from back home.
In contrast to many Hawaiian traditions, the slack-key guitar style is a relatively recent invention. Spanish and Mexican cowboys introduced the acoustic guitar to the islands in 1830. The Hawaiians quickly developed their own style of playing, which became known as slack key.
The term refers to a finger-picking guitar style, in which one or more strings are loosened – slacked – to change the tuning. The guitarist can then play the bass and treble parts of the music, which makes it sound as if several guitars are playing at once. One result is a ringing sound that lingers behind the melodies being picked.
And Kahumoku is one of the best. He’s been called Hawaii’s Renaissance man, and with good reason. He’s a songwriter, performer, high school and college teacher, artist, sculptor, storyteller, writer, farmer and entrepreneur.
He earned a bachelor of fine arts degree at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland. Following a stint working on the Alaska pipeline, he returned to Maui, where he teaches drawing, painting, ceramics, guitar and ukulele at a high school and at Maui Community College. When he’s not teaching, he’s working on his three-acre farm, tending his goats, chickens and ducks and growing vegetables and fruit. He’s a busy man. Kahumoku’s music and voice have been described as "earthy and organic – one with the `aina (the land)." His love and respect for Hawaii and planet Earth are embedded in his music, which he likes to think of as nature songs: songs of love, hope, desire, and lament.
He’s played for Elizabeth Taylor; for 15 years, Henry “the Fonz” Winkler requested his presence at his new Year’s Eve parties; he’s even played for the Queen of England.
In a 2002 interview with Santa Cruz’s weekly publication, Good Times, he said, “This music gives you a sense of balance, completeness, even to the guy that’s playing it as well as the listener; . . . you feel that one, almost with the universe."
Bring the entire family for this evening of story, song and dance from the enchanting islands. Tickets range from $10 to $33 and can be purchased by calling the World Theater box office at (831) 582-4580 or online at csumb.edu/worldtheater. The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue on the CSUMB campus. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map. IF YOU GO • WHAT: Hawaiian Family Holiday featuring George Kahumoku Jr. • WHERE: CSUMB’s World Theater • WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Dec. 11 • TICKETS: $10 to $33; reserve online at http://csumb.edu/worldtheater or by calling the box office at 582-4580 • INFORMATION: 582-4580
Nov. 12, 2010
KAZU news director Krista Almanzan was honored Nov. 6 by the Radio-Television News Directors Association of Northern California at the organization’s annual awards dinner in San Francisco. She was recognized in the category of best feature reporting on a serious subject for “Rec Rehab Program Hooks National Interest.” The story profiled a group called the Monterey Bay Veterans, which holds fishing derbies on Monterey Bay as part of its recreational rehabilitation program for disabled veterans.
She won a regional Edward R. Murrow Award last spring for the same story. Read or listen to the story here: http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kazu/news.newsmain/article/0/0/1561717... The Nor-Cal RTNDA represents electronic journalists in radio, television and online from the Oregon border to the California Central Coast and Reno. The entry period covered July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010. More than 160 entries were received from 26 stations and were judged by news managers from around the country.
Almanzan started her journalism career in Iowa where she covered the 2000 and 2004 presidential races and Iowa caucuses for local television stations. In 2005, she won the Stanley Foundation Award for Outstanding Broadcast Coverage of Iowa’s global connections. Later that year, she returned to her home state of California, where she continued to work in television and simultaneously got her start in public radio as a freelance reporter with Capital Public Radio in Sacramento. In 2007, she joined the staff at KAZU where she serves as host of All Things Considered as well as news director.
This is the second consecutive year that Almanzan has been honored by the NorCal RTNDA. Last year, she took top honors in the feature category for a story about a program called Take the Lead, which pairs at-risk youngsters with dogs surrendered to the local SPCA.
She is currently on maternity leave and is expected back in the spring.
KAZU, 90.3 FM, is a National Public Radio news and information affiliate licensed to California State University, Monterey Bay.
Nov. 12, 2010
Heather Cusson’s local roots run deep, but a circuitous route brought her to Cal State Monterey Bay. She grew up in Carmel Valley. Her father was stationed at Fort Ord during the Vietnam War. Her uncle graduated from CSU Monterey Bay. And now Cusson, 26, is a junior transfer student at the university, majoring in Collaborative Health and Human Services. She hopes one day to be a public health nurse — a dream backed up by two tours in Afghanistan as an Army medic. Her experience in Afghanistan — administering medical care to locals in remote villages, assisting in the treatment of gunshot wounds, amputations, burns and blast injuries to American soldiers — reinforced her passion to pursue a career in health care. When she returned to the U.S., she hoped to find a job as a trauma specialist but her lack of formal education in the field prevented that. Instead, she enrolled in Monterey Peninsula College. “Like most veterans, I was unaware of services that were available for someone in my situation. But thanks to the help of the veterans’ representatives at Monterey Peninsula College and CSUMB, I was guided down the right educational path,” she said. After earning an associate’s degree in 2010, she applied to MPC’s Maurine Church Coburn School of Nursing. When she realized that the school has a three-year waiting list, she decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree at CSUMB in the interim. “I believe the CHHS department really promotes making a positive impact in the community. A career in health and human services will provide me with a sense of service, similar to what I felt in the Army,” she said. Transition from Army life to civilian life has been challenging for Cusson. There’s a lack of the “Army family” she once knew so well. Luckily for her, she has support from her brother and husband, both veterans. And the fact that CSUMB is on the grounds of the former Fort Ord Army base is helping her, too. With former military buildings around campus, Cusson is reminded of her days at Fort Drum, N.Y., where she was stationed. “Having my classes in these kinds of buildings is welcoming. I also enjoy taking the time to observe the footprints left behind by fellow soldiers,” she said. At CSUMB, Cusson is in the company of other veterans. Last spring, 53 CSUMB student veterans were using various GI Bill benefits (38 of them using the new Post 9/11 GI Bill) and another 20 were using the Dependents Educational Assistance program as eligible dependents of veterans. And 89 students were eligible for the College Fee Waiver Program for Veterans' Dependents through the California Department of Veterans Affairs. These students, as family members of disabled or deceased veterans, receive a waiver of fees. This fall, 48 students are using the Post 9/11 GI Bill program. Among the university’s military-friendly practices are web pages with information specifically for veterans; a specially designated counselor and support team to help veterans make the transition from active duty service to accomplishing their personal educational goals; and a Student Veterans Organization that is currently in the planning stages. Cusson knows she is surrounded by people and resources that will keep her on the right track to obtain her dream job. “As far as the everyday transition, I’m still confronting issues of post-traumatic stress. However, I feel like I’m lucky to live in a community that acknowledges and supports my struggles as a veteran,” Cusson said. – By Molly Nance, University Advancement
Cal State Monterey Bay can claim to be one of the best places to work in the county – for the second time in three years.
That’s according to the Monterey County Business Council's “Best Places to Work” study. The purpose of the program is to provide vital information to local companies about the practices they use to attract and retain talented employees.
Employers were recognized in two categories – those with 75 or fewer employees and those with more than 75. Two organizations in each category were honored.
More than 40 businesses applied for the awards. Winners in the small business category were Medialocate, a language-services company, and the Central Coast Federal Credit Union. Robert Mann Packaging joined CSUMB as a winner in the large-employer division.
Personal Dynamics Consulting of Florida designed a 40-question survey used to identify the top employers. Turnover rates, growth percentages, spending on employee development, insurance packages and retirement plans were among the 37 measurements used to determine the area’s “Best Places to Work.”
CSUMB President Dianne Harrison accepted the award on Sept. 24.
The Monterey County Business Council includes professionals from business, government and education working together on countywide issues. Founded in 1995, the nonprofit corporation seeks to promote the concept of private-public partnerships by bringing business experience and techniques to the public arena.
The Nov. 13 performance of December People at the World Theater was sold out, with standing room only. Another high point of the evening was the success of the theater’s food drive.
The drive was a collaboration between the World Theater and radio station HIPPO 104.3 FM. Food for people and pets was collected and donated to the food banks of Monterey and San Benito counties and the Monterey County SPCA. The World Theater lobby was filled with an estimated 2,000 lbs. of donated food to help those in need during the holiday season.
“Because of the fantastic audience response and the food drive, the producers plan to bring December People and the canned food drive back again next year,” said Joe Cardinalli, director of the World Theater.
Over at Campus Dining services, through the generosity of CSUMB students, staff and faculty, and the sponsorship of Sodexo, the Helping Hands Food Drive netted 965 lbs. of food in time for needy families at Thanksgiving. The food was donated to the Food Bank for Monterey County.
The drive is an annual event put on every October and November by Sodexo. This year, students could donate meal plan blocks which campus dining converted into food. The food was converted into bulk items such as bags of rice, cake and brownie mix, canned milk and vegetables.
“On the last day of the food drive, Otter Athletics joined in and asked community members to donate canned food for admission to the women's basketball game,” said Jennifer Harris, marketing and sustainability manager for Sodexo campus dining. “They added nearly 200 lbs of food in one night.”
Due to the support from the campus community and Otter Athletics, the Helping Hands Food Drive donated nine times more food than last year.
A donor wall, memorializing the contributions of significant donors to the university, was unveiled Oct. 9 at the Alumni & Visitors Center during an annual dinner in appreciation of the university’s largest donors.
The wall contains the names of 120 donors, both individuals and organizations, with room for many more to be added in the years to come. Each name signifies a cumulative donation of $25,000 or more. The wall lists various “society” giving levels, ranging from $25,000 to over the $10 million level.
“The donor wall will be updated with new names each year,” said Pilar Gose, annual giving officer in University Advancement. “When the wall was unveiled at the donor dinner, the guests who were recognized for their generosity really loved it.”
An existing donor wall in the lobby of the University Center also lists donations, but it has not been updated since 2006. It will remain there, but will no longer be the memorial of record for future contributions.
With the diagnosis rate estimated to be 1 in 110 children, it’s imperative that parents and teachers of students with autism know what local resources are available.
That topic will be addressed at Cal State Monterey Bay on Dec. 1 when the university’s chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children and the state CEC sponsor a free panel discussion from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the University Center on Sixth Avenue.
“Meeting the Needs of Students with Autism: Community Perspectives” will feature panelists Laura Harris, executive director of local nonprofit Special Kids Crusade; Stella Lauerman, community services manager of Easter Seals Central California; and Marcia Weber-Olsen, program specialist with Monterey County’s Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA).
Dr. Josh Harrower, associate professor of special education at CSUMB, will be the moderator.
Students, parents, teachers and community members with an interest in autism are invited to attend. A light dinner will be provided.
Please RSVP to Jacquelline Means at 582-4612. For more information, contact Dr. Cathi Draper Rodriguez at 582-3652.
Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map.
“America Fast Forward?: Demographic Shifts, Economic Challenges, and the Future of California” will be the topic addressed by University of Southern California professor Manuel Pastor on Jan. 30, when the President’s Speaker Series resumes at Cal State Monterey Bay.
The social and economic changes in California in the last few decades foreshadowed what is now happening in the nation as a whole; indeed, the demographic change in the state between 1980 and 2000 is what the U.S. is projected to experience between 2000 and 2050.
In our passage, rising immigration, widening inequality, and a strained fiscal system challenged the state (and now the nation), but we are now at a critical turnaround as our demography stabilizes, our economy catches its breath, and public finances are finally on (slightly) firmer ground.
What’s ahead for the Golden State? How do we ensure economic, social and environmental sustainability for the next generation of Californians? And what are the lessons for a nation experiencing widening divides by income, geography and politics?
Dr. Pastor is a professor of sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at USC. He directs the university’s Program for Environmental and Regional Equity and the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration. His research focuses on movement building and the economic, environmental and social conditions facing low-income communities.
He has written several books and speaks nationally on issues including demographic change, economic inequality, and community empowerment.
His presentation will start at 3:30 p.m. in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue near A Street. A question-and-answer session and a public reception will follow. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
The community is invited to this free event. No tickets are necessary, but reservations are requested. Please RSVP by calling the World Theater box office at 582-4580 or going online.
The theme of this year’s speaker series is “Future Monterey Bay.” During the school year, three speakers will visit campus to address various aspects of the theme. The series kicked off in November with a talk by Stanford University professor and futurist Paul Saffo.
The speaker series is in keeping with Cal State Monterey Bay’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
Rheann Fall, outside hitter on CSUMB's volleyball team, is the first Otter athlete to earn All-American honors in any sport.
Fall was selected to the Daktronics All-American first team on Dec. 2.
"Cal State Monterey Bay is very proud of Rheann,” said Director of Athletics Vince Otoupal. “Her work in the classroom and on the court is impressive and we want to thank Daktronics for recognizing this and awarding Rheann this wonderful honor. She has earned it. She is a wonderful teammate and helped lead the team to record heights this year.”
It was the second national honor to come her way recently. Earlier in the week, she was named to the the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American honorable mention team. That's in addition to her selection to the All-California Collegiate Athletic Association first team.
Fall was the CCAA’s leader in kills and finished the season seventh in the nation in points and kills. She recorded 16 double-doubles (kills-digs) and had 20 or more kills 11 times. She also had two matches of 20 or more digs this season.
She was named a Sport Import/AVCA National Player of the Week and CCAA Player of the Week after leading CSUMB to two victories over nationally ranked teams.
“Coach Garry's approach over the last three years has been consistent and this year has paid off, for Rheann and the team,” Otoupal said.
“CSUMB volleyball set records this year. I'm honored to have Rheann as a member of Otter athletics; she is one of those student-athletes who make people around her better."
Three decades after the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Southeast Asia, echoes from the Vietnam War still reverberate in 21st-century America. A recently published book edited by Dr. David Anderson, professor of history at CSUMB, offers new perspectives on the political, historical, military and social issues that defined the war and its effects on the U.S. and Vietnam. “The Columbia History of the Vietnam War” opens with an introduction by Dr. Anderson on the war’s major moments and enduring relevance.
In it he says, “The history of the American war in Vietnam is not a remote academic subject. It is, or it should be, a continuing and real part of policymaking and public discourse on the role of American power and ideals throughout the world.”
Dr. Anderson has published a number of books on the Vietnam War. He is a past president of the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, and is an Army veteran of Vietnam.
Publication of the book followed his participation in an international conference in Washington, D.C., in the fall. He was invited to participate in “The American Experience in Southeast Asia, 1946-1975” by the Bureau of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs at the Department of State. He participated in a session on the U.S. war debate, “Ours to Reason Why: Intervention in Vietnam, Reaction in America.”
Cal State Monterey Bay’s teacher education program has received a federal grant to help students obtain a special education credential. Over the course of four years, the U.S. Department of Education grant will provide $1.1 million to provide scholarships for people who want to prepare for a career teaching students with disabilities in the Monterey Bay area. The grant will provide scholarships that can be used to cover tuition, fees, textbooks and laptop computers for credential candidates. Grant money will also be used to develop computer technology that will allow students to access course content online, and use video conferencing for field supervision. Candidates will complete the program equipped to teach students with moderate to severe disabilities including autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disabilities and emotional disturbance. Credential candidates will gain field experiences in the tri-county region as well as in high-need schools. “This grant will address the critical shortage of credentialed special educators in the local area,” said Dr. Josh Harrower, associate professor in the special education program.
“It’s an opportunity for currently employed teachers who lack a credential to earn one. It’s also an excellent opportunity for those with a general education credential who are out of work due to the budget situation to go into special ed,” Dr. Harrower said.
The grant will support a total of 40 students and is renewable for as long as a student needs to complete his/her credential. The program is designed to be completed in two years.
The first group of students will start in summer and fall 2011. Prospective students must apply to the university and the special education program, then they can complete an application for funding.
For more information, contact Dr. Harrower at 582-4227 or jharrower@csumb.edu or visit the web at teach.csumb.edu.
Works by CSUMB student filmmakers will be on display at the Teledramatic Arts Presentation Showcase Dec. 8 in the TAT Studio on Sixth Avenue. The showing is scheduled to run from 7 to 10 p.m.; doors open at 6:30. The presentation is free and the public is invited.
The event is sponsored by the Media Arts Club and will include animations, narratives, documentaries and other short films produced this semester by students in the Teledramatic Arts and Technology program.
The TAT building is located adjacent to the World Theater. A campus map and driving directions are available at csumb.edu/map.
The Teldramatic Arts and Technology Building will become a giant canvas on Dec. 15 when students project their work onto the building.
The videos were created as final projects in Ben Wood’s TAT 421, Motion Graphics class. They include composited and animated graphics, images and sound. The first video will be screened at 5:45 p.m. onto the front façade of the building. The show will last about an hour.
The best place for viewing the projections will be directly in front of the building on Sixth Avenue.
In his own work as a visual artist, Wood has done a number of large-scale public projections. (View a video of his projection onto Coit Tower in San Francisco here.)
“The focus is to produce graphics to be integrated with the architecture of the building in order to animate the structure as an alternative form of electronic cinema . . . as a showcase of what is going on within TAT,” Wood said.
During the semester, the class has “covered the tools and methodologies to create animated video, graphics and text which may be applied to fields such as special effects, advertising and independent visual projects,” Wood said.
The class created this piece earlier in the semester. It’s representative of the work that will be shown on Dec. 15.
Cientos de estudiants del Condado de Monterey reciben un impulso para continuar con su educacion superior por medio del programa "Promesa." – KSMS (Univision), Dec. 4, 2013
As last month's election battle over growth on part of Fort Ord showed, the debate over the future of the former Army base is far from over. To look at the various issues from several angles, CSU Monterey Bay and the Fort Ord Reuse Authority are sponsoring a two-day gathering of experts aimed at the public and local decision-makers. – Monterey Herald, Dec. 6, 2013
There are gingerbread bakers and gingerbread artists.
And then there are gingerbread overachievers.
The group representing Focus the Region, the annual teach-in on climate change, fits into the latter category. The faculty and staff members and the single student on the team came up with a “house” they called CandyLEED Campus. Apparently, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) is flexible enough to apply to all building types – gingerbread as well as wood and cement.
Their entry earned enough credits to be awarded a platinum rating, using such things as skylights made from salvaged hard candy, melted and cooled into sheets, a garden with drip irrigation, chocolate bar solar panels and a living sweets roof. And they had a LEED®-accredited professional on hand.
For their efforts, Team Focus the Region took first place in CSUMB’s seventh annual gingerbread house contest on Dec. 10. They were awarded a tin of butter cookies, a pizza party for 10 (courtesy of Sodexo) and possession of the trophy until next year’s competition.
The contest drew nine teams representing several dozen employees. Each group was given a kit consisting of the basic pieces and encouraged to let their imaginations run wild.
A panel was invited to judge the entries. Judges included Ken Turgen of Wald, Runke and Dost architects, and chair of the Marina Planning Commission; Julie Ann Lozano of Monterey Bay Office Systems; Charles Wesley of Sodexo catering; and former CSUMB staff member Courtney Kuhn of Quail Lodge.
The judges selected the top three finishers. Those who attended the staff and faculty holiday party on Dec. 10 were invited to cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award. The team representing Student Housing and Residential Life took that honor with their model of Chocolate Mountain from the CandyLand board game.
All nine entries were displayed in the lobby of the University Center during the party, and then went to local community organizations for display.
(Note: More photos can be viewed here.)
Winning teams:
• First-place: Team CandyLEED Campus; team leader Dan Fernandez, team members Brad Barbeau, Duane Lindsay, Kevin Miller, Laura Lee Lienk, Mark Lasnik, Megan Tolbert, Rebecca Kersnar and Sarah Dahlen.
• Second-place: Team Big Daddy Canes from Facilities Services and Operations; team leader Susie Hernandez, team members Wendy Rutledge, Jennifer Benallal, Alfredo Corona, Doug Lazzaroni, Andy Sierra, Benny Sanchez, Tony Cabeca, Augie Eclarin, Lloyd Eads
• Third-place: University Police Department; team leader Claudia Velazquez, team members Lupe Cabeca, Maria Amezquita, Nicki Hodges, Stacie Russo, Christine Pressas Cesar Velazquez
People’s Choice Award: Student Housing and Residential Life; team leader Melody Rico, team members Alexandra Froehlich, Andrea Dominguez-Blanco, Antoinette Olano-Defensor, Gayleene Badiango-Rullan, Jennifer Plueard, Priscilla Alvarez, Tom Burns
Artwork by recent CSUMB graduate Jacob Kernodle is gracing the marketing materials for First Night Monterey – the result of a longstanding relationship between the university and the event’s organizers. This year’s theme for the annual event is “Imagine, Create, Participate.” Members of Professor Bobbi Long’s Publications Design course have been designing the poster and button for First Night Monterey since 2003.
“These projects give students real-world experience of working with a client and progressing through various stages of the design process,” said Professor Long.
Publication Design is not an art class "where students just have a muse. We teach them the actual design process. In design, you have to listen to your client, who tells you their needs and their ideas, and you interpret that," she said.
"This program gives students a chance to show their talents, skills, and creativity, but it also teaches them how to listen and respond to what they hear, as well as how to manage a project." Kernodle combined graphic design, business management, marketing and art to earn a degree in integrated studies. After graduation, he returned home to Shingle Springs, a town in the Gold Country near Placerville, where he plans to start an artists’ collaborative to showcase the work of designers and artists. According to its website, First Night Monterey seeks to foster the public's appreciation of visual and performing arts through an innovative, diverse and high-quality program which provides a shared cultural experience accessible and affordable to all. The centerpiece is its alcohol-free celebration on New Year's Eve in downtown Monterey. The First Night concept was created in 1976 by a group of citizens in Boston. It has grown to include celebrations in over 200 cities throughout the U.S. and Canada. First Night Monterey premiered in 1993. The volunteer core has grown from 50 to 500; the audience has grown from 9,000 to 40,000; and participation as a performing or visual artist becomes more competitive each year. First Night Monterey has won awards for promoting the arts, building community, and creating innovative programming. To learn more about the design program at CSUMB, click here.
Graduates of the Teledramatic Arts and Technology program at CSU Monterey Bay continue to earn recognition and accolades for their work.
For the second consecutive year, the university will be represented at the Sundance Film Festival – the biggest independent film gathering in the U.S.
“Prairie Love,” produced by 2003 graduate Douglas Mueller, will have its world premiere in the festival’s NEXT competition. Eight films were selected for their innovative and original work on a budget of less than $500,000 – a pittance in the movie industry. Although the NEXT category is non-competitive, an audience choice award is up for grabs.
Over 10,000 films – a record number – were submitted to Sundance this year, and just under 200 were accepted, according to the festival website.
Sundance will be held in and around Park City, Utah, Jan. 20-30. “Prairie Love” will be screened four times – Jan. 23, 25, 27 and 28 – and Mueller (pictured at left) plans to be on hand for all of them.
“The Teledramatic Arts' faculty and staff are ecstatic for Douglas,” said department chair Enid Baxter Blader. “He remains a highly regarded member of our TAT community. This recent accomplishment is a fantastic recognition of his talent and vision."
The film was shot in Minot, N.D., in January 2009. It’s a dark comedy about a nomad traveling the rural roads of North Dakota who saves the life of a stranded man. When the nomad discovers the man is headed to visit a pen-pal girlfriend he has never seen, the nomad assumes his identity in hopes of having a relationship with her.
The shooting was completed over 23 days, and in sub-zero weather. “On a rare occasion we would do less than 12 hours, and only because we ran out of daylight,” Mueller said. The weather created problems – “cameras fail at about 20 below” – but the filmmakers didn’t let them derail their plans.
As the film’s producer, Mueller’s work took a variety of forms.
“I focused on the creative end, as opposed to the business or financial elements,” he said. “I gave the director notes on his script from the start, I worked on storyboards, location scouting, casting, costumes, coordinating between the departments, along with making sure whatever we were shooting next was going to be ready.”
He was quick to add that his role included a lot of things that weren’t so much fun – cleaning up, shoveling snow, getting cars out of ditches, and “asking for things for free.”
After graduating from Minot High School – where he met several of his colleagues on the film – he was determined to go to school in California. He looked for a small school with a good film department. CSUMB filled the bill on both counts.
It was a good fit. “There was always a faculty or staff member who was eager to help me with what I needed and ultimately, I walked away with more experience producing and directing than my friends did at New York University,” Mueller said.
He believes that the university gave him a “great” education, “not only about film, but many things. My classes and my peers helped me look at social issues in a way I never had. . . .”
When he completed his degree in 2003, he stayed in the area. A year later, he joined the Carmel Bach Festival as production manager, a job he still has. His work with the festival inspired him to make “Intermezzo No. 1,” a short documentary about the festival's keyboard tuner that premiered at the Nashville Film Festival this year and will screen at the Ozark Foothills Festival in 2011.
"Doug is one of the students who really kept the dream of making movies,” said TAT instructor Steven Levinson. “He was always a great writer and producer. Once he got into the real world, he seriously applied the ‘real world’ training he got here at CSUMB."
To learn more about Doug, visit the web at www.douglasmueller.net
Last year’s Sundance festival saw the premiere of “Charlie and the Rabbit” by TAT alums Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck. “Charlie” and their previous film, “Ella and the Astronaut,” were shown at film festivals around the world.
They were named to Filmmaker Magazine’s list of “25 New Faces” for 2010, a list recognizing the top up-and-coming talent in the independent film industry.
Paul Meltzer, a Santa Cruz attorney, has donated his 46-foot Hatteras sport fishing yacht to CSU Monterey Bay for use in the university’s marine science program.
The boat will be renamed “Harold Heath” in honor of his great-grandfather, a marine scientist who was a Stanford University professor for nearly 40 years and led research at Stanford's Hopkins Marine Station in Pacific Grove. Dr. Heath and his family lived across the street from the Marine Station campus.
The vessel will be used by CSUMB’s Seafloor Mapping Lab, where it will support marine research, training and education. It will also be used to support remotely operated vehicles and habitat survey work done by the university's Institute for Applied Marine Ecology.
“The Harold Heath will allow us to take the Seafloor Mapping Lab to a new level of performance and service,” said Dr. Rikk Kvitek, a professor in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy and director of the Seafloor Mapping Lab. The lab conducts marine habitat survey work and has been instrumental in the ongoing California Seafloor Mapping Project, an effort to create the first comprehensive, high-resolution map of California's state waters – from the shoreline out three nautical miles. The project involves industry, resource management agencies and universities. Final products will include a series of maps showing the seafloor and coastal geology in unprecedented detail.
One of the first uses of the Harold Heath will be to map the last remaining section of state waters, along the southern Big Sur coast. “Because of the remote nature of this part of the coast, the work will require that we spend four or five days at a time at sea,” Dr. Kvitek said. “The Hatteras is very well equipped, in excellent condition and is ideally suited for this work.”
It’s that kind of useful research that inspired Mr. Meltzer, an avid deep sea fisherman, to make the gift.
“The university is conducting interesting and important marine research that will be immediately useful. This is exactly the kind of research project that would have fascinated my great-grandfather. My father was a commercial fisherman and he would have also been thrilled to see a detailed map of the sea floor,” Mr. Meltzer said.
Dr. Heath was involved in coastal marine survey research off the coast of California, Alaska, Mexico, Japan and Brazil. He was one of the first professors at Stanford University, where he joined the Department of Zoology in 1894. He spent most of his scientific life at the Palo Alto campus and at Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station. He first taught at the Pacific Grove facility in the summer of 1895. Dr. Heath retired in 1933, but continued his research at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History. He died in 1951. In a memorial tribute, his Stanford colleagues described him as “kindly, quizzical and inspiring.”
The Harold Heath will be berthed along the Coast Guard pier in the Monterey harbor. “We will begin outfitting the boat to support seafloor mapping, diving, remotely operated vehicles and video tow-sled surveys right away,” Dr. Kvitek said.
To read about CSUMB's new degree program in marine science, click here.
To learn more about the Seafloor Mapping Lab at CSUMB, click here.
For the first time in program history, the women’s basketball team has cracked the USA Today-ESPN Coaches’ Poll. With a 14-1 record in the California Collegiate Athletic Association and 18-1 overall, the Otters are ranked No. 25 in Division II.
CSUMB is one of five West Region schools represented in the Top 25 and the lone team from the CCAA.
In a game at CSU East Bay on Feb. 3, the Otters showed why they are ranked No. 1 nationally in scoring defense, holding their opponent to just nine points in the second half en route to a 52-21 victory.
The Otters' LaShawn Johnson scored a game-high 12 points, connecting on four 3-pointers in a six- minute span in the second half. London Houchin contributed 11 points and three assists. Michelle Santizo pulled down a game-best eight rebounds.
The team is tied with Cal Poly Pomona for first place in the CCAA.
CSUMB travels to UC San Diego on Saturday. Away games at Dominguez Hills and Los Angeles follow before the team returns home on Feb. 18 to face Sonoma State.
Live stats, audio and video are available here.
Over the course of the season, the Otters have knocked off two teams that were undefeated, beat a team that was nationally ranked at the time, and stunned Division I UC Santa Barbara.
In her third year as head coach, Jimenez has transformed a program that won three games the year before she arrived into a unit that’s forcing opponents to take notice.
“There was no timetable to turn the program around,” Jimenez said. “But we didn’t want to sit around and wait.”
In her first season, the team won 11 games; last year, it set a school record with 18 wins. To read more about the Otters, click here.
Young filmmakers eager to see their work on a screen bigger than YouTube will get the opportunity in April, when Cal State Monterey Bay holds its third annual Teen Film Festival.
The Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department is accepting applications for the festival, which will be held at CSUMB's World Theater on April 9. Entries can be submitted online at montereybayfilmfestival.com by Feb. 11.
Filmmakers between 13 and 19 years old are invited to submit films and videos up to five minutes in length. Entries may be in English or Spanish and there is no entry fee.
TAT students will organize the event and handle the judging, according to Professor Enid Baxter Blader.
"It's an educational experience for our students, who want to go out in the world and have their films screened in film festivals. A great way to understand that process is to curate a film festival," Blader said.
CSUMB also hopes the festival will serve as a way to interest local teens who might not have considered going to college. By inviting them to campus and showing them what the university offers, they may consider enrolling.
While local teenagers are encouraged to enter the competition, it's also open to teenagers from around the world.
Last year's event drew more than 200 entries; films were submitted from the Central Coast region as well as Great Britain, El Salvador and Armenia. Some of last year's entries can be viewed online at montereybayfilmfestival.com.
The teen festival is part of the larger Monterey Bay Film Festival. MBFF will also feature three programs curated by Mike Plante. Mike is an associate programmer of the Sundance Film Festival, and curates many other festivals internationally. This will be Mike's second year as the programmer of the Monterey Bay Film Festival.
Focused on independent short films with innovative technologies, the events and web festival introduce Monterey Bay’s unique opportunities for the film industry.
After winning the NCAA Division II title in 2011, the CSUMB men's golf team has carried lofty expectations. Head coach Jason Owen said he has high hopes once again for the Otters. . . Winning it all is the Otters' goal. –* Monterey Herald,* Oct. 12, 2012
California State University, Monterey Bay has received a $15,000 grant from Bank of America to support its Small Business Development Center, an innovative program that provides counseling and training to small businesses or people who are trying to start them.
“The Bank of America grant allows the Small Business Development Center to maximize the efforts of the whole team,” said Andrea Nield, the center’s associate director.
“Small Business Development Centers are America’s best-kept secret for businesses. The Bank of America grant will allow us to strengthen our outreach in order to help more aspiring and existing business owners to achieve their goals,” Nield said. The center, which opened in the fall of 2009, is located in a storefront in Gonzales and has other offices in areas that it serves along the Highway 101 corridor from Gilroy to King City. It provides critical services to small business owners, helping them create jobs and solidify the local economy.
The center helps people develop business plans, secure financing, set up bookkeeping systems, improve operations, plan for expansion, project cash flow, determine technology needs and provide a variety of other services helpful to small businesses. In addition to the free one-on-one consulting, the center offers a variety of workshops and seminars.
Working in partnership with community leaders, Bank of America's local market leadership directs its giving through local grants that address pressing social, economic, and cultural needs of communities served by the bank. Over the last decade, the bank has supported CSUMB’s Recruitment in Science Education program, the Service Learning Institute and the Green Job Corps program.
Photo at upper right (left to right): John Houseman, corporation and foundation relations officer at CSUMB; Deirdre Smallwood, senior vice president for the Monterey Bay Market, Bank of America; Andrea Nield, associate director of the Small Business Development Center; Mike Mahan, vice president for University Advancement at CSUMB. Photo by Don Porter
CSU Monterey Bay has gotten a prominent mention by a blogger for the Huffington Post. Danielle Wiener-Bronner, who writes about higher education issues for the website, included the university on a list of nine “Forward-Thinking Colleges."
“There are myriad colleges and universities that exhibit what the future of higher education looks like. Some are new and some more established, but all nine of the schools mentioned below are distinctive in some way – and are worth watching in 2011,” the blog’s introduction says.
“When Cal State Monterey Bay was founded in 1994, it called itself ‘the 21st campus for the 21st century,’ and has proven to be as forward-thinking as promised. The state college – which encourages students of low socio-economic backgrounds to enroll and offers around 70 percent of undergrads financial aid – requires each student to conduct a capstone research project and put together a skills portfolio before graduation,” the university’s entry says.
Among other schools on the list are Evergreen State College in Washington, Olin College of Engineering in Massachusetts, Florida A&M and the Global College of Long Island University.
To list is available here.
Students and faculty from CSU Monterey Bay will join colleagues from other California State University campuses to present research on genes, proteins, cancers, crops, water quality and other topics at the 23rd annual CSU Biotechnology Symposium Jan. 7 and 8 at the Hyatt Regency Orange County. Six CSUMB students – four undergraduates and two master’s degree students – will present their work. Dr. Aparna Sreenivasan, who teaches cell and molecular biology, is one of the organizers of the event and helped to select one of this year’s award winners. CSUMB’s Erin Stanfield is a finalist for the annual Eden Graduate Student Research Award, worth $1,750 to cover educational and travel-related expenses. Stanfield’s research uses molecular methods to tackle a problem in the Monterey Bay area – the presence of potential toxin-producing cyanobacteria in local lakes. She worked for more than a year at Pinto Lake in Watsonville; her work will help inform water management agencies around the area and garner new information about how these complex organisms sense their environment and produce toxins. Undergraduates Jen Cleveland, Kevin Johnson, Mark Callaghan and Pierre Boivin and grad student Maren Mitch are also presenting their work at the two-day conference. With roughly 500 CSU students and faculty joining nearly 100 industry professionals, community college representatives and elected officials, the symposium is the major annual event dedicated to developing biotechnology researchers in California.
The symposium will also feature expert panels of scientists, engineers and journalists addressing healthcare solutions for the developing world, public understanding of human DNA analysis, and the commercialization of life-science innovations. CSU scholars will also discuss innovative research on using databases to discover new drugs, biogeochemistry and cellular physiology, and insulin production in pancreatic cells.
Networking sessions for students and workshops for faculty are also on the agenda.
It is sponsored by the CSU Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology (CSUPERB), which serves as the CSU’s primary liaison to industry and academic partners in the realm.
According to CSU Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer Ephraim P. Smith, “Each year, the CSU Biotechnology Symposium showcases the research of hundreds of students working toward high-demand science, technology, engineering and math degrees. Biotechnology and other knowledge-based industries represent the future of California's economic growth. CSUPERB's symposium helps to advance well-educated individuals who are critical to this workforce.”
CSUPERB Executive Director Susan Baxter said the interface with industry speakers and expert panelists allows faculty-student teams to “stay connected to the grand challenges.”
Said Baxter: “They can see how discoveries they’ve made in the laboratory might lead to a new vaccines for childhood diseases or how applied projects might lead to improvements in bioenergy production,” Baxter said. “For many of the students, the symposium marks their first research presentation to the broader scientific community. That’s a major milestone – somewhere between their first science fair and a job as a scientist or engineer or a future PhD.”
According to the National Science Foundation, from 1997 to 2006, roughly 7,000 individuals with a bachelor's degree from CSU campuses went on to receive research-based doctoral degrees. (With the exception of recently announced nursing doctorates, the CSU itself does not award doctoral degrees in science.)
Helpful links:
• Symposium: http://www.calstate.edu/csuperb/symposium/2011/ • CSUPERB: http://www.calstate.edu/csuperb
People looking to expand their horizons without having to travel far from home should check out the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at California State University, Monterey Bay.
OLLI resumes classes this month with a diverse range of courses, speakers and events specifically for those 50 and older.
With support from the Bernard Osher Foundation, OLLI at CSUMB is part of a national network that recognizes learning and exploration have no age limits. Members are inspired to take a fresh look at themselves, their world, and the possibilities that await them.
The program started with 100 members in 2007 and has grown each semester. By the end of this semester, a membership of 500 will trigger a $1 million grant from the Osher Foundation that will help to ensure the long-term stability of the program.
Among the course offerings are the OLLI Writers' Circle and several other writing and literature classes and workshops; The Fishes of Monterey Bay; Monterey’s Visual Art History, taught by Dick Crispo; Monterey Waterfront, taught by Tim Thomas; and In Your Ancestor’s Footsteps, an introduction to genealogy.
Back by request is Cinema and Cuisine, a look at Academy Award-winning films with each of the screenings accompanied by a tasty treat.
Former Assemblymember Fred Keeley is back with a four-session look at the new administration in Sacramento. And popular MPC instructor John Provost will offer an eight-week class exploring the mysteries of meditation.
Most of the classes will be held on the CSUMB campus; several will be offered at locations in the local community.
Community members can purchase individual OLLI class offerings or may become members by paying $99 for the semester, which includes tuition for three OLLI courses. A mini-membership – good for one class – is available for $45. Both membership levels include a parking pass, invitations to social events, discounts to the university’s sports center, swimming pool, athletic events and World Theater performances.
A video about OLLI can be viewed at csumb.edu. For details or to register for classes, call 582-5500 or visit csumb.edu/olli.
A San Francisco art exhibit that invites spectators to take part by “dressing to transgress” features the work of CSU Monterey Bay faculty members.
“Glamorgeddon: The Spectacle,” curated by Visual and Public Art Department professors Johanna Poethig, Dio Mendoza and Angelica Muro, is on display through Feb. 4 at the SOMArts Cultural Center.
In Poethig’s words, the exhibit “celebrates how we choose to be fabulous, even as we critique the excesses of our own endangered species.”
Poethig, a well-known muralist and performance artist, has always been interested in the trappings of culture, media and advertising. “It was important for me to look more critically at product-oriented culture and the ways media and the marketplace have placed a huge burden on us, especially women, to look and act a certain way,” she told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Her own contribution to the show includes a series of bedazzled hard hats, which are available for spectators to pose with.
The show features the work of more than 20 artists, including Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains, professor emerita at CSUMB and former chair of the Visual and Public Art Department. All works explore the concept of “glamour” via visual art, mixed media and performance.
A series of 30-minute lectures with some of the artists and scholars will be held on Jan. 30 – in a hot pink limousine.
The SOMArts Cultural Center is located at 934 Brannan St., between Eighth and Ninth streets, in San Francisco. The exhibit will close on Feb. 4. Alumni John Elliott, Stephanie Sumler, Rachell Hester and Matt Florianni helped with the exhibit.
CSU Monterey Bay’s Department of Teacher Education will hold information sessions on the credential programs available at the university on Jan. 19 and 20.
Topics to be covered include how to apply, the credentialing process and financial aid.
The programs are suited for recent college graduates, people who may be in a classroom but need to earn a credential, career changers and returning veterans. Those interested in teaching math, science and special education are especially encouraged to attend as those subject areas are in demand. For more information on the various credential programs available, click here.
Sessions are scheduled for: • Jan. 19, 6 to 7 p.m. • Jan. 20, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Both sessions will be held in Room 1176 of the Tanimura and Antle Family Memorial Library. Driving directions and a campus map can be found here.
Reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling 582-4769 or via e-mail at teachmb@csumb.edu. Individual appointments can also be scheduled by e-mailing the above address.
It was about an 80-minute walk for Jose Hernandez from his home to his middle school in the village near San Luis Potosi, Mexico. . . . Hernandez traveled more than 1,800 miles from his hometown to Salinas, but even further on his educational road. He was named the Hearst Scholar at CSUMB, one of the top honors for students in the CSU system. – Monterey Herald, Oct. 9, 2012
Glass, plastic containers, paper and aluminum cans – they all have their place at CSU Monterey Bay. And it’s not in trash cans.
Campus recycling efforts got a big boost in the fall of 2009, when each room in the residence halls and all East Campus apartments were equipped with bright blue recycling bins – 3,100 in all. That’s about the time the university’s custodial contract was updated to include emptying of employees’ desk-side recycling bins.
This year, CSUMB is measuring itself against other universities when it comes to recycling. As part of a commitment to reduce its carbon footprint, the university is making its first competitive appearance in the annual RecycleMania competition. (It participated last year, but in the non-competitive benchmark division.)
RecycleMania is a nationwide, friendly student-led competition that pits colleges and universities in a contest to see which can reduce, reuse and recycle the most campus waste. It offers bragging rights and special awards made out of recycled materials to the winning schools.
During last year’s 10-week competition, more than 600 campuses collectively recycled or composted over 84.5 million pounds. The 2011 installment officially runs for eight weeks between Feb. 6 and April 2. Leading up to the main event, colleges participated in two weeks of non-binding “trials” that began Jan. 24.
This year, 630 schools – representing six million students – are registered, 391 in the competitive division, 239 in the benchmark division.
Throughout the 10 weeks, CSUMB will report its recycling and trash weights and be ranked on RecycleMania’s results page. With each week’s reports and rankings, CSUMB can watch how its program stacks up against its competitors. As results fluctuate, the campus community will make a concerted effort to reduce and recycle even more. The first results should be posted on Feb. 18.
"Our goal is to spread more awareness of recycling, to build our own campus recycling program and to reduce our carbon footprint," said Associated Students Environmental Affairs Senator Duane Lindsay.
"We want to prove that we truly are a sustainable campus."
The Environmental Affairs committee has established a group called the Green Team that will handle the recycling efforts and tabulate the weekly results. The Green Team also plans to work to make campus events such as homecoming and commencement zero waste. And it intends to hold random “awareness walks” around campus, where students spotted recycling – “caught green-handed” – will be given prizes.
For more information, visit the RecycleMania website or CSUMB's webpage. To view the weekly results compiled by residence hall, check the display cases in front of the Otter Express.
It’s really a free ride.
Starting Jan. 15, Cal State Monterey Bay students enrolled in the spring semester, as well as faculty and staff members, will be able to ride all Monterey-Salinas Transit buses for free.
The UPASS program makes taking the bus more convenient than ever. No more fumbling for exact change – Otter identification card holders can just flash their IDs to the bus driver and take a seat.
Using the free service to get around can eliminate the costs of driving a car – gas, insurance, parking fee and tickets, vehicle maintenance – for an annual savings of $9,600, according to a national survey released this month by the American Public Transportation Association.
In addition to the convenience and money savings, using public transit spares the air from unhealthy pollutants. And if the closest transit stop is a bit far to walk, people can consider rolling there on a bike, skateboard or roller stakes.
MST lines 16 and 25 (the Otter Trolley) stop at 24 locations on main and east campus. Both lines go through campus every hour in each direction, and can be used for on-campus shuttling as well as to reach destinations in Seaside, Marina and Salinas. Until now, riders were able to board on campus for free, but had to pay the return fare.
Now, CSUMB username card holders can use those routes, as well as take the bus to Big Sur, Carmel, South Monterey County, and as far north as San Jose – all for free.
The 2011 MST Rider’s Guide contains maps and schedules for all routes and is available at the Student Center, in Suite A of Mountain Hall, and online at www.mst.org and csumb.edu/trip.
Fifty-three students from Rolling Hills Middle School in Watsonville voluntarily spent their last week of winter break studying algebra – and having fun.
The Algebra Academy was held at the headquarters of Graniterock in Watsonville from Jan. 3 through 6. On Friday of that week, the youngsters spent the day on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay, then returned to Graniterock for a graduation ceremony on Saturday, where they received certificates.
CSUMB math professors Hongde Hu and Lorraine O’Shea, assisted by four university students, taught the classes.
Dr. Hu said he designed the program to get students up to speed with standards recently adopted by the California Department of Education that mandate preparation in algebra.
“The academy is also intended to build a strong math foundation through hands-on activities with algebra applications in the real world,” he added.
Among the problems they worked on: figuring out the odds of winning the state lottery and determining why California license plates need three letters.
At CSUMB on Friday, the middle school students spent time in a math classroom where they played a game called “Survivor: Math Camp” that called on the skills they learned earlier in the week. One of the problems –10-5 (2-3) = ? – stumped all but three of them. The answer: 15.
They also got a tour of campus, had lunch in the dining hall and learned what they have to do to prepare for college.
Rollling Hills principal Rick Ito appreciated the opportunity for his students to participate in the program.
“I think the important thing is that students have seen math in a different way. They have seen how math can affect very aspect of their lives,” he said. “It’s not just in a classroom. It’s all around us.”
Ito also complimented the work of the four CSUMB students.
“The teaching assistants have really made a connection with the students. They’re a bridge between the professors and the youngsters.
“The CSUMB students have done a great job.”
Graniterock CEO Bruce Woolpert and assistant general counsel Kevin Jeffery spearheaded the academy. The company has worked with Rolling Hills for four years, sending tutors from the company to help with English, art, math and science as well as hosting events such as awards ceremonies for students who get good grades.
The students worked with tablet PCs provided by HP as part of a grant it recently awarded the university. CSUMB’s “Leapfrogging Mathematics in the Early Start Program” was one of only 10 applications that earned an EdTech Innovators Award from HP and the New Media Consortium. The award recognizes pioneers in education who are using technology in groundbreaking ways.
According to HP, “Leapfrogging Math” stood out because it’s a proven example of an educational project that uses technology in novel ways inside and outside the classroom.
The program’s goals are to reduce the percentage of college freshmen who need remedial math from 60 to under 40 percent; to help high school teachers invigorate their courses and collaborate with college professors on curriculum; and to document the work so that it can be used on campuses across the country.
Working with HP, the university has created a remedial math program that serves about 500 of its own freshmen each year. More than 92 percent of students are passing the two-semester course, compared to the national rate of just under 50 percent.
Fifty-three students from Rolling Hills Middle School in Watsonville voluntarily spent their last week of winter break studying algebra – and having fun.
The Algebra Academy was held at the headquarters of Graniterock in Watsonville from Jan. 3 through 6. On Friday of that week, the youngsters spent the day on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay, then returned to Graniterock for a graduation ceremony on Saturday, where they received certificates.
CSUMB math professors Hongde Hu and Lorraine O’Shea, assisted by four university students, taught the classes.
Dr. Hu said he designed the program to get students up to speed with standards recently adopted by the California Department of Education that mandate preparation in algebra.
“The academy is also intended to build a strong math foundation through hands-on activities with algebra applications in the real world,” he added.
Among the problems they worked on: figuring out the odds of winning the state lottery and determining why California license plates need three letters.
At CSUMB on Friday, the middle school students spent time in a math classroom where they played a game called “Survivor: Math Camp” that called on the skills they learned earlier in the week. One of the problems – 10-5 (2-3) = ? – stumped all but three of them. The answer: -5.
They also got a tour of campus, had lunch in the dining hall and learned what they have to do to prepare for college. Their campus visit clearly made an impression. When asked what they liked most about the academy, a majority of them said the time they spent on campus. Some of them indicated that the experience made them want to attend college, especially CSUMB.
Rollling Hills principal Rick Ito appreciated the opportunity for his students to participate in the program.
“I think the important thing is that students have seen math in a different way. They have seen how math can affect very aspect of their lives,” he said. “It’s not just in a classroom. It’s all around us.”
Ito also complimented the work of the four CSUMB students.
“The teaching assistants have really made a connection with the students. They’re a bridge between the professors and the youngsters.
“The CSUMB students have done a great job.”
Graniterock CEO Bruce Woolpert and assistant general counsel Kevin Jeffery spearheaded the academy. The company has worked with Rolling Hills for four years, sending tutors from the company to help with English, art, math and science as well as hosting events such as awards ceremonies for students who get good grades.
The students worked with tablet PCs provided by HP as part of a grant it recently awarded the university. CSUMB’s “Leapfrogging Mathematics in the Early Start Program” was one of only 10 applications that earned an EdTech Innovators Award from HP and the New Media Consortium. The award recognizes pioneers in education who are using technology in groundbreaking ways.
According to HP, “Leapfrogging Math” stood out because it’s a proven example of an educational project that uses technology in novel ways inside and outside the classroom.
The program’s goals are to reduce the percentage of college freshmen who need remedial math from 60 to under 40 percent; to help high school teachers invigorate their courses and collaborate with college professors on curriculum; and to document the work so that it can be used on campuses across the country.
Working with HP, the university has created a remedial math program that serves about 500 of its own freshmen each year. More than 92 percent of students are passing the two-semester course, compared to the national rate of just under 50 percent.
Cal State Monterey Bay has earned an EdTech Innovators Award from Hewlett Packard and the New Media Consortium. The award recognizes pioneers in education who are using technology in groundbreaking ways.
According to HP, CSUMB’s project, “Leapfrogging Mathematics in the Early Start Program,” stood out because it’s a proven example of an educational project that uses technology in novel ways inside and outside the classroom. The EdTech Innovators Award includes a technology grant of $40,000 and membership in a social network designed for educators. Only 10 winners were selected – 4 percent of applications – representing educational institutions in the U.S., India, Costa Rica, South Africa, Canada and Brazil. The new grant allows high school math teachers and students to attend four weeks of math “boot camp” during the summer. The high school teachers will partner with CSUMB faculty members on new educational strategies using tablet PCs – personal computers equipped with touch screens – that address the needs of remedial math students. The project’s goals are to reduce the percentage of college freshmen who need remedial math from 60 percent to under 40 percent; to help high school teachers invigorate their courses and collaborate with college professors on curriculum; and to document the work so that it can be used on campuses across the country. Leapfrogging Math is a new program, but it builds on CSUMB’s successes in courses using tablet PC technology. Working with HP, the university has created a remedial math program that serves about 500 of its own freshmen each year. More than 92 percent of students are passing the two-semester course, compared to the national rate of just under 50 percent. In recognition of the university’s innovative work to integrate mobile technologies across the curriculum, HP has awarded four technology grants to CSUMB’s Wireless Education and Technology Center since 2003.
CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison sent this message to the campus community on Tuesday, Jan. 11:
In his proposed 2011-2012 state budget, introduced on Monday, Gov. Jerry Brown asks the Legislature to cut $500 million from the CSU’s system-wide budget and an equal amount from the University of California system, as well as $400 million from community colleges. That is $1.4 billion less for higher education, out of a total $12.4 billion in spending cuts recommended by the governor. He proposes no new cuts in K-12 education. The CSU faces an 18 percent loss in state funding, taking the system back to 1999-2000 levels, even though it now serves nearly 70,000 more students. This would undo progress the CSU made this fiscal year in restoring funding lost in the previous two years. Even worse, the $500 million is a “best-case” scenario that hinges on voter approval this spring to extend temporary tax increases. Our staff, faculty, students, parents, and many community friends are understandably anxious to know what this will specifically mean for California State University, Monterey Bay. It is still too early to say, though I pledge to keep all of our stakeholders as informed as possible in the months ahead. I should have a better idea how the proposed budget would affect our campus by late January or early February. We will need everyone’s support and understanding as we make tough decisions. Clearly, we will have to manage our way through a very difficult period that could easily extend beyond next year. Having tightened our belt through several budget cycles, we are already about as lean and efficient as we can get. We have left positions vacant, slashed spending on repairs, maintenance and equipment, restricted travel, and streamlined departments. I and my campus colleagues will do all we can to preserve and protect instruction and support services to our students. Gov. Brown’s budget proposal will not affect enrollment this spring, but the CSU, including Monterey Bay, will likely admit fewer students for Fall 2011. In terms of financial aid, students who are receiving Pell Grants should not experience any change, and we do not anticipate any rollback in state university grants. With regard to other steps necessary to achieve the needed reductions in spending, everything remains on the table. I will be meeting with our Senior Leadership Team to develop alternatives that prepare us for whatever emerges in the final state budget and CSU plan. We will keep the best interests of our students and the entire university in mind as we weigh our options. Sincerely, Dianne F. Harrison, Ph.D. President
CSU Monterey Bay’s Master of Social Work program is accepting applications for Fall 2011. Application deadline is Jan. 31
The program provides an opportunity for people who are interested in a career in social work, or who want to advance in their career, to earn an MSW degree in a way that is both accessible and affordable. It is intended to address a chronic shortage of professionally trained social workers in the tri-county area, especially those who are bilingual and bicultural.
Classes are small and personal, and are offered in the evenings. The three-year program allows students to concentrate in either Behavioral Health, or Children, Youth and Families. Students must also complete an internship of 1,000 hours total, 250 hours per semester starting in the second year.
For more information, contact Vivienne Orgel at 582-5315. Admission requirements and application materials are available here.
An information session to learn more about the program is scheduled for Jan. 20, noon to 1 p.m. in Beach Hall. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Last fall's inaugural class numbered 41 students. Ninety-five percent of them come from Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties; 10 percent are employed by one of those counties; most are female; and 40 percent are bilingual. Nearly 70 percent earned a bachelor's degree in the last five years and nearly 60 percent are under the age of 30.
The Rotary Club of Salinas donated $20,000 to CSUMB for use in its Pay it Forward Scholarship program, at a club meeting Nov. 23. The donation will support one student for four years at CSUMB. Winners of the Pay it Forward Scholarship will announced by March. -The Californian, Dec. 6, 2010
Growers in the Salinas and San Joaquin valleys are about to get help from above. "Growers have the best understanding of how much water is needed for their crops, the know their own land the best," said Forrest Melton, a scientist at CSU Monterey Bay, who works closely with NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field in Mountain View. – Monterey Herald, Dec. 17, 2010
The lives of Santa Cruz attorney Paul Meltzer and his great-grandfather, Harold Heath, barely overlapped, but the legend of the marine scientist and his adventures at sea lived on in the family history. In honor of Heath, one of the first professors at Stanford, Meltzer recently donated a 46-foot Hatteras sport fishing yacht to the CSUMB marine science program. — San Jose Mercury News, Dec. 17, 2010
California State University, Monterey Bay, continues to establish its reputation as a center for film studies, as an alumnus's feature film will be shown at the Sundance Film Festival beginning Jan. 20. -The Californian, Dec. 20, 2010
When Janet Pacheco needed help applying for a small business loan, she knew where to turn. Arturo Contreras, a CSU Monterey Bay student who works at the small Business Development center in Gonzales, "knew exactly what I was talking about," said Pacheco. -Herald, Dec. 21, 2010
In a large conference room at Graniterock's headquarters in Watsonville, 54 Rolling Hills Middle School students are voluntarily spending a week of their winter break studying algebra and to the casual observer, they're having fun. Taught by a team of mathematics professors and students from CSUMB, the Algebra Academy give the students six hours per day of math instruction in what organizers hope is a relaxed atmosphere without the threat of quizzes looming over their heads. — Watsonville Register-Pajaronian, Jan. 6, 2011
Renee Jimenez didn't actively recruit the best players in teh off-season. Instead she went after players that played on the best teams. "I hate to lose," said the CSUMB women's coach. "These kids come from prgrams that are accustomed to winning." And it shows. While gaining nationwide respect has been slow, the Otter's record-breaking start continues after rolling to a 71-41 win Friday over visiting Cal State, Los Angeles. -The Herald, Jan. 8, 2011
If money is a problem for prospective students seeking a special education teaching credential n the local university, government money can be the answer. CSUMB's teacher education program received a federal grant to help students prepare for a career teaching students with disabilities. -The Californian, Jan. 12, 2011
It's really a free ride. Starting Saturday, January 15, 2001, CSUMB students enrolled in the spring semester as well as faculty and staff, will be able to ride all MST buses for free. — mst.org, Jan. 13, 2011
To most sports teams, a new year falls somewhere between rebuilding and reloading. For the baseball team at Cal State Monterey Bay, it is a matter of reinventing. First-year coach Walt White has began his time in Seaside with hopes to make the Otters a force in the CCAA. — Salinas Californian, Jan. 17, 2011
The Internet has sparked an evolution in college sports viewing, and CSUMB has picked up on the trend.
Colleges and universities nationwide are increasingly video-streaming their sporting events on their websites. It’s a way to broaden fan support for schools whose games are not televised and make games available to family and alumni living outside the region.
At CSUMB, all home basketball and volleyball games are broadcast online. To find the broadcast, visit otherathletics.com and click on the “live audio/video/stats” tab on the right-hand side.
While soccer, baseball and softball games are not broadcast, live, play-by-play statistics are available online at the same web address.
It’s also possible to follow the Otters on the road. Live stats of men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball games have been mandated by the California Collegiate Athletic Association and are available via the CCAA Network at http://goccaa.org/sports/2009/8/26/ccaanetwork.aspx.
In addition, some schools – such as Sonoma State, Cal State Stanislaus and Cal State L.A. – provide video streaming of their home games. Broadcasts can be accessed via the CCAA Network.
The Jan. 28 women’s basketball game at home to Cal Poly Pomona is a good time to check out the streaming video. The Otters lead the CCAA with a 12-0 conference record. Tip-off is 5:30 p.m.
Part of what's driving the trend is that the Internet has increasingly become the main communication tool in college athletics.
That also creates new opportunity for smaller schools.
"We don't get the media exposure that the Division I schools get. We're not on TV. This is our opportunity to get our exposure and develop our fan base," said Mindy Mills, CSUMB’s sports information director. "This helps us get more exposure outside the boundaries of our campus."
For those who prefer more traditional media, all Otter men's basketball games – home and away – are broadcast on KION 1460 AM in the Monterey Bay area.
California State University, Monterey Bay invites the public to learn more about the master’s degree program in Instructional Science and Technology at an open house on Jan. 27.
The event will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Alumni and Visitors Center on Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard. Several current students and graduates of the program will share their experience and how they are applying the skills they acquired to their current work.
The 16-month program will start in August. Application deadline is March 15.
The Master’s in Instructional Science and Technology program prepares students for positions in the fast-changing fields of modern education and training. The hybrid learning experience – which integrates several days on campus at the beginning of each semester with online classes – enables graduates to advance in their current careers and will position them to assume leadership roles in education and training.
Successful educators and e-learning developers in the knowledge-based, global economy require command of all the technological tools and methodologies available to them; the MIST program is designed to provide students with those skills.
More information about the MIST program is available at csumb.edu/mist, by calling the School of School of Computing and Design at 582-4741, or by e-mailing mist@csumb.edu.
Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map.
Los Angeles Times (June 12) Barnes and Noble Review (June 8) Boston Globe (June 14) New Scientist (May)
Once in a great while, as The New York Times noted recently, a naturalist writes a book that changes the way people look at the living world. John James Audubon's "Birds of America," published in 1838, was one. Roger Tory Peterson's 1934 "Field Guide to the Birds" was another.
Add another title to that list.
"Field Notes on Science and Nature," published in 2011 by Harvard University Press, allows readers to peer over the shoulders and into the notebooks of a dozen researchers, to study first-hand their observational methods, materials and fleeting impressions.
"Field Notes" offers specific examples that professional naturalists can emulate to fine-tune their own field methods, along with practical advice that amateur naturalists and students can use to document their adventures.
Some of that practical advice comes from Jenny Keller, an instructor in the Science Illustration program at CSU Monterey Bay, who contributed a chapter and the cover illustration. Her chapter is titled “Why Sketch?” In it, she encourages scientists to give it a try, and offers some basic drawing instruction. “I’m trying to make the case that it’s doable and here’s how,” she said. “It’s not that hard to add some simple visuals to your field observations, and it will deepen the amount of information your field notes can capture. The drawings will be able to say things that are hard to capture in words. “Careful observation makes you a better scientist, and drawing is a great way to observe,” Keller said. The project started several years ago when the book’s editor, Michael Canfield, contacted Keller out of the blue. “I don’t know how he found me, but we talked animatedly for about 90 minutes, and then we realized that we wanted to work together on the project,” she said. “I’m honored to be in the company of these naturalists. Some of my biggest heroes are contributors to this book,” she said. Keller came to CSUMB when the science illustration program moved to the university from its original home at UC Santa Cruz Extension in the fall of 2009. She teaches field sketching, applied techniques in natural science illustration, zoological illustration and history of scientific illustration. She combined her lifelong interests in art and science when she began keeping illustrated field journals in 1981. Since that time, sketching natural subjects from life has continued to inspire and inform her other illustration projects, which have centered on mammals, birds, and botanical subject matter. Her work has appeared in numerous books, magazine and other publications. In 1992, “Dolphin Days,” a book she illustrated, won the John Burroughs Award for best book of the year in natural history. More information on the science illustration program at CSUMB is available here.
Top photo: Keller sketching at Point Lobos
To celebrate Black History Month, California State University, Monterey Bay invites the public to a free musical performance by the group Voices of Freedom.
The hourlong concert will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 8, in the Music Hall on Sixth Avenue, near the intersection with Butler Street. Driving directions and a campus are available at csumb.edu/map.
Oakland-based Voices of Freedom is comprised of members of church choirs, students and faculty at several Bay Area colleges as well as members of the community.
The program, “Get Your Shout On,” will include ancient Yoruba chants from West Africa, and will demonstrate how Negro spirituals derived from those chants. The program will end with a re-creation of a ring-shout, a feature of the “invisible” church of enslaved Africans and their American-born descendants. Singing, dancing and percussion are involved; the audience will be invited to participate.
The choir is accompanied by a battery of batá (sacred) drums, led by master drummer Otobaji Stewart. Voices of Freedom’s founder and executive director Wanda Ravernell – a former editor and writer at the San Francisco Chronicle – will provide historical and spiritual context for the music.
For more information, contact Professor Umi Vaughan at 582-3116.
A poster created by five students in CSUMB’s Division of Science and Environmental Policy is one of 21 selected by the CSU’s Council on Ocean Affairs, Science and Technology (COAST) for display at its inaugural student-research showcase Jan. 25 in Long Beach.
The poster presentations will be made to the CSU’s Board of Trustees and campus presidents at the conclusion of the regular Board of Trustees meeting.
The faculty mentors and student researchers will discuss the results of their marine and coastal investigations. The studies – which represent 20 campuses and the CSU’s Moss Landing Marine Laboratory – focus on topics that include invasive species, unseen internal waves, sustainable seafood, marine-protection areas, environmental contaminants, ocean acidification, gene-tracking in the sea, and ripple patterns in submerged sand.
CSUMB undergraduates Alexandra Davis, Craig Mueller, Todd Hallenbeck, Julia Carrillo and Jocelyne Gomez worked with faculty mentor Rikk Kvitek. The abstract for their project describes it this way:
"The California Seafloor Mapping Project (CSMP) is a cooperative initiative creating a comprehensive, high-resolution coastal/marine geologic and habitat base map for all of California’s state waters. This 8500 km2 dataset is enabling researchers to study patterns and distribution of near-shore habitats at scales never before possible, including the presence of rippled scour depressions (RSD) as the most prominent feature on the continental shelf . . . . The goal is to use autoclassification methods to quantify the extent and distribution of three benthic habitats (rock, sediment, RSD) within state waters . . . results are used to quantify and characterize patterns in the distribution and abundance of these habitats along the California continental margin."
The purpose of the event is to provide a measure of the excellence and relevance of marine and coastal research conducted within the CSU system. For more about COAST, visit www.calstate.edu/coast.
A pair of CSUMB undergraduates and four students from Seaside High School have teamed up on a project they hope will help to clean up the local environment.
A 10-minute documentary-style film, “Litter: A Community Problem That Needs Community Solutions,” is the result of their collaboration.
It was shown at an event in Salinas on Jan. 26, sponsored by Sustainable Monterey County.
Stephen Richmond and Stefanie Kortman got involved with the project as a way to satisfy the requirements of Professor Suzie Worcester’s Interpreting Monterey Bay Natural History service learning class. The two selected litter as the topic they wanted to pursue after hearing a presentation by a local environmental educator.
Because Professor Worcester’s classes had worked with Seaside High in the past, they approached biology teacher Julie Haws. She was eager to have her students participate. As a result, Jasmine Spears, Dania Blanco, Susan Le and Alondra Ortiz worked with Richmond and Kortman, narrating the film and setting its direction.
The film focuses on litter issues in Marina and includes interviews with local leaders and community residents to demonstrate how it affects the environment. The student team filmed areas of the city where litter is a real problem, making sure to clean it up before moving on to the next location.
Haws said the opportunity for her students to participate in the project is beneficial in several ways.
“It’s amazing that these college students, who aren’t much older than my students, are mentoring them and encouraging them to go to college,” Haws told the Monterey Herald. “It also helps my students connect with a sense of place, and the problems we have that affect us not just here but globally.”
Kevin Johnson took a top honor at the inaugural Emerging Researchers National Conference in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, held Feb. 24 and 25 in Washington, D.C.
A biology major, Johnson won first place in the Ecology, Environmental and Earth Sciences division for his poster presentation.
He summarized research he started last summer, when he worked with graduate student Erin Stanfield. The project began as an internship with the Santa Cruz Water Department, a position that was arranged through the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Center at CSU Monterey Bay and funded by the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation.
His research involves observing what types of cyanobacteria – a blue-green algae – are present in Loch Lomond and Pinto Lake, and whether or not they have the potential to produce microcystin, a liver toxin that has been linked to sea otter deaths in Monterey Bay. The World Health Organization has set limits on the amount of microcystin in sources of recreational and drinking water.
“We are looking at Pinto Lake in Watsonville because it’s a recreational body of water that has produced large blooms of cyanobacteria. And we’re looking at Loch Lomond because it’s the source of drinking water for Santa Cruz,” Johnson said. “We’re using both environmental and molecular lab techniques in order to identify potential toxicity at each lake.
“This research will inform water management agencies in Watsonville and Santa Cruz regarding water quality,” Johnson said.
The conference was designed to help students enhance their science communication skills, better understand how to prepare for science careers in a global workforce, and to find out about summer, graduate school, and employment opportunities. It was co-sponsored by American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Science Foundation and aimed at students who participate in programs funded by the NSF. His travel expenses, registration fees and hotel were covered by the AAAS.
"This is a great example of how research mentoring can propel our students to academic and research excellence," said Dr. Bill Head, director of UROC.
The junior from San Benito County has had experience talking about his work. He was selected to attend the CSU Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology (CSUPERB) conference in early January, where he also made a poster presentation.
Kim Weston, artist and grandson of photographer Edward Weston, will kick off the spring visiting artists lecture series at CSU Monterey Bay on February 17, 2011.
The event will be held in the University Center living room starting with a reception at 6 p.m. The talk will follow at 6:30. The public is invited to attend this free event.
“Growing Up Weston” is the title of his illustrated lecture. Kim’s talk will reveal insights into three generations of one of the most important and creative families in photography.
He learned his craft assisting his father Cole in the darkroom, making gallery prints from his grandfather Edward's original negatives. Kim also worked for many years as an assistant to his uncle Brett, whose bold, abstract photographs rank as some of the finest examples of modern photographic art.
Together, the Westons’ work has made the Monterey Peninsula an important locale in American visual culture, like Ansel Adams’ Yosemite or Georgia O’Keefe’s New Mexico.
While being trained by his father, Kim learned that the reward was in the process of the prints, not just in the final image.
Reminiscing about the days when he was an assistant to his uncle, Kim said, “My uncle used to say a great thing. When he would show his work, people would ask him to interpret it, and he would simply say, ‘The photograph speaks for itself.’ That is all he would ever say of his art.”
Kim has been a fine art photographer for 30 years, specializing in large format photography. His main body of work consists of silver contact prints made from 8x10 negatives. He also photographs with a Mamiya 67 that he inherited from his father. Lately, he has added paint to his photographs.
Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map.
Other artists scheduled to visit this semester are printmakers Imin Yeh on March 3 and Nancy Hom on April 7, 2011.
In celebration of Black History Month, spoken-word artist Saul Williams will perform at CSU Monterey at 7 p.m., Feb. 1, in the University Center ballroom.
Williams has been called a “new-age hip-hop renaissance man” by the Fresno Bee. Esquire magazine called him the “Bob Marley of American poets.”
He’s a slam poet, author, actor and a musician who raps and plays guitar. To young people across the country, he has defined poetry as an accessible, living art form; many view him as the catalyst for the spoken word movement and the advent of poetry slams.
After graduating from Morehouse College with a bachelor’s degree in acting and philosophy, Williams moved to New York City to earn a master's degree in acting at New York University. There, he found himself at the center of the New York cafe poetry scene.
He landed the lead role in the 1998 film Slam. Williams served as both a writer and actor on the film, which won the Sundance Festival Grand Jury Prize and the Camera D'Or prize at Cannes and introduced him to international audiences.
He’s written three collections of poetry and has been published in the New York Times, Esquire and African Voices. His newest book, “The Dead Emcee Scrolls: The Lost Teachings of Hip-Hop,” recounts the history of that genre. As a poet and musician, Williams has toured and lectured around the world, appearing at many universities and colleges.
Admission is $5 and tickets can be purchased at the door. A $2 parking pass must be purchased as well. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map.
For more information or disability accommodations, contact Ajamu Lamumba at 582-3698 or alamumba@csumb.edu
The concert is sponsored by the Associated Students and the Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development.
CSU Monterey Bay will mark National Eating Disorders Awareness Week with a presentation by author, speaker and yoga therapist Brie Mathers. The free event will take place at 7 p.m., Feb. 22, in the University Center living room. The public is invited. Mathers’ topic is “Love the Skin You’re In – Taking out the Social Programming that Rules our Self-Images and Pocketbooks.” She’ll share the story of her near-miss Olympic dream due to anorexia and her healing, which inspired a passionate speaking campaign and online recovery program. After the presentation, Mathers (pictured at left) will be available for questions and will sign copies of her book, “Freedom to Blossom – An Invitation to Shine.” The National Eating Disorders Association has proclaimed Feb. 20-26 as the 24th annual week set aside to talk about eating disorders and unrealistic body-perfect ideals, and to fight for more research, support and access to treatment for people suffering from these life-threatening illnesses. Through NED Awareness Week, the national non-profit group seeks to educate the public on signs and symptoms of eating disorders and encourage people to get help. The goal is also to spread a message of hope: Help is available, recovery is possible and those affected are not alone in their struggle. According to the group’s website, www.nationaleatingdisorders.org: • Nearly 10 million females and 1 million males in the U.S. are battling eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, while millions more suffer from binge eating disorder.
• The peak onset of eating disorders occurs during puberty and the late teen/early adult years, but symptoms can occur as young as kindergarten.
• More than one in three normal dieters progresses to pathological dieting.
CSUMB’s Personal Growth and Counseling Center is sponsoring the event in collaboration with the office of Student Activities and Leadership Development, Student Housing and Residential Life, and the athletic department. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map. For more information on the event, contact Christiane Dettinger at 582-3969; to request disability accommodations, contact Gary Rodriguez at 582-4437.
The President’s Speaker Series at CSU Monterey Bay resumes Feb. 23 when prominent education scholar Diane Ravitch visits campus. Her talk will start at 7 p.m. in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue.
Her topic: Will Education Reform Improve Our Schools? She will use her best-selling book, The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice are Undermining Education, as the foundation for a discussion on the critical state of education reform in our nation.
Dr. Ravitch is research professor of education at New York University; a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution; and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford. From 1991 through 1993, she was assistant secretary of education in the administration of President George H.W. Bush, where she led the federal effort to promote the creation of state and national academic standards.
A former proponent of the No Child Left Behind Act, Dr. Ravitch later became disillusioned by the test score-based philosophy and has become one of its most vocal critics. “We are judging students by these test scores. They are not telling us how much students are learning. They are telling us how much students have been prepped,” Ravitch has said. In the book, she critiques the punitive uses of accountability to fire teachers and close schools, as well as replacing public schools with charter schools and relying on superstar teachers.
“We should have a long-term plan in which we improve the quality of the teaching force, have higher educational expectations for those who come into teaching. We should begin to think about an improved profession, better assessments and insisting on this vision of education in which kids get a broad, rich and coherent curriculum, rather than basic skills only,” she said in her latest book.
Dr. Ravitch shares a blog called Bridging Differences with Deborah Meier, hosted by Education Week. She also blogs for politico.com/arena and the Huffington Post. Her articles have appeared in many newspapers and magazines.
The lecture is free. Reservations are recommended and can be made online by clicking here. For more information, or to request disability accommodations, call (831) 582-4580.
For driving directions and a campus map, click here.
“Saltwater runs through my veins,” said Chanel Hason, a 2010 graduate of the Environmental Science, Technology and Policy program.
That’s why the idea of vying for the title of Miss Scuba International 2013 – a competition devoted to protecting the oceans – appeals to her. She will represent the United States in the pageant on Dec. 20 in Malaysia.
You’ve never heard of the competition? That may be because it’s only two years old and was founded by the owner of several diving resorts in Malaysia.
“It’s huge in the Asian countries,” Hason said, “but hasn’t picked up speed yet in the U.S.”
She doesn’t see herself as a typical beauty queen. Instead, she said, “I’m a marine conservationist, scuba diver, educator and environmentalist, and I’m ready to win the Miss Scuba International Pageant!”
Hason said the contestants are judged on talent. She’s showcasing her skills as a photographer “to get people excited about how beautiful our planet is, not only above water but below the water as well.”
Contestants will also be judged on their diving skills, knowledge of scuba tourism and marine conservation, communications, work ethic, and proficiency in a question-and-answer session.
“We’ll be tested on how we assemble our gear, and given a list of skills to demonstrate underwater,” she said. That shouldn’t present a problem for Hason, who has been a certified diver since 2006, and earned advanced and rescue certifications while at CSUMB.
The 25-year-old resident of Los Angeles said her love of the ocean began on a trip to Sea World when she was 5. Her interest in marine science brought her to CSUMB; while a student, she spent three years as a volunteer at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and studied in Australia for a year, conducting research on the Great Barrier Reef.
She’ll be in Malaysia for two weeks, scuba diving and participating in conservation efforts that include releasing baby sea turtles and cleaning beaches.
The pageant winner, according to the Miss Scuba website, “will undertake a year of ocean conservation campaigns to educate and inspire the desire in all of us to do our best to safeguard our oceans. The pageant will also offer her a unique and comprehensive platform to launch her career and personal development.”
Hason embraces the idea and hopes this will lead to her dream job somewhere in the ecotourism industry.
“I love interacting with people and being outdoors,” she said. “I belong on a beach in a wetsuit, not behind a desk.
“My purpose in life is to educate as many people as possible about ways to protect our planet, and this opportunity with the pageant seemed like a step in the right direction,” she said.
Photos courtesy of Chanel Hason Top photo: The 2010 graduate of CSUMB's ESTP program dives at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia Bottom: At a beach in El Porto, California
Douglas Mueller, a CSUMB alumni and local resident, is among the the respected, small cadre of filmmakers whose work will be shown at Sundance this year. Prairie Love is being featured in a category of films that were made for under $500,000. – Santa Cruz Good Times, Jan. 19, 2011
Time is running out for young filmmakers to submit their work to the Monterey Bay Teen Film Festival, sponsored by CSUMB. Entry deadline is Feb. 11 for the third annual festival, which will be held at CSU Monterey Bay's World Theater on April 9. – Monterey Herald, Jan. 21, 2011
CSUMB students continue to make an impact in the community through service learning. The latest effort is the short film project "Litter: A Community Problem That Needs Community Solutions." – Monterey Herald, Jan. 23, 2011
The San Jose-Silicon Valley Chapter of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants has awarded scholarships to a pair of CSU Monterey Bay students.
Paul Fuller, a senior, and John McGoldrick, a junior, were presented CalCPA scholarships at an event on Jan. 26. Both are business students in the accounting concentration. They were selected as the organization’s outstanding 2011 senior and junior students, respectively.
As the outstanding senior, Fuller's name will be engraved on the CalCPA scholarship recipient plaque on display in the office of CSUMB's School of Business.
Students from Cabrillo and Gavilan colleges, Monterey Peninsula College, UC Santa Cruz, San Jose State and Santa Clara universities also received scholarships and were honored that night.
The scholarship recipients also receive a one-year student membership in the organization.
“I could sense the pride of the professional membership to see so many well dressed, aspiring accountants from so many colleges,” Fuller said. “Even after the event ended, many members stayed to congratulate and thank the students.”
The California Society of Certified Public Accountants is the nation’s largest statewide association of CPAs. Founded in 1909, CalCPA represents over 34,000 members.
Students in Dr. Steve Moore’s underwater robotics class in the fall of 2010 didn’t kick back over the winter break last January.
Instead, they volunteered to continue working on a project that wasn’t quite finished when the semester ended. The work – some of which took place in Professor Moore’s cluttered garage amid tools, electronic and mechanical parts and testing equipment – extended into the spring semester.
The class was working on SurfBot – an 8-foot Styrofoam surfboard to which two boogie boards and a pair of propellers are attached, as well as a metal box containing cameras, batteries, computers and electronics. Riding atop it all is a small stuffed otter, CSU Monterey Bay’s mascot.
After several surf- and weather-related delays, SurfBot was finally launched on May 8. It successfully completed its (revised) mission – to seek out and find a sunken sailboat and amphibious vehicle in approximately 27 feet of water off Del Monte Beach in Monterey.
"In spite of its name, it's not designed to surf," Dr. Moore said. "But it's the only surfboard I know that can swim and navigate all by itself!"
SurfBot finds its way with the help of a GPS unit and a pair of tiny computers. A video camera mounted on the robot beams live images back to shore. If the robot gets into trouble, the students can override its automatic navigation and use remote control to steer it from shore. If that fails, students would use a kayak to rescue the bot. After all, it's worth about $3,000.
The challenge given to the students was to build a robot that could map the depth and contours of the upper Carmel Submarine Canyon, a side branch of the famous Monterey Canyon.
But, according to Dr. Moore, "that was just an excuse to make learning more fun and effective." Carmel Canyon has already been mapped accurately by CSUMB's Seafloor Mapping Lab, which uses much more sophisticated technology to do the job. Dr. Moore planned to use those maps to check the accuracy of the students' results and assign their grades accordingly.
The 17 students in the class were mostly biology and environmental science, technology and policy students; one was studying computer science.
Dr. Moore said that it’s unusual for biology students to take this kind of class. Normally, robotics this advanced would be taught in an engineering program.
Alin Gonzlez, a biology major from San Francisco, was attracted to the class because she thinks it will help her as she continues her education.
“I learned the basics of software,” she said. “I think I could do smaller projects on my own now, and that will help me do research in grad school.” She has applied to Texas A&M’s Fisheries Management program.
Cortland Jordan, an environmental science, technology and policy student from Lake Elsinore, was also attracted to the possibility of acquiring skills that will help him pursue a graduate degree in applied technology for ecology at Oregon State.
“. . . Many of us want to do this kind of thing in graduate school. We got caught up in this project,” he said. “We were in the lab every Thursday night for four hours. We ate pizza and built robots.
“The best part of this: In marine biology, it’s very competitive. This skill will give me a boost.”
On Jan. 29, the students’ skills were put to the test as SurfBot was taken for a test drive at Moss Landing Harbor.
“We got some valuable vehicle performance data and we learned some useful things that will improve the success of the mapping we hope to do when the weather and ocean conditions cooperate,” Dr. Moore said at the time.
With the end of the spring semester looming, the right conditions still hadn't materialized. That resulted in a change of location and a revised mission.
Dr. Moore joined the faculty even before the university opened its doors to students in the fall of 1995. He teaches an eclectic mix of biology, physics and nature photography courses and runs the Ecosystem Electronics Lab (EEL), the university’s own scientific research and development team.
He and his students – including those in the robotics class – invent out of necessity, developing new research tools because they don’t yet exist or alternatives are cost-prohibitive. The result: usable technologies that allow scientists and students to better understand our world.
And, maybe have some fun while “learning a bunch of stuff,” as Dr. Moore says. To learn more about the Science and Environmental Policy program, click here.
KSBW-TV meteorologist Jim Vanderzwaan will help auction off dozens of items – including tickets to the Panetta Lecture Series, jewelry, lavish dinners and lots of wine – at the 13th annual Have a Heart for Students dinner and auction at California State University, Monterey Bay on Feb. 26. The goal is to raise money for student scholarships, a need that is more urgent than ever because of the financial crunch many families are experiencing. Dozens of faculty and staff volunteers take on the roles of waiters and wine stewards, all in an effort to raise money to help the 65 percent of CSUMB students who receive some form of financial aid. This year’s planning committee is co-chaired by Leslie Taylor and Shahin Anable. “Efforts like this are really community events,” Anable said. “They’re about our future – wherever we live.” Live and silent auctions will highlight the event, which will be held in the ballroom of the University Center on Sixth Avenue. A reception and silent auction will get under way at 5 p.m. Dinner will start at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $85 per person and can be reserved by calling 582-4141. For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit csumb.edu/heart. For driving directions and a campus map, visit csumb.edu/map.
WHAT: Have a Heart for Students Dinner and Auction WHEN: 5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011 WHERE: University Center on Sixth Avenue, CSUMB campus COST: $85 per person. Reservations: 582-4141 or online at csumb.edu/heart
CSUMB staff member Megan Tolbert received an Excellence Award from the Transportation Agency for Monterey County at its Jan. 26 meeting.
Tolbert was among the outstanding individuals, projects and programs to be honored at the agency’s ninth annual awards presentation.
The honorees “have shown exceptional hard work and dedication in improving transportation in Monterey County,” a statement on the agency’s website said.
In conferring the honor, TAMC said: “Ms. Tolbert has been a strong advocate for alternative transportation in Monterey County. Not only has she been an asset to the Transportation Agency as a transportation planner for CSUMB, but her work with Monterey Green Action has been key to promoting the use of bicycles as a viable transportation alternative. She has taken a lead role in educating the public on the importance of rail projects in Monterey County.”
Tolbert joined the university as a transportation planner in January 2010. After earning a degree in natural resources planning at Humboldt State in 2002, she has been working on the Monterey Peninsula as an environmental planner and sustainability advocate for governments, non-profits and private industry, including EMC Planning Group in Monterey, Monterey Green Action and the city of Monterey.
At the university, she develops and implements transportation management programs, including vanpools, ridesharing, public transit, shuttles, electric vehicle infrastructure and bicycle and pedestrian accessibility.
To learn more, visit TAMC’s Facebook page.
Dick Bower, CSUMB’s emergency manager, has earned another credential to add to his considerable resume.
The Center for Public Safety Excellence, a nonprofit organization that helps public safety agencies improve their services in a variety of ways, has awarded Bower the professional designation of fire marshal. He is now one of only 3,000 fire service professionals worldwide who hold this credential.
The stringent process included an assessment of his education, experience, professional development, technical competencies, contributions to the profession and community involvement.
Typically, fire marshals enforce fire codes, teach fire prevention and find the cause of destructive fires. While the designation isn’t directly related to his position at CSUMB, Bower said it had long been his professional goal to earn the credential, and many of the skills that earned him this recognition are used in his work at the university.
Bower joined the university in late January with more than 27 years of experience in public service, including stints as a firefighter and emergency medical technician, fire marshal, fire chief, planning commissioner, building official and emergency manager.
Most recently, he served as the building and fire safety director and emergency management director of Gig Harbor, Wash., a position he held for nine years.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Puget Sound and a master’s degree in disaster preparedness and executive fire service leadership from Grand Canyon University.
In addition to certification as an emergency manager by the International Association of Emergency Managers and code official accreditation from the Washington Association of Building Officials, Bower holds numerous International Code Council certifications in building inspection and plan review.
He is working with the university and surrounding communities to improve emergency preparedness at all levels.
Chaz Bono, the only child of entertainers Sonny and Cher, will visit California State University, Monterey Bay on March 9. The public is invited.
The event will take the form of a conversation with the audience on physical and social gender transitions, and will include an opportunity for attendees to submit written questions.
Bono is an advocate for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, queer and intersex people, an author and speaker. He came out publicly in 1995 in an interview with The Advocate, the national gay and lesbian news magazine. The decision to come out prompted his public work in support of LGBTQI rights and social justice.
His latest book, “Transition: The Story of How I Became a Man,” due out in May, is his candid account of a 40-year struggle to match his gender identity with his physical body and his transformation from female to male.
The story of that transition is also told in “Becoming Chaz,” a documentary screened in January at the Sundance Film Festival. It will air on the Oprah Winfrey Network later this year.
The film depicts Bono’s emotional and physical transition, a journey of identity and self-discovery. Beyond hormone treatments and surgeries, the film walks moviegoers through Bono’s changing relationship with his mother, and with his partner, Jennifer Elia. He says he’s now infinitely happier and more fulfilled.
“It’s the greatest thing I’ve ever done in my life. It’s the only time I’ve felt like a complete person,” he says in the film.
Parts of his story are familiar to many. Three years ago, Chastity Bono began the process of changing genders. Bono was 39 at the time and had led a stormy life, battling addiction, the death of a partner, a coming-out process and the glare of the spotlight that began as an infant, in front of a national TV audience on “The Sonny and Cher Show.”
Despite it all, “Most people will have much more in common with Chaz than they think,” filmmaker Randy Barbato told the Los Angeles Times in an interview at Sundance. “He’s kind of an average Joe.”
The event is sponsored by CSUMB’s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the campus Out and About club.
WHAT: Transition: A Conversation with Chaz Bono WHEN: 7 p.m., March 9 WHERE: Ballroom of the University Center on Sixth Avenue COST: Free, no tickets or reservations required INFORMATION: Cheryl Abbott, 582-4189
In December 1959, a revolution in comedy began in front of a small crowd in a former laundry building in Chicago.
An improvisational group called Second City gave its first performance, satirizing the Eisenhower era.
Since then millions of people have attended Second City shows or watched the group’s many alumni on television or in movies. It has been called the “Harvard of humor,” and among its former members are Alan Arkin, Joan Rivers, Bill Murray, John Belushi, Mike Myers, Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert.
Local audiences will have the opportunity to experience Second City’s brand of comedy when the touring troupe gives a performance at California State University, Monterey Bay’s World Theater on March 3. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. The show is recommended for adult audiences.
At CSUMB, the group will perform a show called Fair & Unbalanced, which takes unbridled comic pleasure in the foibles of politicians, celebrities and even our significant others through sketch comedy, songs and on-the-spot improvisation.
World Theater executive director Joe Cardinalli’s decision to book an improv comedy show was easy once he heard that Second City was available and touring the West Coast.
“This is definitely an evening to enjoy and to laugh out loud,” Cardinalli said. “Everyone tells us that laughter is the best medicine, so come and enjoy a dose of laugher.”
Unlike other forms of comedy, improv isn’t about the solo performer; it’s the ensemble that counts. Rarely is there a dramatic opening or musical fanfare, sometimes no scenery or props. Against a black backdrop are simple chairs and sometimes a piano.
No institution escapes their satiric eye – from the blowhards of the Beltway to the Hollywood elite. It’s a ride through present day America.
Since those early days, Second City has added a theater and training center in Toronto, training centers in Chicago and Hollywood, 11 full-time touring ensembles and television and film operations. But what brought national attention to the company was “Saturday Night Live.” The TV program’s original cast included three Second City alumni – Belushi, Dan Akroyd and Gilda Radner. Since then, more than two dozen performers and even more writers have made the move from Second City to SNL.
Perhaps a future SNL cast member or TV star will be on stage when Second City performs at the World Theater.
Tickets range from $10 to $40 and can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 582-4580. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Greg Fujii hit a walk-off double to lift the Cal State Monterey Bay baseball team to a 7-6 victory over Biola University in the Otters home opener on Thursday.
CSUMB held a 6-5 lead entering the top of the ninth inning. A single, a walk and an error allowed the Eagles to load the bases; another walk scored the tying run.
Tyler Young led off the ninth inning with a single to right field and advanced to second on a wild pitch to set up Fujii’s game-winning hit.
CSUMB improved to 1-3.
First baseman Tyler Soto had a game-high three hits. Ronnie Fhurong and Young added two hits apiece.
Scott Tully threw seven innings, giving up eight hits and only one earned run. Jake Paolinetti recorded the win with two innings of relief, allowing two runs.
“It is nice to get our first win in front of our home crowd,” said first-year head coach Walt White. “I envision our program as something our university can be proud of and today is a great start. We took one step closer to where we want to be as a program.”
The Otters begin a three-game series against Fresno Pacific on Friday, Feb. 11, at 2 p.m. Saturday's doubleheader will get under way at 11 a.m. Read more at http://otterathletics.com/
WATCH**** A VIDEO OF THE EVENT
On Feb. 16, California State University, Monterey Bay will host the fourth annual Focus the Region event, a daylong teach-in on environmental issues. This year’s theme is the Economics of Sustainability. Exhibits will be set up at 8:30 a.m. in the University Center. Registration opens at 9:30. Speakers will start at 10:50. A complimentary lunch will be available after the speakers. The afternoon session will feature four panel discussions on green building, transportation, food and a session on student initiatives at local colleges. Speakers include Dr. Jason Scorse of the Monterey Institute of International Studies, author of “What Environmentalists Need to Know About the Economy”; Dr. Brad Barbeau of CSUMB (pictured at right), who will speak on the topic, “Was Malthus Right?” and Rebecca Costa, author of “The Watchman’s Rattle.” Jim Fowler will be on hand throughout the day to demonstrate his “fender blender,” a bicycle-powered blender he uses to make fruit smoothies. An attachment clips to the back of the bike; when the rear wheel turns, it spins the blender mechanism – a creative way to conserve energy. The day’s activities – including lunch – are free. Those wishing to stay for lunch are asked to RSVP.
Exhibitors, including SunPods, Applied Solar Energy, Passion Purveyors, Ausonio Inc., Monterey County Workforce Investment Board, and the Sustainability Academy, will have displays set up throughout the day.
Attendees are encouraged to bike, take public transportation (route information: www.mst.org) or carpool to the event. There is a $2 campus parking fee. A complete schedule is available here. For more information, please contact Dr. Daniel Fernandez at (831) 582-3786 or dfernandez@csumb.edu.
CSU Monterey Bay’s School of Business and the local Small Business Development Centers are about to begin work on a project to improve the economic vitality of Castroville.
Monterey County’s Redevelopment Agency has contracted with the university and its small business development center for work on the Castroville Commercial Improvement Project.
The first stage involves surveying residents and businesses. Dr. Murray Millson, professor of marketing at CSUMB, has designed a pair of surveys that will be carried out by university students beginning Feb. 12. The surveys are designed to identify residents’ shopping behavior, and find out what would encourage them to shop locally. Then, business owners will be surveyed to see what they identify as opportunities for improvement and as barriers to their success.
The university’s survey efforts will link with the Monterey County Office of Employment Training, which has already interviewed several businesses in Castroville about staffing needs.
Using information from the surveys and interviews, the SBDC will determine what services would be helpful and assist business owners in accessing those services. In addition, one-on-one private counseling will be provided by the Central Coast Small Business Development Center at Cabrillo College.
Meanwhile, CSUMB’s Small Business Development Center will work with three anchor businesses in the community, helping to define a market niche and maximizing tourism. This effort is intended to increase the number of potential customers for all retail shops in downtown Castroville.
Another part of the project involves gauging the success of a culinary academy in the area.
“The Small Business Development Center normally focuses on individual businesses,” said Andrea Nield, associate director of the center based at CSUMB. “This project involves a community development research role for the university. The collaboration will yield better results for the community.”
The project is scheduled to be finished in June.
*This cooperative agreement is partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration and the University of California, Merced. SBA's funding is not an endorsement of any products, opinions or services. SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. This material is based on work supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Any opinions, findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). *
It's Homecoming Week at CSUMB, and that means all kinds of fun. Activities continue through the week, culminating in Saturday's games -- softball, baseball, water polo and basketball -- and Homecoming dance that night in the University Center ballroom.
Here's the schedule:
Movie Night: "For Colored Girls" Tuesday, Feb.r 15 8 p.m. World Theatrer
Homecoming Bowling Tournament Wednesday, Feb. 16 9-11 p.m. Monterey Lanes
Greekfest Homecoming Dance Thursday, Feb. 17 9 p.m.-midnight Black Box Cabaret
Softball vs. UC San Diego Friday, Feb. 18 Doubleheader, noon start Otter Softball Field
Homecoming Tailgate Party Friday, Feb. 18 4-7 p.m. BBC
Basketball vs. Sonoma State Friday, Feb. 18 Women's game at 5:30 p.m., men's game at 7:30 p.m. Otter Sports Center
BBC Birthday Bash Friday, Feb. 18 9 p.m.-midnight BBC
Baseball vs. Patten Saturday, Feb. 19 Doubleheader, 10 a.m. start Otter Baseball Field
Water Polo vs. Sonoma State Saturday, Feb. 19 11 a.m. Aquatic Center
Softball vs. UC San Diego Saturday, Feb. 19 Doubleheader 11 a.m. start Otter Softball Field
Water Polo vs. Cal Lutheran Saturday, Feb. 19 4 p.m. Aquatic Center
Basketball vs. Humboldt State Saturday, Feb. 19 Women's game at 5:30 p.m., men's game at 7:30 p.m. Otter Sports Center
Homecoming Dance Saturday, Feb. 19 9 p.m.-1 a.m. University Center Ballroom
CSUMB wishes to make all events accessible to people with disabilities. If you have disability-related needs, please contact the department or organization presenting the event you are interested in attending or call Student Activities at (831) 582- 3329 for further assistance.
Homecoming 2011 is sponsored by Associated Students, Athletics, Inter-Club Council (ICC), Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), Otter Student Union (OSU), Residence Hall Association (RHA), Student Activities & Leadership Development, University Advancement/Alumni Association, and the University Corporation/Sodexo.
This year’s Social Justice Colloquium at CSU Monterey Bay will feature a pair of dialogues focusing on Islam.
The keynote event, “Muslim Feminisms: Reading the Texts, Advocating for Rights,” will be held at 6:30 p.m., March 7, in the Alumni and Visitors Center.
Dr. Aysha Hidayatullah (at left), a faculty member in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the Jesuit University of San Francisco, and Rini Iswarini, an Indonesian public interest lawyer, will reflect on contemporary developments in Muslim feminist activism in the U.S. and Asia.
At 4 p.m. on March 7, Ms. Iswarini will address some of the same issues in the Tanimura & Antle library, Room 1180.
On March 3, an interfaith dialogue on Israel will be held at 6 p.m. in the Media Learning Center, Room 118. Nashwan Hamza, a founding member of the Islamic Networks Group, will discuss the issue with Richard Moss, a Jewish American and co-founder of Monterey County Citizens for Middle East Peace.
The colloquium will get under way on March 2 with a screening of the documentary, “Little Town of Bethlehem,” at 10 a.m. in Room 1180 of the library. The film follows the story of three men of different faiths and their lives in Israel and Palestine. The story explores each man’s choice of nonviolent action amidst a culture of overwhelming violence.
The Social Justice Colloquium, now in its 15th year, is an annual event featuring international activists and scholars discussing timely questions of social and environmental justice.
All of the events are free and open to the public. For driving directions and a campus map, visit csumb.edu/map.
The Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies is sponsoring the event along with the Student Peace Alliance.
For more information or for disability accommodations, call Heather Wilde at 582-4332.
Photo at right: Rini Iswarini
CSU Monterey Bay’s celebration of Black History Month will conclude on Feb. 28 when nationally known civil rights activist Bob Zellner visits campus.
“Reflections on 50 Years of Activism” will be his topic. The free event will get under way at 7 p.m. in the University Center on Sixth Avenue. The public is invited.
Raised in southern Alabama, the son and grandson of Ku Klux Klan members, Zellner rejected racism and fought for civil rights along with his mentor, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Today, he is seen as one of the most influential white Southerners of the civil rights movement of the 1960s.
In his memoir, “The Wrong Side of Murder Creek: A White Southerner in the Freedom Movement,” he recounts how a race relations class in college and young activists who were organizing sit-ins inspired him to make a difference in the segregated South.
That led him to take part in some of the most notable events of the movement – as a Freedom Rider, a leader in Freedom Summer, and a participant in marches, sit-ins and protests. He was beaten, imprisoned and arrested 18 times in seven states on charges including criminal anarchy and “inciting the black population to acts of war and violence,” all in an attempt to register voters and bring about change and equality.
While studying for a Ph.D. in history at Tulane University in the 1990s, he wrote a dissertation on the Southern civil rights movement. He keeps the stories of the movement alive through his work as a lecturer, his appearance in films documenting the era, and his writing. His memoir is being made into a movie by Spike Lee. He has taped a show with Oprah Winfrey that is scheduled to air in May.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
The Associated Students Cultural Enrichment Committee, Student Activities and Leadership Development, and the Office of the Dean of Students are sponsors of the event. For more information, contact Tim Bills at 582-4645.
He tells a story that is sometimes horrific, always interesting and ultimately inspirational about a white Southerner’s commitment to racial justice. – Library Journal
Cal State Monterey Bay’s women’s basketball team grabbed the No. 3 seed in the NCAA West Regional tournament starting Friday in Pomona.
Three of the eight teams in the region come from the California Collegiate Athletic Association.
The Otters (26-3) will face the No. 6 seed Dixie State College of St. George, Utah, at 12:30 p.m. The Red Storm compiled a 24-3 record and ended the season with a 21-game home winning streak.
To watch the game, click here. The game will be played at Cal Poly Pomona, home of the region’s No. 1 seed. Cal Poly will face the No. 8 seed Cal State San Bernardino.
On Saturday, the winner of the CSUMB-Dixie State game will face the winner of the contest between No. 2 seed Grand Canyon and No. 7 Seattle Pacific. The semifinals will be held on Monday, March 14. The final will be held the next night.
The Otters lost a chance to be seeded No. 1 when they dropped the CCAA championship game 59-53 to Cal Poly Pomona on Saturday. It was the third time the teams had met this season. The Broncos won two of those matchups, at the Kelp Bed and the championship game at CSU East Bay. The West Region bracket (at Cal Poly Pomona) Friday’s games No. 1 Cal Poly Pomona (25-4) vs. No. 8 San Bernardino (21-7) No. 4 Western Washington (26-3) vs. No. 5 Alaska Anchorage (25-6) No. 3 CSUMB (26-3) vs. No. 6 Dixie State (24-3) No. 2 Grand Canyon (27-2) vs. Seattle Pacific (20-8)
The entire bracket can be found here.
The Otters finished conference play with a 20-2 record and a one-game margin over Cal Poly Pomona in the 12-team conference.
“These kids said yes to a coach who had never been a head coach,” Renee Jimenez said. Jimenez took over the program in 2009. “All these girls took a chance on us and bought into what we were doing.”
It’s been a banner year for the Otters: a school-record 26 wins – including a 16-0 run to start the season – and a No. 19 NCAA national ranking in Division II.
The OLLI program at CSUMB started in 2007, when 100 students enrolled and has grown steadily each year thanks to exhilarated oldsters. Around 470 students entered the program this year. – Monterey Herald, Feb. 7, 2011
California State University, Monterey Bay invites the Spanish-speaking parents of incoming and prospective students to Dia de Los Padres, a reception and information session to be held Saturday, March 12 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club in Salinas. This event is co-hosted by Monterey County Office of Education, Migrant Education, Region XVI.
The event is aimed at parents of students who have been admitted to CSU Monterey Bay for the fall of 2011 from Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, as well as parents of high school students who are interested in learning more about the university. The event will be held at the Boys and Girls Club, 85 Maryal Dr. Continental breakfast will be available from 8 to 9:30 a.m.; lunch will be served afterward. Staff members of the university’s recruitment, admissions, outreach and support programs, housing and financial aid offices as well as several faculty members will be on hand to make presentations and answer questions in Spanish. Staff members from the MCOE’s Migrant Education Office will also be on hand. During the event, MCOE will provide activities for younger children. More information is available from CSUMB Admissions Counselor Maria Ceja at 582-3738, or from MCOE Director of Migrant Education Rosa Coronado at 755-6403. “This event is about building a bridge with the Spanish-speaking community” said David Linnevers, CSUMB’s director of admissions and recruitment. “We are excited to be back in Salinas and to continue our close partnership with Migrant Education (Region 16) and the Boys and Girls Club.” Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP by March 4. Registration can be completed online at http://admissions.csumb.edu/dia-de-los-padres-spanish-reception
Parishioners at three local churches got more than a sermon on Sunday, Feb. 20. They got a pitch for the value of a college education — straight from the pulpit. Cal State Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison, Provost Kathy Cruz-Uribe and Vice President for Student Affairs Ronnie Higgs visited churches in Seaside and Pacific Grove as part of a California State University program called Super Sunday. On Sundays through February, dozens of administrators from the CSU system are fanning out to more than 100 black churches across the state to spread the gospel of higher education. The goal is to increase the number of African-American students attending college. Dr. Harrison reminded the congregation at Greater Victory Temple in Seaside that CSUMB “is your hometown university.” She told members of the congregation that CSUMB offers 18 undergraduate degrees and eight master’s programs, and new programs in marine science, environmental studies, Spanish, Japanese and nursing are expected to be added in the near future. “Let’s all work together to make sure children – your children – take advantage of the educational opportunities offered at the CSU so they become the educated minds that will take California to the next stage of economic prosperity,” she told parishioners. She said unemployment figures for California clearly demonstrate the value of a college degree: While those without a high school diploma have an unemployment rate of 19 percent, the rate for those with a bachelor’s degree is only 6 percent. The road to college begins early – in the sixth grade, when students should begin taking English. Algebra needs to be tackled in the eighth grade and calculus in the 12th grade, Dr. Harrison told them. “This is why we are here today asking grandparents, parents and mentors to push students to work harder in middle and high school,” she said. “Young people tend to achieve what’s expected of them. They need to know that we expect them to prepare for college.” University staff members passed out information and answered questions at the end of the service. Dr. Cruz-Uribe conveyed the college-going message when she visited Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Seaside; Dr. Higgs took the message to parishioners at the First Baptist Church of Pacific Grove.
Ten CSUMB students and a staff member were honored with community service awards at Greater Victory Temple. Photos by Randy Tunnell
If you've ever thought about going to medical school, now's the chance to learn more about it.
"Applying for Medical School: A Practical Guide" will be held at 8 p.m., Feb. 23 in Room 3145 of the Tanimura & Antle Library.
Robert Lerrigo, a medical student at the University of California at San Francisco, will conduct the 90-minute seminar. Lerrigo is currently doing a short stint at Natividad Medical Center in Salinas.
"We hope to have one of these seminars every semester as we have a new collaboration with UCSF interns who work at Natividad," said CSUMB biology professor Aparna Sreenivasan,
Olympian and local hero Monica Abbott stopped by CSUMB softball field to take a bit of practice with the Otters. Abbott was a member of the 2008 USA silver medalist team in the Summer Olympic debut pitching in relief in the final inning of a 5-inning no-hit victory over Venezuela. – Marina Gazette, Feb. 7, 2011
CSUMB visit sparks the college coolness factor for Alisal's sixth graders. The school visited a few months ago as part of a program called University Promise. University officials said CSUMB promises to help the students who meet high school graduation requirements with financial aid. - The Salinas Californian, Feb. 12, 2011
CSUMB's president and two other campus administrators are set to visit local black churches on Sunday to spread the word about the importance of going to college. Their aim is to touch on the importance of receiving a college degree in today's aggressive job market and programs the University offers. – Salinas Californian, Feb. 19, 2011
The nationally ranked Otters are two wins away from a California Collegiate Athletic Association title after a 75-54 beating on Saturday over Humbolt state. CSUMB has assured itself of one home game in the CCAA Tournament and has put a bid in to host the NCAA Division II regionals. – Monterey Herald, Feb. 20, 2011
. . . Cal State Monterey Bay transportation planner Megan Tolbert said she's seen a big increase in the number of students taking the bus – ridership is up by about 600 percent. She thinks it's because service has been beefed up. – KION-46, Oct. 5, 2012
UPDATE: Danforth continued his Muppets adventure by working on the 2014 film, Muppets Most Wanted. He spent several weeks on the production, assisting with the puppet Sweetums. "I got to work with Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey and Ty Burrell," he said. "They brought such fun energy to the project. When you're with the Muppets, though, how can you not?"
He also worked on The Muppets and Lady GaGa Holiday Special, the Toyota halftime commerical with The Muppets, and "was very fortunate to puppeteer Sweetums for the world premiere of Muppets Most Wanted," he said.
Nathan Danforth revels in breathing life into the inanimate.
The 25-year-old graduate of CSU Monterey Bay had a chance to do just that when he worked on "The Muppets," the latest film featuring everyone's favorite characters. Walt Disney Pictures will release it on Nov. 23, just in time for the Thanksgiving weekend.
Danforth, a native of New Orleans who grew up in Rocklin, has been acting since he was 6 years old. Monterey County audiences might remember him from his role as Sir Lancelot in the Forest Theater Guild’s production of Camelot in 2008.
He didn’t start puppeteering professionally until he moved to Los Angeles after graduating from CSUMB in 2009, but the inanimate characters always fascinated him.
“I grew up watching “The Muppet Show,” “Fraggle Rock,” “Eureka’s Castle” and all the Muppet movies. I loved the imagination and fantasy that surrounded the whole concept of these characters. They were fun and adventurous, and to me they were real people,” he said.
“In the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department, I mostly focused on acting and some technical work, not puppeteering. TAT gave me a great education,” he said.
That education has proven useful. “As a puppeteer, you are always acting. You have to be able to show all your emotion and decisions as an actor, and transfer that into your hand,” he said.
He still does “fleshy” acting – non-puppet acting roles – mostly in independent films, but his main focus is on puppeteering.
To perfect his craft, he worked with the Glendale-based company Swazzle, performing at birthday parties and in libraries. Between gigs, he’d practice at home, spending four hours a day working in front of a monitor.
A big break came in 2010 when he worked with Jason Segel on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. The duo sang and puppeteered a version of “Dracula’s Lament” from Segel’s hit film “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.”
That led to an offer to build a puppet segment for the television series “How I Met Your Mother.”
Then, he got a call from Segel asking if he was free to work on the latest Muppet movie.
“As any puppeteer will tell you, that’s a dream call. I was so excited, I couldn’t speak or breathe for 15 seconds.” He even remembers what he was doing when the phone rang – eating pasta and playing Xbox 360.
“My first day was like a dream. I walked onto the set and Jason gave me a hug and said, ‘Welcome to the dream, buddy.’ I saw Kermit and Fozzie, and started to tear up. These are my childhood and adult idols, and here they were in front of me.”
What started out as a one-day job lasted five months. “After the first day, the producer asked me if I would like to come on full-time and assist the puppet workshop when I wasn’t puppeteering.
“It was heaven . . . pure heaven. I feel very lucky to have been given such an opportunity."
Since his stint with the Muppets wrapped up, he’s been looking forward to the next opportunity. Perhaps the lovable creations will play a part in his future.
“I could not imagine a world without Kermit the Frog or Fraggle Rock or Labyrinth. Those productions so heavily influenced my childhood, my imagination, and my career.”
A woman walks alone down a dark, deserted street. With every shadow she sees, and every sound she hears, her pounding heart flutters and skips a beat. She hurries her pace as she sees her destination become closer. She is almost there. She reaches the front door, goes inside, collects herself, and moves on forgetting, at least for tonight, the gripping fear that momentarily enveloped her life.
This scene could have occurred anywhere last night, last year, or even 100 years ago. Historically, women faced the anxiety of walking alone at night and that is why Take Back the Night began.
The annual Take Back the Night speak-out and march to protest sexual violence will be held from 7 to 9 p.m., March 4 at CSU Monterey Bay.
The evening will start at 7 p.m., when people will gather in the Student Center to hear speakers and a presentation by representatives from MyStrength, a men’s group dedicated to ending sexual violence. Ivy Baker, a CSUMB student, will talk about her efforts to start a rape awareness program on campus.
At 8 o’clock, candles will be lit and the group will march through campus to symbolically reclaim the safety of the night and raise awareness about the issue. The march will end on the quad in front of the Student Center with a moment of silence to pay respect to the victims and survivors of sexual violence.
The first Take Back the Night event in the United States took place in Philadelphia in October of 1975. Residents of Philadelphia rallied together after the murder of young microbiologist, Susan Alexander Speeth, who was stabbed by a stranger a block from her home while walking alone.
It has been a staple of American campus feminism since then. The event works to empower women and serves as a collective voice to demand an end to the violence.
The CSUMB event has been organized by Theta Alpha Sigma sorority.
Women's basketball coach Renee Jimenez took Coach of the Year honors in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.
Named to the all-conference first-team were seniors Julie Heurung and Michelle Santizo; senior LaShawn Johnson was a second-team pick.
"Individual awards are never something we talk about as a team," Jimenez said. "I am proud of these three and happy that they received the recognition they have deserved all season long.
"The thing that stands out the most to me about these awards for Tizo, Julie and Shawn is that none of them is averaging double figures in the CCAA. This is a huge testament to them and what the other coaches in the conference think of what an integral part they have been in helping us win the conference."
Jimenez went on to add, "These awards could not have happened without the solid play and hard work of their teammates."
During her third season as CSUMB’s head coach, Jimenez has guided the Otters to a school-record 25 wins, including a 20-2 conference mark, and the program’s first-ever title.
Santizo is the driving force behind the team's No. 1 national ranking in scoring defense. She is ranked No. 31 in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (1.9); is fourth in the CCAA in three-point field goal percentage (38.1); and eighth with 3.1 assists per game.
Heurung is the record-holder in career, season and single-game blocked shots at CSUMB. This season, she is ranked third in the CCAA in field-goal percentage, hitting 50.2 percent of her shots. She concluded the regular season with a career-high 25 points against Cal State Stanislaus.
As CSUMB's second leading scorer, Johnson led the Otters in scoring in five games. She finishes her career at CSUMB ranked No. 6 with 489 points.
Jimenez inherited a team that had won three games in the 2007-08 season. Under her guidance, the team improved to 11-15 overall and 6-16 in conference play in 2008-09. The next year saw even more improvement, to 18-9 overall and 14-8 in conference.
Before coming to CSUMB, Jimenez served as an assistant coach at San Diego State University. In three years at SDSU, Jimenez helped to turn around an Aztec program that had three wins in 2005-06 to an 18-win season in 2007-08 season.
Prior to her stint in San Diego, she spent a year at Stanford University, serving as an intern for head coach Tara VanDerveer and the nationally prominent Cardinal basketball program.
The Ventura native played for San Francisco State from 2001-04, finishing her career as the Gators’ all-time leader in three-point field goals while earning a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies and kinesiology.
She started her playing career at Ventura College, helping the Pirates to the 2001 state junior college championship.
Cal State Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison has recently accepted several positions with national organizations. This week, Dr. Harrison was appointed to the board of directors of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). She is one of seven educational leaders from a wide array of institutions to join the board. The AAC&U is a national association concerned with the quality, vitality and public standing of undergraduate liberal education. Its membership includes more than 1,200 public and private schools. Dr. Harrison has also been elected to the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Presidents Council. The 15-member council, composed of presidents and chancellors from member schools, is the chief governing body for NCAA Division II athletics. Its responsibilities include ratifying, amending or rescinding actions of the Division II Management Council, developing and approving budgets and expenditures, and implementing policies and procedures pertaining to Division II athletics. She also sits on the NCAA’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council as an ex-officio member representing the Presidents Council.
The newly launched Monterey Bay Film Society will hold its first big public event – a screening of “Carmel-by-the-Sea” – on March 19 at Sunset Center.
The film was shot on the Monterey Peninsula in 2009, with additional on-location shots filmed recently to give it more of the flavor of Carmel. The movie is about a 15-year-old boy who becomes embroiled in a tale of international art forgery. It stars Alfred Molina, Lauren Bacall, Josh Hutcherson, Hayden Panettiere, and Dina Eastwood (pictured at left, with cinematographer Walt Lloyd), and includes many local residents as extras.
This will be the film’s first local showing; it premiered earlier this month in Los Angeles.
The 7 p.m. screening is a fundraiser for the film society. Tickets are $10 for students, $25 for general admission, and $100 for VIP seating and a reception. They can be purchased by calling the Sunset Center box office at 620-2048.
The Sunset Center showing happened by chance. Producer Michael-Ryan Fletchall had originally planned to premiere it in Carmel, but moved the opening to Los Angeles for business reasons. Then, he was contacted by CSUMB students.
“We were on the Peninsula to do some additional photography, and were approached by CSU Monterey Bay students who said they were trying to do a fundraiser . . . ‘Would you be willing to have the screening be part of the event?,’ they asked. We thought it was a great idea,” Fletchall said. That led to the Sunset Center showing.
The film society is associated with the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department (TAT) at CSUMB. Its mission is to promote the cinematic arts with year-round programs for the community and to provide free media workshops for at-risk and underserved youngsters throughout Monterey County.
“The idea is to support local filmmakers by bringing artists to the area. It will serve as an opportunity for the artists to do community workshops and to speak to film students at the university,” said TAT chair and co-director of the society Enid Baxter Blader. The society’s creative director is Mike Plante of the Sundance Film Festival.
Organizers have raised $280,000 in grant money and another $70,000 from private donors to help fund their ambitious plans.
More information is available online at www.montereybayfilmsociety.org
IF YOU GO What: “Carmel-by-the-Sea” fund-raising event for the Monterey Bay Film Society When: March 19, 7 p.m. Where: Sunset Center, San Carlos Street and Ninth Avenue, Carmel Tickets: $10 students; $25 general admission; $100 VIP seating and reception. Can be purchased by calling the box office at 620-2048 Information: Online at www.montereybayfilmsociety.org
A tsunami warning is in effect for the Central Coast of California, including Monterey County, following an 8.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of northern Japan at 9:45 p.m. PST Thursday. Elevated waves were expected to reach the San Francisco Bay Area about 8 a.m.
Because of its elevation, **there is no threat to any part of the CSUMB campus. **
However, it is important to stay off beaches and avoid other low-lying areas while the warning is in effect. Tsunamis often arrive as a series of waves, which could be dangerous for several hours after the initial wave arrival.
Here is a link to a map showing areas at risk of inundation from a tsunami:
http://www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/geologic_hazards/Tsunami/Inundation_M...
Brian Wetzel was a successful stand-up comedian whose career and personal life were absorbed by his struggle with clinical depression, a struggle that left him on the brink of suicide through his young adult years.
“There is nothing funny about being severely depressed, but I had to find humor in my situation in order to stay alive and survive,” said Wetzel, 46, of Santa Rosa.
With that, he began to write an autobiographical, one-man show about his 20-year struggle with depression that has since become the focus of his performances across the United States.
“My shows and speeches are important because there are too many people in this world who are really hurting emotionally, and they, in turn, hurt themselves or take the ultimate step and take their lives,” he told the Ventura County Star. “It’s important for people to know there is help, but they have to be encouraged to not only muster up the courage and energy to ask for help, but to take the help, too.
“That’s what I hope my work will do for people: entertain them, and help them at the same time,” he told the newspaper.
At noon on April 5, Wetzel will present “That Voice in the Wilderness is Laughing” at the Black Box Cabaret on the campus of Cal State University, Monterey Bay. The public is invited to this free event. The Black Box Cabaret is located near the intersection of Inter-Garrison Road and Fourth Avenue. A campus map can be downloaded at csumb.edu/map.
A repeat performance will be held at 8 p.m. for students only.
His appearance is part of the university’s observance of Suicide Prevention and Awareness Week.
Wetzel’s presentation will cover the many factors that contribute to clinical depression and the complex issues that surround living with and managing this disorder, said Gary Rodriguez, prevention specialist with the campus Personal Growth and Counseling Center.
“He shares his experience and offers hope for himself and others as someone who has learned to live with, and manage, his condition,” Rodriguez said.
Humor is a way to bring depression to the table in a new way because the subject is something no one wants to talk about, Wetzel said. “My presentation is peppered with humor, including the top five things not to say to someone with depression. My audiences can learn more about this tough subject and they can laugh at the same time,” he told the Star.
Everyone really got a lot out of the presentation . . . I believe those who have not been clinically depressed got empathy, those who treat the depressed got understanding and ideas about treatment and those who suffer from it got validation and a feeling that they are understood and not alone. – Donnovan Somera Yisrael, health education specialist, Stanford University
Gov. Jerry Brown has appointed California State University, Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison to serve on the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE).
The commission brings together three representatives – higher education administrators, legislators and community leaders – from each of the 15 Western states, appointed by the governors of those states. WICHE’s mission is to expand access to higher education for the residents of the Western states.
The commission meets twice each year.
The unpaid position requires confirmation by the state Senate. Dr. Harrison’s appointment will run until Oct. 31, 2014.
By Mike Hornick In advance of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, an online film journal called IndieWIRE.com took note of the “considerable buzz” being generated by film schools at Cal State Monterey Bay and other places somewhat “off the beaten path.” “Forget about USC or UCLA,” the article said. CSUMB’s answer to traditional film schools – known as the Department of Teledramatic Arts and Technology, or “TAT” – continues to create buzz, win acclaim and produce graduates who find success in the varied and competitive world of film and video. TAT integrates a sense of community into each aspect of student experience, from collaborative filmmaking and festivals to service projects in neighboring cities. A strong alumni network spreads that sense of community to places like Los Angeles, supporting new grads as they seek employment. Students get involved quickly – getting their hands on cameras and editing gear early. “You can start making films in your freshman year, where you wouldn’t touch a camera in most schools ’til you’re a junior,” said Janaye Brown, a 2010 graduate. She now pursues a Master of Fine Arts at the University of Texas, Austin, where she earned a David J. Bruton Fellowship. TAT resources more than suffice for the 163 students now in the program, said J.J. Melancon, a senior who aspires to start a production company on the Monterey Peninsula. “There are four different buildings you’re able to edit at – and great production facilities,” he said. Faculty and staff resources are equally varied. “A lot of teachers are or were professionals in the field, so they have connections,” said Adam Younkin, a senior. For example, a TAT project, the Monterey Bay Film Society, employs Mike Plante, the associate programmer for the Sundance Film Festival as creative director. “He brings an unending stream of internationally renowned filmmakers to visit,” said Enid Baxter Blader, TAT department chair. “He’s also visited our Capstone classes,” Blader said, referring to senior students’ thesis project. “Each senior got to pitch film ideas and get feedback from him one-on-one.” The traffic heads Sundance’s way, too. Two films by Cal State Monterey Bay alumni – Doug Mueller and the team of Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck – have screened at the prestigious festival in the past two years. The senior-year projects culminate in the semi-annual, on-campus Capstone Festival, next set for May 20. Last year about 1,100 filmgoers filled the university’s World Theater to view narrative, documentary and experimental films. “It’s absolutely electric,” Blader said. “It’s not only family and friends; it’s really the community coming out for this. That’s unusual for an undergraduate institution.” Other events nearby provide opportunities for TAT students to screen their films or gain curating experience year-round. Student films have shown at two Carmel festivals, in June and October; at Sand City’s West End Festival; and at the Blue Ocean and First Night events in Monterey. TAT started the annual Monterey Bay Film Festival, held this year on April 9. Launched in 2008, it now draws about 300 entries for the teen program. Besides California, they come from such places as El Salvador and Armenia. Plante brings a collection of programs, some straight from Sundance. The festival’s budget was held together at first by duct tape and paper clips, but it has recently benefited greatly from grants and private donations. “Students get to see what it’s like to curate and produce a film festival,” Blader said. “They form relationships with visiting filmmakers who become mentors to them.”
Rachel Asendorf, a senior, was a producer’s assistant for last year’s Monterey Bay Teen Young Filmmakers’ program, part of the MBFF. “I watched all the footage and helped categorize things,” she said. “We pick which teen films will be in the festival. I wrangled people for interviews and made sure everyone checked in. This semester I hope to be stage manager.” Students’ interaction with teens – and sometimes children – becomes even more direct in the department’s projects in service learning, which integrates the experience of public service into the academic major. CREATIVE COMMITMENT “I love making films, but I found what I really wanted to do was impact youths’ lives in any way I could – by telling stories or just being a friend or role model,” said Juan Ramirez, a 2009 graduate. His service learning project, “Concrete Paradigm,” documented the struggles and hopes of detainees in Monterey County Juvenile Hall. “Concrete Paradigm” won awards for Ramirez and co-director Stephen Sprague at several film festivals. The sequel, “Letters from Within,” was just tapped for a March 19 screening at the International Family Film Festival in Hollywood. Ramirez, who has since become TAT’s community outreach coordinator, is making a third film, “Trojans Under the Helmet,” that looks at social pressures in Salinas through the eyes of athletes. “We didn’t just film,” Ramirez said of the Juvenile Hall projects. “We taught workshops there for a whole year. We got to know them and were mentors.” Added Blader, “The workshops teach teens to value their own stories. They create interconnectedness and hope for kids who feels alone. Juvenile Hall has about a 95 percent recidivism rate; anecdotally we know the incidence is lower for teens we’ve served. “Some have ended up in adult programs for filmmaking. They decided, ‘This is what I want to do.’ That’s powerful.” For her service project, Brown led a filmmaking class for teens at the Salinas Public Library and overcame nervousness about taking the role of teacher. Not every TAT student wants to work in the conventional film industry. Melinda DeRouen, a 2005 graduate, still shoots video but focuses on stage-acting and radio work. And the film work of Brown and Ojeda-Beck – who’s now in graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley – is geared as much to galleries as to theaters. “(TAT) exposed me to experimental media,” Brown said. “A lot of that exists in the art world. Had I not gone to CSUMB, I might have worked in a traditional film program.” TAT doesn’t just look at filmmaking, Blader said. “There’s a confluence between film and multiple histories of storytelling,” she said. “We’re looking at the histories of theater, performance, art and avant-garde image-making. This approach gives our students a visual fluency that sets them above the average. This is why they are recognized at international film festivals.” GRADS REACH BACK Graduates working in such commercial film centers as Hollywood or San Francisco say the breadth of experience gained at Cal State Monterey Bay helped get their careers off the ground. “I thought I just wanted to write and direct, but TAT opened my eye to everything that was out there,” said Justin Bloch, a 2004 grad who now edits for the Discovery Channel in Hollywood. Like many TAT graduates, Bloch has experience in reality TV. He spent a few seasons at the Fox hit “Hell’s Kitchen.” More recently he edited a new show, “Enough Already,” for the Oprah Winfrey network. TAT grads are a tight-knit bunch. An alumni reunion is slated this spring for a Sunset Boulevard venue. “I’ve gotten and given job leads for TAT students,” Bloch said. “In L.A., we help each other. I’ve become used to hearing (managers) say they’ll hire someone from the same school. They say I’m useful.” Said Blader, “It’s more than references. They hire each other and help each other make their projects, too.” Shawn Hovis is help-desk coordinator for Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville. It’s an information technology job, but Pixar offers him occasional filmmaking opportunities. His live-action short “Play by Play” won the Children’s Choice Award at the Bay Area International Children’s Film Festival and has been accepted to the Cleveland International Film Festival. “Whether you make it or not, much of it is luck,” Hovis said. “But you have to generate things from yourself. TAT gets you going, but they expect a lot out of you.” As 2010 ended, 2001 Oscar-winning grad David Kashevaroff began a four-month, on-location stint in Vancouver, B.C., as first assistant editor for the moon-landing thriller “Apollo 18,” due out in April. “It’s a unique movie in that they’re shooting and editing in a short period,” Kashevaroff said. Other TAT graduates have worked on such recent commercial films as “Coraline” and the latest installments of “Toy Story,” “Terminator” and “Star Trek.” Bloch said TAT taught him that how to collaborate with others on a project. “Everyone has a small part that makes up the larger production,” he said. “Working in L.A., I see people who lose sight of that and fall flat on their face. “A lot of people here only know post-production, so they don’t even talk to people in production. TAT students are able to bridge that gap.”
Five players on the CSUMB golf teamalong with their coach, Jason Owen, traveled 2,800 miles to Florida to play at Golfweek. – Golfweek Magazine, Feb. 28, 2011
Monterey County's Redeveloment Agency contracted with CSUMB's School of Business and the campus' Small Business Development Center to improve the north county community's economy. The idea is students visit 200 homes and survey residents about their buying behavior to be later analyzed for a written report. – The Californian, March 5, 2011
Sam Pacheco, Professor of Chicano Studies, CSUMB and a Talent Search Coordinator for the University, was the keynote speaker at Saturday's conference for migrant middle schoolers at CSUMB. About 100 migrant youth learned about what it takes to avoid drugs, gangs, and getting pregnant at a young age. – Monterey Herald, March 8, 2011
The nationally ranked Otters are on the amp as they'll face Dixie State of St. George, Utah in the first round of the NCAA Division II tournament at Cal Poly Pomona. – Monterey Herald, March 11, 2011
Jazz and world music fusion band Hiroshima will perform at California State University, Monterey Bay’s World Theater on April 7. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.
The group was formed in 1974 by keyboardist and saxophonist Dan Kuramoto, his wife June – one of the world’s foremost players of the koto, a Japanese string instrument – and percussionists/taiko players Johnny Mori and Danny Yamamoto.
Its distinctive sound has its roots in East Los Angeles,where Dan Kuramoto grew up. He heard salsa bands playing in the neighborhood dance halls, his grandparents’ Japanese music playing on the home stereo and his brother practicing jazz on the family piano. “It all began to mix together in my head,” he said.
In the three-plus decades since the group was formed, it has blended jazz, pop and rock with traditional Japanese folk music. The resulting sound is a pioneering voice in the world music movement – introducing traditional Japanese instruments to a global audience. And selling more than 3 million albums in the process.
“We’ve always stood apart from other instrumental groups by taking the graceful classical sound of the koto and experimenting with varying American musical idioms around that,” Dan Kuramoto said.
Beyond touring with such greats as Miles Davis, Hiroshima’s members have done some interesting projects. Three of them played on the soundtrack for the Oscar-nominated film “The Thin Red Line,” and Dan Kuramoto has scored more than 50 plays, films and TV shows. He served as musical arranger for the L.A. and New York productions of “Zoot Suit.”
Tickets are $40 premium, $29 general; discounts are available for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased online at csumb.edu/worldtheater or by calling the box office at 582-4580. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map.
AT A GLANCE • WHAT: Hiroshima jazz and world music fusion band • WHERE: CSUMB’s World Theater on Sixth Avenue • WHEN: 7:30 p.m., April 7 • TICKETS: $40 premium, $29 general, discounts for students and seniors; reserve online at http://csumb.edu/worldtheater or by calling the box office at 582-4580 • INFORMATION: 582-4580
A research poster created by a team of CSU Monterey Bay students took first place at the Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP) annual state conference March 6-9 in Monterey.
Undergraduates Craig Mueller and Alex Davis and graduate student Todd Hallenbeck authored the poster, which was titled “Quantifying the distribution and abundance of rippled scour depressions on California’s continental margin seafloor using autoclassfication models.” Dr. Rikk Kvitek was the faculty adviser.
The posters were judged during the conference and awards were announced March 8 at the conference’s networking event for young professionals.
Maria Osiadacz, CSUMB graduate student in Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy, is a student member of the AEP and served as a conference volunteer, helping to plan the event and organize the research competition.
She noted that the entries were judged based on the same rubric that will be used at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Currents Symposium to be held at CSUMB April 9.
“The panel of judges were very impressed with all the posters . . . we were all amazed by the hard work that went into creating them,” Osiadacz said. For more information about the event, click here.
For more information about the Department of Environmental Science, Technology & Policy, click here.
CSU Monterey Bay Professor Diana Garcia will deliver the keynote address at the 10th annual AVID Writers Conference set for March 22 on the CSUMB campus.
AVID – Advancement Via Individual Determination — is an in-school academic support program for grades 4-12 that prepares students for success in four-year colleges and universities. A goal is to present opportunities to minority, rural, low-income and other students who don’t have a college-going tradition in their families.
More than 450 students and teachers, representing 36 middle and high schools from Palo Alto to Greenfield, are expected to attend the conference. They will have the opportunity to participate in writing workshops led by faculty and staff from CSUMB and other colleges, and will hear from former AVID students about how the skills they developed in the program helped them in college.
The conference is the culmination of a “write-off,” a timed-writing exercise modeled after the CSU English placement test. This year’s theme was “How technology is affecting interpersonal relationships.” More than 4,100 middle and high school students participated in the write-off; each school selected its conference attendees based on their performance in the writing exercise.
Garcia, a professor in the Division of Humanities and Communication, writes poetry and essays. Her book, “When Living Was a Labor Camp,” published in 2002, was an American Book Award winner.
The AVID program has helped make college a reality for thousands of students for over three decades. In California in 2009-2010, 91 percent of AVID seniors had completed four-year college entrance requirements, compared to 36 percent for their statewide counterparts.
With better broadband service, residents could be alerted to the dangers posed by forest fires. Medical information could be more readily available to practitioners in rural health clinics. People could have expanded opportunities to access education, and grandparents could connect with their grandchildren via live video. Anyone interested in learning about California’s broadband policy; digital literacy initiatives; cell towers, broadband and land use issues; and fiber to the home is invited to attend a two-day conference, Next Gen Broadband: Filling the Gaps for California’s Communities, to be held March 24 and 25 at CSU Monterey Bay’s Tanimura and Antle Family Memorial Library. The conference is hosted by the university's Wireless Education and Technology Center. Participants will share research and case studies focusing on how broadband applications help to foster economic growth and job creation, sustain small businesses, expand government and community services, and offer incentives for new enterprises. Lev Gonick, chief information officer of Case Western Reserve University, will deliver the keynote address via video conference. His talk, “Building the Smart Connected City: A Platform Vision for the Future,” focuses on bringing fiber connections to five low-income neighborhoods in Cleveland. Researchers believe that broadband, along with training and computers, may be a critical factor in improving these residents’ lives. The two-day registration fee is $95, which includes a reception and dinner at Kula Ranch in Marina. One-day registration is also available. Registration can be completed online here. A limited number of complimentary registrations are available. Contact Arlene Krebs, conference director, at (831) 582-5025.
The library is located on Divarty Street. For driving directions and a campus map, visit csumb.edu/map.
When California State University, Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison travels to Jordan and Oman later this month, she will take a step toward the goal of establishing exchange programs with universities in the Middle East.
Dr. Harrison is one of seven college and university presidents selected for the 2011 Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad Program. Her group will leave March 24 for the Middle East and return to the United States on April 8.
The seminar is an opportunity for them to learn about the changing higher education scene in the Arab world and return home to share opportunities for future program development in the region with their respective campuses.
Dr. Harrison and the other presidents are scheduled to meet with campus leaders in both countries to discuss institutional mission, resources, challenges and opportunities to work with American partners. The trip will provide an opportunity to refine and expand the international vision and agenda of CSU Monterey Bay and the California State University system.
“Seminar members will undoubtedly develop a better understanding of these countries’ institutions of higher education,” Dr. Harrison said. “As we share expertise and gain knowledge, we also will be helping to break what President Obama has called a ‘cycle of suspicion and discord’ between the United States and Muslims worldwide."
She pointed out that a major objective of participating in the seminar is the chance to develop and strengthen international exchanges and opportunities for students and faculty at CSU Monterey Bay.
“I believe it is essential that we are inclusive of countries from all parts of the world,” Dr. Harrison said. “And that includes the Middle East. Our students and faculty can benefit by establishing partnerships with universities in the Middle East. By having their students come to the United States and to California we also add to our existing diversity on our campus."
Since arriving at CSUMB in 2006, she has worked to ensure that students not only understand the world in a global context but also experience it first hand by studying abroad.
Dr. Harrison’s extensive travel abroad has given her a greater global perspective and made her a strong advocate for international education. During her tenure at Florida State University, she participated in and oversaw international programs as a faculty member and administrator. Her work took her to countries across Western and Eastern Europe and to Vietnam, Israel, Jamaica, Trinidad and Panama.
Dr. Harrison’s group will spend five days in Oman before moving on to Jordan for five days. During that time, according to information from the U.S. Department of Education, which administers the program, the group will:
• Be exposed to Arab and Islamic culture; • Have opportunities to observe and compare higher education systems with local counterparts; • Meet with Education USA staff members who advise undergraduate and graduate students seeking information about study in the United States; • Have discussions with administrators of study abroad programs for U.S. students; and • Have opportunities to learn of special higher education initiatives such as the El Hassan Science City in Jordan and Oman’s development of a unified online admissions system.
Catalyst: One by One, a collaboration between the Dimensions Dance Theater and jazz composer Khalil Shaheed, will get its world premiere at CSU Monterey Bay’s annual Heritage Music Festival on April 16.
The 7 p.m. performance will be held in the University Center ballroom on Sixth Avenue and is free. No tickets or reservations are required.
Deborah Vaughan, founder and artistic director of the Oakland-based dance company, has collaborated with world renowned musicians, poets, rappers and other dance companies for decades.
“I’ve been doing it a really long time. The first was back in the 1980s,” she told the Oakland Tribune. “It was a way to continue to present the work from an African aesthetic, which includes everything – drama, dance, song and spoken word. It’s not broken up into little boxes the way we do in America,” she said.
The process for each collaboration is different, depending on the inspiration for the piece. “I might have a message I want to get across or something I am interested in investigating or commenting on,” Vaughan said.
At the heart of her collaboration with Shaheed is the artists’ shared belief that art can shift consciousness and bring about transformation in the lives of those who create, experience and are touched by it.
In Catalyst, Vaughan and Shaheed focus on the underlying idea of tolerance, and our ability to accept difference. The work will be performed with dancers and drummers from Dimensions Dance Theater, with music performed live by Shaheed and members of the Mo’ Rockin Band. Vaughan calls it a “movement-based musical conversation.”
Catalyst celebrates the confluence of dance and music in the region of Morocco and North Africa, where African, Spanish and Arab cultures have co-existed for centuries. Vaughan combines traditional African dance forms with contemporary forms to respond to the music’s rhythms, energy and emotion; Shaheed’s score includes song and instrumentation for both traditional instruments – oud, gimbri and karkabas – and contemporary jazz instruments.
“By interweaving many different threads of music and dance into a rich mosaic, Catalyst honors the beauty that results when we celebrate our differences,” Vaughan said.
The 12 previous Heritage Music Festivals have presented jazz musicians. “We’re looking at a concept of moving toward a world music festival rather than solely focus on jazz,” said Professor Richard Bains, chair of the Music and Performing Arts Department, the festival’s sponsor. “We are looking at multiple disciplines, including dance. Dimensions Dance Theater is a great way to try out this new approach,” Professor Bains said.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
For more information or disability accommodations, call Nicole Mendoza at 582-3009. To learn more about the Music and Performing Arts Department at CSUMB, click here.
The Monterey Bay Film Festival is back for its fourth year and it’s bigger and better than ever.
Now under the auspices of the newly formed Monterey Bay Film Society, the festival has grown to two days and a pair of locations.
This year’s festival will be held April 8 and 9. It opens with a showing of the Mexican film, Revolucion, at 7 p.m., April 8, at Lighthouse Cinema in Pacific Grove. Tickets are $9 for general admission, $6.50 for students.
One hundred years after the Mexican Revolution, 10 Mexican directors collaborated on the film, reflecting on the meaning of revolution in contemporary Mexico. It’s made up of 10 films, each 10 minutes long, and showcases a wide range of voices from the vibrant Mexican film scene.
One of those voices, Rodrigo Garcia, will be on hand to introduce the film and answer questions after the showing. Son of Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez, he directed the film’s final segment, called “7th and Alvarado,” referring to a Latino area of Los Angeles.
Garcia (pictured at left) has directed episodes for HBO series including The Sopranos, Six Feet Under and Big Love. His film credits include Nine Lives, Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her, and Mother and Child, which was shown at last year’s Sundance Film Festival.
On Saturday, April 9, the festival moves to California State University, Monterey Bay’s World Theater on Sixth Avenue. Saturday’s screenings are free, but reservations are requested and can be made here.
Young filmmakers will be in the spotlight as 16 short works – all under 5 minutes – will be shown starting at 1 p.m. Doors open at 12:30 p.m.
Some of the films were submitted by local teenagers, some come from overseas. Several were made by CSUMB students. Teen films include an animation from Afghanistan and local films from Rancho Cielo, the Boys and Girls Clubs, and a music video made at the Salinas Public Library.
About 3 p.m., “True Stories,” a program of innovative short films curated by Mike Plante, will be screened. Since 2002, Plante has worked as a programmer with the Sundance Film Festival and as director of programming with CineVegas.
The Monterey Bay Film Society is presented by CSUMB’s Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department. Its inaugural event was held March 5, when the documentary “I Am Secretly an Important Man” was shown at the Osio Theater in Monterey. Peter Sillen, the film’s director, was on hand to answer questions from the audience.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here. For information on the festival, call Jennifer Benge at (831) 582-3743 or visit the web.
An evening with Lea DeLaria will highlight Cal State Monterey Bay’s celebration of LGBTQ history month.
DeLaria’s talk, followed by a question-and-answer session, will get under way at 7 p.m., Oct. 15, in the University Center ballroom.
Featured in Netflix’s hit series *Orange is the New Black*, DeLaria is an out-and-proud lesbian actress, comedian, writer and blues/jazz musician who has spent her career advocating for LGBTQ rights.
Prior to her success on Orange, she was seen in countless TV series (*Awkward*, *Californication*, *The Oblongs*, *One Life to Live*, *Law and Order SVU*, *Will and Grace*, *Friends* to name a few), and movies (*First Wives Club*, *Dear Dumb Diary*, *Edge of Seventeen*). She also has five records out on the Warner Jazz and Classics label and her book *Lea's Book of Rules for the World* is in its third printing at Bantam Doubleday and Dell. Admission is free for CSUMB students with CSUMB username; $4 for CSUMB staff and faculty with ID; $6 for non-CSUMB students with ID; and $8 for everyone else.
The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Driving directions and a campus map.
Complete schedule of LGBTQ history month events.
As part of CSU Monterey Bay’s celebration of Earth Week, the award-winning environmental documentary “Fuel” will be screened at 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 27, at the World Theater on Sixth Avenue.
After the screening, writer-director Josh Tickell and producer Rebecca Harrell Tickell will be on stage to discuss the film and answer questions.
Though the film’s premise is simple enough – we are too reliant on oil – its ramifications (economic, environmental and political) are enormous.
The film is a highly critical, in-depth, personal journey that examines a host of energy answers to America's oil addiction, as well as offering a critique of the U.S. auto and petroleum industries' role in resisting change.
Tickets are $10, or $5 for people willing to sign an Earth Day pledge to make an effort to go green. “Your Earth Day pledge will be signed on magnolia leaves that will be composted after the event,” World Theater Executive Director Joe Cardinalli said. “We hope everyone will sign the pledge.” Tickets can be reserved by calling the World Theater box office at 582-4580 or can be purchased at the door.
Tickell, a first-time director, began the journey resulting in the film after watching members of his family suffer from pollution-related cancers as a result of living near petroleum refineries in Louisiana. In 1997, he set out on the road with a biodiesel powered "Veggie Van" and a video camera and began filming what would eventually become known as “Fuel.”
"I wanted to make a film about the serious challenges we face and ultimately about the power of every individual to make a difference," Tickell said. He routinely travels to screen the film using biodiesel vehicles. His goal, Tickell said, is to "green the vote" of America by getting everyday people, along with elected officials and energy companies, to support a 10-year plan that will transition America to renewable energy.
Harrell Tickell is a veteran producer and musician who specializes in youth activism, education and the environment. She co-directs The Veggie Van Organization, a national nonprofit dedicated to education about sustainable energy.
“Fuel” has won numerous awards since its release, including the audience award for best documentary at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.
New York Times reviewer Jeannette Catsoulis called the film "sweeping and exhilarating . . . Thanks to an informative, buoyant tone and the director's own restless intelligence, the film preaches to the unconverted with passion, energy and graphics so clear that they would make Al Gore weep all over his PowerPoint."
Other reviewers have said:
"IMPRESSIVELY COMPREHENSIVE" . . . "Fuel" is a vital, superbly assembled documentary that presents an insightful overview of America's troubled relationship with oil and how alternative and sustainable energies can reduce our country's – and the world's – addictive dependence on fossil fuels." – Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times
"SWEEPING AND EXHILARATING" . . . Tickell's passionate film goes beyond great storytelling; it rings out like a bell that stirs consciousness and makes individual action suddenly seem consequential. – Caroline Libresco, The Sundance Institute
"THE UNOFFICIAL SEQUEL TO AL GORE'S 'AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH' " . . . Tickell gets points for intellectual honesty for directly addressing critics who are concerned that increased use of biofuels will impact the global food supply, possibly pricing poor countries out of the market for such staples as corn. He doesn't dismiss the argument but offers some next generation technological solutions, from algae farms in the desert to "vertical farms" in the cities. – Kerry Lengel, Arizona Republic
Artist and author Simon Silva has channeled the difficult and painful experiences of his childhood in a family of migrant farm workers into bold and proud expressions of Chicano culture.
The community is welcome to attend his presentation on “Nurturing Creativity,” set for 7 p.m., April 11, in the University Center on Sixth Avenue on the CSU Monterey Bay campus. The event is free; no tickets or reservations are required.
Silva is famous for his vibrant paintings that depict stylized portraits of farm workers bending to harvest crops, suns radiating heat and picturesque fields and valleys. He has used his painting to empower himself, honor Chicano culture and honor the dignity of farm workers.
His presentation will provide parents, educators and other community members with tools to help students become critical thinkers, lifelong learners and confident leaders. He will reflect on his own experiences to present art as a means of inspiring learning and as a source of self-esteem, empowerment and cultural pride.
At first, Silva had a generic artistic style. He painted horses and landscapes that he thought people might be interested in buying. But literature changed his life.
“I had never been a reader,” he said. “The only thing read in our house growing up was the Bible and the yellow pages. Then, my brother-in-law loaned me a copy of “Bless Me, Ultima” by Rudolfo Anaya.
“There was so much material that was familiar in terms of characters, story lines and some of the things I had gone through. It was a real revelation and it opened up a whole new world for me.” The book set him on the right path to look at the experiences in his life and to find value in them. “Literature saved me,” he said. “I had tried to run away from these experiences – I was carrying shame about them.
“Through Chicano literature, I was able to focus on Chicano culture in my artwork. It’s what I needed to paint—not only for myself but also for those out there who have no self-esteem. It’s an opportunity for me to tell a campesino, ‘You’re important enough for me to paint and you’re also important enough to write about.’
“Through my paintings and writings, I’m able to make a powerful situation out of what I had been ashamed of,” he said. “The same can be said for ethnicity. If you’ve been told all your life that you are inferior and can’t do it, you won’t. I was fortunate in that I had my art to keep me going.”
The event is sponsored by the Associated Students Cultural Enrichment Committee, Student Activities & Leadership Development, and the Office of the Dean of Students. Books and prints will be available for sale at the event.
For driving directions and a campus map, click here.
Otters' historic run: CCAA conference championship, national ranking and NCAA bid
For months, it seemed they couldn’t lose. Even when the Otters’ women’s basketball team finally fell to top rival Cal Poly Pomona after 16 straight victories, they bounced back to win 11 of their next 14.
By season’s end, the women had dramatically raised the bar for CSUMB basketball: an unprecedented 27-4 record, a California Collegiate Athletic Association regular-season title, a No. 19 national ranking, Division II’s top defense, a ticket to the NCAA West Regional tournament, and three players named to the all-conference team.
The magical season came to an end in the second round of the regional, when the team lost to Grand Canyon University.
Coach Renee Jimenez isn’t betting on another 16-0 start, but a dozen returning starters promise to make next year’s team exciting and successful, she said.
The newly formed Monterey Bay Film Society presented by TAT has already staged two successful events. The annual Monterey Bay Film Festival, set for April 8 and 9, promised to be just as exciting.
The society’s mission is to promote the cinematic arts with year-round programs and to provide free media workshops for at-risk and underserved youngsters throughout Monterey County. It also intends to bring the most innovative contemporary filmmakers to the Monterey Bay area, holding programs, events and screenings at a variety of venues.
CSUMB’s Enid Baxter Blader and Chris Carpenter are co-directors. Mike Plante of the Sundance Film Festival is the society's creative director.
“The idea is to support local filmmakers by bringing in artists. It will also serve as an opportunity for them to do community workshops in underserved areas, and speak to film students at the university,’’ Professor Blader noted, adding that organizers had raised $280,000 in grant money and an additional $70,000 from private donors to help fund their ambitious plans.
The film society’s inaugural event was held March 5, when the documentary “I Am Secretly an Important Man” was shown at the Osio Theater in Monterey. Peter Sillen, the film’s director, was on hand to answer questions from the audience. The second event was the March 19 screening of “Carmel-by-the-Sea” at Sunset Center in Carmel. Tickets were in big demand for both events; both were sold out.
To read more about the Monterey Bay Film Festival, click here.
Andrea Aguilar always knew that she wanted to work in the film and TV industry, but CSUMB helped her realize how powerful a tool the media really is.
“TV reaches all the corners of the earth. I remember as a child how much information I absorbed because of it,” said Aguilar, a 2007 TAT graduate. “We look to the media for everything. I hope to someday be a big part of that influence.”
She’s on the way to accomplishing just that. She’s currently an associate producer for The Rachel Zoe Project on the Bravo cable TV channel. Her other credits include BBQ Pitmasters, LA Ink, Gene Simmons Family Jewels and Big Brother.
She’s most proud of her work on The Swell Life featuring champion surfer Izzy Paskowitz and his family. They run Surfers Healing, a nonprofit organization that offers free surf day camps to autistic children. The program will air on Oprah Winfrey’s new cable network OWN.
“My work has given me the opportunity to experience different slices of humanity, from surfing cowboys to high-profile fashionistas. It’s awesome to put on different hats and assume someone else’s lifestyle for three to six months,” Aguilar said.
“Challenging? Yes. Boring? Far from it.”
From her home on Venice Beach – which she shares with her dog, Yoshi – she runs a group on Facebook called TAT Creative Connection. “It’s an alumni group that helps alums and people who have worked with us to stay connected. We post jobs, rooms for rent, projects and discussions,” she said.
What have you been up to since graduation? Let us know!
Long after his notorious prison experiment, famous psychologist teaches how to act heroically
Psychologist Philip Zimbardo will make a return visit to CSU Monterey Bay on April 25 to lecture on “Good and Evil: The Heroic Imagination Project.”
The free event will start at 7 p.m. in the University Center on Sixth Avenue. Reservations are requested and can be made here.
Dr. Zimbardo, professor emeritus at Stanford University, first lectured at CSUMB in September 2007, when he discussed his book, “The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil.” A standing-room-only crowd packed the World Theater to hear him.
He has spent much of his professional life, including his famous 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment, examining how otherwise caring human beings can be easily persuaded or seduced to cross the line between good and evil. The actions of American military police guards at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison provide just one confirmation of his findings.
Recently, he has set out to communicate the opposite: these same people can speak out against evil and become heroes. The non-profit Heroic Imagination Project is his effort to put that idea into broad-based, sustainable action by encouraging young people to think about real heroism and heroic acts.
“We are such a celebrity-oriented society, for many young people, being a celebrity has been equated with being a hero,” he said.
“Heroes are ordinary people. You become a hero by doing an extraordinary deed.”
Last November, Dr. Zimbardo told Monterey Herald columnist Peter Funt: “Heroism can be learned by example and reinforced with practice.
“The definition of a hero that I promote is someone who acts voluntarily on behalf of others in need, or in defense of a moral cause, aware of risks and costs, without expectation of tangible rewards,” he told Funt.
The Heroic Imagination Project’s pilot program began last September at high schools in Oakland and Los Altos Hills. Students spent the fall semester learning the principles of social psychology that relate to heroism. They watched videos of such famous experiments as Stanley Milgram’s 1963 study on obedience to authority and Dr. Zimbardo’s own prison study. Students gained an understanding of the power of the situation over their own behavior as well as how to surpass these influences and act heroically.
Dr. Zimbardo is an internationally recognized scholar, educator, researcher and media personality. He taught at Yale, New York University and Columbia before joining the faculty at Stanford in 1968. He may be best known for his popular television series on PBS, Discovering Psychology.
The presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session moderated by CSUMB Professor Armando Arias.
Sponsors include Office of the Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, InterClub Council, Psi Chi, Kinship Center, Psychology Society, Dr. Jill Yamashita, Dr. Jennifer Dyer-Seymour, Dr. Armando Arias, Student Activities and the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies.
More information on the Heroic Imagination Project can be found here.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
We are all potential heroes waiting for a moment in a life to perform a heroic deed. – Dr. Philip Zimbardo
Unlike many of her fellow internees, Kiyo Sato is willing to discuss her family’s experience during World War II.
For years, she has spoken to students, church groups and other gatherings about how a frightened nation looking for scapegoats in the hysteria after Pearl Harbor resulted in 120,000 of its Japanese-American residents – most of them American citizens – being thrown into heavily guarded camps in remote and desolate places such as Poston, Ariz.
“I believe in everybody talking about it,” Sato told the Sacramento Bee in 2007. “I don’t think it’s something you forget.”
In 2007, she wrote an eloquent memoir, “Dandelion Through the Crack.” In its latest edition, the book is titled “Kiyo’s Story: A Japanese-American Family’s Quest for the American Dream.” It won the 2008 William Saroyan Prize for Nonfiction.
Sato will visit CSU Monterey Bay on April 14 to talk about her life growing up in California, being swept off to an internment camp as an 18-year-old student at Sacramento Junior College, and ultimately surviving and succeeding despite terrible odds and oppressive prejudice.
Her talk will start at 2 p.m. in Room 1188 of the Tanimura and Antle Library. The public is invited to this free event.
Sato mulled over the idea of writing a book for four decades, taking the occasional writing class. It wasn’t until 2003 that she decided to do it.
She told the Bee that she sees the book as a way to make sure the forced internment of America’s residents never happens again.
For driving directions and a campus map, click here.
It is a magnificent memoir, fully worthy of being compared to Farewell to Manzanar. I cannot praise its pointillist realism, its Zen-like austerity, highly enough. Exquisite. – Kevin Starr, author of California: A History
In Fall 2010, CSUMB established its Innovation Institute to Support Economic Growth, which will provide comprehensive, innovative education, business services and economic development to the greater Monterey Bay region. – Salinas Valley Business Journal, March/April, 2011
CSU Monterey Bay students went barefoot on April 5 to raise awareness of the impact a pair of shoes can have on a child’s life.
The effort was part of the international One Day Without Shoes campaign that was originated by TOMS Shoes, a company that donates a pair of shoes to a child in need for each pair purchased.
CSUMB students kicked off their shoes for a walk around the main quad, through the Dining Commons and the library.
“About 15 students marched in our group,” said Alexandra Simard, a student from Orange County. “We had a megaphone, and we used it to ask people to take off their shoes. A lot of them did,” she said. The students who complied with the request “asked us what was going on. It gave us a chance to talk about the issue.”
TOMS gives away its shoes to children in 23 countries, including the United States, but primarily in developing countries where children have to walk barefoot to school, to reach clean water or for medical help.
“Children who don’t have shoes get diseases,” said Hailey Hohl of Patterson. “Today’s event raises awareness about that.”
Added Simard: “Children in developing countries can’t get to school, can't get an education, because they don’t have shoes. Since I’m a college student, I think about that.”
Company founder Blake Mycoskie told the Los Angeles Times he expected a 1 million people to participate worldwide.
According to the One Day Without Shoes website, shoes are a luxury for hundreds of millions of children, a luxury their families can’t afford.
In many developing countries, children walk barefoot for miles risking injury, infection and exposure to soil-transmitted diseases. Many schools require shoes for attendance, giving children without them no opportunity to learn. And some soil-based diseases not only cause physical symptoms, but create cognitive impairment, too, crippling a child's long-term potential.
TOMS has sponsored the event for five years, but Mycoskie is nowhere close to his goal of stamping out foot diseases worldwide.
He told the Huffington Post:
"I think sometimes we forget what we have, and occasionally it's important to remind ourselves. Most people don't even realize how many children in developing countries grow up barefoot and all the risks, infections and diseases they endure. For most of us, modern shoes are so comfortable and accessible, we forget about our feet, but they are a source of constant focus for others.
"I wanted everyone to personally understand the impact of shoes," he said, "and the difference they can make, so we thought, 'Why don't we get a taste of what these kids go through every day?' "
For more information on One Day Without Shoes, click here.
CSUMB’s women’s golf team shot 604 to win this week’s Grand Canyon Invitational at Palm Valley Golf Course in Phoenix, defeating runner-up and host Grand Canyon University by a stroke. Eighteen teams competed in the two-day event.
En route to the victory, the Otters outperformed four teams ranked in the top 10 nationally. In addition to No. 8 Grand Canyon, CSUMB bested No. 3-ranked Tarleton State, sixth-ranked St. Edwards and No. 5 Western Washington.
All five CSUMB golfers finished in the top 25. Courtney Soekland shot 74-74–148 to tie for third, the best individual finish by an Otter.
Other members of the team and their scores: Darcy Lake 74-76–150 Audra Kepler 78-75–153 McKenna Corriea 77-77–154 Gianna Waddy 77-79–156
The Otters conclude regular-season tournament play on April 11 and 12 at Tarleton State’s George Housewright Invitational in Granbury, Texas.
"Ripple Effects," which looks at the worldwide impacts of local marine research, will be held on Saturday, April 9, at CSUMB's University Center on Sixth Avenue.
The free event gets under way at 9 a.m. For more information, click here.
CSU Monterey Bay has hosted several events as part of the 10th annual Reel Work May Day Labor Film Festival. The final screening is set for Monday.
The festival features films that illuminate the lives of workers and the ways workers and unions around the world organize to make change.
Monday, May 2, 8 p.m., Tanimura & Antle Library, Room 1188, Divarty Street at Fifth Avenue: *Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune*, about the singer-songwriter of the Vietnam era whose lyrics are just as relevant today. Reception and *The War is Over* action starts at 7 p.m., followed by the film showing at 8.
The program is sponsored by the California Faculty Association, CSUMB Student Peace Alliance and U.S. Labor Against the War. Admission to all events is by voluntary donation; the $2 university parking fee must be paid.
Complete listing of this year’s films in Monterey, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara countieshttp://www.reelwork.org. For more information on the CSUMB screenings, contact Jennifer Colby at 582-5045 or jcolby@csumb.edu.
Driving directions and a campus map.
Submit the winning entry in CSU Monterey Bay's bicycle garage design contest and win $350. The winning entry must be an indoor, weatherproof, secure facility.
The contest kicked off April 11 with a visit to the proposed site located east of the Institutional Assessment & Research Building on the main quad.
The project is paid for by a grant from the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District. It is intended to encourage people to commute to campus via bicycle – and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions from vehicle traffic.
The contest is open to students of CSUMB, Monterey Peninsula College and the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Entries will be judged on feasibility, creativity, sustainability, place-making, flow and efficiency of interior space, and effective use of exterior space.
Entries should include a site plan, elevations, structural cross section, eye-level perspective, sustainability criteria, maintenance, operation costs, greenhouse gas emissions footprint, and estimated construction budget. Projects must be submitted on two 24” x 36” sheets and a letter-size project summary. Other items such as physical models, power point slides, and animations are permitted but not required.
Proposed designs should consider several elements, including but not limited to structure size from 300 to 500 square feet, weatherproofing to limit rust damage to bicycles, video surveillance mount location and cost, door with electronic card access reader, building height to accommodate double-decker rack systems (see Portland State University bike garage for an example), and visual passage. CSUMB is a state entity and any structures must comply with requirements of the California Building Code and Americans with Disabilities Act.
The deadline is noon, May 31. Please submit contest entries to Megan Tolbert at CSUMB, Mountain Hall Suite A, or to Thomas Rettenwender at Monterey Peninsula College.
Entries will be judged at a public display at the Monterey Peninsula College Art Gallery on June 1. Upon submittal, designs become the property of CSUMB. Winning project may or may not be built as proposed, at the discretion of CSUMB Campus Planning & Development.
For additional information, please contact Megan Tolbert at 582-4262 or at mtolbert@csumb.edu.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
From the moment it opened at 8 a.m. on Dec. 1, 2008, the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library has been the center of student life at Cal State Monterey Bay.
Having watched construction for two years, students lined up to get their first look inside the 136,000-square-foot structure. They rolled through the doors in numbers that shattered records at the old library. Those numbers have been climbing ever since.
The library features three classrooms, two auditoriums, 11 group study areas (that can be reserved online), multimedia equipment and an area designated for lessons in information literacy, along with the stacks of books, periodicals and electronic information.
A café and lounge spaces are also part of the building. In addition, the university’s information technology Help Desk provides real-time tech support to library users.
It is also home to the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center, the University Writing Program, the Academic Skills Achievement Center and the Student Success Center.
“We talk about the library as the ‘living room’ of the university,” said library director Bill Robnett. “It’s the intersection of campus life.”
With a three-story atrium, the building feels expansive. Students can check out laptops and are encouraged to re-arrange furniture to suit their needs. The library is also active at night, as both a social hangout and a place to study.
“We have people who seem to live here all the time,” Robnett said. It is especially beneficial for commuter students.
Some faculty members maintain office hours in the library, and staff members hold meetings there. The café is a popular place for those purposes.
When asked about his “wish list,” Robnett doesn’t hesitate to answer.
“An endowment to support the academic collection is an urgent need,” he said. “When I say ‘collection,’ I mean all kinds of formats, not just books. We want to get into more multiple-platform content.”
Many students are pleased with the library as it is.
“The other library – we’d go in there to study and it was dark and uninviting,” said junior Madison Gipe. “This one is really geared for students. “And they serve the best coffee . . . and I’m in here nearly every day.”
CSU Monterey Bay and Hartnell College are joining forces on a program, called "CSIT-in-3," next fall. – Monterey County Weekly, Dec. 13, 2012
Disc golfers representing three dozen colleges and universities will compete in the fifth annual Collegiate Disc Golf Championships April 14-17 in North Augusta, S.C.
CSU Monterey Bay earned an automatic berth by virtue of its tie for 11th in last year’s tournament. The Otters, who were scheduled to leave on Tuesday, April 12, go in as the No. 9-ranked team in the nation.
The national team championship will be decided at the tourney, as well as singles and doubles titles. The top six individual finishers will earn "All American" honors.
Members of CSUMB's team are Danny Messina, Brandon White, Clark Hardenbergh, Ross Sauceda, Samuel Bahlenhorst and Brian Ramler.
??Unlike the contestants at that better-known golf event in Augusta, Georgia – about five minutes away – the college golfers take to the air. Like their counterparts in that other sport, the players will hike around the 18-hole courses at the Hippodrome Disc Golf Complex carrying drivers and putters. But instead of clubs made of graphite, they use discs made of durable plastic. Scoring in disc golf is similar to regular or, as the players say, "ball" golf. Players get a certain number of strokes, or tosses, to hit the target – in disc golf, a basket.?? The sport is growing in the college ranks. The first national championship, in 2007, drew a field of six teams; this year’s field has grown six-fold. Augusta State University of Georgia won last year’s team title, the first school outside the Southeastern Conference to do so. The University of Georgia won the first two titles, followed by Mississippi State in 2009.
Follow the team on Twitter. Learn more about disc golf at CSUMB & the National Collegiate Disc Gold Championships.
Michael Briley, managing partner of Hayashi & Wayland Accounting and Consulting, LLP, and Mary Adams, president and CEO of the United Way of Monterey County, will be honored at CSU Monterey Bay’s School of Business Showcase. The event will be held May 3 in the University Center starting with a reception at 6 p.m. Dinner and the program will follow. The showcase is intended to play a part in developing a strong relationship between the local business community and the university's School of Business. Proceeds benefit the school’s program fund. Mr. Briley (pictured at right) is this year’s recipient of the business leadership award. He brings 27 years of experience in the accounting industry to his role as managing partner for Hayashi & Wayland, where he leads a firm of nine partners and 100 employees. A community leader, he serves as treasurer for the Hartnell College Foundation and chair of its finance committee. Mr. Briley helped the university develop an accounting concentration and has provided internship and career opportunities for CSUMB students. Ms. Adams (pictured below) will be honored for community leadership. Her career spans more than 25 years in the not-for-profit sector. She has led the United Way since 2001. Prior to joiing that agency, she held key positions with the California Biomedical Research Association, American Heart Association – Western States Affiliate, American Diabetes Association, American Cancer Society and Volunteers in Action. She serves on the York School board of trustees and has a leadership role with the Salinas Rotary Club.
The leadership awards were inaugurated in 2009 to recognize community leaders who have shown a commitment to CSU Monterey Bay and the mission of the university.
Attendees will have the opportunity to meet faculty members, graduating seniors and successful alumni, and to learn more about how the School of Business is educating students to be ethical and effective leaders.
Student awards, including one for the school’s outstanding senior, will also be given out at the showcase.
Tickets are $100 each. Reservations may be made by calling 582-4141 by April 22. For more information, call Carol Davis at 582-4232.
To learn more about the School of Business at CSU Monterey Bay, click here.
The end of all education should surely be service to others. ?-- Cesar Chavez Cesar Chavez was an ordinary man with an extraordinary legacy of accomplishment and service to humanity. He believed that people have an obligation to contribute to their community and help others.
To ensure that the life, work and values of Chavez continue to inspire all Californians, former Gov. Gray Davis signed legislation to establish March 31 as Cesar Chavez Day of Service and Learning, a state holiday. At California State University, Monterey Bay, March 31 marked the start of a 36-day community service drive – from Cesar Chavez Day to Cinco de Mayo – coordinated by the university’s Service Learning Institute, the Student Activities office and AmeriCorps. Twenty-one groups – including the Associated Students, fraternities, sororities, student organizations and clubs – entered a friendly competition to see how many hours of community service they could document. The goal was 3,000 hours. It was the first year CSUMB students undertook such an ambitious project. While they fell a bit short – they tallied 2,929 hours, or 94 percent of the goal – the effort was deemed a success. “For a first attempt, we’re pleased with the total,” said Steven Goings, AmeriCorps VIP Leader and service opportunities coordinator for the Service Learning Institute. “We should be proud of ourselves,” Goings added. The Service Learning Student Leaders performed the most hours, recording a total of 659. On Cesar Chavez Day alone, the group tallied 64 hours; they added 595 on College Access Weekend, April 1-3. Omega Delta Phi was second with 435.5 hours and the team representing Return of the Natives was third with 380 hours. In addition to the 21 registered groups, unaffiliated volunteers contributed 279 hours. Goings was quick to give credit to Student Activities Director Tim Bills, who led eight fraternities and sororities to a total of 906 hours, or 35 percent of the total. Goings also credited Kelly Mailly, coordinator of leadership development in Student Activities, for working with five members of the Inter-Club Council. Among them, the clubs logged 161 hours of service. On May 12, certificates of recognition will be awarded to the participating teams. The AmeriCorps team at CSUMB will also be recognized, as an acknowledgment of National AmeriCorps Week. The campus community is invited to join the celebration from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Student Center.
“The people who participated in the Cesar Chavez Challenge have truly helped us to create and enhance a culture of service on our campus,” Goings said.
Final tally: 1 – Service Learning Student Leaders = 659 Hours 2 – Omega Delta Phi = 435.5 Hours 3 – Return of the Natives = 380 4 – Student Housing and Residential Life = 303 5 – Lambda Theta Nu = 164 6 – Theta Alpha Sigma = 128 7 – Student Peace Alliance = 88 8 – Students for Quality Education = 88 9 – Kappa Delta Chi = 69.5 10 – Green Team = 69 11 – Kappa Sigma = 55 12 – Beta Beta Beta = 46.5 13 – Science Club = 33 14 – Black Students United = 30 15 – Friends of Ivy League = 18 16 – Pre-Medical Society = 18 17 – Associated Students = 17.5 18 – Campus Dining Services = 15 19 – MEChA = 13.5 20 – Law Club = 12 21 – Sigma Omega Nu = 8 22 – Unaffiliated = 279
Total = 2,929.5
Arturo Contreras has a knack for helping small businesses prosper. As a junior consultant at California State University, Monterey Bay’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Contreras helps entrepreneurs create a blueprint for success.
A Gonzales native who transferred to CSUMB from Hartnell College in Salinas, he has worked at the SBDC in his hometown for a year. His clients include plumbers, salon owners and bookkeepers.
The work also lets him practice concepts he learned in courses: financial management, competitor analysis and marketing research.
“By helping a small number of businesses we are actually making a big difference,” he said.
After graduation in May, Contreras hopes to work at a local accounting firm and eventually be a certified public accountant with his own firm.
Todd Hallenbeck will complete his master’s degree in Coastal and Watershed Science & Policy this spring. A San Jose native, Hallenbeck is also the recipient of a Sea-Grant West Coast Governor’s Agreement Fellowship.
This fellowship allows him to work with state and federal agencies for two years, implementing progressive regional marine policy off the coast of California, Oregon and Washington.
Hallenbeck’s master’s thesis, concerning the distribution of biological communities in soft sediment habitats of Monterey Bay, helped prepare him for that challenge.
“This will be an incredible opportunity to witness firsthand how science translates to policy,” Hallenbeck said, “and will put to good use all the skills and experiences I have gained from being at CSUMB.”
In advance of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, an online film journal called IndieWIRE.com took note of the “considerable buzz” being generated by the film school at Cal State Monterey Bay and other places somewhat “off the beaten path.”
“Forget about USC or UCLA,” the article said.
CSUMB’s answer to traditional film schools – known as the Teledramatic Arts & Technology Department, or TAT – continues to create buzz, win acclaim and produce graduates who find success in the varied and competitive world of film and video.
Chris Carpenter, media production specialist for the Teledramatic Arts & Technology Department, demonstrates use of a video camera to TAT students (from left) Shantel Byrd, J. J. Melancon and Ryan Elam in the department's studio.
Teledramatic Arts & Technology major These are examples of major learning outcomes expected for students graduating with a B.A. degree in Teledramatic Arts & Technology: • Gain an overview of media and foundational skills in storytelling, media criticism, history, ethics and application of knowledge in service to the community. • Analyze major historical movements of film and their interrelationships with each other and with technological, social and historical changes. • Practice and gain competency in developing written and visual content through such processes as research, proposal writing, story treatments, storyboarding, script writing and planning of production details. • Learn the production process in creation of live and media-based work. • Prepare work for media-based production and live events, which may include editing, graphics, special effects, image enhancement, audio mixing, etc. • Present work to an audience via publishing, broadcasting, internet streaming, documentation, screening and other distribution channels. • Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in media through completion of a creative project that synthesizes the major learning outcomes.
TAT integrates a sense of community into each aspect of student experience, from collaborative filmmaking and festivals to service projects in neighboring cities. A strong alumni network spreads that sense of community to places like Los Angeles, supporting new grads as they seek employment. Students get involved quickly – getting their hands on cameras and editing gear early.
“You can start making films in your freshman year, where you wouldn’t touch a camera in most schools ’til you’re a junior,” said Janaye Brown, a 2010 graduate. She is now pursuing a Master of Fine Arts at the University of Texas, Austin, where she earned a David J. Bruton Fellowship.
TAT resources more than suffice for the 163 students now in the program, said J.J. Melancon, a senior who aspires to start a production company on the Monterey Peninsula. “There are four different buildings you’re able to edit in – and great production facilities,” he said.
Faculty and staff resources are equally varied.
“A lot of teachers are or were professionals in the field, so they have connections,” said Adam Younkin, a senior.
For example, a TAT project, the Monterey Bay Film Society, employs Mike Plante, the associate programmer for the Sundance Film Festival as creative director. “He brings an unending stream of internationally renowned filmmakers to visit,” said Enid Baxter Blader, TAT department chair.
“He’s also visited our Capstone classes,” Blader said, referring to senior students’ thesis project. “Each senior got to pitch film ideas and get feedback from him one-on-one.”
The traffic heads Sundance’s way, too. Two films by Cal State Monterey Bay alumni – Doug Mueller ’03 and the team of Robert Machoian ’07 and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck ’09 – have screened at the prestigious festival in the past two years.
The senior-year projects culminate in the semi-annual, on-campus Capstone Festival, set for May 20. Last year filmgoers filled the university’s 427-seat World Theater to view narrative, documentary and experimental films.
“It’s absolutely electric,” Blader said. “It’s not only family and friends; it’s really the community coming out for this. That’s unusual for an undergraduate institution.”
Other events nearby provide opportunities for TAT students to screen their films or gain curating experience. Student films have shown at two Carmel festivals, in June and October; at Sand City’s West End Festival; and at the Blue Ocean and First Night events in Monterey.
TAT started the annual Monterey Bay Film Festival, held this year on April 9. Launched in 2008, it now draws about 300 entries for the teen program. Besides California, they come from such places as El Salvador and Armenia. Plante brings a collection of programs, some straight from Sundance. The festival’s budget was held together at first by duct tape and paper clips, but it has recently benefited greatly from grants and private donations.
“Students get to see what it’s like to curate and produce a film festival,” Blader said. “They form relationships with visiting filmmakers who become mentors to them.”
Rachel Asendorf, a senior, was a producer’s assistant for last year’s Young Filmmakers program, part of the MBFF.
“I watched all the footage and helped categorize things,” she said. “We pick which teen films will be in the festival. I wrangled people for interviews and made sure everyone checked in. This semester I hope to be stage manager.”
Students’ interaction with teens – and sometimes children – becomes more direct in the department’s projects in service learning, which integrates the experience of public service into the academic major.
“I love making films, but I found what I really wanted to do was impact youths’ lives in any way I could – by telling stories or just being a friend or role model,” said Juan Ramirez, a 2009 graduate. His service learning project, “Concrete Paradigm,” documented the struggles and hopes of detainees in Monterey County Juvenile Hall.
“Concrete Paradigm” won awards for Ramirez and co-director Stephen Sprague at several film festivals. The sequel, “Letters from Within,” was tapped for a March 19 screening at the International Family Film Festival in Hollywood. Ramirez, who has since become TAT’s community outreach coordinator, is making a third film, “Trojans Under the Helmet,” that looks at social pressures in Salinas through the eyes of athletes.
“We didn’t just film,” Ramirez said of the juvenile hall projects. “We taught workshops there for a whole year. We got to know them and were mentors."
Added Blader, “The workshops teach teens to value their own stories. They create interconnectedness and hope for kids who feel alone. Juvenile Hall has about a 95 percent recidivism rate; anecdotally we know the incidence is lower for teens we’ve served. Some have ended up in adult programs for filmmaking. They decided, ‘This is what I want to do.’ That’s powerful.”
For her service project, Brown led a filmmaking class for teens at the Salinas Public Library and overcame nervousness about taking the role of teacher.
Not every TAT student wants to work in the conventional film industry. Melinda DeRouen, a 2005 graduate, still shoots video but focuses on stage-acting and radio work. And the film work of Brown and Ojeda-Beck – who’s now in graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley – is geared as much to galleries as to theaters.
“(TAT) exposed me to experimental media,” Brown said. “A lot of that exists in the art world. Had I not gone to CSUMB, I might have worked in a traditional film program.”
'ABOVE THE AVERAGE'
TAT doesn’t just look at filmmaking, Blader said.
“There’s a confluence between film and multiple histories of storytelling,” she said.
"We’re looking at the histories of theater, performance, art and avant-garde image-making. This approach gives our students a visual fluency that sets them above the average. This is why they are recognized at international film festivals.”
Graduates working in such commercial film centers as Hollywood and San Francisco say the breadth of experience gained at Cal State Monterey Bay helped get their careers off the ground.
“I thought I just wanted to write and direct, but TAT opened my eyes to everything that was out there.” said Justin Bloch, a 2004 grad who now edits for the Discovery Channel in Hollywood.
“Because I was familiar with both production and postproduction, I helped organize the structures here. It was all something I had done before.”
Like many TAT graduates, Bloch has experience in reality TV. He spent a few seasons at the Fox hit “Hell’s Kitchen.” More recently he edited a new show, “Enough Already,” for the Oprah Winfrey network.
GRADS REACH BACK
TAT grads are a tight-knit bunch. An alumni reunion is slated this spring for a Sunset Boulevard venue.
“I’ve gotten and given job leads for TAT students,” Bloch said. “In L.A., we help each other. I’ve become used to hearing (managers) say they’ll hire someone from the same school. They say I’m useful.”
Said Blader,“It’s more than references. They hire each other and help each other make their projects, too.”
Shawn Hovis is help-desk coordinator for Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville. It’s an information technology job, but Pixar offers him occasional filmmaking opportunities.
His live-action short “Play by Play” won the Children’s Choice Award at the Bay Area International Children’s Film Festival and has been accepted to the Cleveland International Film Festival.
“Whether you make it or not, much of it is luck,” Hovis said. “But you have to generate things from yourself. TAT gets you going, but they expect a lot out of you.”
As 2010 ended, 2001 Oscar-winning grad David Kashevaroff began a fourmonth, on-location stint in Vancouver, B.C., as first assistant editor for the moon-landing thriller “Apollo 18,” due out in April.
“It’s a unique movie in that they’re shooting and editing in a short period,” Kashevaroff said.
Other TAT graduates have worked on such recent commercial films as “Coraline” and the latest installments of “Toy Story,” “Terminator” and “Star Trek.”
Bloch said TAT taught him how to collaborate with others on a project.
“Everyone has a small part that makes up the larger production,” he said. “Working in L.A., I see people who lose sight of that and fall flat on their face. A lot of people here only know postproduction, so they don’t even talk to people in production. TAT students are able to bridge that gap.”
From the moment it opened at 8 a.m. on Dec. 1, 2008, the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library has been the center of student life at Cal State Monterey Bay.
Library at a glance The Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library is at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Divarty Street, with parking accessible from Divarty. Ways to help • To buy a book for the library from its wish list, visit the Alumni "giving back" page. • Naming opportunities still exist for library spaces. Contact Executive Director of University Development Mike Mahan at 582-3366 or mmahan@csumb.edu. Hours and parking • During the school year, the library is open 8 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday; and 2 p.m. to midnight on Sunday. • Hours vary during finals, the summer and holidays. A schedule is available at the CSUMB library page. • Public visitors must purchase a parking pass from machines on the lots. Cost is 50 cents per hour.
Having watched construction for two years, students lined up to get their first look inside the 136,000-square-foot structure. They rolled through the doors in numbers that shattered records at the old library. Those numbers have been climbing ever since.
The library features three classrooms, two auditoriums, 11 group study areas (that can be reserved online), multimedia equipment and an area designated for lessons in information literacy, along with the stacks of books, periodicals and electronic information.
A café and lounge spaces are also part of the building. In addition, the university’s information technology Help Desk provides realtime tech support to library users.
It is also home to the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center, the University Writing Program, the Academic Skills Achievement Center and the Student Success Center.
“We talk about the library as the ‘living room’ of the university,” said library director Bill Robnett. “It’s the intersection of campus life.”
With a three-story atrium, the building feels expansive. Students can check out laptops and are encouraged to rearrange furniture to suit their needs. The library is also active at night, as both a social hangout and a place to study.
“We have people who seem to live here all the time,” Robnett said. It is especially beneficial for commuter students.
Some faculty members maintain office hours in the library, and staff members hold meetings there. The café is a popular place for those purposes.
When asked about his “wish list,” Robnett doesn’t hesitate to answer.
“An endowment to support the academic collection is an urgent need,” he said. “When I say ‘collection,’ I mean all kinds of formats, not just books. We want to get into more multiple-platform content.”
Many students are pleased with the library just the way it is.
“The other library – we’d go in there to study and it was dark and uninviting,” said junior Madison Gipe. “This one is really geared for students. And they serve the best coffee. I’m in here nearly every day.”
Dozens of students from Rolling Hills Middle School in Wattsonville voluntarily spent their last week of winter break studying algebra – and having fun.
The Algebra Academy was held at the headquarters of the Graniterock company in Watsonville from Jan. 3 through 6. On Friday of that week, the youngsters spent the day on the campus of Cal State Monterey Bay and then returned to Graniterock for a graduation ceremony on Saturday.
CSUMB math faculty member Dr. Hongde Hu and lecturer Lorraine O’Shea taught the classes, assisted by four university students.
The goal was to get students up to speed with standards recently adopted by the California Department of Education that mandate preparation in algebra. The students worked with tablet PCs provided to CSUMB by Hewlett Packard as part of an EdTech Innovators grant it awarded the university last year – one of only 10 given out worldwide.
How to help To support a CSUMB-staffed academic opportunity for students, contact Executive Director of Univeristy Development Mike Mahan at 582-3366 or mmahan@csumb.edu.
Graniterock CEO Bruce Woolpert and assistant general counsel Kevin Jeffery spearheaded the academy.
The company has worked with Rolling Hills for four years, sending tutors from the company to help with English, art, math and science, as well as hosting events such as awards ceremonies for students who get good grades.
“The academy is also intended to build a strong math foundation through hands-on activities with algebra applications in the real world,” Dr. Hu said.
Among the problems students worked on were figuring the odds of winning a state lottery and determining why California license plates need three letters.
At CSUMB, the middle school students spent time in a math classroom where they played a game called “Survivor: Math Camp” that called on the skills they learned earlier in the week. They also got a campus tour, ate in the dining hall and learned what steps they should follow to prepare for college.
Their campus visit clearly made an impression. Some indicated the experience made them want to attend college, especially CSUMB.
Rolling Hills principal Rick Ito appreciated the opportunity for his students to participate in the program.
“I think the important thing is that students have seen math in a different way,” Ito said. “It’s not just in a classroom. It’s all around us.”
He also complimented the work of the CSUMB students.
“The four teaching assistants really made a connection with the students,” Ito said. “They’re a bridge between the professors and the youngsters, and they’ve done a great job.”
The new Foundation of California State University, Monterey Bay is bringing community and campus leaders together to foster support for the university’s philanthropic needs and goals.
To learn more For information on the Foundation of California State University, Monterey Bay, contact Development at 582-3366 or by email to jhempy@csumb.edu.
A 10-member board of directors meets in public at least quarterly to review progress, build support for educational programs and facilities, and promote awareness and understanding of CSUMB’s higher education mission.
President Dianne Harrison, who invited the initial directors, also serves on the board. Mike Mahan, executive director of university development, serves as the foundation’s chief executive officer, and Salinas attorney Robert Taylor is chair. Directors include community members, faculty and student representatives.
“The foundation is focused on where the community sees the university going – how the community can support the university, and how it will support the community,” Mahan said. Incorporated as a nonprofit in April 2009, the foundation will provide stewardship of charitable gifts to help fulfill the university’s mission.
The foundation has taken over philanthropic oversight from the University Corporation at Monterey Bay, which still manages CSUMB’s auxiliary business operations. The foundation will be able to make private support its “sole focus,” Mahan said.
Dr. Harrison said she is grateful for the directors’ service and their substantial contribution to the university.
***The Cal State Monterey Bay women’s basketball team celebrates its California Collegiate Athletic Association championship on March 1 following a victory over Sonoma State in the Kelp Bed at the Otter Sports Center. ***
For months, it seemed they couldn’t lose.
Even when the Otters women’s basketball team finally fell to top rival Cal Poly Pomona after 16 straight victories, they bounced back to win 11 of their next 14.
By season’s end, the women had dramatically raised the bar for Cal State Monterey Bay basketball: an unprecedented 27-4 record, a championship in the California Collegiate Athletic Association conference, a No. 19 national ranking, Division II’s top defense, a ticket to the NCAA West Regional tournament, and three players named all-conference.
“This is the most unselfish team I’ve ever been a part of as a player or a coach, and I think that’s what got us to the point we are this season,” said head coach Renee Jimenez, who was named CCAA Coach of the Year. “They stayed away from each other’s strengths and completed each other’s weaknesses.”
The Otters claimed the CCAA title outright and nearly won the conference tournament, losing to rival Cal Poly Pomona in the final. They crushed Dixie State in the first round of the regional and then went cold against Grand Canyon University.
“In the locker room, I told them, ‘You followed the game plan absolutely perfectly, and the ball just didn’t drop tonight,’” Jimenez said. “A few more shots drop, and it’s a ball game.
”She’s not betting on another 16-0 start, but a dozen returning players and strong freshmen will create a fun, exciting and successful team next season, she said.
“I do think that next year’s team is going to peak at just the right time to make a run through the NCAA tournament,” Jimenez said.
California State University, Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison was on a trip to Jordan and Oman from March 24 to April 8 as one of seven college and university leaders selected for the 2011 Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad Program.
The seminar was an opportunity for them to learn about the changing higher education scene in the Arab world and return home to share opportunities for future program development in the region with their respective campuses.
Dr. Harrison and the other presidents planned to meet with campus leaders in both countries to discuss institutional missions, resources, challenges and opportunities to work with American partners. The trip provided an opportunity to refine and expand the international vision and agenda of Cal State Monterey Bay and the California State University system.
“Seminar members will undoubtedly develop a better understanding of these countries’ institutions of higher education,” Dr. Harrison said before her journey. “As we share expertise and gain knowledge, we also will be helping to break what President Obama has called a ‘cycle of suspicion and discord’ between the United States and Muslims worldwide.”
She pointed out that a major objective of participating in the seminar is the chance to develop and strengthen international exchanges and opportunities for students and faculty at Cal State Monterey Bay.
“I believe it is essential that we are inclusive of countries from all parts of the world, and that includes the Middle East,” Dr. Harrison said. “Our students and faculty can benefit by establishing partnerships with universities in the Middle East. By having their students come to the United States and to California, we also add to our existing diversity on our campus.”
President Harrison joins nine CSUMB students and staff who were recognized Feb. 20 for their outreach and tutoring service at Greater Victory Temple in Seaside.
Parishioners at three local churches got more than a sermon on Feb. 20. They got a pitch for the value of a college education — straight from the pulpit.
President Dianne Harrison, Provost Kathy Cruz-Uribe and Vice President for Student Affairs Ronnie Higgs visited churches in Seaside and Pacific Grove as part of a California State University program called Super Sunday.
Administrators across the CSU system fanned out to more than 100 black churches to spread the gospel of higher education and encourage more African-Americans to attend college.
Dr. Harrison reminded the congregation at Greater Victory Temple in Seaside that CSUMB “is your hometown university.”
Dr. Cruz-Uribe visited Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Seaside, and Dr. Higgs spoke at the First Baptist Church of Pacific Grove.
The university Athletic Department has hired experienced coaches to lead the baseball, cross-country and men’s soccer programs.
Walter White, a former assistant baseball coach at Sonoma State University who also played professional baseball, is now in his first year with the Otters. Athletic Director Vince Otoupal said White’s “reputation as a teacher and recruiter is impressive.” He has a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Sonoma State and a master’s in education from the University of Phoenix.
In March, Otoupal announced selection of Rob Cummings as head men’s soccer coach. Cummings was associate head coach at Midwestern State (Texas) for the past four seasons, including two Final Four appearances and four Lone Star Conference crowns. Otoupal called him “a proven winner” whose teams have record of success on and off the field. Cummings has a bachelor’s degree in education from Lindenwood University and an MBA from Rockhurst University.
Cross country coach Greg Rhines was hired last summer to direct both the men’s and women’s teams. In his previous year as coach at San Joaquin Delta College, he guided the women to a top 15 ranking in the state. Rhines, who also coached at the high school level, has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Sacramento State University and a master’s in counseling psychology from John F. Kennedy University.
Justin Wellner joined CSUMB as director of governmental and external relations in January.
Wellner came to the university from Van Scoyoc Associates in Washington, D.C., where he was manager of government relations, directing the federal advocacy agenda for education clients, including the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities.
He worked on policy and legislative issues related to higher education such as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), standards and assessment, teachers, access and persistence, and research and development.
Wellner is responsible for advancing the university’s priorities on the local, state and federal levels. His position will cover a range of duties including advocacy, policy analysis, land use and FORA issues, and liaison with local municipalities, as well as oversight of Strategic Communications.
CSUMB President Dianne Harrison has recently accepted several positions with national organizations.
In late February, Dr. Harrison was appointed to the board of directors of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). She is one of seven educational leaders from a wide array of institutions to join the board. The AAC&U is a national association concerned with the quality, vitality and public standing of undergraduate liberal education. Its membership includes more than 1,200 public and private schools.
Dr. Harrison has also been elected to the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Presidents Council.
The 15-member council, composed of presidents and chancellors from member schools, is the chief governing body for NCAA Division II athletics. Its responsibilities include ratifying, amending or rescinding actions of the Division II Management Council, developing and approving budgets and expenditures, and implementing policies and procedures pertaining to Division II athletics.
She also serves on the NCAA’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council as an ex-officio member representing the Presidents Council.
Earl Lawson is the university’s new chief of police. Lawson served in a number of important roles since joining the University Police Department in 1995, most recently as operations lieutenant and briefly as interim police chief upon the retirement of former chief Fred Hardee last June.
President Dianne Harrison said Lawson was selected for the breadth of his experience, which includes special training in disaster preparedness and collaboration with local law enforcement.
Lawson, who was sworn in Nov. 1, has a B.A. degree in sociology from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. His extensive professional education includes training at the FBI National Academy.
Martin Vargas-Garcia, a 2009 graduate, represented alumni as a featured speaker at the Feb. 26 Have a Heart for Students Dinner and Auction, making the connection between a scholarship he received at CSUMB and his career success.
Vargas-Garcia double-majored in Business Administration and Visual & Public Art and was the first in his family to earn a degree, after transferring from Hartnell College in Salinas. Before attending college, he worked in the fields of the Salinas Valley, harvesting vegetables.
For almost two years, he has worked at Sakata Seed America Inc. in Morgan Hill, the company’s North and South American headquarters. His current title is priming operations manager, and he is a serious photographer in his spare time.
Vargas-Garcia grew up in Salinas, where he now lives with his wife, Juanita, and their two children – daughter, Itzel, 9, and son, Diego, 5.
He credits his success in the workplace to the support of his family and the help and encouragement he received from professors. His $1,000 agribusiness scholarship also made a big difference, he said.
“That scholarship paid for my school supplies and allowed me to focus full-time on my studies at a critical time,” said Vargas-Garcia, who also received the Alumni Vision Award in his senior year.
RECOGNITION
Dr. Barbara Mossberg, director of the Integrated Studies program, was an official guest at the inauguration of Poet Laureate W.S. Merwin, held at the Library of Congress. While on sabbatical this year, Dr. Mossberg is Poet in Residence for Pacific Grove. She is working with Pacific Grove High School on “poetry that changed the world” and presented her play honoring Emily Dickinson in December at the Pacific Grove Library.
Dr. Forrest Melton, a research scientist at CSUMB who is working with NASA Ames, was recently honored by the state Department of Water Resources for his ongoing research assistance on climate change. He was recognized for his work on a project funded by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act to explore the potential for developing water resources applications from NASA remote-sensing data.
PROJECTS****Dr. Brad Barbeau, assistant professor of economics and entrepreneurship in the School of Business, has been commissioned by the Grower Shipper Association of Central California to study the cost to growers of implementing proposed new water quality regulations. The study is intended to identify the direct and indirect impacts of monitoring and reporting requirements.
PUBLICATIONS****Dr. Maria Villasenor, assistant professor in the Division of Humanities and Communication, and two of her students have had an article accepted for publication in the Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory and Practice. The article, “Mujerista Mentoring for Chicanas/Latinas in Higher Education,” was co-written with Imelda Munoz and Maria Reyes. Both are McNair Scholars, a nationwide program to increase the number of underrepresented, low-income and first-generation students who earn doctoral degrees.
Dr. David Anderson, professor of history, is editor of “The Columbia History of the Vietnam War,” published last fall by Columbia University Press. Since last November’s election, Dr. Anderson has served as the political analyst for television stations KION and KCBA. He has helped viewers understand the situation in the Middle East, the labor dispute in Wisconsin, and Gov. Jerry Brown’s State of the State address.
Dr. Steve Moore, professor of science and environmental policy, and two co-authors have written “Underwater Robotics: Science, Design and Fabrication,” a textbook for advanced high school classes as well as college and university entry-level courses.
Dr. Kent Adams, chair of the Kinesiology Department, and Dr. Trish Sevene, assistant professor of kinesiology, have recently published three articles in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. The articles focused on preventing injuries, warm-up strategies for optimal athletic performance, and assessing muscular power in older adults to help them age successfully. Dr. Adams is collaborating with colleagues in Australia, researching injury and motivation among older athletes.
Dr. Babita Gupta, professor in the School of Business, published papers on organizational culture and technology use in a developing country; global e-commerce; and applications for mobile learning in higher education. She is associate editor for the International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education and is a member of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Information Security Task Force.
ART Work by Johanna Poethig, professor of painting and public art, was included in an exhibit at the Skyline College Art Gallery in San Bruno on display in February and March. Entitled “Private = Public,” the works looked at the connections – physical, stylistic and conceptual – between public art projects and private studio practice. Poethig’s work reflects an interest in establishing a dialogue between the public and personal.
Dr. Umi Vaughan, assistant professor of Africana Studies, was invited to Peru by the Peruvian North American Cultural Institute during Black History Month. He spoke on the African Diaspora, music and dance. The U.S. embassy took him on tour, where he gave presentations in Afro-Peruvian communities.
Cal State Monterey Bay senior Shae Olds broke the California Collegiate Athletic Association career home run record on April 11, raising her total to 42.
The career mark goes along with the CCAA single-season record of 15 she set in 2009.
Olds set the career mark in a game at Humboldt State that was shortened to five innings due to darkness with the Lumberjacks ahead 12-8. The Otters dropped the first game of the doubleheader, 11-8.
The teams were scheduled to meet again on April 12. The Otters took a 20-24 overall record into the doubleheader.
Olds holds CSUMB records in five categories: 42 home runs, .601 slugging percentage, 187 hits, 143 runs batted in and 79 walks.
A two-time All-Conference selection, she has led the Otters to three West Regional appearances, a CCAA regular-season championship and a CCAA tournament championship.
CSUMB plays its final home games of the season on April 14, against Bethany University of Santa Cruz in a non-conference doubleheader. Play will start at 1 p.m.
**KATY BJERKE **(2010, B.A., Visual and Public Art) is the guest services manager and museum store manager at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. She has volunteered for the Women Alive! project at Dorothy’s Place and the Chinatown Renewal Project. Her fiancé, Paul VandeCarr (B.A., ’06 Visual and Public Art), is the collections curator at the Pacific Grove Natural History Museum. Bjerke lives in Pacific Grove.
DENISSE URIBE (B.S., Business Administration) is a business consultant at the CSUMB Small Business Development Center in Gonzales. She helps small business owners succeed by assisting them with planning and budgeting. Uribe volunteers at the Alisal Center for the Fine Arts, El Sausal Middle School and Saint Theodore’s Church. She and her husband, Raul Mariscal, have a son, Joshua Mariscal, 2. They live in Gonzales.
ROBERT CAMPBELL (B.S., Business Administration) is a financial adviser for Merrill Lynch. His duties include financial planning and portfolio management for high net worth individuals. He’s a member of the Rotary Club of Seattle and volunteers for a PGA professional who runs a children’s golf camp each summer. Campbell lives in Seattle.
LAUREN STROUD (B.A., Social & Behavioral Sciences) is a help-desk coordinator at the Defense Manpower Data Center in Seaside. She earned an M.S. in public safety with a specialization in criminal justice from Capella University in 2010. She’s pursuing a certificate in interdisciplinary forensics from the same institution. Stroud lives in Marina.
BRITNEA MOORE (B.A., Human Communications) is the youth program coordinator and AAU eighth-grade basketball coach at the downtown Berkeley YMCA. She develops programs to engage youth in the community and help them develop interest and skills in sports, arts, music and education. Moore lives in Hayward.
DANA MALDONADO (B.A., Teledramatic Arts & Technology) expects to graduate with an M.A. in theatre arts from San José State this year. She’s a volunteer at the Cinequest Film Festival 2011. Maldonado lives in San Jose.
**BEN MAYBERRY **(B.A., Integrated Studies) is a graphic designer for the San Francisco 49ers football team. With his brother, they own a part-time business venture called Bay Area Die Hards, an online sports apparel store. As a volunteer, Mayberry plans to work with the Jr. Giants program, sponsored by the San Francisco Giants. He enjoys helping local youth baseball and football programs that help kids learn and grow through sports. Mayberry lives in San Jose.
KENDRA MILLER (B.S., Kinesiology) is the lead marketer for women’s soccer, basketball and lacrosse in the athletics department of Fresno State University. Miller earned an M.A. in kinesiology from San José State in 2009. She volunteers as head of the Jr. Bulldog’s Kid’s Club. Miller lives in Fresno.
BRONWYNN LLOYD (B.A., Social & Behavioral) is a marketing assistant at Berkeley Communications, where she creates and manages marketing communication materials for clients. In 2010 she earned an MSc in paleopathology from Durham University in the United Kingdom. Lloyd is a member of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists and the Paleopathology Association. She lives in Alameda.
ERIK GREEN (B.A., Teledramatic Arts & Technology) is an assistant editor and second camera operator for the History Channel’s “American Restoration” series. As a digital media specialist, he previously worked with Disney Channel promos, reality shows and feature films. He’s engaged to Beth Danna (B.S., ’08 Business). Green lives in Las Vegas.
REN HERRING (B.S., Business Administration) is a publicist at Rubenstein Public Relations in New York. He supports the firm’s clients by developing media relation campaigns and strategic communications plans. On a volunteer basis, he teaches public relations and social media to seventh- and eighthgraders at a public school in the Bronx. Herring lives in New York City.
CHRISTIN GRICE (B.A., Social & Behavioral Sciences) is a marriage and family therapist intern at Chamberlain’s Mental Health Services, and a relief counselor at Caminar. He earned an M.A. in counseling psychology, with a couple and family therapy specialization, from John F. Kennedy University in 2010. Grice lives in San Jose.
**KRYSTLYN (PEAIRSLARSON) GIEDT **(B.S., Telecommunications, Multimedia, & Applied Computing) is the owner of KG Graphix. She designs logos, marketing materials and websites for clients. Giedt also volunteers for the Monterey Bay User Group (MBUG), where she offers free Google presentations and workshops. She lives in Seaside with her husband, Tim Giedt.
RAM PAUL SILBEY (B.A., Teledramatic Arts & Technology) is a freelance producer, assistant director and director. His duties vary from show to show, depending on the needs of a given project. He’s engaged to Kristina Renelli (B.A., ’06 Liberal Studies). Silbey volunteers his technical talents to help students with their film projects, similar to Capstone projects at CSUMB. He lives in Burbank.
DAVID BAWIEC (B.S., Telecommunications, Multimedia, & Applied Computing) is an animation and video specialist at Northrop Grumman Corporation. He creates 3D animation, video and interactive multimedia productions for tradeshow and customer presentations. Bawiec is a volunteer scuba diver for the Monterey Bay Aquarium and an Adopt-a-Beach leader. He’s engaged to Lauren Foote (B.A., ’08 Liberal Studies). Bawiec lives in Sunnyvale.
AMBER (KHTEIAN) MCCARTHY (B.A., Teledramatic Arts & Technology) is a first grade English teacher at public and private schools in Thailand. In 2009, she earned a teaching credential from CSUMB. When she lived in California, she volunteered for Animal Friends Rescue Project and Trips for Kids, an after school biking program. Married to Joseph McCarthy, she lives in Surat Thani, Thailand.
**MAC CLEMMENS **(B.S., Telecommunications, Multimedia, & Applied Computing) is the CEO of Digital Deployment, Inc., a company he started in 2004 while still a student at CSUMB. The company’s services include website development, corporate branding and marketing services. Clients include Google, California Faculty Association, California Hospital Association and California Bankers Association. He earned an MBA from UC Davis in 2007. Clemmens lives in Sacramento.
JOHN CHARTER (B.A., Teledramatic Arts & Technology) is a freelance producer and editor for clients such as ESPN Action Sports and Red Bull. He also directs music videos for upcoming bands in the Los Angeles area and has volunteered his technical talents to work on the crews of various public service commercials. Charter lives in Hollywood.
JUSTIN BLOCH (B.A., Teledramatic Arts & Technology) is the lead assistant editor at the West Coast headquarters of the Discovery Channel. After an episode is shot, he organizes and groups the footage before the project goes into editing. When visiting San Diego, Bloch volunteers his time to help at an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico. He lives in Van Nuys.
**JESSICA (NIXON) LOEPER **(B.A., Social & Behavioral Sciences) is a project manager at the Leonardo Academy, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing sustainability. Previously a city planner for the city of Anaheim, Loeper consults with building owners on energysaving LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) projects. She earned a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from UC Irvine. Loeper and her husband, Paul Loeper, have a son, Charlie, 18 months. They live in Madison, Wis.
DOUGLAS MUELLER (B.A., Teledramatic Arts & Technology) is production manager for the Carmel Bach Festival. He’s also a documentary filmmaker, having recently produced “Prairie Love,” which had its world premiere in the Sundance Film Festival’s NEXT competition. The film was shot in North Dakota in sub-zero weather. It was one of eight films selected for its innovative and original work on a budget of less than $500,000. He’s married to Malinda DeRouen (B.A., ’04 Teledramatic Arts & Technology). With their son, Leonard James Mueller, 6 months, they live in Monterey.
JASON MANSOUR (B.S., Earth Systems Science & Policy) is a commissioned officer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Corps of the Department of Commerce. Previously an aircraft commander in that service, Mansour in January was appointed flag aide to Dr. Jane Lubchenco, undersecretary of commerce for NOAA in Washington, D.C. While stationed in Monterey, he volunteered as an executive board member of Camp SEA Lab, which offers marine-oriented programs to promote science, education and adventure for youth and teachers. Mansour lives in Fairfax, Va.
**TANIA LEISTEN **(B.S., Earth Systems Science & Policy) is an environmental protection specialist at the U.S. Army Presidio of Monterey. She’s responsible for managing the facility’s storm water, air, asbestos and noise programs. Leisten also assists in leading Earth Day activities for the installation and promotes environmental awareness and education. Leisten lives in Monterey with her 6-year-old English Mastiff named Hercules.
MICHAEL BOGAN (B.S., Earth Systems Science & Policy) works off site as a staff research associate for the UCSB Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Lab in Mammoth Lakes. Seeking a Ph.D. at Oregon State University, he expects to graduate this year and pursue postdoctoral research to prepare for a university teaching career. He also works as a graduate teaching and research assistant. A frequent visitor to Mexico, Bogan volunteers at a state college in Hermosillo. He helps the college obtain grants to buy equipment and train students in aquatic ecology and insect taxonomy. Bogan built an “eco” house near Kingman, in rural Mojave County, Ariz., which is self-sufficient with its own solar power and rainwater harvesting. It serves as his home when he’s not in Oregon.
AMY (LAUDER) ERICKSON (B.A., Liberal Studies) is a field naturalist for Inside the Outdoors, a program of the Orange County Department of Education. She teaches science, in natural settings, to students from grades K-5 at county and state parks. She earned a teaching credential in 2006. In 2009, she married Chris Erickson, and the couple lives in Pacific Palisades.
MIKE CASTLETON (B.S., Earth Systems Science & Policy) is a research technician at Stanford University’s Hopkins Marine Station in Pacific Grove. His research work involves the tracking and tagging of tuna, shark, turtles and marlin. Castleton has volunteered as a reading tutor for the Monterey County Free Libraries. He lives in Monterey.
RUDY PUENTE (B.A., Liberal Studies) is a counselor and co-coordinator of the Puente Project at Cabrillo College. He provides academic counseling to students seeking occupational and two-year degrees and those wishing to transfer to four-year universities. The Puente Project is a program that provides counseling services to underserved students wishing to attend four-year universities. Puente earned an M.A. in counselor education and a pupil personnel services credential in counselor education from San José State. He’s married to Nancy Puente, also an educator. They have two children, Marcos, 6, and Andrea, 3. The family lives in Watsonville.
JOEL ALEXANDER (B.S., Management and International Entrepreneurship) is self-employed as a licensed real estate and insurance broker. He volunteers for the YMCA, is scholarship administrator for the Alcala Scholarship Fund and is a traffic safety volunteer for Cali Calmecac Charter School. He and his wife, Irma Alexander, have a son, Robert, 7. They live in Santa Rosa.
ASHANTI THOMPSON (B.A., Teledramatic Arts & Technology) is a security officer with the Transportation Security Administration at Monterey Peninsula Airport. She earned an M.S. in entertainment business from Full Sail University in 2010 and is an intern at the Digital Media Learning Foundation in Santa Cruz. Thompson lives in Marina.
Dear friends of CSU Monterey Bay,
This twice-yearly magazine is all about pride – the university’s pride in its progress, and what I hope is your pride as an alum or supporter who feels connected to us. Each issue highlights the many exciting things happening on our campus: Stories about student achievement represent the success of many more students like them. News of our faculty’s professional accomplishments is a sampling of their varied and important work. Alumni “class notes” are a glimpse of our graduates' contributions through careers and service.
In this edition, you’ll read how students in our Teledramatic Arts & Technology Department are preparing to achieve at the highest level in the competitive fields of film and television. Another article is an update on our new library, which has proven to be a fantastic academic resource and a gathering place for our students. We describe how a community partner, the Graniterock company, joined with our Mathematics Department to prepare middle school students to excel in high school algebra and beyond. And, of course, we are thrilled to celebrate a historic season for the Otters women’s basketball team, which was nationally ranked and competed in the NCAA tournament.
All of this is part of the larger and very exciting story of CSU Monterey Bay that continues to unfold as we prepare for our 15th annual Commencement. At a time of financial difficulty, when Californians are being asked to reconsider their priorities, we count on your support for this university and for higher education in general. We look forward to many more opportunities to share news about academic achievement, educational excellence and community partnerships. I know we will continue to accomplish a great deal for our students and the communities we serve, especially with your help.
Sincerely, Dianne F. Harrison, Ph.D.
Dear alumni, friends, and family,
I often talk about the benefits of connecting to the Alumni Association and participating in one of the many activities on campus. The Have a Heart for Students Dinner and Auction is always a wonderful event, and I am pleased to say it was very successful again this year. I especially want to thank the members of the board of directors and all the alumni volunteers for their participation on Feb. 26. They, along with university staff and faculty, did an amazing job helping to raise funds for future scholarships.
This is your alma mater, and I hope you will join me in making it as successful as possible. Visiting our newly redesigned website, CSUMB.edu/alumni, is a means of staying connected to your fellow alums and the university as a whole. You can also stay engaged and find out about upcoming events by following CSUMB on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or through our monthly e-newsletter.
I have made the choice to remain active in our university through the Alumni Association. I hope you will join me by choosing to* continue the vision, give back and stay connected.*
Sincerely, April Lee, Business 2007 President, CSUMB Alumni Association 2010-2011
By CSUMB President Dianne Harrison
. . . We are leading the transformation of Fort Ord. The economy has delayed several projects on the former Army base, but the university keeps moving ahead – in enrollment, employment, facilities and housing. With a payroll of nearly 900, CSUMB is one of the county's 20 largest employers and a key player in its vital economic sector of higher education. – Santa Cruz Sentinel, Jan. 8, 2012
In a musical genre dominated by men, Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles has been breaking stereotypes and shaping new cultural traditions since 1994.
The 12-member all-female group brings sensitivity, beauty and warmth to Mexico’s musical heritage and has earned a reputation in the industry as a pioneer. Back by pipular demand after thrilling sold-out performances the last three years, Mariachi Reyna will return to CSU Monterey Bay's World Theater for performances on April 30 and May 1. Both shows will start at 7:30 p.m.
Now there are other all-female mariachi groups, proving that when maestro Jose Hernandez created Reyna de Los Angeles, it wasn’t a novelty – it was a genre. Reyna has expanded the role of women in mariachi from singers to a full complement of musical performers. In a musical landscape where songs are often written by men and about male perspectives, Reyna has created its own history.
“I knew there were enough excellent female musicians to do it, and I didn’t want guys to say, ‘They play like girls,’ ” Hernandez said. “Now guys from other groups come up to me and tell me that they can’t get over how these girls sound so amazing. It’s because they sound like angels, and that’s why they are named after the City of Angeles.”
Under Hernandez, the group has released three albums: Solo Tuyo (Yours Only), El Mejor Mariachi Feminino del Mundo (The Best Female Mariachi in the World), and Companeras, which was nominated for Grammy and Latin Grammy awards in 2009.
The group will be on stage at the World Theater in time for Cinco de Mayo. The booking wasn’t an accident.
“Each year, the World Theater hosts a production commemorating Cinco de Mayo,” said Joe Cardinelli, executive director of university performances and special events.
“Besides presenting an evening of memorable music and song, Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles’ performance follows our mission to educate and enlighten our campus and local communities through diverse entertainment and performances,” Cardinalli said.
Tickets prices: $40 Gold Circle, $29 general admission, with discounts available for senior citizens, students, military and children. They can be purchased by calling the World Theater box office at (831) 582-4580 or online.
The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue between A and B streets on the CSUMB campus. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Chinatown community garden
The fragrant garden that sprang up on an abandoned lot in the Chinatown neighborhood of Salinas offers residents a daily reminder that hope can rise from unexpected places. By replacing urban neglect and illicit drug dealing with nutritious food and employment, the garden has brought lush growth and vibrant color to a community that had lacked both.
Now, through a $250,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, CSU Monterey Bay’s Service Learning Institute is about to start work on two new community gardens based on the Chinatown model. The award was made by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and is designed to help local organizations fight hunger.
Part of what CSUMB is calling the Salinas-Marina Community Food Project, the new gardens will be located at: • The Housing Authority of Monterey County's Pueblo del Mar, a transitional housing program in Marina run by the Sun Street Center for formerly homeless families with substance abuse issues. The families will learn about gardening and nutrition as part of their recovery. • Shoreline Workforce Development Service, a division of Goodwill Industries, located in Marina. Participants in the culinary job-training program will learn about gardening and cooking using fresh produce. “The gardens will be green space to use as a living laboratory for organic gardening, nutrition, diet and health education and to teach job-related skills. They’ll also provide places where people can grow food for themselves and their families,” said project manager Iris Peppard. On May 5, a commercial worm bin will be installed at the Chinatown Community Garden site as the first step in establishing a composting business. And some of the grant money will allow university service learning students to develop and deliver nutrition education programs at all three garden locations. Work has already started on the nutrition program that will take place at the Pueblo Del Mar kitchen. Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula has agreed to support 10 garden beds, and Hope Services and the Veterans Transition Center are exploring collaboration opportunities at the Shoreline Garden.
The Chinatown garden – located on the corner of Soledad and Lake streets – is an island of fruits, flowers and vegetables that also serves as an employment center for some of the area’s most vulnerable residents. It has become a focal point for the renewal of Chinatown. The garden was established in 2006 through a job-training program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Dr. Dan Fernandez, chair of the Division of Science and Environmental Policy at CSUMB, will be among the speakers at TEDx Monterey on April 15 at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. The conference will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Dr. Fernandez will make his presentation about 2:15 p.m.
This year’s theme is “Cultivating Innovation.” According to conference organizers, the lineup of speakers and presenters will be true to the TED promise of “riveting talks by remarkable people.”
TEDx conferences take their name and format – which features notable speakers spotlighting “ideas worth spreading” in 18-minute segments – from the internationally renowned TED conference (Technology Education Design). The TED organization licenses local groups to organize their own events under the TEDx banner.
Dr. Fernandez has taught physics at CSUMB since 1996. One of his research areas – and the subject of his TEDx presentation – involves extraction and measurement of water from fog. This research has the potential to offer a small-scale, low-tech method of water collection in low-precipitation regions that experience a lot of foggy days.
As an advocate of sustainable living, he serves as co-chair of the Presidents’ Climate Commitment group at CSUMB, and is co-chair of the Monterey County Business Council’s Green Building Competitive Cluster.
Dr. Fernandez organizes and coordinates Focus the Region, an annual free, public environmental symposium at CSUMB which brings together leaders, authors, activists, entrepreneurs, educators and students to focus on ways to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Tickets are no longer available, but the conference can be viewed online at www.tedxmonterey.org/livestream.
Other speakers include: • Aaron Ebner, student and leader of the Team Peru project at MIIS • Andrew Hargadon, UC Davis management professor and author of How Breakthroughs Happen: The Surprising Truth About How Companies Innovate • Julio Toribo Kancho, founder and chief instructor of Seibukan Jujutsu at the Monterey Budokan and Seibukan Honbu Dojo • Beryl Levinger, chair of the Master’s in Public Administration program at the Monterey Institute • Seth Linden, founder of Tutorpedia and the Tutorpedia Foundation • Lee Lorenzen, founder of SHOP.com, CEO of Altura Ventures • Sujata Millick, visiting researcher, cyber security expert at Hewlett-Packard Labs • Andrea Olsen, professor of environmental studies and dance at Middlebury College and author of Body and Earth, An Experiential Guide • Jennifer Perlmutter, artist • F. Noel Perry, venture capitalist, social entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of Next 10 • Alyssum Pohl, Monterey Institute student and dancer • Margarita Quihuis, social entrepreneur, mentor capitalist, member of the Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab • Shinsho-Mugen Daiko, a troupe that performs Japanese Taiko drumming • E.J. Svensson, media entrepreneur and author of A Decade and A Day
Earth Day is really Earth Week at CSU Monterey Bay.
Since the first Earth Day in 1970, people around the world have sought to celebrate the planet through a variety of individual and community activities. But Earth Day is about more than observing the beauty and vitality of nature; it's also about renewing our commitment to saving our living planet.??
The Associated Students' Environmental Committee has a variety of activities planned for the week.
??Bike Night kicks off the week on Friday, April 15. Meet at the Student Center at 4:30 p.m., ride from 5 to 7 p.m. A barbecue will follow the ride. The Otter Cycle Center will provide rental equipment, leadership and instruction. Pre-register with the Otter Cycle Center for free bike rental.
Saturday, April 16, Campus Clean-Up Day. Volunteers – staff, students and administrators – will spend the morning (9 a.m. to noon) picking up litter and other debris around the campus. The event will conclude with a barbecue at the Student Center. ??On Sunday, April 17, Return of the Natives will be on the campus quad, distributing plants and information. Use your plant to help restore native habitat or take it home and enjoy it in your own yard. At 8 p.m. in the West Wing of the Student Center, the Reusable Fashion Show will demonstrate how fashionable thrift store and eco-made clothes can be. Shoes bill be provided by the campus TOMS Club. Student groups – three per team – are invited to create an environmental-themed work of chalk art on the Main Quad sidewalk from noon to 3 p.m. on Monday, April 18. Best creation will win a prize. At 7 p.m. in the University Center, author Graciela Tiscareno-Sato will talk about her book, “Latinnovating: Green American Jobs and the Latinos Creating Them,” the first book showcasing Latino-led innovation and entrepreneurship in the green economy. April 19 is tie-dye Tuesday. From noon to 2 p.m. on the Main Quad, you can give a tired article of clothing new life. Get creative with something you own, or a new find from the Swap Shop.
Unclutter your life at Swap Shops on the Main Quad, Divarty Quad and North Quad from noon to 5 p.m. Bring unwanted items to the tables set up in each area and swap or give them away. Cap off the day with a double feature at the World Theater, starting at 6 p.m. Featured films are Oceans and The Green Hornet. The seventh annual Bike-to-Breakfast event will be held on Wednesday, April 20. Everyone who bikes or skateboards to CSUMB's University Center on Sixth Avenue from 8 to 11 a.m. will get a free breakfast at the Otter Bay Restaurant. From 4 to 6 p.m., a craft fair – sustainable style – will be held in the Student Center.
On Thursday, April 21 at 10 a.m. in the Student Center, the campus community is invited to celebrate the first anniversary of the planting of CSUMB’s Peace Tree.??
From noon to 5 p.m., shop at the Farmers Market on the campus quad. End the day by enjoying a reggae fest from 9 p.m. to midnight in the Black Box Cabaret. Performers include Mystic Roots and the Renee Asteria Band. The event is free for students ad $5 for guests.
The week ends with a three-day student camping trip to Yosemite, April 22-24. The $20 deposit covers two nights and three days of food, fun and nature. Registration can be made in the Student Center.?? Discount bike rentals are available all week from the Otter Cycle Center. The daily rate is $5, a 50 percent discount off the normal rate. Weekend rate is $10, a savings of $5 and the weekly rate is $20, a $10 reduction.
On Wednesday, April 27, the award-winning environmental documentary “Fuel” will be screened at 7 p.m. in the World Theater. After the screening, writer-director Josh Tickell and producer Rebecca Harrell Tickell will be on stage to discuss the film and answer questions. Though the film’s premise is simple enough – we are too reliant on oil – its ramifications (economic, environmental and political) are enormous. The film is a highly critical, in-depth, personal journey that examines a host of energy answers to America's oil addiction, as well as offering a critique of the U.S. auto and petroleum industries' role in resisting change. Tickets are $10, or $5 for people willing to sign an Earth Day pledge to make an effort to go green.
The seventh annual Honors Convocation, held on April 15 before a packed house at the University Center, recognized some of the best and brightest students at California State University, Monterey Bay.
During the event, 149 students who achieved a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher were honored by President Dianne Harrison, Provost Kathy Cruz-Uribe and the deans. Five students received special awards and 16 were honored for their Service Learning work.
The honors graduates will be among those receiving diplomas at commencement on May 21.
After congratulating the members of the Class of 2011, President Harrison recognized the parents, spouses, friends and family members who supported the students.
“Undoubtedly, you have made many sacrifices throughout their university career, encouraging their hard work and supporting them when the light at the end of the tunnel seemed in the distance, sometimes even unobtainable. And yet, here you are,” she said. “You are also to be congratulated.”
Following the president’s remarks, Deans Renee Curry, Brian Simmons and Marsha Moroh introduced the honors graduates from their colleges, then winners of the Service Learning awards and the five student awards were introduced.
Award winners:
• President's Award for Exemplary Student Achievement, given to a well-rounded student who has made notable contributions to a particular area of university life through depth of involvement and service as a student leader, is an agent of innovation and action with demonstrated service to the campus community, and achieved a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher: Scott Bell, San Diego, Psychology (pictured at left with President Harrison)
• Provost's Award for Exemplary Academic Achievement, given to a student who has excelled personally and academically, has contributed to the learning community of CSUMB and has achieved a grade-point average of at least 3.5: Maren Mitch, Upland, Environmental Science, Technology & Policy
• Outstanding Senior Award for Social Justice, given to a student who has participated in a project that promotes social justice and benefits local communities: Germaine Caldwell, Monterey, Collaborative Health and Human Services
• Alumni Vision Award, given to a first-generation college student who has worked to extend the university’s Vision into the lives of others: Stephanie Arechiga-Grijalva, Los Angeles, Human Communication
• Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athlete Award, given to a student-athlete in recognition of exemplary academic achievement: Carrie Laponza, Los Angeles, Mathematics
Service Learning awards were presented to one student in each academic major who demonstrated exceptional commitment to service in the local community.
Service Learning award winners and their majors:
• Biology – Joseph Garcia • Business Administration – Jarrett Washington • Collaborative Health and Human Services – Sergio Arredondo-Gonzalez • Communication Design – Lorenzo Ascencio • Computer Science and Information Technology – David Book • Environmental Science, Technology and Policy – Stefanie Kortman • Global Studies – Sierra Dierks • Human Communication – Stephanie Arechiga-Grijalva • Integrated Studies – Christopher Carpenter • Kinesiology – Laura Esquivel • Mathematics – Zachary Walker • Psychology – Ricardo Herrera • Social and Behavioral Sciences – Laura Simon Tantillo • Teledramatic Arts and Technology – Tabitha Enanoria • Visual and Public Art – Rachel Swarthout • World Languages and Cultures – Julybeht Ornelas
To view more photos from the event, click here.
CSU Monterey Bay's men's golf team won its second straight California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) championship on April 19 at Hunter Ranch Golf Course in Paso Robles. The Otters also took the top two places in the individual competition.
The 12th-ranked Otters held off hard-charging Chico State to finish at 18-under-par 846 and win by two strokes. That’s the lowest score in the tournament’s eight years on the 6,421-yard, par-72 Hunter Ranch course.
Top-ranked Chico State carded the day’s best round, an 11-under-par 277, for second place. No. 16 Cal State Stanislaus (+12) finished third, while 11th-ranked Sonoma State (+19) was fourth.
Cal State San Bernardino (+23) finished fifth, UC San Diego (+31) sixth, Cal State East Bay (+40) seventh, and Cal State Dominguez Hills (+59) eighth.
Team members Scott Yeakel and Oskar Nystrom, along with Chico State's Kyle Souza, needed a playoff to determine the individual champion. Souza was eliminated on the first playoff when both CSUMB players birdied. Yeakel drained a 10-foot birdie putt on the third hole to claim the title.
John Jackson, last year's individual medalist, came in fourth with a 4-under-par 212 after carding six birdies in the final round. Dylan Jackson finished in 10th place with an even-par 216 total. D.J. Milligan tied for 22nd with a 8-over par 224.
“When I took over this program three years ago, I told the guys that my dream is to finish 1-through-5,” said head coach Jason Owen. “We came close today with two guys tied for the lead, another guy fourth and another tied for 10th. Our program’s healthy and hopefully we can do this for many years to come.”
This win marks the fourth straight tournament victory for the Otters heading into the NCAA Super Regional tournament May 2-4.
At the conclusion of play, conference individual award winners were named. Coach of the Year honors went to Jason Owen of CSUMB. Kenny Pigman of CSU San Bernardino was Most Valuable Player; Freshman of the Year was Chris Doyle of Chico State; and Cody Thompson, also of Chico, was named Newcomer of the Year.
Named to the All-Tournament team were: Patrick Bauer, Sonoma State Trevor Blair, Cal State Stanislaus Eric Fazzetta, Chico State Dylan Jackson, Cal State Monterey Bay John Jackson, Cal State Monterey Bay Oskar Nystrom, Cal State Monterey Bay Kenny Pigman, Cal State San Bernardino Teddy Schrior, Cal State Stanislaus Kyle Souza, Chico State Scott Yeakel, Cal State Monterey Bay
California State University, Monterey Bay has been named one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible schools by the Princeton Review and the U.S. Green Building Council.
The “Princeton Review’s Guide to 311 Green Colleges” profiles campuses that demonstrate notable commitments to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation. The 2011 edition of the guide was released today, just two days prior to the April 22 celebration of Earth Day. And it is online only – to save trees.
CSU Monterey Bay was praised for its initiatives including the revolving Energy Innovations Fund that supports energy-saving projects on campus and repays itself through energy savings, and the 6.4-acre solar installation that is meeting 17 percent of the university’s electricity needs. Also drawing praise was the university’s food service operations, which include organic foods, compostable packaging and serving products, and recycling of cooking oil. All buildings on campus have designated recycling areas, and the ubiquity of the blue recycle bins has helped the university achieve a 50 percent waste diversion rate. The green learning opportunities, which allow students to take courses in subjects as diverse as environmental writing and food ethics, were also cited. The guide pointed out that CSU Monterey Bay's commitment to green continues all the way to graduation – when students cross the stage to receive their degrees in gowns sewn with material made from recycled plastic bottles. “It’s rewarding to be recognized for something that is so central to our university,” said President Dianne Harrison. “Sustainability is a core principle here. I hope this means that even more students who care about sustainability will find out about us and choose to study here.” Schools were chosen based on a 2010 survey the Princeton Review conducted of hundreds of colleges to tally its annual “Green Rating” scores for school profiles in its college guidebooks and website. The survey asked administrators more than 50 questions about their institution’s sustainability-related policies, practices and programs. Green Ratings were tallied for more than 700 institutions; those scoring 80 or above on a scale of 60 to 99 made the list. The free guide can be downloaded here. More information on CSUMB’s commitment to sustainability can be found here.
The Teacher Quality Paternship grant from the US Department of Education allows university level teachers- like CSUMB professor Mark O'Shea- to facilitate a K-12 classroom. – Monterey Herald, March 23, 2011
About 450 youngsters from 36 different schools in Monterey County and sorrounding areas descended into CSUMB Tuesday to help them hone their writing skills in a college environment. – Monterey Herald, March 23, 2011
Seven US university and coloefe presidents and vice presidents visited Oman to participate in teh Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad programme focusing on higher education in the US and the Arab world. The programme awards grants to Omani schloars to pursue research or other academic activities in the US. – Muscat Daily, March 30, 2011
Speaking to a group of students and community members at the Black Box Cabaret at CSU Monterey Bay, comedian Brain Wetzel shared his personal struggle with severe depression. His aim is to get people talking about depression and addressing suicide prevention. The performance was apart of CSUMB's Suicide Prevention and Awareness Week. – Monterey Herald, April 4, 2011
The Monterey Bay Film Festvial, sponsored by CSUMB, features both professional and local high school and college students' work. – Salinas Californian, April 7, 2011
This year the CSUMB Disk Golf team will compete in the fifth annual Colleigiate Disc Golf Championships April 14-17 in North Augusta, S.C. – KION 46 Central Coast News, April 12, 2011
CSUMB's annual Heritage Music Festival features the world premiere of dance-music collaboration. The performance will feature: "Catalyst: One by One," a dance-music collaboration between the Dimensions Dance Theater, jazz trumpeter and composer Khalil Shaheed and noted Moroccan instrumentalist Yassir Chadly. – Monterey Herald, April 14, 2011
CSUMB has been named one of the nation's most eco-friendly responsible schools by the Princeton Review and the US Green Building Council. The school was profiled in "Princeton Review's Guide to 311 Green Colleges" for demonstrating commitments to sustainability in the course offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation. – The Salinas Californian, April 20, 2011
Elections for Associated Students officers for 2011-12 were held in April. Next year's officers:
President: Caliah Hill Vice President: Brittany Land Chief Communications Officer: Haley Hernandez Chief Financial Officer: Rahul Pillay Programming Chair: Zach Smith Chief Legislative Officer: Olivia Carnahan Athletics Senator: Tawni Luczo College of Professional Studies Senator: Jameel Smith College of Science Senator: James Dunn Cultural Enrichment Senator: Saesha Hall Environmental Senator: Oliviya Wyse Senator at Large: Jeremy Allred
Krista Almanzan, news director of KAZU, has won a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in electronic journalism presented by the Radio, Television, Digital News Association (RTDNA).
She took the top award for feature reporting in the small-market radio division in Region 2, which includes California, Nevada, Hawaii and Guam. Her winning story, “Converting to Pure Electric,” is about electric car enthusiasts and their efforts to convert their gas cars to electric in a hands-on workshop. The story can be found athttp://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kazu/news.newsmain/article/0/0/1653461/news/Converting.to.Pure.Electric Regional winners automatically become eligible for the national awards competition in June.
It’s the fourth award for Almanzan in the last 18 months. In 2009, she was honored by the Radio-Television News Directors Association of Northern California for best feature reporting on a serious subject for “A Second Chance in Salinas.” The story examined a program called Take the Lead, which pairs at-risk youngsters with dogs surrendered to the local SPCA.
Last November, the same group honored her in the feature reporting category for “Rec Rehab Program Hooks National Interest.” The story profiled a group called the Monterey Bay Veterans, which holds fishing derbies on Monterey Bay as part of its recreational rehabilitation program for disabled veterans. The story also earned her a regional Edward R. Murrow Award in the spring of 2010 from the RTDN. Almazan started her journalism career in Iowa where she covered the 2000 and 2004 presidential races and Iowa caucuses for local television stations. In 2005, she won the Stanley Foundation Award for Outstanding Broadcast Coverage of Iowa's global connections. Later that year, she returned to her home state of California where she continued to work in television and simultaneously got her start in public radio as a freelance reporter with Capital Public Radio in Sacramento. In 2007, she joined the staff at KAZU where she serves as host of All Things Considered as well as news director.
KAZU 90.3 FM is a community service of California State University, Monterey Bay.
This semester’s Health Sciences/Biology Speaker Series concludes April 28, when Monterey County's Director of Public Health Hugh Stallworth visits CSU Monterey Bay.
Public Health: The Good, The Better, The Best – Understanding Public Health and Its Importance to a Healthy Community will be Dr. Stallworth's topic.
The lecture will be held at 4:30 p.m. in Room 3145 of the Tanimura and Antle Family Memorial Library. The public is invited. Driving direction and a campus map are available here.
Dr. Stallworth is board-certified in public health and preventive medicine. He earned a medical degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, and served his internship and residency at Detroit General Hospital and Henry Ford Hospital. He completed his Masters in Public Health at CSU Long Beach.
The first 10 years of Dr. Stallworth’s career were spent in private practice. Realizing that he had a gift for teaching, he accepted a position as assistant professor of family practice at the University of Kentucky Medical Center.
Stints as county health officer followed, first in Fresno County and then Orange County.During his tenure in Orange County, he guided the health department through the largest Multiple Drug Resistant TB outbreak in a school in U.S. history.
From 1999 to 2002, he served as national vice president of cancer control for the American Cancer Society, where he developed an outreach model for underserved communities. The model has been successful from Massachusetts to the Mississippi Delta.
He has also served as director of health and hospitals for the city of St. Louis, as well as adjunct associate professor in the Department of Health Management and Policy at St. Louis University School of Public Health.
The lecture is sponsored by the Tribeta Honor Society and the Pre-Med Club. For more information, contact Dr. Aparna Sreenivasan at 582-3210.
What do banned books, native plants and Monet’s garden have in common?
They are among the classes that will be offered this semester through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – OLLI – at California State University, Monterey Bay.
OLLI resumes this fall for its fifth year with a diverse range of courses and speakers specifically for those 50 and better.
OLLI at CSU Monterey Bay, with support from the Bernard Osher Foundation, is part of a national network that recognizes learning and exploration have no age limits. Members are inspired to take a fresh look at themselves, their world, and the possibilities that await them – without the stress of papers, exams or grades.
Among the course offerings are a variety of writing classes; Femmes Fatales: The Dark Ladies of Film Noir; Modern Spiritual Masters with popular instructor John Provost; New Perspectives on California Mission History; California Native Plants; dance history with Fran Spector Atkins; Developing the Photographic Portfolio taught by Barbara Moon Batista and Fernando Batista; and Winter Wildlife at Jacks Peak Park.
Former Assemblymember Fred Keeley is back with a four-session class on California’s New Political Order that will take a look at redistricting, open primaries and majority-vote budget. And the popular CSUMB Gospel Choir class, taught by Professor Paulette Gissendanner, will be offered on Tuesday afternoons for 16 weeks.
Individual class offerings can be purchased, or attendees can sign up for an annual membership – which includes tuition for six classes for $180 – or a semester’s membership for $120 for three classes. Memberships include a campus parking pass and other benefits.
For more information or to register for classes, call 582-5500 or visit OLLI online at csumb.edu/olli.
The publilc is invited to witness and celebrate the on-going renewal of Salinas' Chinatown by attending the fourth annual Asian Festival on Saturday, April 30, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Demonstrations of kendo and ikebana (flower arranging), tai chi, taiko drumming and Filipino folk dancing will be held throughout the day. The Buddhist Temple, the Confucius Church and the Filipino Cultural Center will open their doors to the community. Asian cuisine will be available. Guided tours of the area will leave the Confucius Church on the hour. The Asian Festival is an effort to unite three ethnic communities – Chinese, Japanese and Filipino – as they share their history and culture in one of Salinas' most historic areas. The festival will be held in the area bordered by California, Soledad, Lake and Calle Cebu streets. The festival is part of CSU Monterey Bay’s Chinatown Renewal Project, which is leading the effort to revitalize a marginalized area of Salinas. Since 2006, the revitalization process has included a neighborhood garden and community learning center and the @risk Art Gallery, a project of the Franciscan Workers.The community is invited to this free event. For more information, visit www.salinasasianfestival.com.
A pair of CSU Monterey Bay alumni and six current students have joined forces with a renowned Southern California artist to add a colorful new look to the Monterey History and Maritime Museum at Custom House Plaza.
Andre Miripolsky was hired by the Monterey History and Art Association to work on a “historama” inside the museum. He’s also painting a 275-foot mural – depicting a wave – on the fence that wraps around the building, with help from the eight CSUMB artists.
Visual and Public Art students Katherine Webb, Crystal Taylor, Ashleigh Oxford, Elizabeth Ruhl, Jennifer Lucido and Michelle Beck are working on the project, along with VPA graduates Cristiano Colantoni and Margo Mullen.
Colantoni was recently named curator of collections and exhibitions at the museum. He recruited Mullen and the students.
“This mural is bold and dynamic and if you dare to use your imagination, it looks like the building is a boat, floating in the 'urban wave,' Mullen says on her blog.
Mullen is best known on campus for her mural of a kelp forest at the university’s Aquatics Center.
“I have longed for another mural project in Monterey; there are many naked walls in this town that could use a good coat,” she says on her blog. “I feel so happy to be a part of this project and I hope that this mural will be the catalyst for investing in innovative public art.”
To view more of Mullen’s photos, visit her blog at http://studiomargo.blogspot.com/
Photos courtesy of Margo Mullen
A team from Student Activities – known as the Rodents of Unusual Size – took home the Golden Shoe trophy for the top finish in this year’s Workplace Walk-off Challenge. The award was presented at a celebration on April 19 organized by Human Resources at the University Center.
Kelly Mailly, Ajamu Lamumba, Linda Mendoza, Aron Casaday and Rick Dawson generated the most steps – 2,653,620 – to take the title. The trophy will be displayed in the Student Center until next year’s challenge begins.
“We really had to ramp it up and keep it up in order to win,” said Mailly, the team captain. “We had a lot of consistency and I'm proud of our team,” she said at the awards presentation.
The Rodents were one of 25 teams that participated in the fifth annual challenge, a one-month get-moving exercise competition geared to help employees make exercise a habit. The goal is for each participant to reach 10,000 steps a day, the recommended amount of daily exercise.
Combined, the 125 participants in this year’s competition generated 36,587,414 steps – equivalent to 17,423 miles – between March 14 and April 10.
Additional recognition went to Casaday for generating the most steps in the challenge; team Otter Slaughter (Dee Cockerham, Grace Cardenas Leal, Gladys Cabadas, Chrissy Lofgren and Tiffany Ward of ?Academic and Career Advising and Undergraduate Advising Center) for their overall team improvement; Leal for the best individual improvement; and the 75 participants who made the 10,000 Steps Club.
New this year was the introduction of four awards determined by employee votes. In the end, The Lost Soles (David Ham, Lupe Cabeca, Jacinto Salazar III, Terri Wheeler and David Wittrock of ?Student Activities and Leadership Development, UPD, Service Learning and KAZU) earned Best Team Name; the FA Cartel (Diego Ortiz, Angeles Fuentes, Ashlie McCallon, Adriana Pacheco and Johanna Mahoney of ?Financial Aid) won Most Creative Team Photo; the Wylde Walkers (Natalie Lockwood, Laura Tantillo, Terryn Ashley, Karen Williams and Nancy Rogers? of Human Resources) earned the L.O.L. Team Photo award; and Otter Slaughter was awarded Best Overall Team Photo.
Finding the motivation to make exercise a habit is challenging, but worth the effort.
“Do it,” Mailly said. “Even if you aren't competitive, do it because it's fun no matter what level. It's not about winning, it's about being healthy and maintaining a balance of work and working out. We only get one body, so it's important to take care of it.”
For more information, visit CSUMB.EDU/exerciseprograms.
As soon as the members of the Otter men's golf team finished play in last year's NCAA Division II national championship -- where they placed 11th -- they started planning for this year’s title run.
The planning and preparation paid off. A two-stroke win over runner-up Sonoma State in the Central/West Super Regional qualified CSUMB for a spot in the national championship, which kicks off May 17 at the Robert Trent Jones at the Shoals course in Florence, Ala. They will join 14 other teams in the chase for the national title.
“What an awesome day for CSUMB's Athletic Department, the university and the Monterey Bay community,” said head coach Jason Owen after his team won the super regional. “Five wins in a row is pretty impressive at any level but to do it at this level is amazing.”
The Otters recorded a total of 9-under-par 855 to bring home CSUMB's first regional title.
CSUMB entered the final round six strokes behind Sonoma State. The Otters shot 7-under-par 281 as a team Wednesday to beat the Seawolves by eight strokes.
“I'm extremely pleased with the team's performance,” Owen said. “We did exactly what we set out to do.”
John Jackson (above) fired an 8-under-par 208 to take individual honors, the first CSUMB male golfer to win a regional tournament. In the final round, Jackson had a flawless performance with five birdies and 13 pars. He finished with 16 birdies in the 54-hole tournament.
Dylan Jackson tied for third with a 3-under 213.
The Otters earned the No. 1 seed in the regional -- and a huge confidence boost -- after claiming their second straight California Collegiate Athletic Association title. Four Otters placed in the top 10, including medalist Scott Yeakel, Oskar Nystrom, John Jackson and Dylan Jackson. Coach Jason Owen was named CCAA coach of the year.
Here's a wrap-up of the spring sports:
• Baseball: Capping off its best season to date, the baseball team ended its season with a 6-3 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills on May 8.
The Otters set a program record for wins in a season with a 21-28 overall mark; it also turned in a program-best California Collegiate Athletic Association record at 18-22.
“I couldn't be more proud of this group of guys, and they have a lot to be proud of as well,” said first-year coach Walt White. “These guys have set the foundation for a very bright future here. Coming off a difficult 2010 season, this team learned how to compete together, believe in each other, and play selfless baseball. We grew as a team throughout the year.”
• Softball: Catcher Shae Olds broke the CCAA career home run record with 44. She concluded her career at CSUMB with a .338 batting average, 194 hits, 73 runs, 20 doubles and two triples. She also batted in 153 runs in 574 at-bats. The team finished with a 24-27 overall record, 17-18 in conference.
• Water polo: The women’s water polo team concluded its season with a seventh-place finish at the Western Water Polo Association tournament, the best finish ever for the Otters. For the season, Nikki Smart led the team with 114 goals, making her one of the top scorers in the nation. The team finished with an 18-20 record.
• Volleyball: Local standout Julia Ashen has signed a letter of intent to join the Otters next fall. The 6-1 outside hitter was named player of the year by both local newspapers. She’ll join a team that finished sixth in CCAA play last fall with a 12-10 mark, 15-10 overall.
Julia Ashen signs her national letter of intent to play volleyball at CSUMB in fall 2011
CSU Summer Arts says goodbye to Fresno and director Jim Spalding
California State University, Monterey Bay is the new home of CSU Summer Arts. Starting this summer, the annual month-long program offering academic credit plus a festival in the visual, performing, literary and new media arts, will be held at CSU Monterey Bay. It will be hosted by the Seaside campus for at least five years. "This is a tremendous vote of confidence in the breadth and quality of our arts programs," President Dianne Harrison said. "Summer Arts will offer unprecedented opportunities for our students and our communities."
In April 2011, a committee of arts faculty members from throughout the CSU visited four campuses in the running to host the program. Fresno State, which has housed the program for the last 13 years, was considered, along with San Francisco State and Chico State.
CSUMB was selected for several reasons, said Summer Arts Director Jim Spalding. “CSUMB’s arts programs are blossoming and that’s a good environment for Summer Arts,” Spalding said. He added that the committee was impressed with the university's connection to and support from its surrounding communities. “And the location is great," Spalding said. "I think our program works well in a smaller, community setting like this.” The academic component offers two sessions of two-week courses for students and professionals in creative writing, dance, music, film, video, theater, visual arts, design and new technology. Local high school, community college and university students, as well as international students, study with guest artists in intensive workshops and master classes. Students earn academic credit for their work. The other component of Summer Arts is a festival, open to the public. World-renowned guest artists offer performances, exhibits, concerts and lectures at affordable ticket prices. Guest artists have included The Second City, New York New Music Ensemble, Bebe Miller Dance Company, Bobby McFerrin, Jane Henson and the Muppets, San Francisco Mime Troupe and Edward Albee. Among artists scheduled to teach this summer at Fresno State are the Grammy Award-winning Kronos Quartet and Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Under the direction of Professor Renee Curry, CSU Monterey Bay submitted a proposal in December 2010, after a year of working with various campus departments and community partners to secure their support “I can’t tell you how exciting this is for us,” Dr. Curry said. “Local students will have premier summer opportunities to work in the arts with international artists. And students from around the state and beyond will also come to campus to take advantage of this opportunity." Summer Arts started 26 years ago and has been located at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Humboldt State, CSU Long Beach and Fresno State. For more information, including a schedule of this year’s events, click here.
Divers from CSU Monterey Bay are helping the local marine environment while logging time toward their certification as scientific divers.
Frank Degnan, CSUMB’s diving safety officer, worked with the Monterey Harbor Master’s office to have the university’s student divers help clean up the marina.
The first dive was held on May 4. Four students – Kristina Beck, Adam Alfasso, Jordan Barry and Jason Adelaars – along with alumnus Alex Olson and faculty member Steve Moore brought up enough stuff to fill two large bins.
“We found everything from plastic bottles to miscellaneous metal and pipes to large batteries,” said Degnan, who supported the divers from the surface along with staff from the harbor master’s office.
The next clean-up dive is scheduled for May 19. Degnan would like to make it a weekly event, but that depends on student availability.
Students also had an opportunity this semester to dive in the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s kelp tank, courtesy of the aquarium’s dive master.
The university has had a recreational SCUBA program for some time. Starting in the spring of 2010, an additional level of rigor was added with the introduction of a research diving course offered through the Division of Science and Environmental Policy.
Students enrolled in ENVS 295, Introduction to Scientific Diving, concurrently take a master diver class through the Kinesiology Department. Together, the courses contribute to the 100 hours of training for scientific divers required by the American Academy of Underwater Sciences.
“It’s very exciting to have our new research diving program engaging with local communities like this,” said Dr. James Lindholm, the program’s director. “Any opportunity to get in the water with a specific task in mind advances our students’ abilities as research divers.”
Students who completed the program are eligible for letters of reciprocity that will allow them to dive with other university programs and research organizations.
“We’re interested in giving students tools – and scientific diving is a critical tool,” Dr. Lindholm said. “With scientific diving training on their resumes, our students will have a huge advantage when they look for a job.
“It means they’ll be ready to work on day one.”
Learn more about the research diving program here.
Photo above: CSUMB divers cleaning up Monterey Bay (photo by Suzanne Worcester) Kelp tank photo by Steve Moore
(Originally published May 10, 2011; video added April 6, 2012)
Dominic Parisi is this year’s recipient of the $1,000 prize in the Monterey County Film Commission’s Film Student Scholarship and Awards Program.
Parisi, who will be a senior in the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department, is from Glendora. He plans to use the grant to help with expenses for his capstone film, a documentary that looks at women who participate in roller derby.
“Dominic intends to explore the complicated relationship between this women’s sport and feminist ideas,” said Caitlin Manning, a professor in the TAT Department.
“Roller derby participants often conform to social norms that are oppressive to women, but many find the sport empowering to them as women,” Manning said. “This won’t be a puff piece on a trendy new sport. Dominic is getting at serious and interesting social issues in this documentary.”
The award “really takes a big load off my shoulders,” Parisi said. “It’ll cover some production costs and allow me to purchase a camera that will enable more creative shots.”
Manning described the aspiring film editor as “a teacher’s dream.”
“He plugs away at his work quietly, comes for help when he needs it, and responds well to feedback,” she said. The Monterey County Film Commission scholarship program was created to provide financial aid and incentive to students of film and beginning filmmakers who reside in Monterey County or are enrolled in a college or university in the county. The fund was established as a permanent endowment with the Community Foundation for Monterey County. Film commission board member Jeff Clark is the scholarship program chair. The scholarship was created in 2008 and has gone to CSUMB students each year. Estee Blancher and Veronica Calvillo shared the inaugural award. In 2009, Juan Ramirez – who now works in the TAT Department as a media specialist – was the winner. Rachel Asendorf received the award in 2010.
UPDATE: CSU Monterey Bay’s mobile website, launched in June 2011, has won a top honor among universities, colleges and independent schools in the western United States.
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) awarded CSUMB a gold in its Awards of Excellence competition in the individual sub-website category. CSUMB beat out Stanford University’s School of Medicine and California State University’s 50th anniversary website for the top honor.
This story was published in June 2011, when the site was launched:
Want a CSU Monterey Bay map and campus tour, university news and sports results at your fingertips?
There’s a web app for that. CSUMB has just launched a mobile version of its website – complete with news, sports, event listings and dining hall hours – that can be accessed here. It’s simpler, faster and formatted for smaller screens. The mobile website is accessible via devices such as iPhone, Blackberry and Android-based smart phones and tablets using the devices’ built-in web browser. It includes tools designed to help the community as well as students, faculty and staff navigate campus information. Students find it especially useful since it allows them to check their class schedule and campus accounts, access the bus schedule and renew library books. Because a growing number of people – on and off campus – are accessing the web via handheld devices, CSUMB President Dianne Harrison thought it was essential to provide information in a format that would accommodate those users. CSUMB is now among the 9 percent of American colleges and universities that have mobile websites, according to the Mobile in Higher Education website. (Read the survey here.) The mobile site was developed in-house by Kevin Miller and Greg Pool of the university’s Information Technology staff, with help from several students majoring in computer science, and Liz MacDonald and Kevin Garcia of the communications staff. It follows on the redesign and relaunch of the university's website, csumb.edu, in October 2010.
For his accomplishments in the classroom, D.J. Milligan has been honored by the NCAA with this year's Elite 88 award for Division II golf. The award was presented May 15 in Florence, Ala., site of the national championship.
The Elite 88 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating in the national championship for each of the NCAA's sports. Milligan, a red-shirt junior majoring in business, carries a 3.98 GPA.
Eligible student-athletes are sophomores or above who have participated in their sport for at least two years.
The Otters are making their second appearance at the NCAA Division II men's golf championship, set to run May 16-20. Last year, the team finished 11th among the field of 15.
For more information on the Elite 88 award winners, click here.
Scott Waltz, associate professor in the Liberal Studies Department, was honored at the annual teaching awards ceremony sponsored by the Community Foundation for Monterey County. This year’s event was held May 5 at the Embassy Suites hotel in Seaside.
Dr. Waltz received the Allen Griffin Award for excellence in teaching at the post-secondary level. Faculty members from Monterey Peninsula College, Monterey Institute of International Studies, Defense Language Institute and Naval Postgraduate School were also honored, as were elementary, middle and high school teachers.
Established in 1982, the Griffin Award was created by a bequest from the late Col. Allen Griffin, former publisher of the Monterey Herald and founder and former board president of the Community Foundation. The award honors teachers who have a record of sustained excellence in the classroom and who have made a significant impact in the community.
Dr. Waltz joined CSU Monterey Bay in 2004 from D’Youville College in Buffalo, N.Y. He began his teaching career as an interpretive naturalist for elementary children, but moved on a few years later to pursue a master’s degree in the arts of teaching, and a teaching credential, at Beloit College in Wisconsin. After a stint as a high school teacher, he earned a Ph.D. in the Social Foundations of Education at the State University of New York at Buffalo.
The Arts Council for Monterey County will honor Enid Baxter Blader at its annual Champions of the Arts gala on Jan. 21.
Associate professor and chair of CSU Monterey Bay’s Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department, she will be recognized in the education category. Other honorees are Beach Boys founding member Al Jardine (lifetime achievement award); Garland Thompson (luminary); Alisal Center for the Fine Arts (nonprofit); Eric and Teresa Del Piero (philanthropist); Mari Kloeppel (professional); and Sonia Chapa (volunteer).
According to the Arts Council, the event is a “tribute to the great work and inspiring spirit of our champions.
“We are proud to honor these exemplary leaders who have demonstrated such tremendous passion and commitment to the arts in Monterey County,” the council said.
Professor Blader is an accomplished artist, musician and filmmaker with a diverse arts background. Her artworks have been shown at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C; the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles; Location One in New York; the Sundance Film Festival; The Arclight Theater in Los Angeles; and in Vienna, London, Glasgow and Mallorca, among other locations.
Among her recent projects is a book titled, Water, CA, which she co-edited with Nicole Antebi. The project (http://watercalifornia.org) is also a touring museum exhibition showing at the Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena and the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento.
In 2008, she founded the Monterey Bay Film Festival, and followed that with the Monterey Bay Film Society in 2010. Also in 2010, she was awarded a federal stimulus grant to fund an ongoing community program of film workshops for at-risk, incarcerated and migrant youth.
Professor Blader earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The Cooper Union in 1996, was a fellow at Yale University, and received her Master of Fine Arts with a fellowship from Claremont Graduate University in 2000.
She is the third faculty member at CSUMB to be honored by the Arts Council, joining 2007 honoree Jennifer Colby and 2009 honoree Amalia Mesa-Bains.
To learn more about Professor Blader, visit her website.
To learn about CSUMB’s Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department, click here.
California State University, Monterey Bay has received the Presidential Award as part of the 2010 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to community service.
CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison (pictured at left in red jacket) received the award June 8 in New Orleans. Dr. Seth Pollack, director of CSUMB's Service Learning Institute, and Dr. Miguel Lopez, co-founder of the "Increase the Peace" initiative and a faculty member in Liberal Studies, also attended the awards ceremony.
The Corporation for National and Community Service received applications from more than 850 colleges and universities. Only six received the Presidential Award.
In 2006, the program’s inaugural year, CSU Monterey Bay was one of three recipients of the top award. It has been named to the Honor Roll each year since then.
"Not only is service learning woven into our curriculum," President Harrison said, "it also is part of our university's ethos of engaging with and contributing to our surrounding communities." CSUMB was honored in the category of summer learning, highlighting its many programs that work with at-risk youth, providing young people opportunities to work alongside CSUMB students in strengthening their college readiness. The award specifically recognizes CSUMB’s Increase the Peace Summer Youth Leadership Program, which provides literacy, math and art classes for at-risk students at El Sausal Middle School in Salinas. The program works to strengthen students’ sense of pride and cultural identify through art and literature so they can reject harmful influences and continue on the path to college.
Congressman Sam Farr noted that CSUMB is serving as a national example of community service, grounded in the spirit of helping others. “Demonstrating the best of our values of selflessness and compassion, I'm certain that this award will undoubtedly help promote and inspire volunteerism for the next generation of youth on the Central Coast,” Congressman Farr said in a prepared statement.
CSUMB is the only public university in California, and one of the few nationally, where service learning is a requirement for all students. Each year, nearly 50 percent of CSUMB’s students enroll in service learning courses contributing more than 84,000 hours of service to more than 250 schools, non-profit organizations and government agencies in the tri-county area. And service learning is an academic department, where issues of service, diversity, social justice and social responsibility are linked to the core curriculum.
“It’s wonderful to see our program being recognized nationally and even internationally,” Dr. Pollack said.
“No other university in the country has made as significant a commitment to developing students’ capacity for service and social responsibility.”
“We have a very special program, and it feels great to be recognized as a national leader.”
According to the Corporation and National and Community Service, honorees are chosen based on a series of selection factors, including the scope and innovation of service projects, the extent to which service-learning is embedded in the curriculum, the school’s commitment to long-term campus-community partnerships, and measurable community outcomes as a result of the service.
SERVICE LEARNING FACTS
Service Learning programs have included: • The Juvenile Hall Teen Film Festival had incarcerated youth, along with other students, produce films that were screened at a film festival. • The Return of the Natives Watershed Restoration project worked to turn urban dumping grounds into community parks. • CSUMB worked with the Monterey County Volunteer Tax Assistance Program (VITA) to provide free income tax preparation to lower-income families. • Through a partnership with the Monterey County Office of Employment Training, Alisal Center for the Fine Arts, and El Sausal Middle School, the university provided a seven-week literacy, math, and arts summer program for eighth-graders. • The Chinatown Renewal Project brought together students with Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino community organizations to assist in the revitalization of the historically rich, though economically blighted Chinatown neighborhood of Salinas.
Service in 2010 • At least 2,809 students participated in community service through CSUMB’s community partnerships; 2,041 students were enrolled in service learning courses and worked with 240 schools, non-profit organizations and government agencies in the region. • Approximately 84,270 hours were donated by CSUMB students, staff, and faculty to their surrounding communities. CSUMB’s Impact in the Community • Construction of the Chinatown Community Learning Center, as well as a 30,000-square foot community garden. • Implementation of a job-training program for formerly homeless individuals. • Support for a silk-screening cooperative and a composting enterprise employing formerly homeless individuals. • Support to conduct oral history interviews with families in the neighborhood to collect and archive important historical information. • Support for the consolidation of homeless services in the Chinatown neighborhood. • Provided 250 hours of free income tax preparation, resulting in the return of nearly $100,000 to Monterey County residents. • More than 1,100 CSUMB students mentored 50,000 Salinas school children, who propagated and planted 200,000 native plants, removed thousands of pounds of trash, monitored water quality, and made videos and trail guides in the Creeks of Salinas parks. • At least 125 service-learning students were mentors for children in eight after-school programs; as a result, 98.6 percent of the children expressed a desire to attend college.
In order to graduate, CSU Monterey Bay students in the Visual and Public Art Department create a capstone project – a sort of senior thesis of art. Mounted together, they form an exhibit open to the public. The capstone projects are the final capping of skills, knowledge, values and commitments of the individual students. In these projects, student artists have identified public themes and critical issues that are relevant to themselves and their audience. This year’s exhibit gathers 35 works in a show of creative force. The exhibit will open on Monday, May 16, with an artists’ reception at 6 p.m. in the Visual and Public Art Building (Bldg. 71). The public is invited. The art department is housed in buildings located at the intersection of Inter-Garrison Road and Fifth Avenue. An exhibit catalog can be found here. The work will be on display until the final capstone and medal ceremony, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, May 20. The public is invited to this free event or to view the exhibit during normal business hours. Driving directions and a campus map are available here. The campuswide Capstone Festival will take place Thursday and Friday, May 19 and 20. For a schedule of capstone presentations in all academic departments, click here.
A few spots remain for the fall 2011 class of CSU Monterey Bay’s Master of Social Work program. Applications must be received by July 1.
The three-year program provides an opportunity for people who are interested in a career in social work, or who want to advance in their career, to earn an MSW degree in a way that is accessible and affordable.
Students specialize in Behavioral Health, or Children, Youth and Families, and prepare for a broad array of job opportunities within government and non-profits serving youth, the elderly, low-income families, veterans, those who face health challenges and others.
Admission requirements and application materials are available here.
Potential students who are lacking a prerequisite – human biology and statistics are among the classes applicants must have already completed – are urged to take those classes as soon as possible. If the prerequisites will not be met by August, please consider applying for fall 2012 once the application window opens in October.
Classes are currently offered in the evenings. Students must also complete an internship of 1,000 hours total, 250 hours per semester starting in the second year.
For more information, contact Vivienne Orgel at vorgel@csumb.edu or 831-582-5315.
Six faculty members have received CSU research, scholarship and creative activity awards.
The awards fall into two categories: mini-grants and fellowships. Money is allocated by the Chancellor’s Office to fund the awards, which faculty members must use during the summer and fall of 2011.
Mini-grants are intended as seed money to initiate, advance or complete work that leads to a publication, exhibit, performance or significant grant proposal.
Fellowships provide needed time to work on a project of creative scholarship or research. Fellowship awards went to: • Luis Camara, TAT, "Silencio" • Judith Canner, Math, "The effects of climate change on the interactions between ants and plants" • Ilene Feinman, Humanities and Communication, "Spiritual Politics and political spiritualists: What moves the movements?" Mini-grants were awarded to: • Babita Gupta, Business, "Environmental Sustainability: Developing a Model for IT-enabled Organizational Transformation" • Estella Porras, Humanities and Communication, "News Media Coverage of Youth Violence in the Tri-County Region" • Gerald Shenk, Social, Behavioral and Global Studies, "Teaching for Social Transformation: The Filipinization of an American Ideal, 1901-2011"
California State University, Monterey Bay’s 15th annual commencement ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 21.
The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. at Freeman Stadium on Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard. CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison will confer degrees on 1,022 candidates. University officials estimate approximately 8,000 people will attend the event. The winner of the President’s Award for Exemplary Student Achievement, Scott Bell, will be the student speaker, and President Harrison will also make extended remarks. University staff members will direct traffic to the available parking lots. Visitors are encouraged to arrive on campus by 8:30 a.m. More information about the day's activities is available here. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
The ceremony will be broadcast via the Internet. To access the broadcast, click here.
Community members should be aware that traffic is expected to be heavy in the areas adjacent to campus for much of the day.
CSU Monterey Bay is planning to offer a bachelor's degree in nursing starting next year. The program could be launched as early as summer 2012 and would accept between 25 and 30 students. – Oakland Tribune, July 13, 2011
CSU Monterey Bay's online MBA program will offer a second track for students without extensive management experience. The new track began in January as a pilot program and will now become an ongoing program with a full cohort of students. – Marina Gazette, July 18, 2011
CSU Monterey Bay's Small Business Development Center has received a grant to help the city of Salinas attract and create new jobs in the wake of the closure of Capital One, a large employer in the city.
Confidential assistance, training, information and networking opportunities will be provided to new and existing businesses, helping them access resources such as wage subsidies and training grants that will facilitate the growth of jobs and skill improvement. “This grant will allow us to work directly with more nascent and existing companies to create new jobs in the region,” said Andrea Nield, associate director of the SBDC. “We are off and running, already working with local stakeholders and the Workforce Investment Board’s Rapid Response Team to create jobs and facilitate hiring of those being laid off at Capital One.”
The Rapid Response Team includes representatives from the California Employment Development Department, Shoreline Workforce Development Services, the Monterey County One Stop Career Center, the Workforce Investment Board and the Small Business Development Center. How can the CSUMB SBDC help? By assisting local employers with adding new employees. According to a recent study, SBDC clients experienced six times the sales growth, and created 13 times the jobs of average businesses (see www.californiasbdc.org). Also, 65 percent of the center’s clients are in the Salinas area. Plans are to move to 106 Lincoln St., where the city will provide a lease at $1 a year for three years. The U.S. Small Business Administration Portable Assistance Grant, one of 10 awarded nationally, is intended to provide assistance to small businesses in communities suffering from a major disaster or economic hardship brought about by corporate downsizing. The UC Merced Small Business Development Center Regional Network (UCM-SBDC) will provide support and fiscal oversight to the project while the CSUMB SBDC will implement the program in the Salinas Valley.
As part of the grant, a special projects business adviser will be hired. The selected candidate will implement a comprehensive SBDC action strategy to catalize job growth in the small business community. Consultants are currently available to provide one-on-one consulting on-site at the individual businesses or at one of several outreach sites. All services are completely confidential with business consulting provided free of charge.
“We are pleased to announce SBA funds will be used by CSU Monterey Bay SBDC to help increase the jobs available to the Capital One employees facing layoff,” said Diane Howerton, regional director of UC Merced’s SBDC.
The CSUMB SBDC is a nationally accredited program, largely funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration that operates within the UC Merced Regional SBDC network serving Central California.
As one of four CSU hosts in Central California, the CSUMB-SBDC’s importance to the network is demonstrated by its excellent results in this region. Under the leadership of Andrea Nield, associate director, the CSUMB-SBDC has generated more than $3.8 million in capital infusion, which assisted 27 businesses to open that created and/or retained 134 jobs.
“With Ms. Nield’s track record, the use of the Portability Grant funds will be beneficial to the Salinas area impacted by the closing of the Capital One facility,” Howerton said.
"We don't want students to have to do another job. Their research is their job," said Matthew Subia, research coordinator at the CSUMB Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center. – The Salinas Californian, Dec. 12, 2012
More will be known about raccoons, striped skunks, bobcats, foxes and other mammals that live on former Fort Ord lands as the result of a study by CSUMB graduate student Bart Kowalski.
Kowalski is mapping the distribution of these animals on lands managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management, the Army and the Fort Ord Reuse Authority as part of his master’s degree program in Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy at CSUMB.
The largest share of the former Army base was deeded to the BLM, which manages it for multiple uses including “environmentally sensitive recreation.” His study will provide land managers with information on the factors that impact the distribution of these mammals.
“If I find that areas with highly concentrated roads and trails are less likely to be used by a certain species, then the managers could take informed actions to limit the use of those trails,” Kowalski said.
“Alternatively, they would have the knowledge of locations to open new trails with minimum impact to the mammals.”
For his work, Kowalski is this year’s winner of the James W. Rote Grant for Research in Applied Sciences.
In announcing the award, Dr. James Lindholm, the James Rote Professor of Marine Science and Policy at CSUMB, said:
“In the spirit of James Rote’s long career at the interface of science and policy, Bart’s project provides a clear linkage between research and management of the natural world.”
Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Rote held a variety of science advisory positions and helped draft environmental policy at the state and federal levels. He was instrumental in getting Monterey Bay designated as a National Marine Sanctuary.
He joined the CSUMB faculty in 1995, and was a founding member of the university’s innovative interdisciplinary program linking natural science, physical science, technology, economics and policy. Illness forced him to retire in 1997. He died in 2006.
The grant program is in its third year. The $2,000 award allows students to purchase equipment for their research projects; the equipment remains in the department for use by future students.
Kowalski came to the United States in 1992 from his native Poland. After high school in Costa Mesa, he earned a bachelor’s degree at UC Santa Cruz.
“I fell in love with the Central Coast, and after graduating, moved around between Santa Cruz and Point Reyes (Marin County),” he said. “When I decided to pursue a master’s degree, I wanted to stay in the area, so CSUMB was an attractive choice.”
He is planning to graduate in fall 2011.
Erin Stanfield won the first Rote Research Grant, which she used to buy equipment for her study of algae in Pinto Lake near Watsonville. Scott Toews was last year’s recipient. His grant was used to purchase equipment necessary for his research in the mechanisms that drive genetic diversity in Monterey Bay.
CSUMB’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) held its second annual Penny Wars throughout the school year, raising more than $1,500 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the official charity of NCAA Division II schools.
Penny Wars was a competition among teams, but with a catch. Members of the university’s 12 teams (men’s and women’s cross country teams combined) earned points by depositing pennies in their teams’ jars.
But, members of one team could sabotage another team by putting money other than pennies – like nickels, dimes and dollars – in their competition’s jars. The penny value of that money was subtracted from that team’s total.
At the end of each week, the jars were collected and counted; the teams were updated with their standings as the school year progressed. The jars were at all CSUMB sporting events and in the Otter Athletic Office throughout the year.
“This was a fun – and competitive – way to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation,” said SAAC President Carrie LaPonza, a senior math major. “This was a great way to get all our teams involved.”
Women's basketball took top honors by raising $246.83; women's water polo and baseball were second and third, respectively.
On a sunny, breezy morning, President Dianne Harrison shared a few pieces of advice with the 1,000 graduates of California State University, Monterey Bay, and told the stories of several of them.
“Rather than bringing in an outside celebrity who really doesn’t know you, YOU, our graduates are today’s celebrities,” she told the graduates and a capacity crowd of 8,000 of their friends and family members, “and that’s the story I want the community to take away from today’s commencement.”
She reminded students that graduation symbolizes not the conclusion of something but the commencement of all that awaits them.
“There is no ‘do over’ button in life. But if we are fortunate, we have opportunities throughout our lives to make a strong new start – to take advantage of new pathways that present themselves,” Dr. Harrison said.
Today is such a moment, she told the graduates, and so was the day they arrived at CSU Monterey Bay.
She shared the story of Jena Cleveland, who suffered from teachers’ low expectations until she arrived at CSUMB. At the university, she discovered the thrill of doing hands-on research, and is now headed to the Ph.D. program in molecular cell and developmental biology at UCLA.
Alana Tweed was another of the students whose story was shared by President Harrison. Tweed, a business student, is the first in her family to attend college. She took advantage of the services offered through the Educational Opportunity Program on campus, took on leadership roles, spent a semester abroad, and did an internship at the Naval Postgraduate School that turned into a full-time position. She’ll pursue a master’s in business administration in the fall.
Dr. Harrison also told the story of Sean Capistrano, a participant in the university’s Pay It Forward scholarship program. As part of that program, he mentored youngsters at the Boys and Girls Club while he, in turn, was mentored by a local business executive. Capistrano parlayed an internship with the local accounting firm of Hayashi and Wayland into a full-time job.
Interspersed among the student stories were pieces of advice gleaned from Dr. Harrison’s own distinguished career, her experience as the mother of two college students as well as “what I have learned from you.” She summed up that advice near the end of her remarks:
• Continue to develop the skills that allow you to act confidently • Be flexible, stay open to new pathways and take advantage of new opportunities when they present themselves • Stay engaged with your community and participate fully as citizens • Demonstrate courage and leadership, knowing you can overcome challenges • Always treat people with respect and appreciate our differences • Don’t ever stop reading, questioning and learning
The ceremony opened with the traditional welcome in Spanish, Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese, delivered by members of the faculty. That was followed by the National Anthem – sung by Jonathan Bell, a music major and member of the graduating class.
The morning’s first speaker was Scott Bell, winner of this year’s President’s Award for Exemplary Student Achievement.
Bell told students to be mindful and take responsibility for their actions. “I think it’s a key component of happiness,” he said. He followed that with a reminder that “you don’t have to understand everything,” and acknowledged that he grapples with that concept. “In seeking to understand everything we encounter, we may overlook the true beauty and value of what lies in front of us.”
He urged students to take risks. “Do one thing that scares you every day. Only by taking risks do we discover and overcome our limits and boundaries. . .”
Bell will pursue a master’s degree in psychology at Sonoma State University in the fall, with the goal of going on to a Ph.D. program.
Two faculty members were honored during the ceremony. Frances Payne Adler was awarded emeriti faculty status, acknowledging her distinguished service to the university. Dr. Scott Waltz was acknowledged for winning this year’s Griffin Award for outstanding teaching.
John Short has been named police commander at CSU Monterey Bay.
Short comes to the university from the Monterey Police Department, where he worked for 22 years. Most recently, he was the department’s training sergeant, responsible for creating, developing and scheduling training for officers as well as overseeing the hiring of new employees.
A graduate of Monterey High School and Monterey Peninsula College, Short has extensive experience working with law enforcement agencies in Monterey County through various committees and programs. He speaks Spanish and Portuguese.
As commander, he will oversee patrol operations, investigations and records and evidence. He replaces Earl Lawson, who was promoted to police chief last fall. “John understands that the police department is essential to ensuring a safe environment for students, employees and visitors and helping to maintain an atmosphere that is conducive to learning and personal growth,” Chief Lawson said.
Photo: At swearing-in ceremony, new police commander John Short has his badge pinned on by his father, Phil Short
Like many small business owners, Shawn Bakker was doing fine until the recession hit.
“I’d just go from one job to the next,” said Bakker, who moved to Salinas from his native Colorado and founded his company, Bakker Construction, in 2008.
A year later, he realized that he needed to be proactive in his approach, rather than simply react to the economy. That’s when his lender referred him to the Small Business Development Center at CSU Monterey Bay for help.
Working with adviser Keith Holtaway, he developed strategies and refined tactics that resulted in a shift in his target market to home remodeling and improvements for small businesses.
By September of 2010, Bakker had hired eight new employees and increased sales by over $800,000. He continues to work with the SDBC and expects to reach $1 million in business this year.
For his success, Bakker has earned the 2011 Entrepreneurial Success Award from the SBDC’s regional office in Merced.
Bakker is just one example of the impact the SBDC has had in the area.
Since it opened its doors in late 2009, the center has provided 2,475 hours of service to more than 200 businesses. It has trained 500 people, created 41 jobs, assisted with the start-up of 11 businesses, helped its clients increase sales by nearly $2 million, and helped with nearly $1 million of capital infusion (from loans or owner investment).
The center provides management and technical assistance to small businesses and entrepreneurs in the area long the Highway 101 corridor from Gilroy to King City. From offices in Gonzales, Salinas, Hollister and Gilroy, as well as the CSUMB campus, the center provides critical services to small business owners, helping to create and retain jobs in order to strengthen the local economy.
Help is available to develop business plans, secure financing, assist with marketing needs, set up financial systems, determine plans for expansion, project cash flow, identify technology needs and provide a variety of other services helpful to small businesses. In addition to the free one-on-one consulting, the center offers a variety of workshops and seminars. CSUMB’s center comes under the auspices of the University of California Merced’s SBDC regional network, a fully accredited and nationally recognized program. University faculty members make up about half of the 20 people available to give entrepreneurs free advice. “We’ve got quite a large skill set” of counselors, said Andrea Zeller-Nield, associate director of the center. Some of the counselors have knowledge of key local industries, such as wine and agriculture. To learn more, click here.
This cooperative agreement is partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration and the University of California, Merced. SBA's funding is not an endorsement of any products, opinions or services. SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. This material is based on work supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Any opinions, findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
Forget the shiny red apple.
Teachers throughout the 28th Assembly District were honored at a pancake breakfast hosted by Assemblyman Luis Alejo on May 21 at a Salinas elementary school.
The event – Dia del Maestro or Day of the Teacher – recognized bilingual and bicultural teachers nominated by local school districts.
“Teachers may well be the most under- appreciated and undervalued professionals in America today,” Alejo said. “But when you ask successful people to name the most influential individual in their lives, teachers are named more than any other group.”
Among the honorees was CSUMB alumnus Ignacio Ornelas, who earned a degree in Social and Behavioral Studies in 2001. He teaches history at a high school in Salinas.
"CSUMB taught me about social justice, democratic participation and building a strong social network. These values inspired me to embark on a career that values humanity," he said.
"Today, I am privileged to teach the next generation of leaders."
He's doing that at Everett Alvarez High and at CSUMB, where he's an adjunct instructor of social and political histories of the United States.
"Another value I always credit to CSUMB is the ambition to pursue graduate studies. I was taught by a diverse group of faculty who always promoted graduate school," he said.
"I felt I would be a failure if I didn't complete a master's degree."
Mission accomplished – he earned a teaching credential and a master's in political science at San Francisco State.
He knows first-hand the impact education can have on an entire family, and can share that experience with his students.
"My five younger sisters saw that they, too, could pursue higher learning and achieve academic success. One of my sisters has already graduated from college, three of them will graduate in June and the youngest is completing her freshman year – all at UC Santa Barbara."
President Dianne Harrison has announced that nine faculty members have been granted tenure. The newly tenured faculty members and their departments:
• Dr. Rebecca Bales, Social, Behavioral and Global Studies • Ms. Enid Blader, Teledramatic Arts and Technology • Dr. James Lindholm, Division of Science and Environmental Policy • Dr. Marc Los Huertos, Division of Science and Environmental Policy • Dr. Deanne Perez-Granados, Liberal Studies Department • Dr. Michael Scott, Mathematics and Statistics Department • Dr. Shigeko Sekine, School of World Languages and Cultures • Dr. Marylou Shockley, School of Business • Dr. Patsy Tinsley McGill, School of Business Along with tenure, Drs. Shockley and McGill were promoted to full professor. The others were promoted to associate professor. In addition, Dr. Kim Judson, Department of Health, Human Services and Public Policy; Dr. David Reichard and Dr. Ernest Stromberg, both of the Division of Humanities and Communication; and Dr. Rob Weisskirch, Liberal Studies Department, were promoted to full professor.
The CSU Monterey Bay-based Camp SEA Lab is in its second decade of offering Science, Education and Adventure through summer programs in and around the Monterey Bay area. Local teachers, scientists and resource managers who were concerned about the lack of ocean-science education in schools started the non-profit in 2000. About 8,000 children have participated in Camp SEA Lab programs since then. The program works closely with Monterey Bay-area research institutions. Funding is provided by grants – the California Coastal Commission's Whale Tail Grant program and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are major supporters – and local contributors such as the Packard Foundation and the Community Foundation for Monterey County. The youngsters – most in grades five through eight – come from the Monterey Bay area, but a few come from other states and even other countries. They take part in three- or five-day programs, day camps or residential camps. During the school year, programs are offered for entire classes; during the summer, youngsters participate as individuals. Amity Wood, program director, says many of the children have never been to the Pacific Ocean before, and have never done the kinds of activities the program exposes them to: paddling a kayak in Elkhorn Slough; looking at plankton under a microscope; dissecting a squid; building a remotely-operated vehicle. For some of them, it’s an adventure that will change the way they look at the ocean, the environment and, just maybe it will change the way they view science. Says Wood: “The vast majority of kids who come through the program aren’t going to become marine scientists, but maybe they’re going to come away with a different outlook on the ocean and the environment. “They’re going to care about it,” she says. “And if they care about it, they’re going to do something about it.” This summer, the Science, Education and Adventure continue with a variety of day camps and residential camps held on the CSUMB campus, including several programs especially for teens 13 to 17 years old. Two of the programs are for girls only. Campers will have the opportunity to interact with women scientists while exploring careers in science.
For more information, click here.
UPDATE: As of September 2012, Lawrence is enrolled in a Ph.D. program in biology at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. Following his Kannapolis award, his Ph.D. program is fully funded.
Growing up in a small Central Valley farming town, Marcus Lawrence spent his summers working at jobs involving physical labor. “It taught me to appreciate hard work and the outcomes produced from it,” he said.
That lesson paid off at CSU Monterey Bay, where, through hard work, he discovered the allure of research.
En route to earning a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in 2010, Lawrence presented the results of his research at meetings of the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Kinesiology Professor Kent Adams said, “Hands down, Marcus is the best undergraduate I’ve ever worked with.”
Now a graduate student at Appalachian State University, Lawrence has earned a prestigious fellowship funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that will allow him to work on problems associated with aging.
“Aging has been an interest of mine since working with Dr. Adams,” Lawrence said. “I see the numbers of older adults growing – not only in the U.S. but around the world. This group will soon be costing our economy a lot of money for health care.
“I’d like to help prevent this health care burden by finding ways to prevent or reduce age-related loss in function that older adults experience.”
Called the Kannapolis Scholar Fellowship, the 15-month grant will support his work at Appalachian’s Department of Health, Leisure and Exercise Science, as well as research at the North Carolina Research Campus for two summers.
“After I completed my first research study, I was hooked, and ever since then I have wanted to pursue a Ph.D.,” Lawrence said. “The training I will receive and the research collaboration I’ll be part of as a result of this fellowship will propel me to a top-tier doctoral program.”
He’ll use the fellowship to study the effects of a plant substance from Uzbekistan and parts of Central Asia in mitigating muscle and strength loss that occurs with aging. He’ll prepare an extract from the plant Ajuga turkestanica, and then feed it to mice that are the equivalent of a 65-year-old human. Depending on the outcome of the study, the extract could then be tested on human volunteers.
“Previous research has shown the plant extract increases strength in young animals and protein synthesis in muscle cells,” said Dr. Kevin Zwetsloot, one of Lawrence’s research mentors. “Those are two of the problems that occur with aging. We lose muscle when we get older – our ability to build protein decreases.”
Lawrence said his goals are to earn a Ph.D., complete a post-doctoral training fellowship, and join the faculty at a university where he can teach and conduct research.
“My research will continue to focus on ways to combat age-related diseases, but also to expand that to include ways to use exercise to help combat illnesses that are not age related, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.”
He credits his experience at CSUMB with much of his success.
“CSUMB was quite possibly the greatest thing to happen in my life,” Lawrence said. “I was accepted to larger – or what others might call more prestigious – universities, but none of them would have been as perfect for me. It was an ideal fit,” he said.
“Dr. Kent Adams, Dr. Trish Sevene-Adams and Dr. Henrik Kibak are the reason I’m succeeding in the fashion I am now. And, I would not have been able to accomplish nearly as much were it not for UROC – the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center – and the opportunities it provided involving research, networking and disseminating results.”
To learn more about UROC, click here.
To learn more about the kinesiology program at CSUMB, click here.
Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University News Office Dr. Kevin Zwetsloot (left), with Marcus Lawrence in a lab at Appalachian State. Lawrence is a 2010 graduate of CSUMB's kinesiology program.
Patty Fernandez directs an organization that inspires girls to be strong, smart and bold.
She’s a good role model to those young girls of what empowered women can achieve if they believe in themselves.
Fernandez has been involved with the Central Coast affiliate of Girls Inc. almost since it was established in 2001. The organization works with girls between 9 and 18; it has served more than 900 of them through 24 schools in six local cities.
A 1999 graduate of CSU Monterey Bay with a degree in liberal studies, Fernandez started out as a volunteer mentor and eventually became the organization’s executive director.
“I am so grateful the founders of Girls Inc. saw the need for girls to take a look at their options in life – to understand they have options – and created a program dedicated to young women so they could learn what to envision, to ask for, to hope for, to achieve,” she said.
While most of the programs are held after school hours, a weeklong session is offered during the summer, called “Smart Choices.” More than 40 girls who are about to enter high school will head to CSUMB June 14-18. They’ll explore the university and learn about the requirements for attending college. They’ll also attend workshops that focus on healthy relationships, peer pressure, self-image, self-esteem and healthy eating habits.
“Smart Choices enables girls from King City to Castroville to spend a week living on campus and experience college life. The goal is to expose them now, so they will be inspired to prepare themselves to go to college. We tell them: these are your choices, these are the classes you need to take, the decisions you need to make in life,” Fernandez told the Monterey Herald.
“They get a taste of what they can have; it’s not out of reach. They can see it and touch it.” That’s significant because 95 percent of them will be the first in their families to go to college.
Anyone interested in exploring the confluence of art and science is invited to attend the summer session of CSU Monterey Bay’s Science Illustration program.
Classes in marine science illustration and digital science illustration will be offered in a five-week session starting July 19.
While this is the first time summer classes have been offered on the CSUMB campus – where the program moved in the fall of 2009 – they were available when the program was based at UC Santa Cruz.
“Classes have been attended by people from the community, high school students, professional artists, art students who need a science elective, and elementary school teachers who want to develop science units for their classes,” said program director Ann Caudle.
It’s also a good way to learn about the program.
“People interested in applying to the year-long Science Illustration program and want to get a taste for what it is have also taken summer classes,” Caudle said. “A substantial number of our former summer students have successfully applied to our regular graduate program.”
The summer classes are geared to a wide range of student levels. While there is a set curriculum, there is also one-on-one teaching. The beginner will get plenty of guidance and practical training.
“I’ve seen amazing progress in just a few weeks,” Caudle said.
Professionals or near-professionals can widen their skill sets, try new approaches and fine-tune their observation skills and the quality of their illustrations.
The marine science class will explore marine subjects and their environment, using watercolor and mixed-media techniques. The digital science class will use Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop in conjunction with traditional techniques. The goal is to make science accessible to everyone. No prior art or science experience is necessary.
Both classes will be taught by Amadeo Bachar, an instructor in the regular program. Bachar is also a freelance artist whose clients include National Geographic, Scientific American and the California Department of Fish and Game.
The fee for each class is $585. For more information, call (831) 582-4500. To download a registration form, click here.
More information on the program is available here.
At left: Amadeo Bachar Above: Cabezon. Scorpaeichthys marmoratus. Watercolor on paper by Amadeo Bachar
California State University, Monterey Bay will be accredited through 2019. After a process that took years and included two campus visits, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission announced that it reaffirmed the university's accreditation for eight more years. – San Jose Mercury News, Aug. 1, 2011
Heather Kelley has been named a recipient of the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship for outstanding graduate students in the fields of marine biology and coastal resource management. The scholarships are presented annually by the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. – Marina Gazette, Aug. 1, 2011
A generation ago, college orientation was a perfunctory event, focusing on getting the new students registered for classes.
Now, universities, including CSU Monterey Bay, have made this annual ritual an important part of the student experience, and include a separate program for parents.
Otter orientation sessions are being held in June, with events meant to showcase the campus to students who will enter in the fall. All six sessions – two for transfers, four for incoming freshmen – are at the maximum capacity of 200 students. The freshmen sessions also have had more than 300 family members in attendance.
The sessions are designed to ensure a successful transition to CSUMB. Students have the opportunity to meet with an adviser, register for classes, and learn about the university and how to get involved with campus life. They are introduced to campus organizations, student government, living and learning opportunities, outdoor recreation and intramural sports. And they get information on academic services, such as tutoring and advising, and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center.
While students are learning about the various majors and student services, their parents and other family members have the opportunity to ask questions of a panel of campus representatives.
Dr. Christine Erickson, dean of students, gave a short presentation called Parents as Partners: Together in Transition. She told the audience that the university treats students as adults, expects them to be responsible, accountable and capable, and to seek out and use the resources that are available to help them.
“We need you to trust that we have your child’s best interests at heart,” Dr. Erickson said. And she reminded the audience that at CSUMB, “we really are committed to the success of each and every student.”
Parents had questions about how their students could get a campus job (easily, using an online process), if skateboards are allowed on campus (yes), how housing assignments could be changed (only after the first two weeks, and only if space is available), and if cars are necessary (no, there’s good public transportation and car-pooling).
New students will have the opportunity to make connections and get involved during Otter Days Aug. 19-21, and at the Club Showcase, which will be held in early September.
To learn more about summer orientation, click here.
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Christopher Marcos and friends proved yet again that students in the Teledramatic Arts and Technology program at CSU Monterey Bay can excel on both sides of the stage.
Marcos and former TAT students Erica Racz and Malinda DeRouen starred in the Western Stage’s recent production of the cult classic “Little Shop of Horrors.” The theater is located on the campus of Hartnell College in Salinas.
Current students Melissa Woodrow and Tomas Reyes were also involved with the production, working behind the scenes.
But TAT majors weren't the only CSUMB students involved in the production. Sydney Duncheon, a Global Studies major who has been involved in local theater for quite some time, also had a prominent role.
“Little Shop” tells the story of Seymour – played by Marcos – an awkward and shy floral shop clerk who discovers a strange plant after a solar eclipse and uses it to turn his waning fortunes around. Naming the plant Audrey II after a co-worker on whom he has a crush, he nurtures the plant with the only thing it will eat – his own blood.
When the plant’s appetite grows to the point of needing human flesh to survive, Seymour must make a stark choice: Does he give in to the plant’s carnivorous desires or stand up to the insatiable extraterrestrial and save the world.
And how does a giant, man-eating plant with a penchant for belting out Motown-inspired tunes come to life? Puppets, four of them, each representing a stage of the plant’s life.
In addition to playing Seymour, Marcos had the added challenge of operating the smallest puppet himself. It required him to juggle two roles at the same time – no small trick. The other puppets were operated by people in non-acting roles.
Racz and DeRouen had supporting roles in the production. As Chiffon and Ronnette, they functioned as participants in the action and a Greek Chorus outside it. Young, hip and smart, they were the only characters in the show who really knew what was going on.
All five TAT alums and current students involved in the production used skills they learned at CSUMB. And the current students acquired additional skills that will help them when they return to campus in the fall.
Marcos (Class of ’10), who starred in Pacific Repertory Theatre’s 2010 production of “All Shook Up,” where he played the lead role of an Elvis Presley-like character, said the sense of community and teamwork within a cast is something he learned at the university.
DeRouen (‘05) has been acting with the Salinas company since 2002. That year, TWS’s Tom Humphrey came to CSUMB to direct A Winter’s Tale and suggested she audition for the company. She has grown to become a lead actor in some of its productions.
Racz attended CSUMB from 1998 to 2000, and then ended up majoring in musical theater at the University of Northern Colorado. While at CSUMB, she was cast in the first theatrical productions staged at the university.
“Although I learned a great deal doing student films, through various TAT classes I learned that my heart belonged on the stage,” she said. “If it hadn’t been for CSUMB, I would not have discovered my true passion.”
Woodrow, who will graduate in December, has worked at TWS since 2007 in a variety of positions. This summer, she’s “the media marketing, PR and social networking go-to gal,” she said.
“And, along with Tomas and our great company, I will do scenic, prop and light design for three shows in our new repertory program, 2x4BASH.”
Reyes is also in his senior year. He works on sound design and engineering at TWS and does some acting.
“Since I’m majoring in film at CSUMB, I can use the skills I’m learning at TWS in post-editing and field sound,” Reyes said.
“With my capstone coming up in the fall, the Western Stage experience is helping make sure my skill set is prepared for the next semester.”
Woodrow perhaps spoke for all of them when she said, “ My involvement with TWS has enhanced my learning at CSUMB. I’ve learned that collaboration and communication is key!
“There is no other way to make a successful production run. All design/directorial elements grow from listening, hearing and seeing how others work.
“I’m grateful for what I have learned and continue to learn at TWS. It’s made me think outside the box and explore the material from all angles,” Woodrow said.
To learn more about the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department at CSUMB, click here.
Photos by Richard Green for The Western Stage Top photo: CSUMB alum Christopher Marcos as Seymour grapples with Audrey II, a bloodthirsty plant
Bottom photo: Left to right, Erica Racz, Malinda DeRouen and Reina Vazquez along with Marcos
Jason Owen, CSUMB’s men's golf coach, will travel to Hershey, Pa., to compete in the PGA Professional National Championship June 26-29 while one of his players, sophomore Dylan Jackson, will tee it up in the USGA Amateur Public Links Championship June 27-July 2.
The 44th PGA Professional National Championship, the premier event for PGA professionals, will be played at Hershey Country Club's East and West courses.
A lot is on the line. The tournament winner will earn $75,000, get his name engraved on the Walter Hagen Cup and receive exemptions into six PGA Tour events over the next 12 months.
The top 20 finishers will earn a spot in the 2011 PGA Championship, set for Aug. 11–14 at Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Ga.
Owen (above) made his PGA Professional National Championship debut last summer in French Lick, Ind., carding a 1-under-par 69 in the opening round at the Donald Ross Golf Course. He missed the cut after a 9-over-par 81 in the second round.
The tournament will be broadcast on the Golf Channel, available on Comcast cable channel 82 and campus cable channel 42. Here is the schedule (times are local):
Sunday, June 26, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday, June 27, 12:30-3 p.m. Tuesday, June 28, 12:30-3 p.m. Wednesday, June 29, 12:30-3 p.m.
In his first USGA qualifier, Jackson placed in the top three to earn a spot in the Public Links Championship being held at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Ore.
The tournament is limited to golfers who play on public courses. The winner earns a spot in next year’s Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
Jackson tees off at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 27. He will play alongside New Mexico State's Joon Lee and Paul McConnell of the University of Texas-Arlington.
CSUMB’s men's golf team won the university's first NCAA national championship in May. In the tournament's final round, Dylan Jackson, John Jackson, D.J. Milligan, Scott Yeakel and Oskar Nystrom combined to defeat Lynn University 3-2 in match play in Muscle Shoals, Ala. Dylan Jackson’s round included a hole-in-one on the 178-yard, par-3 13th hole. It was the sixth straight tournament victory for the Otters dating back to March. The victory string included the university’s first Super Regional title and its second consecutive California Collegiate Athletic Association championship.
Members of the public will have an opportunity to learn about the work CSU Monterey Bay Professor Ruben Mendoza is doing in the California missions when he gives a talk on June 28 in Seaside.
“The Cross and the Spade: Archaeology, Art and Photography in the California Missions” is the title of his talk, to be presented from 7 to 9 p.m. at Studio Seaside, 840 Broadway Ave. The free presentation is part of Arts Habitat’s monthly lecture series.
Dr. Mendoza is an archaeologist, writer, and photographer who has explored the length and breadth of Mexico, Central America, Europe and the American Southwest documenting both pre-Columbian and Colonial era sites and collections.
A founding faculty member at CSUMB, Professor Mendoza has directed major archaeological investigations and conservation projects at missions San Juan Bautista, San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, and Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, among others.
Recent efforts at the Royal Presidio of Monterey resulted in the tandem discovery of the earliest Serra era Christian houses of worship in California dated to 1770 and 1771. His work on behalf of the Royal Presidio Chapel Conservation Project was awarded the California Preservation Foundation Preservation Design Award for 2009.
His long-term contributions to "furthering the preservation and protection of the California Missions" was acknowledged by the California Mission Directors and Curators Conference with the granting of the Father Fermín Francisco de Lasuén Award for 2010.
For more information on his talk, call 624-6111.
To read more about Professor Mendoza, click here and here.
To learn more about the archaeology program at CSUMB, click here.
To view a video featuring Dr. Mendoza and his hands-on archaeology class preparing to dig into the past at Soledad Mission, click here.
Anyone interested in the Master of Social Work program at CSU Monterey Bay is invited to attend an information session scheduled for Jan. 14 The session will be held in the program’s offices in Beach Hall, located on Divarty Street between Fourth and Fifth avenues, from noon to 1 p.m. Applications for fall 2013 must be received by Jan. 31 for priority consideration. The three-year program provides an opportunity for people who are interested in a career in social work, or who want to advance in their career, to earn an MSW degree in a way that is accessible and affordable. Students specialize in Behavioral Health, or Children, Youth and Families, and prepare for a broad array of job opportunities within government and non-profits serving youth, the elderly, low-income families, veterans, those who face health challenges and others.
Classes are currently offered in the evenings. Students must also complete internships of 1,000 hours total, 250 hours per semester starting in the second year, at agencies in Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Santa Clara counties. For more information, contact Vivienne Orgel at vorgel@csumb.edu or 831-582-5315. Admission requirements and application materials are available online. Parking permits must be purchased from the yellow permit dispenser on the lot.
It was on my third visit to Fort Ord while working on this book that I happened upon the paintings. I was riding my bike through yet another seemingly endless geometric arrangement of rows and rows of misshapen two-story barracks when suddenly a sunlit gallery of vibrantly colored faces appeared before me. Their haunting eyes followed me as I approached. It was a magnificent display that stopped me short. – Ed Salven, in his book "The Soldier Factory: A Window" Thirty years after he was stationed at Fort Ord in the 1960s, Ed Salven returned to find a ghost town. Once a bustling military community of more than 30,000 soldiers, the Sixth Army Infantry Processing Center sat in silent decay. He was overwhelmed by recollections of his time here as a draftee. Those memories became the basis for "The Soldier Factory: A Window," a meditation on being part of the U.S. military machine at the height of the Vietnam War.
His recollections – confronting questions of war, authority, self-worth, honor, loss and love – are accompanied by portraits of soldiers painted by students in CSUMB’s Visual and Public Art program (and from Monterey Peninsula College), artifacts from the first few years of the university’s existence. Faculty members Johanna Poethig and Stephanie Johnson were involved with the project.
The portraits are familiar to everyone who spent time at CSUMB during the first decade of the university's existence. They honor not only the soldiers portrayed but all soldiers, and pay tribute to the area’s military history.
“We ‘peopled’ the windows with the living history of the base,” said Amalia Mesa-Bains, who was chair of VPA at the time. “The theme was based on social theory about human geography and history. The concept that guided the project was one of excavating the geography of memory that lay beneath our feet.
“Edward Soja and other theorists refer to the physical, social and geographic meaning of space, that no place is empty when we find it, and that there are ghosts when we arrive.”
Students and faculty worked with Johnson and retired Col. Hank Hendrikson in interviewing family members of non-commissioned officers. Through these families, they got photographs and other mementoes to work from in creating the paintings.
“We selected non-commissioned officers because they were more often the soldiers of color,” said Mesa-Bains, “and the stories of their lives were largely untold.” The project sought to respect military service, while highlighting the common soldier.
“At that time, Seaside had a large African American population. Fort Ord was also a military base known as a ‘compassionate duty station,’ meaning that interracial families were safe here so its history was important to our diverse student population as well,” said Mesa-Bains.
Done with acrylic paints on sheets of Tyvek (a paper used in outdoor construction and landscaping), many of the portraits had fallen victim to the elements or vandals by the time the buildings were razed.
"The Soldier Factory: A Window" was released by George Braziller Publishers, Inc., $24.95, 160 pages, 51 color illustrations. Ed Salven was born in Hollywood. Educated at UCLA and London University, he owns a landscape design company in Malibu.
CSUMB graduate Margo Mullen has just completed a public art project in Santa Cruz. Her canvas: a square traffic controller box located at the busy intersection of Soquel Avenue and Morrissey Boulevard.
Mullen, best known on campus as the artist behind the mural at the Aquatic Center, was one of five artists chosen from 150 applicants to participate in phase two of the Outside the Box public art project.
The project was part of an effort by the Santa Cruz County Parks Department to transform traffic control boxes in the region. The boxes house the equipment that operates traffic signals.
Her tiny mural shows two robots, one red and the other yellow, holding hands. Their clasped hands form a heart. She was the only artist chosen for phase two who didn’t have to revise her proposed design. Her experience as a muralist helped, she said.
Mullen told the Santa Cruz Sentinel that the robots were “born” in Santa Cruz. They were created – literally – in a moment of darkness, when the power went out in her studio. She had watercolor paper, ink and a headlamp; with those tools, she created a series of robots.
“They just happened,” she told the Sentinel. Featured on her business cards, they travel with her everywhere. “They’ve become my little friends.”
The project took 26 hours over four days.
According to her blog, countless people said “thank-you,” “awesome” and “way to go” as they passed on foot, bicycle and in cars.
“All I can say is, Thank-You, Santa Cruz.”
CSUMB is home to Mullen’s first big project – a 100-foot by 16-foot depiction of a kelp forest.
“Working as a lifeguard at the Aquatic Center and playing water polo left an impression on me,” she said in 2006. The Visual and Public Art major used it as her capstone project.
She recently worked on a mural at the Museum of Monterey – formerly the Monterey History and Maritime Museum – with Los Angeles artist Andre Miripolsk, and is currently working with painter John Pugh on a mural for the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
To see more photos of the robots project, click here.
To read about her mural at the CSUMB Aquatic Center, click here.
To read about the Visual and Public Art Department, click here.
Photos courtesy of Margo Mullen
The magic generally happens right away, the minute their shoes sink into the white sand. A startling-but-true fact, said program director Amity Wood, is that almost 70 percent of the middle school children who participate in Camp SEA Lab each year are seeing the Pacific Ocean for the first time. The program operates through CSU Monterey Bay in close partnership with Monterey Bay-area science institutions. – Monterey Herald, May 5, 2011
Taking on a group of bruising Scottish ruby players in a match at Preston Park in Marina could be seen as a daunting challenge to players from CSU Monterey Bay. The Otters had less experience and something to prove. The Scots are on tour, playing Northern California teams. – Monterey Herald, May 8, 2011
In Salinas, many think media coverage trends toward the sensational, especially in a community where gang-related crimes have propelled the youth homicide rate to the worst in the state. Media coverage was the focus of a study and presentation by a group of CSU Monterey Bay students who invited journalists, law enforcement officials, community activists and local residents to an open discussion. The students' findings were presented in the program Media Coverage of Youth Violence in Salinas. – Monterey Herald, May 11, 2011
CSUMB has launched a mobile version of its website – complete with news, sports, event listings and dining hall hours – accessible at csumb.edu/mobile. The mobile website is accessible via devices such as iPhone, Blackberry and Android-based smart phones and tablets using the devices' built-in web browser. – The Salinas Californian, May 12, 2011
CSU Monterey Bay will be the new home for a prestigious arts program for the next half-decade. CSU Summer Arts, the annual monthlong program offering academic programs in a wide swath of arts, will be held at CSUM beginning in summer 2012. Director Jim Spalding said the university won out over other campuses because of its academic and environmental strengths. – Monterey Herald, May 13, 2011
CSU Monterey Bay has again been recognized for its community service program. The university has received the Presidential Award as part of the 2010 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to community service. – Monterey Herald, May 17, 2011
Scott Waltz, associate professor in the Liberal Studies Department at CSU Monterey Bay, was honored at the annual teaching awards ceremony sponsored by the Community Foundation for Monterey County. Dr. Waltz received the Allen Griffin Award for excellence in teaching at the post-secondary level. – The Salinas Californian, May 19, 2011
Enterprising OLLI – Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – program gives more of our elders the education they always wanted. – Monterey County Weekly, May 19, 2011
Los estudiantes de la Universidad Estatal de la Bahia de Monterey tuvieron la oportunidad de aplicar sus conocimientos durante el festival capstone La mayoria de estos estudiantes estan listos para su graduacion, – KSMS/Univision, May 19, 2011
The Cal State-Monterey Bay men's golf team won its first national championship in program history. – Golfweek, May 21, 2011
More than a traditional equipment check-out service, TechRent is an innovative program that makes technology affordable for CSUMB students. It offers flexible terms that let students keep devices for a day, week, month or semester. Students may even choose to purchase a rented device by applying their rental fees toward the items' cost. – EdTech magazine, May 24, 2011
The quest to win a national championship at CSUMB is over. Senior John Jackson carded a key birdie on the 16th to win, D.J. Milligan won by strokes and sophomore Dylan Jackson dramatically sank a 3-foot putt on the 18th for another victory, leading the Otters to a 3-2 win over No. 1 Lynn University in the finals of the NCAA Division II Championship at The Shoal Course in Alabama. – Monterey Herald, May 21, 2011
Blog evolves into CSUMB student's Project: Market Me Cathryn "Cat" Sampson isn't shy about contacting CEOs and best-selling authors. Sampson has been getting replies, not for her own job search, but for her website which offers help for others in their career search. Sampson, who found time to set up the website despite a 22-unit load at CSUMB, isn't doing it for a class project or for money, although she has received three job offers. – Monterey Herald, May 21, 2011
Internship paves way for CSUMB student If the veggies on your dinner plate are bacteria-free in future years, you might want to thank Stacy Mauzey, a biology major who will graduate today from CSU Monterey Bay and head to graduate school in search of potentially dangerous organisms. Mauzey sorted through multiple suitors and chose Washington State University, where she'll pursue her master's degree, en route to a doctorate, studying plant pathology. – Monterey Herald, May 21, 2011
The future of 1,022 students who received college degrees from CSU Monterey Bay can be a glowing one if they move forward with optimism and without fear of risk. That was the message delivered to fellow students and a crowd of about 8,000 spectators at Freeman Stadium by student Scott Bell, a campus leader whose own future will include graduate studies in psychology at Sonoma State. – Monterey Herald, May 21, 2011
A service-learning project of a student at California State University, Monterey Bay has evolved into a regularly scheduled recreational program for Salinas-area children. Rodrigo Reyes needed to complete a 40-hour community project, and, because he grew up in east Salinas, wanted to do something that would affect the community he calls home. – The Salinas Californian, May 30, 2011
Dr. Dianne Harrison has been appointed to serve on the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. She is president of CSU Monterey Bay, where she has served since 2006. – National Association of Social Workers California News, June 2011
Dominic Parisi was named the recipient of the 2011 Monterey County Film Commission's scholarship for film students. Parisi, a senior in the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department, plans to use the grant for his capstone film project, a documentary on roller derby culture and the sport's ties to feminist ideals. – Monterey Herald, June 3, 2011
. . . Ecology Action recently received a two-year Multifamily Recycling Program grant that is bringing door-to-door recycling education to CSU Monterey Bay and UC Santa Cruz. – Waste Management World, June 10, 2011
CSU Monterey Bay considers itself a "pre-release" campus; we want the latest features. This isn't to prove we're cool, but because we see an opportunity to meet our users' needs. . . . In our view, the transition to the new infrastructure represented an opportunity to get access to tools we wanted. – Google Enterprise Blog, June 17, 2011
Prestigious program moves to campus in 2012 CSUMB is the new home of CSU Summer Arts. Starting next year, the annual month-long program offering academic credit plus a festival in the visual, performing, literary and new media arts will be held on campus. – The Salinas Californian, June 25, 2011
For centuries, California's missions have stood as historic state landmarks and windows into the state's past. But a new understanding of the aging buildings is emerging. Archaeologist Ruben Mendoza of CSU Monterey Bay says the missions have hidden a secret for centuries . . . – San Francisco Chronicle, June 25, 2011
A new study has revealed that the nature of cell phone communications between a parent and adolescent child can reveal the quality of their relationship. Rob Weisskirch, professor at CSU Monterey Bay, noted that parents can use a cell phone to extend their parenting reach: to monitor an adolescent's whereabouts and activities, offer support or voice disapproval, for example. – The Times of India, June 28, 2011
The season may be over, but CSUMB men's golf coach Jason Owen is still getting accolades.
Owen earned the Dave Williams Award as NCAA Division II Coach of the Year. He’ll receive the award at the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame banquet in December.
“This award caps off an amazing year,” Owen said.
“To achieve what we did, you have to have a team buy into your system, and that’s exactly what happened. It’s awesome to see all of the hard work pay off.”
The Otters won the NCAA national title in May. The title – CSUMB's first national crown in any sport – capped a run of five straight tournament wins, followed by victories in the California Collegiate Athletic Association tournament and the NCAA West Regional.
Owen's players earned their share of accolades as well.
Dylan Jackson, John Jackson, Oskar Nystrom and Scott Yeakel earned All-CCAA selections; the Jacksons and Yeakel were named to the All-Region team; and Dylan Jackson and Yeakel earned All–America honors.
John Jackson was named to the 2011 All-Nicklaus team, announced last week by the Golf Coaches Association of America.
Jackson was one of 24 golfers from the NCAA's three divisions, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and the National Junior College Athletic Association recognized for their outstanding play during the 2010-11 school year. Only four Division II players were recognized.
The team was created in 2008, and is named for Jack Nicklaus, widely considered to be the greatest golfer ever. A long-time supporter of collegiate golf, Nicklaus was Big Ten and NCAA champion while a student at Ohio State University.
The award is Jackson's latest honor since leading the Otters to their first NCAA Division II national title with a one-stroke victory that clinched a win over Lynn University in the championship match in May.
He earned first team All-American honors after collecting five top-10 finishes, including three tournament victories topped by a Central/West Super Regional win in New Mexico.
With at least 75 percent of teenagers owning cell phones, it’s no surprise that the devices are playing an important role in parenting.
CSUMB’s Rob Weisskirch, a professor in the Liberal Studies Department, is among the researchers investigating how cell phones affect the parent-teen relationship.
In a study reported online in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., Dr. Weisskirch found that the nature of the calls and who initiates them can affect the relationship.
He told the New York Times: “What I found generally was that when adolescents are initiating the communication and are seeking out social support and guidance from their parents, then almost across the board they tend to have better reports of getting along with their parents.”
But, “when the parents call and have a lot of communication around ‘what are you doing?’ or ‘who are you with?’ or when they’re angry at the child and upset or scared, the kids report more conflict in the family,” Dr. Weisskirch told the Times.
Ultimately, his study shows, the phone is a tool that may augment the parent-teen relationship but doesn’t substitute for it.
Dr. Weisskirch has been at CSUMB since 2001. He earned a Ph.D. in human development from the University of California, Davis, in 1999, a Master of Social Work degree from San Diego State University in 1994, a Clear Professional Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential from the University of California, Irvine, in 1992 and a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and minor in Spanish in 1991.
He was a lecturer at CSU Fullerton from 1998 to 2001, a clinical social worker in family service agencies and foster care group homes, and as an elementary school teacher.
His research interests are the effects of language brokering on children (i.e., when children acts as translators for parents and other adults), acculturation, and ethnic identity development. In addition, he studies the effect of technology on adolescent relationships.
The New York Times article can be found here.
In early June, Marisa Morse of CSU Monterey Bay and seven other undergraduates from across the country arrived at the University of Florida's Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience to participate in the lab's Research Experience for Undergraduates training program.
Morse applied to the program with the help of Matt Subia, research coordinator at CSUMB’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC).
UROC works to support faculty-student collaboration across all academic disciplines through training, research and professional development. Students come away from the UROC experience with a deeper appreciation of the research process, a thorough understanding of their curriculum content and a clearer pathway to graduate school and post-college job opportunities.
Morse, who is majoring in Environmental Science, Technology and Policy, spent her 11 weeks at the Whitney Lab conducting research on biological pathways, data mining and gene expression.
She and the other students also participated in workshops on scientific ethics and communication, and visited graduate departments on the Gainesville campus of the University of Florida to gain insights on how to apply for graduate school.
They also took field trips to Florida's diverse aquatic ecosystems including the Florida Keys, inland freshwater springs, the Gulf Coast at Cedar Key and local beaches and marshes.
The culminating event of their summer experience was a research symposium during which they described the results of their work in oral and poster presentations.
This summer, with the help of UROC staff members, 51 CSUMB students spread out across the United States and internationally. Many, such as Morse, worked in labs on other university campuses and at research centers; one served as an intern for a member of the state Assembly; and about a dozen worked on research projects based at CSUMB.??
And while most of them are majoring in science, 14 are pursuing degrees – and research topics – in psychology, social and behavioral sciences, human communication, business, music and kinesiology.
To learn more about UROC, click here.
Photo: Morse (center, in white shirt) and seven other students spent 11 weeks at the University of Florida in the Undergraduate Research Experience program funded by the National Science Foundation
Sathyan Sundaram, a research analyst with the office of Institutional Assessment and Research, will spend part of July attending a seminar near Washington, D.C.
Sundaram has been selected for the annual National Summer Data Policy Institute, where he will learn about research methodologies using large national data sources.
“The purpose of the institute is to develop survey analysis skills and learn about national surveys and data on higher education collected by federal agencies including the National Science Foundation and the Department of Education,” he said.
“These studies include surveys of college graduates reflecting back on their collegiate careers and studies tracking college students over time.”
Sundaram hopes to use these national studies as a benchmark for comparison and to provide context for studies undertaken at CSUMB.
“These studies will help to address common questions, such as ‘How are we doing versus our peers,’ and ‘what do these results mean,’” he said.
He’ll also learn best practices for survey construction, administration and analysis, which can be applied to CSUMB’s studies.
The seminar is sponsored by the Association for Institutional Research (AIR), a professional organization for people in his field. It will be held July 17-23 in Bethesda, Maryland. All costs will be covered by AIR.
Sundaram earned a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and a master of arts from Ohio State University, both in political science.
Before joining the staff at CSUMB in 2007, he taught political science at Lake Michigan College.
“CSUMB is the first time I’ve worked on the administrative side,” he said. “I wanted to get into educational research at a relatively new institution that still faced some challenges.
“I have enjoyed the variety of projects with which I’ve been involved: accreditation, surveys, assessments, building operational reports, modeling retention and graduation rates and comparative analysis,” he said.
CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison has been named to the Execuitve Board of California Campus Compact, a coalition of colleges and universities committed to civic engagement.
She joins a distinguished group of leaders representing all sectors of higher education in California. The board guides the organization in its mission of building the capacity of colleges and universities to advance civic and community engagement throughout the state, recommends programs, plans and budgets that sustain and promote the vision and mission of the organization, and exercises oversight and stewardship of the resources of California Campus Compact.
“We are thrilled to have Dr. Harrison join our board,” said California Campus Compact Executive Director Elaine Ikeda. “Our board represents the different sectors of higher education, and reflects the power of collaboration across private, public and community college lines. We are honored to have Dr. Harrison with us.”
CSUMB was named one of six universities in the nation to receive the Presidential Award in the 2010 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to community service. This was due in part to Dr. Harrison’s continued support of civic engagement.
Also named to the board with Dr. Harrison were Gregory Gray, chancellor of Riverside Community College District and Neal King, president of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology.
California Campus Compact is a coalition of leading colleges and universities that works to build the collective commitment and capacity of colleges, universities and communities throughout California to advance civic and community engagement for a healthy, just and democratic society. Through innovative programs and initiatives, grant funding, training and technical assistance, professional development and research studies and publications, California Campus Compact each year invests in and champions more than 500,000 students, faculty members, administrators and community members involved in diverse and ground-breaking activities that support and expand civic and community engagement throughout California. For more information, click here.
To learn more about Service Learning at CSUMB, click here.
Anyone signing up for Environmental Science, Technology and Policy 303 at CSU Monterey Bay had better like the outdoors.
The syllabus lists “required hiking and camping equipment,” a hint as to what’s in store.
During the spring semester, 19 hardy students signed up for the ENVS “California Transect” class and its accompanying two-week field course.
The classroom component prepared them for what was to follow by introducing them to topics in California’s scientific and cultural history with an emphasis on human impacts on the landscape. They also learned about the political history of water use.
Then, on June 1, the students – accompanied by three former students serving as volunteer teaching assistants, a trio of instructors (Fred Watson, Susan Alexander and Thor Anderson) and two kids – set off to apply what they’d learned in a real-world setting of “interdisciplinary science and social science interactions,” according to the syllabus.
What they got was an up-close-and-personal view – here’s where that hiking and camping equipment came in – of a “transect” across California, including a 1,500-mile lap of the Sierra Nevada with side trips through some of California’s most spectacular landscapes.
Their route took them through the Central Valley, Sequoia National Forest, the Kern Canyon, the Mojave Desert, Owens Valley, Whitney Portal, Death Valley National Park, Mono Lake, Inyo National Forest, Calaveras Big Trees, and several federally designated wilderness areas.
They spent 14 nights in tents at campgrounds, a county educational facility and at primitive sites on federal land.
They were looking at both the obvious and subtle connections among water, land and living things.
“They studied plants, birds, mammals, invertebrates, weather, history, Native Americans, geography, geology, water, cultural diversity, art . . . you name it,” Dr. Watson said. "A lot of the learning originated with the students themselves, with each student giving a field presentation to their peers on a topic of their choice."
Connecting all of this was a fabric provided by the instructors on the form and function of landscapes, how they came to be, how they are currently managed and how past and present decisions impact them.
“And, they learned how to remain studious in challenging physical situations, and how to be a member of a large team at very close quarters,” Dr. Watson said.
To see a photo gallery from the trip, click here.
To learn about CSUMB’s Science and Environmental Policy program, click here.
Photos by Fred Watson and Susan Alexander
Top: Mono Lake Middle: Nineteen students made the field trip and have the "Transect Rocks" sign to prove it Lower: Students were required to make presentations along the way; this one concerns snow ecology Left: Professor Fred Watson
Two students in Luis Camara’s directing class have taken top honors in a New York-based film contest. The results were announced online July 7.
Joey Blackburn won first place and a $1,000 prize in the most recent 360/365 Shorts contest sponsored by the George Eastman House Film Festival. Lauren Hurdle took third. Their work will be shown at the organization’s festival next May in Rochester, New York.
Every three months, the contest organizers release a theme. Filmmakers have 12 weeks to produce a film that’s three minutes or less. Contestants capture their thoughts, imagination and interpretation of the theme and submit their films online. Three winners are then selected. In the most recent contest, the challenge was to “Go Green” by creating a film that incorporated the theme of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The filmmakers had to: REDUCE the cast by having one actor play more than one role; REUSE the dialogue by having one line used twice; And RECYCLE a shot by having it appear at least three times. The winning entries can be seen here.
“For the final project in TAT 341, I told the students they could make films under the guidelines of the 360/365 shorts contest so they could enter,” Professor Camara said. Many of them took the challenge.
Blackburn’s short, “Pieces of War,” was described by the contest judges as “a game of chess like you’ve never see it before.” It's a thought-provoking look at the costly game of war, where players are little more than chess pieces.
The 21-year-old senior from Paso Robles said that while he’d love to attend the festival next May, “I don’t think I’ll be able to because it will be my final semester and I’ll probably be putting the finishing touches on my Capstone.”
Spending the $1,000 prize presented no such obstacle. “My plan is to sell my camera and then purchase a T3i camera and lenses,” he said.
Blackburn added that he intends to submit the film to the Sundance Film Festival.
Hurdle, a senior from Roseville, called her film “In Your Shoes.” It’s about “a man who treats his employees terribly. Finally, one stands up to him. That leads him to question himself and learn a huge lesson,” she said.
Finances will likely prevent her from attending the festival next May.
“I’ve never been to a film festival,” she said. “I think it would be awesome to see my film played. Luis told us that the most honest critique of a film is to see the expressions and reactions of the people who watch it for the first time.”
Learn more about the festival here.
CSU Monterey Bay walked away with two awards for being “green” at the 2011 Higher Education Sustainability Conference. Now in its 10th year, the conference – held July 10-13 at Cal State Long Beach – is the only one of its kind in the state that brings together the California State University, the University of California and the California Community Colleges as well as private colleges and universities as both organizers and attendees.
Mike Lerch, CSUMB’s associate director of facility services and operations, accepted the award for best practices in the energy retrofit category. CSUMB modified the operation of the Tanimura & Antle library to reduce the amount of time air conditioning is required. That resulted in an energy savings of approximately 20 percent.
“This is a great project because it exemplifies basic principles in thermodynamics and control theory and required no physical modifications to equipment,” Lerch said, “only reprogramming of computer sequences.”
The university was also honored in a category that was added this year –campus-community partnerships.It honors projects that extend beyond campus boundaries and into the surrounding communities for opportunities and partnerships around sustainability efforts. CSUMB was recognized for the Chinatown Renewal Project in Salinas. Professor Dan Fernandez accepted the award. While the focus of the Chinatown project has been on neighborhood revitalization, sustainability has been a consistent theme. Among those projects: a community garden where organic food is grown; workshops on natural building techniques; a composting enterprise; a solar-energy-generating gazebo; and a vermiculture micro-enterprise.
The conference is a system-wide exchange, aimed at fostering collaboration among campuses, governments, businesses and non-profit agencies. It enables staff, faculty and students to showcase best practices for sustainability, from curriculum to campus operations. More than 1,100 people attended.
Rebecca Kersnar, a lecturer in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy, and Megan Tolbert, the university’s transportation planner, represented CSUMB along with Lerch and Fernandez.
California State University, Monterey Bay is preparing to offer a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Pending approval from the regional accrediting body, the program will be available in summer 2012. The university is collaborating with established nursing programs at the four community colleges in the area – Monterey Peninsula, Hartnell, Cabrillo and Gavilan – in a unique way that avoids duplication of effort and waste of resources. Students will begin the program at one of the community colleges, spend several years in “blended” learning when they take classes at their community college and the university, and then finish their studies at CSU Monterey Bay. Along the way, they will receive an associate’s degree from their community college and a bachelor of science in nursing from CSUMB. The students will be prepared to work in positions beyond the traditional hospital – in home, community and public health settings. Their training will emphasize the relationships among patients, their families and communities, and health care providers. Students also will learn how to manage patients with multiple chronic conditions – addressing the needs of baby boomers. The program will accept 25 to 30 students each year. “Prospective students frequently ask us about a bachelor of nursing program,” Provost Kathy Cruz-Uribe said. She also pointed out that there is strong community support – and need – for nurses with bachelor’s degrees. As many practicing nurses advance in their careers, they find it necessary to obtain a graduate degree. To facilitate that, it is critical to improve access to baccalaureate nursing education. Although the recession has caused some nurses to delay retirement, the U.S. Bureau of Health Professions projects demand will grow over the next decade.
In California, the average age of nurses is 47 years; 45 percent are over 50. In Monterey County, the current workforce is even older – 69 percent are over 55, according to the county’s Workforce Investment Board healthcare industry labor market study. A grant from the Foundation for California Community Colleges/Nursing Investment Fund has supported planning.
CSU Monterey Bay's online MBA program is now offering a second track for students without extensive management experience.
The new track began in January as a pilot program and will now become an ongoing program with a full cohort of students. The curriculum mirrors the university’s original online MBA program, with a focus on global business, corporate leadership and technology, but includes more case studies for less experienced students to analyze and discuss. Aspiring leaders can now access the same dynamic learning opportunities as experienced executives, gaining essential knowledge, marketable skills and an expanded network as they hone their business acumen.
The university will continue to offer its acclaimed online MBA program on a track for experienced executives. Since the program launched in 2009, participants have appreciated the opportunity to learn with fellow professionals who can contribute their own experiences to high-level discussions, challenging assignments and “real-time” case studies. Students stay with the same group, or cohort, throughout the two-year program, getting to know one another, gaining mutual respect and building career networks.
“It is exciting to add a new track to our online MBA that allows a broader audience to be able to take advantage of this innovative education,” said Chris Hasegawa, dean of Extended Education and International Programs. “When students graduate, they are ready to move to the next step of their career armed with the knowledge and tools necessary for success.”
The online MBA program is a selective, fixed-curriculum, graduate business program. Classes are developed to create a technology-rich learning experience delivered exclusively online, allowing access from around the globe. Students complete eight courses over the two years: one course at a time, for eight weeks, four times per year.
Interested candidates should call 866-757-5172 or visit MBA.csumb.edu to learn more and start the application process. A supportive advisement team is ready to assist candidates from the beginning of the application process through to graduation.
Sustainability is golden at California State University, Monterey Bay. The university has been awarded a gold rating for an outstanding job of going "green" in areas ranging from curriculum and construction to conservation of resources. – The Salinas Californian, Aug. 2, 2011
Joey Blackurn, a film major at Cal State Monterey Bay, took top honors in the short film division in this year's 360/365 George Eastman House Film Festival in Rochester, N.Y., with his imaginative three-minute film, "Pieces of War." – Paso Robles Press, July 12, 2011
Nearly four dozen CSUMB student-athletes earned California Collegiate Athletic Association All-Academic honors, a reminder that Otter success extended beyond the arean of athletic competition in 2010-11.
A total of 451 student-athletes from the 12 conference institutions were named CCAA All–Academic winners, an average of 37 per school – putting CSUMB ahead of the curve with 47.
“Being strong competitors in the classroom is one of Otter Athletics' top priorities,” said CSUMB Director of Athletics Vince Otoupal.
“We have stated this fact a number of times and we are proving that commitment with our actions, successes and awards. CSUMB and Otter Athletics are extremely proud of our student-athletes and their continued successful pursuit of academic 'victories.' ”
Student-athletes must meet several stringent criteria to be eligible for CCAA All–Academic recognition, including being an active varsity letter winner in one of the 13 CCAA sports and accumulating a grade point average of at least 3.40 in a minimum of 24 credits during the academic year.
Four Otters made the list with perfect 4.0 GPAs: golfer D.J. Milligan of Cedar Ridge; soccer player Ashley Rohde of Scotts Valley; cross country runner Hayley Tharp of San Jose; and baseball player Tyler Young of Aiea, Hawaii.
Also noteworthy – the Otter triumvirate of James Albert of San Bernardino, Brenden Fripp of Santa Barbara and Brandon Ward of Riverside made CSUMB the only school to place three men's basketball players on the list.
Overall, only UC San Diego (84) had more honorees than the Otters.
Interested in a career in the Foreign Service, international business, education, or translation and interpretation? Do you want to be prepared to travel the world? Do you want to be able to communicate with peoples of other cultures?
The School of World Languages and Cultures at CSU Monterey Bay now offers degree programs in Japanese and Spanish to help students accomplish those goals.
The Bachelor of Arts in Japanese Language and Culture prepares students to be active participants in an increasingly interdependent world by developing literacy in global matters, multiculturalism and cultural diversity. Students come away with an impressive level of language proficiency, able to communicate effectively in Japanese with cultural knowledge in history, literature and social sciences.
Students in the new Bachelor of Arts in Spanish attain an advanced level of proficiency in Spanish. They also acquire a reasonable understanding and knowledge of Hispanic cultures through the study of literature, history, art, social science and philosophy through courses taught in Spanish and English.
Learn more about the School of World Languages and Cultures here.
Also new this fall are two majors in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy. A Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Science is now available, elevating what had been a concentration to the level of a full major. And students can now choose to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies. The program has a significant social science and humanities component – class options come from Social, Behavioral and Global Studies; Humanities and Communication; Liberal Studies; Kinesiology; Teledramatic Arts and Technology; and Collaborative Health and Human Services in addition to math and the sciences.
Learn more about the Division of Science and Environmental Policy here.
The next undergraduate degree to be offered is nursing. Pending approval from the regional accrediting body, the program will be available in summer 2012.?
CSUMB is collaborating with established nursing programs at the four community colleges in the area – Monterey Peninsula, Hartnell, Cabrillo and Gavilan – in a unique way that avoids duplication of effort and waste of resources.??
Students will begin the program at one of the community colleges, spend several years in “blended” learning when they take classes at their community college and the university, and then finish their studies at CSUMB.
For more information on the nursing program, click here.
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Heather Kelley has been named a recipient of the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship for outstanding graduate students in the fields of marine biology and coastal resource management. The scholarships are presented annually by the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Kelley will enter the Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy master’s program at CSUMB in the fall.
"I came to CSUMB for graduate school because I wanted to work on applied marine conservation issues at the intersection of technology and marine biology," Kelley said.
Since January, she has worked with the university’s Institute for Applied Marine Ecology (IfAME), under the direction of Dr. James Lindholm.
Her work on IfAME’s North Central Coast Marine Protected Areas monitoring project helped her secure the scholarship. “Heather’s proposal to NOAA leveraged her involvement in that project because several of our sample sites occur in the Monterey Bay and Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuaries,” Dr. Lindholm said.
Another reason for coming to CSUMB after earning her undergraduate degree at UCLA was the emphasis on science communication.
"I believe there is a gap between the scientific research being conducted and what the public can easily access and understand. Training from CSUMB with a focus on science communications and technology will allow me to better interpret the research of scientists and engage public audiences in ocean conservation," she said. The scholarship will cover the cost of tuition and provide two years of salary to support her work on the project as she focuses on applying the data derived from remotely operated vehicles to the management of National Marine Sanctuaries. And it will cover the cost of at least one trip to New England to work with colleagues at the Stellwagen Bank NMS. “Heather is currently on a 36-day research cruise along the North Central Coast, where she has quickly established herself as a key member of our team,” Dr. Lindholm said. “The scholarship is a great opportunity for Heather and we can all expect great things from her in the coming years.” The Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program recognizes outstanding scholarship and encourages independent graduate level research in marine sciences — particularly by female and minority students.
Congress authorized the program soon after Dr. Foster’s death in June 2000, as a means of honoring her life’s work as a marine scientist and contribution to the nation. The program is administered through NOAA’s Office of Education.
To learn more about the master's program in Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy, click here.
To learn more about the Institute for Applied Marine Ecology, click here.
Mik Benedek has been promoted to the position of general manager at KAZU 90.3, effective Aug. 1.
Benedek, a 30-year veteran of local broadcasting, has been with the station since 2005 as director of underwriting.
Prior to joining KAZU, the public radio station licensed to the University Corporation of CSU Monterey Bay, Benedek owned and operated local radio stations KMBY in the late 1990s and KHIP in the late 1980s. A resident of Aptos, he holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in film and television from New York University.
"In Mik Benedek, KAZU has an experienced broadcaster who can maintain the station's strong momentum as the signature source of NPR programming for the Monterey Bay area," CSUMB President Dianne Harrison said.
Benedek replaces Doug McKnight, who is retiring at the end of July. McKnight joined the station in 2004 as assistant general manager and development director, then moved into the general manager position in 2008.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to continue building a great radio station that serves the Monterey Bay area," Benedek said.
His student-athletes usually take center stage, but CSUMB’s Director of Athletics Vince Otoupal recently took a bit of the spotlight himself, bringing more national recognition to the Otter program by being named to the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) executive committee.
NACDA is the professional and educational association for more than 6,500 college athletics administrators at more than 1,600 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“To be able to serve in this capacity and represent Cal State Monterey Bay on a national level is a great honor,” said Otoupal, who becomes just the ninth California Collegiate Athletic Association administrator to sit on the committee.
“The support of our university leadership is an important part of Otter Athletics' success and I thank them for that. This is another 'victory' for CSUMB. I look forward to making a positive impact on the future of intercollegiate athletics and learning ways to better serve CSUMB.”
Said UCLA Director of Athletics and incoming NACDA president Dan Guerrero: “The NACDA Executive Committee continually features some of the best administrators in college athletics. The recent addition Vince Otoupal carries on the strong tradition and legacy of outstanding leadership in this prestigious group.”
Otoupal will serve a term that runs through 2015.
CSU Summer Arts returns to the Monterey Bay campus with a lineup of 16 classes, including two coordinated by CSUMB faculty members.
Courses are two weeks long; some start on June 27, others begin on July 14. Students study with well-known master teachers in dance, creative writing, filmmaking and videography, music, new media, theater and visual arts.
Classes are open to community members as well as college students, who earn three to six credits. Scholarships are available.
Professor Umi Vaughan will coordinate “Drum Talk: Rhythms from Cuba and Brazil.” The course will run from June 30 to July 13. Applications will be accepted through late June.
Students will:
• Learn from and play with Grammy Award-nominated percussionist and bandleader John Santos, and Mario Pam, musical director of the famous percussion group Ilê Aiyê, direct from Salvador, Brazil.
• Join the “reunion” and conversation between the African-derived music traditions of Cuba and Brazil, and explore various traditional Cuban and Brazilian genres as well as fusions of these distinct but related rhythms.
• Learn and perform a range of music styles from Cuba and Brazil, including sacred rhythms of Candomblé and Santería, samba, baião, maracatú, bembé, rumba and comparsa.
• Develop familiarity with a variety of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian percussion instruments and understand the role of each instrument within the music as a whole.
• Understand the socio-historical contexts in which the rhythms were born, the current environments that sustain them, and the intimate connections between these two great traditions.
The course will culminate in a public performance by the participants.
Aimee Suzara, a lecturer in the Division of Humanities and Communication, will coordinate “Social Action Writing: Personal to Political, Words to Work.” The course will run from July 14-27. Application deadline is late June.
Students will:
• Be mentored by award-winning writers Kwame Dawes, Luis Rodriguez, Evelina Galang and Sharon Bridgforth, whose bodies of work span poetry, nonfiction, fiction and theater.
• Learn basic craft elements of poetry and prose. • Generate new writing and revise work for performance. • Examine how writing, as social action, can break silences, bear witness and make change. • Shape language into story, revelation, weapon, healing. • Gain insight on how to get work published, seen and heard in the world – from schools to prisons, from publication to touring.
The course will culminate in a public reading of student work.
CSU Summer Arts is dedicated to transforming artists’ lives by broadening their creative skills, subject matter knowledge and ability to represent their work in public performance or exhibition. Because it is similar to an artistic retreat and apprenticeship program, it also helps students build bridges to future employment. Have an interest in traveling to Italy? "Drawing and Painting in Florence" is another Summer Arts option. See a list of all classes.
Accrediting commission cites grad rate, student success ? The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Accrediting Commission on Senior Colleges & Universities has reaffirmed its accreditation of CSU Monterey Bay through 2019, President Dianne Harrison has announced.
The outcome signifies that the university remains in good academic standing, and its students will continue to be eligible for federal financial aid. "The WASC reaffirmation is a major vote of confidence in our academic programs and our commitment to student success," President Harrison said. "The commission said our resources are strongly aligned with our strategic goals and priorities, and that is especially important in this challenging economic environment."
?As a new institution, CSU Monterey Bay received its initial WASC accreditation in 2003. The current action is the university’s first re-affirmation of the initial accreditation. The re-affirmation process took several years, and included two site visits from WASC reviewers. For each visit, the campus prepared extensive reports documenting the work it has done that pertains to the WASC criteria for accreditation. The first visit, known as the “Capacity and Preparatory Review,” took place in September of 2009. The second WASC visit focused on “Educational Effectiveness,” and that occurred in March 2011. The visiting team then presented its report to the WASC Accrediting Commission, which rendered its final decision regarding accreditation status this month. Both the visiting team and the commission commended the university for accomplishments in several key areas. After its March 2011 visit, the WASC visiting team concluded that “CSUMB is an active and dynamic institution that continues to embrace its vision, adapt to its environment, and plan for the future. Administrators, faculty and staff are invested in student learning and are committed to the institutional vision. Student success appears to be paramount, and decision-making is founded on what is perceived to be the best for the students.” The visiting team commended the campus for “improving processes that have dramatically affected student retention.” The commission particularly valued the university’s “dynamism, adaptation, and planning that have taken place during this comprehensive review.” The commission also highlighted recent work on improving graduation and retention rates. “There was real appreciation and commendation by the site visiting team and the commission regarding CSU Monterey Bay’s progress since its initial accreditation," stated WASC President Ralph Wolff. "It is clear that the entire campus is deeply engaged in its educational effectiveness efforts and is focused on student learning.”
CSU Monterey Bay has been honored as among the best campuses in the country at helping migrant students succeed in college.
The university’s College Assistance Migrant Program, a federally funded project designed to help students from migrant farm worker families pursue higher education, has been named one of the top 10 at helping them complete the first year of university studies.
In 2009-10, 98 percent of CAMP students – 64 of 65 – successfully completed the academic year. Only five schools in the country had a higher success rate. And of those 65 participants, 58 enrolled for their sophomore years, beating the national target in that category by four percentage points.
When efficiency and effectiveness were considered, CSUMB ranked among the top three schools nationwide in the dollar amount spent to provide services.
The students in CSUMB’s program come from Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Santa Clara counties.
CAMP has been around since 1972 and has helped over 20,000 students accomplish their goals. The program offers pre-college transition and first-year support services to help students develop the skills needed to stay in school and graduate.
Services include help with admissions, financial aid and other university services, parent orientations, high school and community outreach events, and summer orientation programs.
Carrie Gonzales-Lujan, coordinator of the CAMP program at CSUMB, attended the annual U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Migrant Education annual directors meeting in Alexandria, Va., in mid-July. She brought news of the university’s national ranking with her when she returned to campus.
"The directors meeting is a great opportunity for all CAMP projects to meet directly with the Office Of Migrant Education directors and staff," Gonzales-Lujan said. "It allows us to ask direct 'how to' questions about services and eligibility and to look at best practices.
"The first year I attended was 2008. When I saw the Top 10 list I said to myself, 'CSUMB CAMP will be on that list one day.' And we made it in the third year. It is exciting to see our program succeed tremendously in such a short time." To learn more about CAMP at CSUMB, and to view a video about the program, click here.
Kids 12 and under are invited to attend a soccer clinic at CSU Monterey on Saturday, Aug. 13. Members of the university’s men’s and women’s teams will host the free event.
The clinic is part of the Otter Pups program, CSU Monterey Bay Athletics’ youth outreach arm.
“This is a great opportunity for area kids to come out and learn the fundamentals of soccer from NCAA coaches and student-athletes,” said Rob Cummings, head men’s soccer coach.
“It’s also a nice bridge between the campus and the youth soccer community as we try and forge those relationships, especially with two new soccer coaches.”
Cummings will have members of his team on hand for the clinic as will Erin Reinke, the first-year head of the Otter women’s team.
The clinic runs from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Otter Soccer Complex. Registration is required and can be completed here.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
CSU Monterey Bay was named one of the best campuses in the country at helping migrant students succeed in college. The university's College Assistance Migrant Program, a federally funded project designed to help students from migrant farm worker families pursue higher education, has been named one of the top 10 at helping them complete the first year of college studies. – Monterey Herald, Aug. 2, 2011
Several environmental initiatives have earned California State University, Monterey Bay a spot in the 2011 Princeton Review's Guide to 311 Green Colleges. The publication praises the university's "formidable green pedigree" and its pledge to be carbon-neutral by 2030. – Carmel Magazine, Summer/Fall 2011
When the 2011 Pro Disc Golf World Championships tee off on Aug. 9, it will mark the tournament’s return to California after a 30-year absence. This time, the Oaks Course at CSU Monterey Bay is one of four Monterey Bay courses that will host tournament rounds.
Spectators are invited. Play at CSUMB will be held Tuesday through Friday with 10 a.m. shotgun starts daily (except Thursday, when play will start at 9:30 a.m.). For tee times, click here.
Since championship-level play requires 27-hole courses, nine holes of the Cypress Course will be used in addition to the Oaks Course.
According to Greg Pool, adviser to the campus disc golf club, spectators will get a good view of the action on the nine Cypress Course holes by parking at the Alumni and Visitors Center and crossing Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard.
More than 430 disc golfers, including four former world champions, will be in the field for the five-day event. They’ll be competing for more than $100,000 in prize money.
The field includes 55 international players from 14 countries including Sweden, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Japan, Taiwan and New Zealand.
Other courses to be used include Ryan Ranch, located off Highway 68 in Monterey; Pinto Lake in Watsonville; and DeLaveaga in Santa Cruz. The tournament’s semifinals and finals will be held on Aug. 13 at Pinto Lake.
In preparation for the event, the university’s Disc Golf Club worked with Campus Planning to build 27 circular concrete tee pads on the Oaks course and part of the Cypress course. The new tee pads elevate the university’s two courses to a championship level.
Disc golf has a long history at CSUMB. In 1998, students Scott Keasey and Steve Bonar got tired to driving to Santa Cruz to play.
They started the CSUMB Disc Golf Club to generate interest in the construction of a disc golf course on campus. "We got eight names on a list and the school gave us $100 to start the club," Keasey said a few years later. "We then tried to think of ways to finance the course."
While doing research, the two realized that one of the major manufacturers of disc golf equipment, the Disc Golf Association, was located right up the road in Watsonville. The two students also found that the driving force behind the Disc Golf Association was "Steady Ed" Headrick, the man who designed the modern Frisbee for Wham-O, invented the Pole Hole (the basket used in courses around the country), and an accomplished course designer with over 200 courses to his credit.
Headrick agreed to loan the students the materials to create a course on one condition: that they sell his discs exclusively at the course, slowly paying him off with the revenue generated from the disc sales. Headrick also helped Keasey and Bonar design and build the Cypress course. Headrick died in 2002.
The Oaks Course, in the live oak and shrubs on the southern edge of campus, began in November 2003 and permanent baskets were in place starting in 2005.
Since 2002, students have been able to take a one-unit class in disc golf – Kinesiology 141. First taught by Stancil Johnson, the course is now handled by Merle Witvoet.
The syllabus describes the class this way: “Low-impact and easy to learn, provides students with the fundamental skills, beginning through advanced, to enjoy disc golf. Students, athletic or not, all genders and all ages, can learn to play, and develop a life sport.” That description entices about 50 students to enroll each semester.
The event is free to the public, but a $2 parking pass must be purchased from dispensers located on the parking lots. For driving directions and a campus map, click here.
City managers, elected officials and professionals who serve the business community are invited to learn how they can leverage existing opportunities and pool resources to everyone’s benefit when CSU Monterey Bay hosts the Collaborative Economic Development Summit on Aug. 17.
The event is part of a statewide series to highlight how collaborative efforts can generate economic growth and business development and is sponsored by the Small Business Development Center at CSU Monterey Bay and the Central Coast SBDC. The day will start with a simulcast feed from Fresno, which features a discussion of economic successes. Nancy Lublin, founder of Dress for Success and CEO of DoSomething.org, will be the featured speaker. Her topic: how economic development professionals can leverage existing – and diminishing – resources by working together. A panel discussion with representatives from the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, the Central Valley Business Incubator and Fresno State University will explore best practices to generate economic growth using minimal resources. After the simulcast, a complimentary lunch will be served. During lunch, Congressman Sam Farr and CSUMB President Dianne Harrison will speak, followed by a “guided matchmaking” session intended to raise awareness of opportunities for leveraging efforts. The free event will get under way at 8:30 a.m. at the Alumni and Visitors Center, on the corner of Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Inter-Garrison Road. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map. Registration is required and can be accomplished at http://californiasbdc.org/collaborative/monterey or by calling 675-7232.
California State University, Monterey Bay is accepting applications for spring 2012 from transfer, credential and international students.
Transfer students must have at least 60 transferable credits. Deadline to apply is midnight, Aug. 31.
Students interested in earning a teaching credential have until Jan. 13, 2012, to apply. International students can submit applications until Dec. 15.
All students must apply online at www.csumentor.edu.
For more information, call the Office of Admissions 582-3738 or e-mail admissions@csumb.edu.
When Veronica Gonzalez, who counsels young people in her job at Monterey County’s Division of Behavioral Health, heard about the opportunity to earn a master’s degree in social work at CSU Monterey Bay, she was eager to sign up.
Gonzalez (at left) was among the first group of students accepted into the program when it started in the fall of 2010. Now those students are about to start their internships as part of the second-year curriculum.
Gonzalez will work with the university’s Personal Growth and Counseling Center (PGCC). She chose that location in part because she’s an alumna of CSUMB and liked the idea of helping students.
"After going through the interview process, I knew that the PGCC was the perfect match for me," Gonzalez said.
Caroline Haskell, director of health and wellness services and founding director of the PGCC, said Gonzalez will work just like a therapist. “She’ll have a caseload.
“We’re growing our own,” Haskell said, adding that the PGCC has provided field-placement opportunities to students from Sacramento State, San Jose State and several other universities for more than a decade. She’s pleased to provide the same opportunity to CSUMB’s graduate students.
Most of the internships – called field practicums – are with the program’s community partners. They include the Kinship Center, Interim, Inc., Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula and various public agencies in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties.
“Our community partners helped us develop the program,” said Dr. Mayleen True, director of the MSW program. “Now, they’ll have the opportunity to prepare our students to become culturally competent social work professionals.”
Dr. True (at right) added that many of the agencies prefer advanced-year students, but “they agreed to take our foundation-year students to support the new program. This is a great indication of the strong university-community partnership.”
The partners will have the opportunity to provide feedback to the MSW faculty. “They can tell us if the students are getting trained the way they wanted or expected,” said Vivienne Orgel, the program’s outreach, recruitment and admissions coordinator.
There has long been a need for people with MSW degrees in the region. Before the university even opened its doors in 1995, discussions were held about establishing a social work program. A number of obstacles intervened.
But with the passage of Proposition 63 in 2004, funding became available. The Mental Health Services Act added a 1 percent tax on personal incomes over $1 million. The money is funneled to county mental health programs, and some is earmarked for workforce development. The Southern Bay Area Collaboratives and the Monterey County Behavioral Health Division directed $630,000 of that money to support development of the university’s MSW program.
The three-year program allows students to concentrate in Behavioral Health or Children, Youth and Families. Students must also complete an internship of 1,000 hours, 250 hours per semester starting in the second year. They will spend an academic year in each of their internship placements.
Gonzalez is eager to start her year of service to CSUMB students.
"The Personal Growth and Counseling Center provides great services to students and their way of doing business goes hand-in-hand with my professional ethics and style.
"I think this internship position is going to allow me to build on my social work skills, allow me to learn new therapeutic skills and allow me to work with a diverse population of young adults," she said.
The three-story atrium in the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library at California State University, Monterey Bay has been named in honor of philanthropists Linda and Michael Dorn and their support of the Pay It Forward scholarship and mentoring program.
Three-dimensional silver letters on a balcony wall above the atrium walkway, which designate the space as the “Linda and Michael Dorn Pay It Forward Atrium,” were unveiled by President Dianne Harrison in a ceremony on Monday afternoon, Aug. 15.
Pay It Forward provides $5,000 a year for four years and guidance from a mentor to selected incoming students from Monterey County high schools, who in turn are asked to “pay it forward” by mentoring youngsters at the Boys & Girls Club of Monterey County and The First Tee of Monterey County. The program now has 40 students and 40 mentors, with a goal of doubling that in the next two years.
The atrium naming is recognition of the Dorns’ generosity and leadership in helping to develop Pay It Forward and Executives-in-Residence, an umbrella program that engages community leaders in addressing social issues, said President Dianne Harrison.
“Mike and Linda have a philosophy of giving,” Harrison told an audience of friends and supporters in the library atrium. “They both believe it is essential to invest in the communities where they live, whether full-time or part-time.
“They have a history of doing that, and they continue to do that in Monterey County.”
The Dorns, who have a home in Pebble Beach, have been successful home builders in the Green Valley area south of Tucson, Arizona, where they also have been leading supporters of an organization to help older adults continue living in their own homes.
Jim Bracher, a longtime leadership consultant who established Executives-in-Residence and Pay It Forward at CSU Monterey Bay, said the Dorns were instrumental in the establishment and success of both efforts.
Their work will continue to pay dividends long into the future, Bracher said.
“You are strengthening this community with every ‘pay it forward’ action that emerges because of your inspiring vision of what can be done to make lives better,” he said.
The Dorns stepped forward to fund the first Pay It Forward scholarships, and Linda Dorn suggested the name, inspired by a 2000 film that portrays the compounding power of generosity.
Speaking at Monday’s naming ceremony, Mike Dorn became emotional as he described a brush with death from polio as a 15-year-old during the polio epidemic of 1955. Two other men with polio were in the hospital room with him, he said, and both died within a short period.
“I said, ‘God, please help me,’” Dorn recalled. “I made a lot of promises, and He gave me the greatest gift He could give me, and that’s life. That’s why we have been so much involved with things like this.”
He pledged that he and his wife would continue their support of Pay It Forward, and he called on others to do likewise, laying out a goal for the program to eventually serve as many as 1,000 students.
Dorn said Pay It Forward’s combination of scholarships with mentoring sets it apart from other programs designed to help less advantaged students.
“You combine the cash with the mentoring, and you’ve got success,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about.”
Pay It Forward students who spoke at Monday’s event underscored that point, describing what the program has meant to them.
Ashley Rojas, a junior majoring in Collaborative Health and Human Services, said her mentor, Dr. Suzi Brauner-Tatum, a social worker at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, had helped her see that she has “no limits in life.”
“Suzi has made such a positive impact in my life here at CSUMB that I wouldn’t be the same without her,” Rojas said.
Pay It Forward recipient Sean Capistrano, who graduated cum laude in May with a bachelor’s degree in business, also credited his mentor, Jack Davis, and thanked the Dorns for being “pioneers” of Pay It Forward.
“Pay It Forward undoubtedly sculpted me into a better person overall,” Capistrano said, “as I am more driven to be part of the change to better my community, not only for me but for my family … .”
Capistrano, who is employed by the Hayashi & Wayland accounting firm in Salinas and is preparing to take the CPA exam, made good on his words by contributing a check to Pay It Forward as he concluded his remarks.
“Nothing would have gotten in the way of my climb toward graduation,” Capistrano said, “but without Pay It Forward, the ladder would have been drastically different.”
Kevin Miller, Dr. Kathy Cruz-Uribe and Dr. Ilene Feinman were honored for their leadership and dedication to the CSU Monterey Bay Vision at the Day of Welcome gathering Aug. 17 in the World Theater.
President Dianne Harrison welcomed the campus community back for the fall semester, delivered her annual State of the University address, and then introduced the President’s Medal recipients.
Last spring, the university community was invited to make nominations, and then a committee selected finalists for Dr. Harrison’s consideration.
The nominees represented a cross-section of campus – some have a long history at the university, others joined more recently; some have direct contact with students, others have an operational focus.
Miller, web programming specialist in Information Technology, was the staff recipient of the President’s Medal. His colleagues expressed awe at his ability to solve complex problems, communicate effectively and assert a natural leadership style that is heightened by an affable personality.
In the past year, Miller was instrumental in the redesign of the university’s website, including the innovative and cost-effective use of open-source content-management software; the launch of a new mobile site; the continued evolution of the MyCSUMB interface; and online voting tools for the Associated Students election.
Dr. Cruz-Uribe, provost and vice president for academic affairs, earned the President’s Medal for administrators. Her colleagues expressed their admiration for someone who applies a rare combination of talents and abilities in dedicated pursuit of continuous improvement for the university.
Her leadership played a significant role in the university’s progress in many important areas, including the reaffirmation of the university’s accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC); general education reform, retention and graduation, strategic planning and program review.
Dr. Feinman (at right) was awarded the faculty medal. The quality described by her nominators was leadership – the ability to bring people together to solve complex problems, find consensus and make a decision. That leadership includes mentoring – to colleagues and students – and is communicated with humility and humor. As chair of the Faculty Senate, she delivered on her promise to play a hands-on role and participate across campus as the voice of the faculty.
Employee service awards were presented to 73 people who have been with the university for five years; 10-year pins were awarded to 28 people; and 37 others were acknowledged for 15 years of service.
Frances Payne Adler was awarded emeritus status, a process that involved nomination and approval by faculty members, followed by administrative approvals.
Adler, who joined the university in 1996, founded the Creative Writing and Social Action Program. She is a renowned poet.
Photo by Kevin Garcia Left to right: Kevin Miller, President Dianne Harrison, Provost Kathy Cruz-Uribe
How could bringing home CSU Monterey Bay’s first NCAA Division II national championship not be the No. 1 Most Memorable Moment in 2010-11? A six-tournament victory streak capped by a national title brought the spotlight of the collegiate golf world to Monterey Bay.
Winning a national championship requires a team effort, yet the top moment in 2010-11 Otter Athletics as voted on by the fans recognized a tremendous individual accomplishment, which sparked the team to victory. Sophomore Dylan Jackson hit two huge shots on the back nine that proved instrumental in his individual victory over Lynn University's Roberto Francioni
First, Jackson aced the 178-yard 13th hole. He then had the Otter fans watching online hold their collective breath as he sunk a 30-foot putt on 18 to tie the team score at 2. His older brother, John Johnson, then stepped up and clinched the title a few moments later.
The championship, CSUMB's first NCAA title, was a fitting end to the finest overall season in Otter athletics history. Otter fans can hope that their most memorable moment from last season will proved to be a jumping-off point to bigger and better things in 2011-12.
To learn more about Otter athletics, click here.
Aug. 19 was move-in day at CSU Monterey Bay.
The parking lots bustled with incoming students and their parents unloading bags and boxes of clothing, comforters, pillows, electronics and precious keepsakes from home.
Many of the 845 freshmen and 550 new transfer students – some of whom were separating from their families for the first time – spent the day moving into residence halls that will be their homes for the next year, meeting their roommates and figuring out how to arrange the furniture.
They moved into buildings that were refurbished over the summer, with new paint and carpeting.
Throughout the weekend, 1,800 students moved onto main campus. The student body was expected to number about 5,200 when classes started on Aug. 22.
Volunteers – students and staff members – were posted around campus to help carry things, give directions and answer questions, telling people where to check in, how to obtain a campus ID card and where to grab lunch.
The university scheduled a week’s worth of activities to help the new students get acquainted with each other and connect to the campus. An ice cream social, comedy and music concert, and a late-night DJ in the Student Center got the week rolling on Friday.
A complete schedule of Otter Welcome Week activities can be found here.
. . . Christian was one of 250 students who participated in the third annual Migrant Education Summer Academy/Junior Otters Program at CSU Monterey Bay. Through a partnership between Monterey County's migrant ed program and the university, students in fourth through eighth grades get a taste of what it's like to be a college student. – Oakland Tribune, Aug. 2, 2011
Standing in front of nearly 60 incoming CSU Monterey Bay students, Dr. Hongde Hu explains the wonders of his Magic Tables as if he were unveiling the mysteries of the universe. The five tables are a math game he designed related to the binary system, the machine languages of computers. – Monterey Herald, Aug. 9, 2011
. . . Camp SEA Lab – SEA stands for Science, Education and Adventure – offers a series of summer programs in conjunction with CSU Monterey Bay that use education resources on the Central Coast. The young science enthusiasts on the cruise were from the Girls Love Science Too camp, which attracts girls ages 13 to 16 from across California. – Kansas City Star, Aug. 15, 2011
President Dianne Harrison delivered her 2011 State of the University address to a full auditorium of professors and employees. She reflected on recent challenges – mostly financial – but lingered on the university's accomplishments. – Monterey Herald, Aug. 18, 2011
. . . While Gov. Jerry Brown and the legislature wielded chainsaws to education, CSUMB President Dianne Harrison and her team stood atop a sand dune and looked ahead at the future of the university. . . Her "being smart and staying nimble" attitude ushered in several new degree programs, landed CSUMB the honor of hosting the statewide CSU Summer Arts program and supported its golf team as it captured the university's first NCAA title. – The Salinas Californian, Aug. 19, 2011
Sports fans now have a variety of tools for following the Otters.
All of these options are available by clicking “Connect With the Otters” from the multimedia link or by searching the specific sites directly. The options include:
• OtterAthletics.com • www.otterathletics.com/mobile • Otter Athletics on Facebook • @OtterAthletics on Twitter • Otter Athletics on YouTube • Otter Athletics on Flickr • Otter e-mail updates • Otter SMS “text” updates ? OTTERATHLETICS.COM**** AND OTTER ATHLETICS MOBILE The jumping-off point for all things Otters remains OtterAthletics.com. On the go, OtterAthletics.com/Mobile brings the action to smart phones and tablets. OTTER SMS “TEXT” UPDATES The newest “E” offering from Otter Athletics is the ability to receive up-to-the-minute SMS “text” updates directly to your mobile device. Simply visit the Multimedia page at OtterAthletics.com and select the sport or sports you wish to follow. You'll get in-game updates from all home events as well as many road events and final scores as soon as they become available. OTTER E-MAIL UPDATES Another great way to follow the Otters is by signing up to receive free Otter e-mail updates. Simply sign up at OtterAthletics.com and have all the latest news from your favorite Otter team or teams delivered directly to your e-mailbox. OTTER ATHLETICS ON FACEBOOK Facebook, the ubiquitous social networking site, is a great place to become a part of Otter fandom. Visit the Otters Athletics Fan Page and join the fun. In addition to the Otter Athletics page, many individual Otter teams have pages as well. @OTTERATHLETICS ON TWITTER Following @OtterAthletics will get you behind-the-scenes tidbits and alerts on the latest goings on in Otter Athletics. Check the Multimedia page at OtterAthletics.com where you will also find links to select CSUMB coaches who will provide even more details on the happenings within their programs. OTTER ATHLETICS ON YOUTUBE AND FLICKR See and hear from your favorite Otter student-athletes and coaches throughout the year by tuning in to the Otter Athletics channel on YouTube and Flickr. On YouTube you'll find features, interviews, highlights and previews of upcoming events. Flickr is the repository for sharing Otter Athletics photos.
Jillian Shweiki wants to get involved in national politics as a campaign manager or political adviser. That’s after she finishes law school.
The senior global studies major is getting a head start on her career aspirations as she takes part in the Congressional Internship Program hosted by the Panetta Institute.
California State University campuses choose one student each year to participate in the program. Each intern is selected based on an exemplary academic record as well as an interest in politics and service. Shweiki is this year’s representative from CSU Monterey Bay.
After two weeks of orientation at the Panetta Institute – located on the CSUMB campus – the interns traveled to Washington, D.C., where they spend the fall semester working in the office of a member of Congress from California.
The orientation provided classes on the legislative and administrative structures of a Congressional office, key national issues, House leadership and committee roles, rules and procedures of debate and lawmaking, budget and appropriations processes, White House relations with Congress and the role of the press. Experts and former elected officials spoke with the interns and provided them with a strong foundation for their work in Washington.
“I’m hoping to learn what the legislative process is like on a day-to-day basis, to see what really keeps our country running,” Shweiki said a few days into her training at the Panetta Institute.
While in D.C., the interns attend regular seminars with government leaders on various aspects of policy, including economics, the environment, foreign affairs and defense resources.
“I can’t wait to attend the lectures the institute hosts for us in D.C.,” she said. “I’m also looking forward to getting to know my fellow interns better.
“It’s only been a few days, and we’re already a 23-person family.”
She didn't have a preference for which member of Congress she was assigned to. “I'm hoping it will be one who focuses on issues that I’m passionate about – women’s issues, higher education and foreign policy.”
Costs for the program, including travel, housing and a small stipend, are covered by the Panetta Institute with support from its board of directors, the CSU Chancellor and other donors.
Shweiki, 22, will earn 20 academic credits for the semester. She’s on schedule to graduate in May, and hopes to attend law school next fall.
But her immediate goal is to take full advantage of the opportunity before her.
“This will be one of the most incredible and rewarding learning experiences of my life,” she said. To learn more about the Panetta Institute’s Congressional Internship Program, click here.
President Dianne Harrison told the faculty and staff of CSU Monterey Bay that she senses “a powerful momentum across the campus” as the new academic year starts.
The remark came during her State of the University address on Aug. 17, part of the annual Day of Welcome. “In spite of our external challenges with changes and budgets, as a university we have continued to move forward and continued to be responsive,” President Harrison told a capacity crowd in the World Theater. Then she reminded the audience of the university’s accomplishments: • A 31 percent increase in enrollment – from 3,600 to almost 5,200 students – in the five years since she arrived.
• Planning for the next academic building, which will house the schools of Business and School of Computing and Design. • Four new majors added this year and another next summer, bringing the total to 23 undergraduate majors and eight graduate programs.
• Reaffirmation of the university’s accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
• Improvements in retention and graduation rates.
• Attainment of a gold rating in STARS – a sustainability tracking system administered by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. “In my view, the reason we keep moving forward together – in spite of lean state budgets – is that each of us accepts our individual and collective responsibility as stewards of this institution,” Dr. Harrison said.
"And we acknowledge that students are the center and core of our efforts. “We remain dedicated to providing our students with a world-class educational experience that culminates in a meaningful degree.”
There was also sobering news. Because of budget cuts, the university had to turn away 3,000 qualified students. And because state financial projections are falling short, mid-year cuts are likely.
A copy of the speech can be found here.
CSU Monterey Bay hosted a day of remembrance on Sunday, the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
The day's events, planned by organizations across campus, included an 8 a.m. Gathering of Remembrance and Service, volunteer opportunities throughout the day, and a town hall meeting in the evening.
The college Republican and Democratic clubs set up a display of 2,819 flags on the campus quad, representing those who died in the terrorist attacks. The flags remained on display for 24 hours.
The 8 a.m. event was held at the flagpole on the campus quad. Led by the CSUMB chaplains Jon Perez and Clark Brown, the service honored the work of those in public safety and veterans and included reflections from CSUMB students, Service Learning faculty and staff members and President Dianne Harrison. It ended at approximately 8:45 with a send-off to public service.
A list of volunteer opportunities for the day can be found here.
After a day of memorials, service and programs, a town hall was held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Student Center, providing an opportunity for the community to come back together and reflect. Sponsored by the CSUMB Social Justice Coalition, the event included a discussion and ended with a candlelight vigil.
It takes an energetic presence to keep a classroom crammed with 90 remedial math students engaged. Fortunately, Hongde Hu, chair of CSU Monterey Bay's Department of Math and Statistics, has the energy of 10 teenagers. On a recent Friday in the university's Chapman Science Center, Hu's animated approach holds the attention of the freshmen in the room. – Monterey County Weekly, Aug. 25, 2011
As the first black female TV journalist in the West, Belva Davis helped to change the face and focus of TV news.
Davis will share her story at California State University, Monterey Bay’s World Theater Sept. 27, as the first featured lecture of the 2011-12 President’s Speaker Series. Her talk will be based on her recently published memoir, “Never in My Wildest Dreams: A Black Woman’s Life in Journalism.” She’ll sign copies of the book after her talk.
In the book, she recounts her struggle to break into broadcast journalism at a time when stories of particular importance to African Americans and women rarely made mainstream newscasts, when a San Francisco station manager dismissed her from a job interview by explaining that he wasn’t “hiring any Negresses."
But Davis, a young single mother struggling to raise two small children, refused to be deterred – the fact that a racist mob pummeled her with insults and trash at the 1964 Republican National Convention only made her more determined to persevere. And ultimately she did, rising to become one of the most respected and trusted local journalists in the country.
In a career spanning half a century, Davis has reported many explosive stories, including the Berkeley student protests, the birth of the Black Panthers, the Peoples Temple cult that ended in the mass suicides at Jonestown, the assassinations of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, the onset of the AIDS epidemic, and from Africa, the terrorist attacks that first put Osama bin Laden on the FBI’s Most Wanted List.
During her career, she brought stories of black Americans out of the shadows and into the light of day. And along the way, she encountered cultural icons including Malcolm X, Frank Sinatra, James Brown, Nancy Reagan, Huey Newton, Muhammad Ali, Alex Haley, Fidel Castro, Dianne Feinstein and Condoleezza Rice.
It has been an amazing odyssey for Davis, who was born to a 15-year-old Louisiana laundress during the Great Depression. Raised in the crowded projects of Oakland, confronted by racism and abuse, Davis achieved a career beyond her imagination. She has won eight local Emmys and a number of Lifetime Achievement awards – including honors from the International Women’s Media Foundation, the National Association of Black Journalists, and the Northern California chapter of the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences.
Davis continues to host a weekly news roundtable and special reports at KQED, the San Francisco-based PBS station.
The 7 p.m. lecture is free and open to the public. Reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made online or by calling the World Theater box office at 582-4580. Driving directions and a map of campus are available here.
A project to provide useful information to California growers and water managers has won an award from the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC).
The consortium helps federal labs link their technologies and expertise with the marketplace.
As part of the award-winning project, senior research scientists at CSU Monterey Bay – Forrest Melton, Lars Pierce, Lee Johnson and Chris Lund – teamed with engineers and scientists from NASA, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), growers and other partners to develop a system for mapping daily irrigation demand throughout the state.
The project – officially known as Water Management in California: Scalable to Regional and National Applications – was named the outstanding partnership in the FLC’s Far West Region for 2011.
The system calculates measures of crop conditions from satellite data, and also retrieves data from the California Irrigation Management Information System managed by DWR, as well as surface sensor networks that measure weather conditions and soil moisture.
These observations are combined to provide information about crop growth and irrigation demand to growers and water managers to help them manage water resources.
The satellite data comes from satellites that are part of the Landsat program, Earth-observing satellites launched by NASA and managed by the U.S. Geological Survey. The images they produce have a resolution of about a quarter of an acre, a scale fine enough to be useful to growers. The system also uses data from the NASA Terra and Aqua satellites to improve data reliability, since these satellites collect data over California on a daily basis, though at a slightly coarser resolution.
“I’m proud of our CSUMB-NASA team for what we have accomplished under this project, as well as the partnerships we have established with the California Department of Water Resources, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and the Jet Propulsion Lab, California growers and our partners at Fresno State, the United States Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Geological Survey,” Melton said.
Data from the system is intended to provide growers with an independent estimate of irrigation requirements, and can serve as another input into decisions about irrigation scheduling and management.
Studies conducted in California have shown that use of this type of data can lead to increases in crop yields and reductions in total applied irrigation.
"Our primary goal is to provide new information to growers to help them get the most out of the water available for irrigation," Melton said.
"We are also exploring ways that we can use this information to support water managers in improving the delivery of water to growers around the state."
Through the project, CSUMB scientists have been working with the Western Growers Association and growers around the state to deploy a sensor network in fields, and to jointly evaluate the satellite-derived estimates of irrigation demand.
“It has the potential to be very helpful and to provide more precise information for growers,” said Sonia Salas, science and technology manager for Western Growers. “That’s the beauty of it.
“Feedback from users is critical to refine data,” Salas added. “Currently, feedback from participants in pilot tests is being gathered, analyzed and considered to provide a valuable and user-friendly tool to growers.”
Other components of the overall project included work to improve mapping of the winter snow pack and forecasting of snowmelt and runoff, as well as efforts to improve mapping of rainfall patterns.
The award will be presented at the FLC’s meeting Aug. 31 in Monterey.
To learn more about the project, click here.
To learn more about the CSUMB/NASA Ames Cooperative Agreement, click here.
Photo courtesy of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Mark Richards, managing director of Sand Hill Partners, will visit CSU Monterey Bay on Sept. 8 to give a presentation on “How Start-ups Quickly Nail the Product that Sells.” The public is invited.
The free event – billed as an Innovation Forum – will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Alumni and Visitors Center, on Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Inter-Garrison Road. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csump.edu/map.
Mr. Richards has more than 20 years of technology business experience, including a decade of operational experience with Silicon Valley start-ups. He was co-founder of NetMind, where he developed a successful enterprise software model that delivered Fortune 100 customers. His background also includes positions with National Semiconductor, Harris Semiconductor and Burr-Brown Corp., now a division of Texas Instruments.
Since joining Sand Hill in 2000, he has worked with numerous tech startups in various capacities.
Mr. Richards holds three software patents, an MBA from San Jose State University, and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Arizona.
Sand Hill Partners provides seed capital, mentoring and experienced, hands-on help for early stage technology start-ups in Silicon Valley. For more information, contact Professor Brad Barbeau at bbarbeau@csumb.edu.
The presentation is sponsored by CSUMB’s School of Business and the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development.
CSU Monterey Bay is ranked fourth among the nation’s public liberal arts colleges in its contribution to the public good, according to The Washington Monthly 2011 College Guide published Sept. 1.
Unlike the U.S. News rankings, which focus on measures of academic reputation, The Washington Monthly rates schools based on three broad categories: social mobility, which emphasizes recruiting and graduating low-income students; research, with a focus on producing cutting-edge scholarship and Ph.D.s; and service, which emphasizes encouraging students to give something back to their country. The magazine says it seeks to reward those colleges that do a good job of educating students. And unlike other rankings systems, no one category is weighted more highly than another.
Overall, the university was ranked 94th among the 249 schools included in the survey of liberal arts schools, most of which are private colleges and universities. CSU Monterey Bay especially stood out in the category of research. The university ranked third overall in research expenditures, with $5.78 million spent. Most of that money supported research in environmental science. For example, students and faculty working out of the Seafloor Mapping Lab are pushing the boundaries with oceanic research, using GPS tools to study the bottom of the ocean with unprecedented detail and precision.
CSUMB also collaborates with NASA’s Ames Research Center to conduct research in ecological and watershed systems, with an emphasis on environmental issues resulting from changing climatic and land-use patterns. Another example is the work the university’s research scientists did with NASA to send pilotless drones above forest fires to provide useful information to those fighting the fires. The university ranked 56th overall in service and 15th in the category of faculty and staff members, courses and financial aid devoted to service learning. “Higher education, after all, isn’t just important for undergraduates," the magazine’s editors said. "We all benefit when colleges produce groundbreaking research that drives economic growth, when they offer students from low-income families the path to a better life, and when they shape the character of future leaders.” The 2011 Washington Monthly College Rankings appear in the September/October issue of the printed magazine and online.
UPDATE: As of March 2014, 31 of the original 32 students were still enrolled in the program and next year's class was being recruited. Read more here.
Students will be able to earn bachelor’s degrees in computer science and information technology in three years through an innovative partnership program announced Dec. 13 by leaders of Hartnell College in Salinas, Cal State Monterey Bay and the Matsui Foundation.
Students admitted to the program, called CSIT-in-3, will benefit from $3 million in student scholarship aid pledged by the Matsui Foundation over the first three years of the program. Eduardo M. Ochoa, interim president of Cal State Monterey Bay, and Hartnell President Willard Lewallen praised the generosity of Andy Matsui, a long-time supporter of educational programs in the area. The scholarship money is designed to allow students to attend classes full-time without having to work at outside jobs.
“The money is very important, “ Ochoa said. “Even more important is the faith that the scholarship signifies for students. That sense that they believe in us and we can do this is going to make all the difference.” Lewallen pointed out that planning for the program began when different leaders were in place at each institution – Phoebe Knight Helm at Hartnell and Dianne Harrison at CSUMB. “There has been and continues to be the highest levels of cooperation between our institution. The collaboration between faculty members at both of our institutions has been like nothing I have seen during my academic career,” Lewallen said. Both presidents pointed to the importance of the three-year duration of the program in allowing students to move more quickly into high-demand jobs in the workplace. Ochoa said that the cohort-based approach, in which students will take courses with the same classmates throughout the duration of the program, and its plans for sustained student support are proven approaches to improving student outcomes. “I intend to tout it (the CSIT-in-3 program) back in Washington as a best practice for other institutions to emulate,” said Ochoa, who previously served as an assistant secretary for postsecondary education in the Obama Administration. Program organizers are reaching out to high school science and technology teachers from around the area to identify students to enroll in the first cohort, who would begin classes in the fall. Applications for the program will be accepted through April 8, or until the cohort is full. The program is structured so that most classes would be at Hartnell for the first year-and-a-half of the program before shifting to Cal State Monterey Bay for the final year-and-a-half. In the second summer semester, students would work at internships. More information about the program can be found at csumb.edu/csitin3. Listen to a story on National Public Radio about the program
What do Woody Allen, nature photography and spy novels have in common?
They are among the classes that will be offered this semester through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – OLLI – at California State University, Monterey Bay specifically for those 50 and better.
OLLI at CSU Monterey Bay, with support from the Bernard Osher Foundation, is part of a national network that recognizes learning and exploration have no age limits. Members are inspired to take a fresh look at themselves, their world, and the possibilities that await them.
Among the course offerings are a variety of writing classes including Food Writing: The Ultimate Delicacy; an examination of three novels by Haruki Murakami; birds of the Central Coast; and coral reefs of Indonesia.
New this year are classes on coastal plants and animals and Monterey’s spring wildflowers, both taught by ecologist Nikki Nedeff; a three-session course on the history of modern aviation, taught by Don Porter, a contributor to Smithsonian Air & Space magazine; an introduction to science illustration; and a look at the history of the Japanese tea ceremony.
Former Assemblymember Fred Keeley is back with a two-session class that will provide an insider’s view of the June ballot, covering the major races and key initiatives that will impact California for years to come. Also returning is former Monterey Peninsula College instructor Allston James, who will teach a class on Shakespeare’s Richard III and MacBeth.
Another popular returning instructor is Todd Samra, whose four-session course will focus on the work of French Impressionist composers Debussy, Ravel and Faure.
Individual class offerings can be purchased, or attendees can sign up for an annual membership – which includes tuition for 10 classes for $210, or five classes for $140. Memberships include discounts on campus and other benefits.
For more information or to register for classes, call 582-5500 or visit OLLI online.
Researchers in Tibet have uncovered a woolly rhinoceros believed to be a million years older than the ones that roamed Europe and Asia in the ice age. A graduate of CSU Monterey Bay’s Science Illustration program is helping to bring that discovery to the world.
Julie Naylor, who earned a certificate from the program in 2011, created an illustration of what the 3.6 million-year-old rhino may have looked like as one of her internship projects for paleontologist Xiaoming Wang at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. The illustration has appeared in the journal Science, The New York Times, ABC News, the British Broadcasting Corporation’s website and dozens of other print and web publications worldwide. Naylor is among a small number of professional artists who make up the field of science illustrators, people who work at the confluence of art and science. They take on the task of synthesizing complex scientific information, and then conveying that information in images. In the process, they play a large role in helping their audiences understand the science behind the illustration. Naylor has been fascinated with nature and drawing since childhood. “Growing up, my weekends were spent in aquariums, museums, at the zoo or out on hikes,” she said. At 15, she was certified as a scuba diver and “that opened up a whole new world.” In 2010, she found her way to the Science Illustration program at CSUMB. “It was life-changing for me,” she said. “Coming into the program, I had little art training. It was jumping into the deep end. One thing I really liked about the program is that we were taught about the practical aspects of the profession. It gave us an idea of what to expect.” The program moved to CSUMB in 2009 from its original home at UC Santa Cruz. The one-year graduate-level program is designed for people who wish to pursue a career in science illustration as well as for scientists who want to learn to illustrate their own research. After students finish their academic year of course work, they must complete an internship with a science magazine, museum, aquarium, university press, zoological or botanical institution, newspaper, or graphic arts studio. Naylor is doing her internship with the Natural History Museum of L.A. County. “The internship component has been an incredibly valuable experience,” Naylor said. “I can’t recall a year where I’ve learned as much as I did this year.
“I would absolutely recommend this program to others.” To learn more about the program, click here. To see more of Naylor's work, visit her website. Read The New York Times story here.
Photo courtesy of Julie Naylor, taken at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium where several of her works were on display. Illustration used by permission of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
California State University, Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison has announced the appointment of Dr. Patti Hiramoto as Vice President for University Advancement. After serving as President Harrison’s Chief of Staff since 2009, Dr. Hiramoto will lead CSU Monterey Bay’s Division of University Advancement, which encompasses development, communications, and external and governmental relations. In announcing Dr. Hiramoto’s appointment, Dr. Harrison praised her management ability as Chief of Staff and her effectiveness as interim leader of University Advancement, a role she assumed in February 2011. In addition to Dr. Hiramoto’s record of success at CSU Monterey Bay, Dr. Harrison also cited her skills in building community relationships. “We are fortunate to have such an experienced and capable individual ready to step into this important role,” Dr. Harrison said. “I am confident Dr. Hiramoto and the outstanding team in University Advancement will continue to tell our story of success, while building partnerships that benefit our students and the entire region.” Dr. Hiramoto said she has great appreciation for the strengths and potential of the University Advancement staff. “I am very excited and honored to lead this team as we actively promote the accomplishments of our students and faculty to further advance the university and its mission,” she said. Dr. Hiramoto has worked at CSU Monterey Bay for seven years, first from 1996 to 2000 as director of equal employment opportunity and again since 2008, when she rejoined the university as associate director of academic personnel. From 2000 to 2008, Dr. Hiramoto worked at UC Santa Cruz as director of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action. A 15-year resident of Monterey, she earned a doctorate in higher education at UC Berkeley and has also worked at San Francisco State and Stanford University, where she served as director of student services for the School of Education. Dr. Hiramoto has a master of science degree in counseling from San Francisco State and a bachelor of arts degree in architecture from UC Berkeley.
Oscar Hernandez wants to help at-risk kids get on the right path. This semester, the CSU Monterey Bay graduate student is doing fieldwork at a local community center, where he mentors youngsters with the goal of encouraging them to stay in school.
Hernandez is in his second year in the Master of Social Work program. His attraction to social work isn’t surprising. Simply put, social workers help people improve their lives. Occupations in the field include public services, counseling and therapy, and address issues including medical, public and mental health.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there is a need for more trained social workers, especially those who can connect with underserved communities – because the nation’s diverse demographics are growing.
Anyone interested in the Master of Social Work program at CSUMB is invited to attend an information session scheduled for Jan. 23 The session will be held in the program’s offices in Beach Hall, located on Divarty Street between Fourth and Fifth avenues, from noon to 1 p.m.
Applications for fall 2012 must be received by Jan. 31.
The three-year program provides an opportunity for people who are interested in a career in social work, or who want to advance in their career, to earn an MSW degree in a way that is accessible and affordable.
Students specialize in Behavioral Health, or Children, Youth and Families, and prepare for a broad array of job opportunities within government and non-profits serving youth, the elderly, low-income families, veterans, those who face health challenges and others.
Classes are currently offered in the evenings. Students must also complete internships of 1,000 hours total, 250 hours per semester starting in the second year, at agencies in Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Santa Clara counties.
“Social workers serve people who are most often overlooked and neglected,” said Dr. Mayleen True, director of the MSW program at CSUMB. “So they often provide care that low-income families can’t afford.”
According to Dr. True, it is imperative that today’s social workers are in tune with the community. CSUMB’s program teaches cultural competence, and, with field placements, the students put it into practice. They are placed with local county and nonprofit agencies, where they practice effective tactics to communicate with different cultures.
“It makes them more versatile,” Dr. True said. “They need to have specialized clinical skills as well as people skills – and with a growing underserved and diverse population, the students must know how to address issues in a culturally sensitive way.”
She added that “our students come from an array of diverse backgrounds: Asian, Latino, African American – many of them first-generation college students. They are proud of what they’ve accomplished and feel the need to give back to their own communities, to become role models for others.”
For more information, contact Vivienne Orgel at vorgel@csumb.edu or 831-582-5315. Admission requirements and application materials are available here.
The Fall Capstone Festival, a presentation of the final projects of CSU Monterey Bay film students, will be held Dec. 20, featuring 14 shorts. – The Salinas Californian, Dec. 13, 2012
The Fort Ord Alumni Association, a division of the California State University, Monterey Bay Foundation, presented scholarships to 10 CSUMB students at its annual Scholarship Awards Luncheon at the Alumni and Visitors Center on campus.
The awards bring to 122 the total number of scholarships – all in the amount of $1,000 – given by FOAA since its scholarship program began in 1997. The highlight of this year’s event was the announcement of an endowed scholarship set up by Helen Rucker of Seaside in honor of her late husband, James, who served at Fort Ord.
Mrs. Rucker, 79, a retired teacher and librarian and longtime community activist on the Monterey Peninsula, donated $25,000 to permanently endow a scholarship she has funded annually since 1998.
She encouraged others at the luncheon to support FOAA scholarships, and she described her own philanthropic giving as an expression of personal priorities, not personal wealth.
"When people ask me, 'How do you do it, Helen?,' I tell them it's about how you care to spend your money," said Mrs. Rucker, who is also a board trustee for the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District.
She described how her husband credited the Army for giving him the chance at an education. He joined the military with a seventh-grade education, earned a GED while in uniform, then, as a 40-year-old retiree, took advantage of veterans benefits to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
“He was dedicated to learning. It’s appropriate that a scholarship be created in his name,” she said.
This year, the Platoon Sergeant James Rucker and Helen B. Rucker Scholarship was awarded to Denice Vallejo of Salinas.
“I’m proud to present the James Rucker Scholarship to Denice because she’s a returning student,” Mrs. Rucker said. “The only thing I can say to you, Denice, is ‘pass it on.’ ”
Vallejo, who grew up at Fort Ord where her father was stationed, explained that she helped her children and her husband with their studies. “I quizzed them on their homework, I edited their papers,” she said. Then she decided it was time to pursue her own education. After earning two community college degrees, she came to CSUMB.
Many of the scholarship recipients are first-generation college students. Some are the children or grandchildren of soldiers who served at Fort Ord. Several are military veterans.
Other recipients and the scholarships they were awarded:
• Col. Robert Furney and Mary Furney Scholarship: Evangelina Ochoa, Monterey • Merilyn D. Georgevich Scholarship in memory of John Kretzer: Lisa Odenhal, Roseville • Gen. William Gourley and Molly Gourley Scholarship: Cierra Bailey, Livermore • Fort Ord Alumni Association Scholarship: Gladys Vargas, Stockton • Gen. James Moore Jr. and Joan Moore Scholarship: Glenni Rankin, Redlands • Gen. E.O.C. Ord Scholarship: Ryon Hoffman, Marina • 1st Sgt. Willie B. Smith Scholarship: Hayley Tharp, San Jose, and April Medina, Salinas • Gen. Joseph Stilwell Scholarship: Javier Martinez Cabrera, Freedom
The Fort Ord Alumni Association was established in 1996 to provide financial assistance to students and to honor and preserve the heritage of Fort Ord and the contributions of the soldiers, civilians and their families who lived and worked there. Membership is open to anyone who wishes to join in these efforts.
For more information, contact Helen Meyers at 582-4723, visit the web, or e-mail FOAA chair Donna Johnson at djm1211@aol.com.
To read about scholarship recipient – and cross-country runner – Hayley Tharp, click here.
Photo (left to right): FOAA chair Donna Johnson, Helen Rucker and CSUMB President Dianne Harrison
“The whole Mission neighborhood is a massive public artwork, both sacred and profane.” – Carlos Santana
The Visual and Public Art Department will kick off this semester's Visiting Artists Lecture Series on Sept. 22 with a presentation by Annice Jacoby, editor of "Street Art San Francisco: Mission Muralismo."
The lecture will start at 6 p.m. in the Alumni and Visitors Center, located on the corner of Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Inter-Garrison Road.
Starting in the early 1970s, a provocative new street art scene transformed San Francisco’s Mission District into an art epicenter that crosses popular culture, fine art and political audiences. “Mission Muralismo” is a movement of accomplished street art combining elements of Mexican mural painting, surrealism, pop art, urban punk, eco-warrior, cartoon and guerilla graffiti that has catapulted many San Francisco artists into the international spotlight.
The Mission District is home to the largest concentration in the world of public painting that embodies activism, culture, passion and desire for social change. "Street Art San Francisco: Mission Muralismo" showcases these vibrant works in hundreds of color photographs, with commentary by the artists who produced them and Mission-savvy writers including a foreword by Grammy Award winner Carlos Santana.
Jacoby has produced innovative public art projects incorporating visual arts, literature, theater and media. She has served as director of performing arts public events at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and director of public relations at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Her work includes launching City of Poets for the San Francisco Public Library; The Roof Is on Fire, No Blood, No Foul, multimedia community performances with youth, police, and national media, in collaboration with the California College of the Arts and the City of Oakland; The Fort Point Project, in collaboration with the United Nations, a multimedia site-specific performance; and Watershed & River of Words, national environmental programs with Poet Laureate Robert Hass.
The public is invited to this free lecture. For more information or to request disability accommodations, call 582-4337. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Robert Danziger, a sustainable energy pioneer, lawyer, inventor and musician, was honored Sept. 14 by California State University, Monterey Bay and the CSU.?
CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Fine Arts on the Carmel resident at a ceremony on campus in recognition of his accomplishments as an innovative and cross-disciplinary thinker.?
?“This honor recognizes excellence and extraordinary achievement in significant areas of human endeavor,” President Harrison said.?
“Mr. Danziger’s career linking the sciences, humanities and the arts embodies the interdisciplinary values integral to the Vision of CSU Monterey Bay,” she said.?
In 1980, at age 27, he founded Sunlaw Energy Corp., reflecting his interests in alternative energy and law. His goal was to research, develop, demonstrate and commercialize new energy and environmental technology. “I did not accomplish one of the most important goals I had set for myself: to achieve in my lifetime a kind of universal prosperity coupled with energy independence and a clean environment of the sort we enjoy here in Monterey.” He explained that Sunlaw built and ran a real-world commercial, unsubsidized power plant, where the air coming out was cleaner than the air going in – the first and still the only such plant to do so. “We made good-paying jobs that didn’t cannibalize other jobs," he said. "We set an example that has yet to be equaled, and cannot be bettered.” The company he founded and ran caused worldwide emissions and energy consumption to be reduced by billions of tons, Danziger said. Addressing his university audience, he added, “The next generation you are training will hopefully have a chance to make this kind of performance commonplace, although partisanship is the enemy of prosperity, energy independence, and a clean environment.” Before Danziger started Sunlaw, he was a musician and artist, graduated from law school and worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at California Institute of Technology. He concluded by saying, “This university and this place we live in is a special place of blessedness. We are singing a great song, harmonizing with generations past and generations yet unborn. “Let’s keep the music flowing.”
Photo: President Dianne Harrison confers honorary degree of Doctor of Fine Arts on Robert Danziger while chair of CSUMB's Faculty Senate, Carl Ferguson, looks on
Dr. Michael Merzenich studies neuroplasticity – the brain's powerful ability to change itself and adapt – and investigates ways plasticity might be used to heal injured brains and enhance the skills in healthy ones.
He will talk about his work at California State University, Monterey Bay’s World Theater on Oct. 13, as the President’s Speaker Series continues.
Merzenich has studied how brains develop for more than three decades. His research has shown that the brain retains its ability to alter itself well into adulthood – suggesting that brains with injuries or disease might be able to recover function, even later in life. He has also explored the way the senses are mapped in regions of the brain and the way sensations teach the brain to recognize new patterns.
Merzenich is trying to bring the powerful plasticity of the brain into practical use through technologies and methods that harness it to improve learning. He founded Scientific Learning Corporation, which markets and distributes educational software for children based on models of brain plasticity. He is co-founder and chief science officer of Posit Science, which creates "brain training" software also based on his research.
That software, sold commercially under the names Brain Fitness Program and InSight, is supposed to strengthen memory, attention, language skills and visual-spatial abilities in aging adults. “This is the beginning of a revolution,” Merzrnich told The New York Times in June.
Studies have shown improvement in those who use the software. Some critics, however, are not convinced that the gains translate into long-term benefits that can be generalized to daily challenges such as remembering where the car is parked.
In the 1980s, Merzenich was on the team that invented the cochlear implant to restore hearing for the severely deaf.
Merzenich is professor emeritus of neuroscience at the University of California, San Francisco. He has published more than 200 articles, received numerous awards and prizes and holds more than 50 patents. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1999 and is a member of the Institute of Medicine.
The 7 p.m. lecture is free and open to the public. Reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made here or by calling the World Theater box office at 582-4580. Driving directions and a map of campus are available here.
Kathrine Cagat has been awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student Program scholarship to the Philippines in anthropology. Cagat graduated from CSUMB in 2006 summa cum laude with a degree in visual and public art. – The Salinas Californian, Sept. 1, 2011
CSU Monterey Bay will offer a bachelor's degree in nursing beginning in summer 2012. The program will be available to students in the established nursing programs at the four community colleges in the area. – NURSE.com, Sept. 12, 2011
Salinas native Isael Rubio wears a white laboratory coat as he runs tests on plants at the local USDA research station. Rubio, 22, a senior at CSU Monterey Bay, is a biology student; his job is to identify bacteria on plants by studying DNA fragment banding patterns. –* The Salinas Californian*, Sept. 14, 2011
A digital device rental program at CSU Monterey Bay has reported student savings of nearly $120,000 in technology purchase costs. The TechRent store is now expanding to two local colleges. – Campus Technology, Sept. 14, 011
. . . The work was facilitated through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center at CSUMB. Undergraduate research can help students find a solid path early on in their careers, and prepare them for graduate school. –* Monterey Herald*, Sept. 15, 2011
Each Sunday during the fall and winter months, while many Americans watch football on television, another sports tradition is taking place in some areas of Mexico. That game, ulama, involves five-man teams of athletes volleying rubber balls off their hips across dirt playing fields. It has been played throughout Mesoamerica for thousands of years. Excavations have found ceramic figurines and ball courts from the fourth century A.D.
Luckily for modern-day players, the stakes are no longer as high as they were in Aztec times. The winners then were rewarded with a prime spot on the sacrificial altar, on their way to an afterlife with the gods; the losers were banished.
The sport – one of the best links between the pre-Hispanic world and modern Mexico – gained worldwide attention when the documentary film “Ulama: el juego de la vida y la muerte” (Ulama: the Mayan ballgame of life and death) was first shown in 1984.
The film will be screened at California State University, Monterey Bay’s World Theater at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 12. Director Roberto Rochín will be on hand to discuss his film and answer questions from the audience. The program will be hosted by CSU Monterey Bay founding faculty member Luis Valdez.
The discussion will be held in English; the film’s dialogue is in Spanish with English subtitles.
Far more than a simple exposé on an ancient sport, Rochín’s documentary is a lyrical and beautifully shot work of art, balancing its study of ancient ritual with images of the game in modern play, celebrated by indigenous populations of Mexico and Central America.
It earned five Ariel Awards from the Mexican Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences: best film debut; best film; best music; best editing; and best cinematography. It’s now considered a classic of Mexican documentary films.
After the discussion, Rochín will sign copies of his book about ulama.
The event is free, but a parking permit must be purchased from a machine on the lot next to the theater.
The screening is sponsored by a variety of campus programs and academic departments, Fremont Gallery and El Teatro Campesino.
For more information or disability accommodations, call the World Theater box office at 582-4580. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Photo: Roberto Rochín
Not too many undergraduates can say they have been fortunate enough to do research. Even fewer can say they’ve been a part of research going into their junior year. And only one can say he’s been a part of a research project between Moss Landing Marine Labs and Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
My name is Alex Neu, and I’m that student. – Blog post on June 18, 2012
For some college students, summer is a time to put the books away for a few months and kick back.
That’s not the case for dozens of CSU Monterey Bay students involved with the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center or UROC. Those students – including Alex Neu – are spending their summers conducting experiments, gathering data and summarizing their findings in research papers.
They are spread out across the United States. Many are working in labs on other university campuses and at research centers; one is interning with a certified public accountant; and some are working on projects based at CSUMB.
And while most are majoring in a field of science, at least a dozen are pursuing degrees – and research topics – in psychology, business, global studies, human communication, music and math.
Alex is spending the summer researching the effects of climate change on rocky reef communities in La Jolla as part of a Sea Grant-funded project. Among his daily activities, he monitors pH levels in various samples.
He’s looking at how ocean acidification affects two species of algae, one native and one invasive.
“We’re excited to see what kind of results we’ll find. Will one species fare better than the other? What implications could this have for an invasive species’ ability to outcompete a native in a changing ocean environment?,” he asks in his blog post.
Another UROCer, Mitchell Takata, is also spending part of his summer down south. Takata is working with Dr. Corey Garza at the University of Southern California’s Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies on Catalina Island. They are investigating the value of incorporating intertidal habitat into the design of Marine Protected Areas for spiny lobster and sheephead.
Mitchell “has handled 4 a.m. low tide habitat surveys and 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. high tide snorkel surveys for lobsters,” Dr. Garza said. “There were even a couple of SCUBA surveys thrown in there as well.
“And he’s been a big help to the two graduate students in my lab,” Dr. Garza said.
A sampling of the work students are doing this summer:
Emily Aiken (Marine Science) Emily is analyzing photo and video imagery collected by a remotely operated vehicle to characterize and monitor the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
Sara Banco (Psychology) Sara returned to the Development, Disorder and Delinquency lab at UC Irvine where she is researching juvenile offenders and antisocial behavior.
Mark Callaghan (Biology) At the University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Lab, he is working on how the brain controls behavior and how specific brain cells affect navigation in a marine sea slug.
Philip Cooksey (Computer Science and Information Technology) At the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Philip is working on robotic systems.
Omar Davila Jr. (Psychology) At Yale University’s Summer Research Fellowship Program, Omar is researching interpersonal processes in an educational context.
Michael Diaz (Biology) Michael is dividing his time between CSUMB and UC Santa Cruz. At CSUMB, he’s focusing on bacteria from local freshwater environments; at UCSC, he’s investigating stomach bacteria pathogenesis.
Abel Duarte (Biology) At Purdue University, Abel is studying the role of proteins in plant cell development.
Susan Dyar (Global Studies) Susan is assisting CSUMB Professor Kathryn Poethig with research on invisible worlds and conflict zones.
Theresa Eckert (Human Communication) At the University of North Carolina, Theresa is analyzing discourses regarding food and labor controversies.
Timothy Fuller (Marine Science) At the University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Labs, Tim is evaluating the biodiversity of horseshoe worms.
Shiyla Goodie (Psychology) Working with CSUMB Professor Jennifer Dyer-Seymour, Shiyla is investigating how television content affects the dynamics and value of marriage in the African American community.
Christina Hill (Environmental Science, Technology and Policy) Under the guidance of a scientist at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Christina is studying nutrient cycling in the Chesapeake Bay.
Elizabeth Lopez (Marine Science) At Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center, Liz is analyzing fish habitat associations to identify locations for offshore renewable wave energy development.
April Makukhov (Biology) At San Diego State, April is studying the influence of water temperature on green sea turtle movement and habitat selection.
Jesse Mangiagli (Psychology) Jesse is doing statistical work for several projects at the University of Southern California’s Sea Grant lab.
Allison Moreno (Marine Science) Working with CSUMB Professor Arlene Haffa, Alli is working to isolate and characterize two proteases from an ocean microbe.
Benjamin Oppong-Bio (Business) Benji is interning with a certified public accountant.
Marianne Ortiz-Lytle (Environmental Science, Technology and Policy) At UC Santa Cruz, Marianne is working to optimize an organic farming method for the Central Coast climate.
Brynn Perales (Marine Science) At Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center, Brynn is using advanced genetics techniques to investigate the difference in fitness between hatchery and wild Coho salmon.
Melissa Powell (Psychology) At Stanford University, Melissa is examining child development of self-efficacy and self-control.
Monica Ramirez (Psychology) At Indiana University, Monica is conducting research on sexual health communication and promotion.
Emily Roncase (Biology) At the University of Illinois at Chicago, Emily is studying the effect of antibiotics on bacteria protein synthesis and resistance at the molecular level.
Jameel Smith (Business) Working with CSUMB Professor Murray Millson, Jameel is looking at how hedonic and utilitarian values relate to consumers’ intention to purchase products online.
Lauren Sommers (Environmental Science, Technology and Policy) Lauren is conducting research with Tricia Wotan, an associate planner for the city of Monterey, as part of the Watershed Management Internship Program.
Matthew Tran (Biology) At the University of Missouri, Matthew is conducting cancer research, applying biochemical and molecular biology techniques to study RNA to better understand the growth rate of cells.
Cristina Villalobos (Environmental Science, Technology and Policy) At the University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Lab, Cristina is studying how environmental stresses impact dispersal of adult fish populations.
Jordan White (Mathematics) At Fresno State, Jordan is conducting research on the embedding of graphs, which is used to model networks such as airplane routes.
Top photo courtesy of Dr. Corey Garza Mitchell Takata working at Bird Rock, Catalina Island Bottom photo from Alex Neu's blog Alex taking a pH reading as part of his work with Moss Landing Marine Labs and Scripps Institution of Oceanography
This semester’s Health Sciences Seminar Series will kick off on Sept. 21 with a presentation by Sharon Orbach, a medical student at UC San Francisco.
Ms. Orbach holds a master’s degree in neuroscience from Oxford University and will talk about neuroscience research as well as her experience as a medical student.
The presentation will take place at 4 p.m. in Room 3145 of the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library. The public is invited to attend. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Other presentations scheduled this semester include:
Oct. 5 – Dr. Dana Kent, Natividad Medical Foundation physician
Oct. 19 – Dr. Marc Tunzi, director, Natividad Family Practice Residency Program
Nov. 2 – Dr. Casey Case, vice president of SanBio – Regenerative Therapies for Neurodegenerative Diseases
Nov. 16 – Dr. Grant Hartzog, professor of molecular cell and developmental biology at UC Santa Cruz
The Health Sciences Seminar Series is generously supported by Gerald Griffin, M.D., PharmD
For more information, contact Dr. Aparna Sreenivasan at 582-3210. Learn more about the biology major at CSUMB here.
Arienne Arreola, a sophomore biology major from Bakersfield, is CSU Monterey Bay’s 2011 recipient of a William Randolph Hearst/CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement. The award is among the CSU’s highest recognitions for student achievement.
Arienne and the other recipients were recognized at the CSU Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach on Sept. 20.
The award is given to students who have overcome significant challenges to demonstrate superior academic performance and personal achievements and have demonstrated financial need.
Arienne wants to become a surgeon and be in a position to save lives. This ambition comes from a deeply personal place – when she was 2 years old, her mother died of an aneurism while giving birth to her younger brother. “I believe her death would have been preventable if she’d received proper medical care,” she said.
Following her mother’s death, her father left Arienne and her four siblings in the care of her grandparents, both of whom were fieldworkers. In middle school, she began acting out, and was suspended. Soon after, a teacher intervened and helped Arienne realize she wanted to put her life on a different course. She changed her attitude and began taking school seriously. She found she enjoyed the mental engagement classes offered, particularly solving science and math problems. “It’s like a game or puzzle to me,” she said.
Arienne gained a strong work ethic from her grandparents, but they had little experience or enthusiasm when it came to education. She was determined, however, and became the first member of her family to graduate from high school and attend college. She’s on track toward her goal, majoring in biology with a pre-med concentration and a 3.5 grade-point average. She did this all while working multiple jobs in order to support herself and help her family.
More than 412,000 students attend the campuses of the CSU system. Only 23 of those students are honored with Hearst scholarships. The William Randolph Hearst Foundation established an endowed scholarship fund in 1984 to honor the founder of the Hearst newspaper chain. In 1999, the foundation partnered with the CSU Board of Trustees to supplement the endowment with contributions from CSU Trustees and private donors.
The Rugby Club at CSU Monterey Bay invites the community to attend a free screening of the Oscar-nominated film “Invictus” on Oct. 7.
The film will be shown at 6 p.m. in Room 1188 of the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Directed by Clint Eastwood, “Invictus” tells the story of how South African President Nelson Mandela (played by Morgan Freeman) joined forces with the captain of South Africa's rugby team, Francois Plenaar (Matt Damon) to help unite the country. South Africa was still economically and racially divided in the aftermath of apartheid when the team won the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
The showing is timed to coincide with the Rugby World Cup being contested through Oct. 23 in New Zealand.
“The Rugby Club, along with the Otter Student Union, decided to sponsor this film because it shows the place of sports in ethical, social and political struggles,” said club president Ryan Scott.
To reach Room 1188, attendees must use the back entrance to the library. The film is free, but visitors must purchase a parking permit from dispensers located on the parking lot adjacent to the library.
Everyone at the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant knew that Professor Rikk Kvitek was authorized to enter the restricted coastal waters around the plant – except the guards with the M-16s. Dr. Kvitek was aboard CSU Monterey Bay’s newest research vessel, the KelpFly, a highly modified 160-horsepower Yamaha watercraft used for seafloor mapping. He was gathering data on underwater fault lines near the plant to help assess geologic hazards – information critical to public safety, especially in light of the disastrous earthquake and tsunami that damaged Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant in March 2011. “I was in a zone where guards were authorized to take lethal action against intruders,” Dr. Kvitek explained. “The radios were going nuts with reports of ‘some guy on a jet ski.’ ” Dr. Kvitek has previously mapped 1,200 square kilometers of California’s coastal waters, providing detailed topographical data of the seafloor extending three miles from the coast. The KelpFly, named for an insect species that lives on kelp, allows him to gather data in areas just along the shore that his larger vessels can’t access. “These are some of the most important areas to understand because lots of animals live there, it is where coastal erosion and sediment transfer occur, and it is where people play,” Kvitek said. The $300,000 craft can maneuver in water as shallow as 18 inches. It features an armored hull that allows it to bounce off rocks unharmed and a floatation collar that makes it stable in surf. To navigate kelp, Dr. Kvitek mounted a customized aircraft fan engine to the back of the vessel. The fan provides enough thrust to push the hull over the kelp forest without damaging the plants or clogging up the motor. It also carries an array of sonar equipment and a laser mapping system that scans the shore to generate seamless land-to-sea topographic maps.
The Navy is interested in mapping the near-shore habitat that supports black abalone, a threatened species, and locating sand channels amidst reefs and kelp forests where they can run communication cables without harming the environment or causing wear on the cables. They also will use the maps to plan amphibious vessel landing trainings and mini-submarine explorations. CSUMB students participate in all this research, and Dr. Kvitek makes sure Seafloor Mapping Lab projects have enough funding to pay them for their work. Students assisted with construction and deployment of the vessel, and process the data it collects.
“Students learn to turn out a professional product that’s of great need and value for resource management agencies at the local, state and federal level,” he said. “I take them out on the KelpFly when I can. But I don’t let them drive it. The ability to go really fast – it goes up to 60 mph – in a short amount of time on a $300,000 vessel . . . I’m not ready to turn them loose on that,” he said.
Learn more about the Seafloor Mapping Project here.
A pair of newly awarded grants from the U.S. Department of Education will help CSU Monterey Bay prepare students for graduate school and careers in science, technology, engineering, and math – referred to as the STEM subjects.
The grants total $5.6 million and will be distributed over five years by the Department of Education’s Hispanic Serving Institution program. They will support the academic program and undergraduate research at CSU Monterey Bay and a partnership with Hartnell College.
The university will use the grant funds to enhance its curriculum by adding 17 new courses – and buying the equipment necessary for those classes – and updating nine existing courses in biology, marine science, computer science, chemistry and statistics. The grant will also expand the university's commitment to undergraduate research by funding research and training opportunities; providing money to pay upper division students to assist in lower division science courses; and providing tutoring and other academic services.
Of the total amount of the award, $1.27 million is part of a collaborative grant led by Hartnell to develop a community college-to-university success program which will streamline the transfer process to STEM majors. "These are significant and transformative projects that will have a lasting impact on our students, our campus, and our region – putting the Central Coast and the Salinas Valley at the forefront of producing California’s science, math, and technology workforce,” President Dianne Harrison said.
The grants will take the university's new and growing science majors to a new level of innovation, said Dr. Bill Head, director of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center at CSUMB. "It will create peer support and tutoring services that will boost student success rates in science, math, and computer courses," Head said. "It will place state-of-the-art equipment in our new science classrooms. And it will take our students beyond the classroom and into the field to conduct real-world, hands-on research.”
Taiwan-based performance group A Moving Sound will pay a visit to CSU Monterey Bay’s World Theater on Oct. 5.
Showtime is 7:30 p.m.
Founded in 2001 by composer and performer Scott Prairie, the group has performed in 15 countries and been featured on the Discovery Channel and Huffington Post.
Prairie and his five-member band explore a new musical expression that fuses Taiwanese, Chinese and neighboring Asian musical ideas in modern song compositions. Songs are performed on Chinese instruments accompanied by the vocals and dance of lead singer Mia Hsieh, transporting listeners to and beyond the Far East.
The group is active in the Asian-Pacific region, performing at concerts and festivals, offering workshops and collaborating with artists from all over the world.
In the decade since the group was formed, it has released three albums and has been featured in a special program on Taipei presented by the Lonely Planet television series. Tom Pryor, supervisor of National Geographic World Music, described them as "one of the most original outfits working in the world music arena today."
Tickets are $15 for general admission, $10 for CSUMB faculty and staff, free for CSUMB students and are available at the Student Center and at the World Theater box office. To reserve tickets, or for more information, call 582-4580.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Jamie Tworkowski didn’t expect to start an internationally known organization. He didn’t do it for money, praise or fame.
His motivation was simple – he started a suicide prevention group to help a friend.
The founder of To Write Love on Her Arms – a global movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for those who suffer from depression, addiction, self-injury and suicidal tendencies – will speak Oct. 3 at CSU Monterey Bay’s World Theater. Doors will open at 7 p.m., the program will start at 7:30.
Sharing the stage with a special guest musician, he will lead a conversation about issues that millions live with but few talk about.
"To Write Love on Her Arms" is the title of a story Tworkowski wrote in 2006. It was the true story of five days he spent with a friend, Renee, who was denied entry into a drug treatment center in Orlando, Fla. As a way to pay for her treatment, Tworkowski posted a blog on Myspace and began selling T-shirts.
Tworkowski created the Florida-based nonprofit organization and made it his life's work after he learned the sobering statistics that two of three people with depression do not get help, and that the third leading cause of death among 18- to 24-year-olds is suicide.
Sparked by the support of bands including Switchfoot, Anberlin and Paramore, TWLOHA T-shirts quickly became a phenomenon within the music world and the group's message spread from venue to venue all over the world. The organization now has the largest online audience of any nonprofit on Myspace and Facebook, where it is "liked" by more than 1.2 million people. TWLOHA encourages, informs and invests directly in treatment and recovery organizations, having donated more than $850,000 to date. The organization has seen thousands taking first steps toward getting help, and others learning to help their friends or have honest conversations for the first time. Tworkowski shares his vision of hope with a simple message: "You are not alone and this is not the end of your story."
NBC Nightly News, CBS Sunday Morning, CNN, MTV, Rolling Stone and SPIN Magazine have interviewed him. He speaks frequently, bringing a message of hope and community to audiences at colleges and concerts throughout the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom.
"Renee," a film based on the life story of the young woman who inspired TWLOHA, is set for release next year.
Tickets are free for CSUMB students and $10 for the public at the door.
Associated Students, the Personal Growth and Counseling Center and the office of Student Activities and Leadership Development sponsor the program. It is presented as part of CSUMB’s celebration of Mental Health Awareness Week. More information can be found on the organization's website.
CSU Monterey Bay’s Police Department has joined a growing number of law enforcement agencies parking Toyota Prius hybrids next to their Crown Victorias as they go green.
It reflects an international trend – dozens of police departments including Lincoln, Neb., New York City, London and Abu Dhabi have adopted the fuel-efficient vehicles for various uses. Police Chief Earl Lawson was quick to point out that the Prius is for “civilian” use. It will be used by parking enforcement officers and by the community service officers (CSOs) who staff the night walk program.
“We traded in a big gas-guzzling Ford F-150 for the Prius,” Chief Lawson said. “We wanted a smaller, more efficient, more environmentally friendly vehicle. “We’re interested in acquiring an all-electric vehicle or another hybrid,” he said. Those vehicles aren’t suitable for use as patrol cars, but are perfect for other UPD needs, such as parking enforcement that involves a lot of stop-and-go driving. The vehicle was leased from the state Department of General Services. “There’s a waiting list for hybrid vehicles,” Lawson said. “We’re lucky to have it."
During the week of Oct. 16, students at California State University, Monterey Bay will join with their peers on more than 800 campuses across the country to promote National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week (NCAAW).
During the week, students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of events, all designed to reinforce personal responsibility and respect for state laws and campus policies when it comes to the consumption of alcohol.
This year's activities include:
• "Health Fest,” sponsored by the POWER Peer Education Program, highlighting campus and community organizations dedicated to helping students make safe and responsible choices, noon, Oct. 17, in Main Quad
• A panel featuring CSUMB students with different perspectives on and experiences with alcohol speaking in a discussion format, 8 p.m., Oct. 17, library, Room 1180
• Gatorade Pong tournament, sponsored by the Student Athlete Advisory Council, 9 p.m., Oct. 18, Black Box Cabaret
• Fireside chat, sponsored by the Residential Housing Association, with information provided by representatives from community organizations, 7 p.m., Oct. 19, in Main Quad
• CSUMB's fourth annual Jell-O wrestling tournament, 10 p.m., Oct. 20, in North Quad • Concert featuring “The Dangerous Summer,” sponsored by the Otter Student Union, 9 p.m., Oct. 21, Black Box Cabaret
NCAAW has grown to become the largest single event in all of academia because students take ownership in designing and implementing the observance for their campus communities. The week also provides campuses the opportunity to showcase healthy lifestyles free from the abuse or illegal use of alcohol and to combat negative stereotypes associated with college drinking behavior. "NCAAW is a focused event for campuses to address alcohol abuse and impaired driving prevention efforts," said Janet Cox, head of the BACCHUS Network, a national nonprofit organization that supports student health and safety through peer education.
"Ultimately, campuses need to educate students about excessive drinking and consequences that can occur on personal, academic and campus levels. All college and university offices need to empower students to take responsibility for their own decisions and the campus environment when it comes to alcohol,” she said.
“Participation in NCAAW helps students and college administrators work together to increase awareness and strengthen year-round prevention efforts. We have to engage and empower students in efforts to take care of themselves and each other," Cox said.
University faculty and staff also play a vital role in working with students to educate them about alcohol.
“NCAAW allows us to show our students here at CSUMB – particularly new students – that most of their peers are not abusing alcohol and most are making healthy and safe decisions,” said Gary Rodriguez, health promotion and prevention specialist with CSUMB’s Health & Wellness Services.
The 2011 NCAAW “Raise Your Voice! You Can Save a Life!” campaign theme, developed by the BACCHUS Network, contains a message of student empowerment through decision-making that is safe and healthy. It encourages students to take care of friends, to call for help if concerned about alcohol poisoning, and to take proactive steps to stay safe in social situations where alcohol may be present.
The messages support personal responsibility and practical safety tips about avoiding excessive drinking, not driving after drinking, and not riding with a driver who has been drinking.
“These are great messages for students because they focus on providing them with education and skill development. They allow students to make their own informed choices,” Rodriguez said.
NCAAW at CSUMB is a collaborative effort of the Personal Growth & Counseling Center, the POWER Peer Education Program, Student Housing & Residential Life, the Residential Housing Association, Athletics, the Student Athlete Advisory Council, Student Activities & Leadership Development, the Office of Judicial Affairs & Community Standards, University Police Department, the Campus Health Center, Academic & Centralized Scheduling, Sigma Theta Psi Sorority, the Multicultural Greek Council, Otter Student Union, Sun Street Recovery Centers and the California Highway Patrol.
NCAAW isn’t the only way CSUMB works to educate students about drinking.
For the last two years, a program called AlcoholEdu has been required for all freshmen. During the summer before they start classes at CSUMB, freshmen must complete a web-based course that deals with a variety of alcohol-related topics. The goal is to ensure that students have a base of information before they arrive on campus – when they are exposed to alcohol and behavior patterns get formed.
Indications are it has been successful at CSUMB. To learn more about AlcoholEdu.
Learn more about health and wellness services CSUMB.
The “Greater Vision” series of public forums on topics important to local agriculture and the larger community continues Nov. 9. The topic: "The Two Ecos: Economics and Ecosystem.”
The event will be held in the Alumni and Visitors Center on General Jim Moore Boulevard at Inter-Garrison Road, starting at 1 p.m. The event is free; however, a parking permit must be purchased from the attendant on duty. Please RSVP to abby@growershipper.com. Sandra Schubert, undersecretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, will be the keynote speaker. Her address, "Agriculture is Everybody’s Business," will provide context for understanding the challenges of public policy from the local, regional and state levels. A panel chaired by CSU Monterey Bay Professor Marc Los Huertos will look at issues surrounding economics and the environment. Panelists will include Dr. Michael Cahn, University of California Cooperative Extension farm adviser who specializes in irrigation and water resources; Greg Pepping, executive director of the Coastal Watershed Council; Norm Groot, executive director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau; and Lisa Lurie, agricultural water quality coordinator, NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. CSUMB Professor Brad Barbeau will offer closing remarks.
“A Greater Vision” is an annual educational event hosted by the Grower-Shipper Association Foundation, and supported by CSUMB and the Central Coast Ag Task Force. It provides a series of public forums featuring speakers and panel discussions from community members, academic researchers, elected officials, public agencies and agricultural representatives. The forums are intended to provide information from diverse points of view.
The day’s schedule:
12:30-1 p.m.– Check-in at the Alumni and Visitors Center on Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard 1-1:10 p.m. – Opening remarks by Dr. Marylou Shockley, chair of CSUMB’s School of Business 1:10-1:20 p.m. – Welcome remarks by CSUMB President Dianne Harrison 1:20-1:55 p.m. – Keynote address 2-3:35 p.m. – Panel discussion 3:35-3:50 p.m. – Closing remarks by Dr. Barbeau
Rape Crisis Center taps student's work for race logo As publicity kicks in for the annual Together with Love 5 and 10K run, colorful posters are popping up around the local area. The artwork was done by CSU Monterey Bay student Diana Mejia in Professor Bobbi Long's introduction to digital graphic design class.
MacArthur Fellows to visit CSUMB *Award-winners hope to inspire students*** The MacArturos – well, some of them – are coming to Cal State Monterey Bay.
University earns community engagement classification The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has once again honored CSU Monterey Bay for its focus on service and public engagement, making it one of only 361 institutions in the United States to hold the classification.
Another national honor for Service Learning program The university was recently named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal honor universities can receive for their commitment to service learning and civic engagement.
Help RON count the birds Volunteers will be out at 7 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 17, looking for hawks, geese, ducks, wrens and a variety of other species at the Watershed Institute’s 10th annual winter bird count at Upper Carr Lake in Salinas. Everyone is welcome to help during the three-hour count.??
President's Speaker Series continues Jan. 30 "America Fast Forward?: Demographic Shifts, Economic Challenges, and the Future of California" will be the topic addressed by University of Southern California professor Manuel Pastor on Jan. 30, when the President's Speaker Series resumes at Cal State Monterey Bay.
College students aren’t the only ones being educated at Cal State Monterey Bay What do Hamlet, Flannery O’Connor and music’s Romantic Period have in common? They are among a diverse range of classes that will be offered in the spring through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – OLLI – at California State University, Monterey Bay. The courses and speakers are specifically geared for those 50 and better.
Travis Wilkerson describes himself as a “radical filmmaker.” Local audiences will be able to sample his work on Oct. 25 when the Los Angeles resident kicks off this year’s visiting artist series presented by the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department (TAT) at CSU Monterey Bay and the Monterey Bay Film Society. He will make two presentations, both free and open to the public, at noon and again at 2 p.m. Both will be held in the TAT studio on Sixth Avenue at A Street. Wilkerson is a contemporary practitioner of agit-prop “third cinema” media activism. His best-known work is the experimental documentary “An Injury to One,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2003.
It centers on a significant episode in American labor history, the murder of Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) organizer Frank Little in Butte, Montana, in August 1917. The film provides the historical background to the event, the decades-long exploitation of the region and its workers by the Anaconda Copper Mining Company. Wilkerson’s film also examines the present state of Butte, a decayed industrial city of 32,000 people, blighted by the largest body of contaminated water in the United States, the Berkeley Pit. This is the legacy of Anaconda, which abandoned the town decades ago. The company reportedly had extracted $25 billion worth of copper by that time. His other films include "Accelerated Underdevelopment" (on the Cuban filmmaker Santiago Alvarez) and "Who Killed Cock Robin?" In 2009, he presented the first ever performance art at Sundance with "Proving Ground," a live multi-media presentation chronicling the history of U.S. aerial bombings. In addition to Sundance, his work has screened at scores of festivals worldwide, including Toronto, Rotterdam, Marseille, Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival, Hot Docs, Vienna International Film Festival and Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival. Among his awards are the Documentary Prize from the New York Underground Film Festival, the Innovation Award at the Chicago International Documentary Film Festival and the Narrative Integrity Award at the Ann Arbor Film Festival. He’s also a co-founder of the micro-distributor Extreme Low Frequency, which releases little-seen works of radical cinema, both classic and contemporary. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map. While the event is free, visitors will have to purchase a parking pass from machines located on the parking lots.
The community is invited to attend a lecture on Nov. 17 by an FBI agent who works in the bureau’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, with focus on crimes against children.
Supervisory Special Agent Mike Yoder will visit campus for a talk about his work in the area of forensic psychology and sex offenders. He has worked for the FBI for 15 years; currently, he advises on areas of online sexual exploitation of children, missing children, child pornography and cyberbullying.
In addition to conducting case consultations on active and cold cases for law enforcement agencies throughout the United States, he also provides training and conducts research in those areas to gain a deeper understanding of the behavior of offenders who commit crimes against children.
Prior to his current assignment, he led the FBI’s Safe Child Task Force in Atlanta, and was the coordinator of a group of agents and local police officers dedicated to investigating online child sex offenders and those engaged in child pornography.
After the talk, Dr. George Baldwin will moderate a question-and-answer session.
The 7 p.m. talk will be held in the Tanimura & Antle library, Room 1188. It's free, but attendees are asked to RSVP to Heather Wilde at 582-4332.
A parking permit must be purchased from a machine on the parking lot. Driving directions and a campus map can be downloaded here.
CSU Monterey Bay students will fan out across the county on Saturday, Oct. 22, to clean up the Chinatown area of Salinas, do restoration work in Natividad Creek Park, collect native seeds on public lands, write holiday cards to service members and help with beautification projects.
The community is invited to join in and lend a hand.
The day of service is part of the national Make a Difference Day, a day set aside to “celebrate neighbors helping neighbors,” according to the organizer.
The university’s Service Learning Institute is one of the sponsors of the event in Chinatown, where volunteers are needed from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help with gardening, painting, landscaping and other tasks. The area to be covered is along Soledad Street, Market Way and Lake Street in Salinas.
A highlight of the day will be a ribbon cutting at the Republic Café at 11:30 a.m., to celebrate the renovation of the building. Environmental remediation and the installation of a new roof are about to get under way, paid for with grant money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The café was once a bustling restaurant, a gathering place for the Chinese, Japanese and Filipino communities of Salinas. Now, decades after it closed, it's being reborn.
In 2012, the abandoned site on Soledad Street is scheduled to reopen as the Salinas Chinatown Cultural Center and Museum. It will chronicle, preserve and spread the stories of those who lived and worked in the neighborhood through exhibitions, oral histories, artifacts and cultural events. CSUMB students, staff and faculty members from a variety of academic disciplines have been involved in the project since the beginning.
Another university-sponsored service opportunity will take place at Natividad Creek Park in Salinas.
CSUMB’s Return of the Natives restoration education project needs volunteers to remove invasive weeds and pick up trash at the park from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The park is located on Nogal Drive in Salinas.
A list of other volunteer opportunities is available here.
For more than two decades, Make a Difference Day has been celebrated on the fourth Saturday in October. It connects people with opportunities to serve, increases the strength of communities and promotes civic engagement. Last year, three million people cared enough about their communities to volunteer on that day, accomplishing thousands of projects in hundreds of cities and towns.
For more information, contact Steven Goings at sgoings@csumb.edu.
Master storyteller, award-winning author and Stanford University professor Tobias Wolff will lecture at California State University, Monterey Bay’s World Theater on Nov. 1 as part of the President’s Speaker Series.
The talk will start at 7 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session. No tickets are required for this free event, but reservations are strongly recommended and can be made online at csumb.edu/speakers or by calling the World Theater box office at 582-4580.
Wolff chronicled his early life in two memoirs. “This Boy’s Life” (1989) deals with his adolescence in Seattle and Newhalem, a remote company town in the North Cascade Mountains of Washington State. The memoir describes the nomadic and uncertain life he and his mother experienced after the divorce of his parents and then his mother's subsequent marriage to an abusive husband and stepfather. “In Pharaoh’s Army” (1994) he wrote about his year in Vietnam as a member of the Special Forces.
After his Army service, he attended Oxford University. A Wallace Stegner Fellowship in Creative Writing at Stanford followed, then years of teaching at Syracuse University. In 1997, he returned to Stanford, where he teaches English and creative writing.
He has also written the novels “The Barracks Thief” and “Old School,” and the short story collections “In the Garden of the North American Martyrs,” “Back in the World” and “The Night in Question.”
His most recent collection of short stories, “Our Story Begins,” won The Story Prize for 2008. Other honors include the PEN/Malamud Award and the Rea Award – both for excellence in short story writing – the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and the PEN/Faulkner Award.
His work appears regularly in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Harper's, and other magazines and literary journals.
Whether he is writing fiction or non-fiction, Wolff's prose is characterized by an exploration of personal/biographical and existential terrain. As Wyatt Mason wrote in the London Review of Books, "Typically, his protagonists face an acute moral dilemma, unable to reconcile what they know to be true with what they feel to be true. Duplicity is their great failing, and Wolff's main theme."
To reserve a seat, click here.
The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue on the CSU Monterey Bay campus. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
There is a need in us for exactly what literature can give, which is a sense of who we are, beyond what data can tell us, beyond what simple information can tell us; a sense of the workings of what we used to call the soul.
—Tobias Wolff in an interview with Stanford Today
Berkeley artist Mildred Howard is an epic part of the East Bay’s cultural landscape, according to the San Francisco Examiner. She has an impressive list of important projects including installations in the De Young Museum, the San Francsico Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Wash., the San Jose Museum of Art, and galleries in Boston and Los Angeles as well as international exhibitions in Paris, Berlin, Cairo, and the United Kingdom. As an artist, she says her cause is to fight to give a voice to people, things and themes that are overlooked in society. She joins objects of the past with present meaning, creating antique-looking sculptures in reference to global socio-political relationships, and riddled with metaphors of past, present and future.
The local community will have the opportunity to learn about Howard’s work when she visits CSU Monterey Bay on Oct. 25. Her free talk, part of the Visiting Artists Series, will start at 6 p.m. in the University Center living room. The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Driving directions and a campus map can be found here.
Howard has founded educational programs, managed an art and communities program at San Francisco’s Exploratorium, and was executive director of Alice Waters’ Edible Schoolyard Project. She’s taught at just about every university and art institution in the San Francisco Bay Area and has also worked at Alameda County Juvenile Hall and Bay Area jails.
Her visit is the second in this semester’s series of visiting artists. The last artist to visit this semester will be muralist John Wehrle, who is scheduled to speak on Nov. 8.
Learn about the Visual and Public Art Department at CSUMB.
*Photo: On the Rebound by Mildred Howard, who is represented by the Paule Anglim Gallery in San Francisco.*
Public invited to April 1 talk by Mark Mancina
Mark Mancina, best known for composing the music for the Oscar-winning film Training Day, will lecture at California State University, Monterey Bay on April 1.
Mancina will address students in the university's Music and Performing Arts Department from 10 a.m. to noon in the Music Hall on Sixth Avenue. The public is invited to this free event.
He will discuss his varied career, explain the process of scoring a film from inception of musical ideas to final mix, talk about how music serves the narrative, and discuss the importance of capturing the emotional pace of a film while interpreting and translating the director’s vision.
Mancina has worked in almost every film genre: drama, action, comedy, suspense and period epic. Among the other films he has scored are Speed (1994), Moll Flanders (1996), Twister (1996), August Rush (2007), Camille (2008), Shooter (2007).
His scores frequently feature his own performances on piano, guitar, bass and percussion, highlighting unique sounds harvested from his personal collection of instruments from around the world.
Mancina has also composed music for television shows, including the CBS drama Criminal Minds. And he added Broadway to his list of accomplishments when he co-wrote songs, produced and arranged the score for the musical production of The Lion King.
Along the way, he earned three Grammy awards, an American Music Award, Britain’s Ivor Novello Award and a Tony nomination.
Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map. For more information, call Nicole Mendoza at 582-3009.
Teaching students isn’t the only goal of the School of Business at CSU Monterey Bay.
The school also wants the community to learn about the business program.
On May 1, it will hold the fifth annual School of Business Showcase designed to highlight the school and its students. The event, featuring a reception and dinner, is an opportunity for employers to meet graduating seniors, learn about the business program and meet faculty members and alumni. It will also honor two members of the local community.
The Business Leadership Award will be presented to Andy Matsui of Matsui Nursery, Inc. The Community Leadership Award will go to Ollie Nutt of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation.
The leadership awards were inaugurated in 2009 to recognize community leaders who have shown a commitment to CSU Monterey Bay and the mission of the university. Student awards, including one for the school’s outstanding senior, will also be presented at the showcase. “For us, the stars of the event are the graduating seniors,” said Dr. Marylou Shockley, chair of the School of Business. “We want to celebrate them, and we want the business community to do that with us – especially those who are employers in the area.”
More information is available here.
Karen Martinez, a sophomore at CSUMB, tries to honor her brother's memory by studying hard and continuing to pursue the education he wanted for himself. She was named CSUMB's 2010 recipient of the William Randolph Hearst/CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement. – Monterey Herald, Sept. 25, 2010
National Undergraduate Research Week takes place April 14 through 18.
At CSU Monterey Bay, it’s an annual celebration of research and creative activity. Undergraduates can explore the opportunities available to them and find ways to get involved.
Three participants in the university’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (known as UROC) have planned several events to encourage students to do just that.
Those events – organized by Molly Fredle, Alexis Ingram and Andrea Valdez – include talks, a poster session and an open house and mixer. All of them will take place at the UROC office, Suite 2150 in the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library.
• April 14, noon to 1:30 p.m., researcher talks. Students are invited to learn how research can benefit them. Topics to be presented by fellow students include how to get involved, the research experience and how it prepares them for graduate school.
• April 15, 2 to 3:30 p.m., poster session. From sharks to methamphetamine use to aging, the variety of research being conducted by CSUMB students will be on display.
• April 16, 2 to 3:30 p.m., research group open house and mixer. UROC scholars and their mentors will be available to talk about the opportunities available on campus.
The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center at CSUMB was established in 2009. With training and support from UROC, students work on innovative research projects on campus and at other research institutions.
“Undergraduate research engages students at the highest scholarly levels by linking research, learning and mentorship to real world experiences,” said Dr. William Head, director of UROC. “This translates to long-term academic success, self-confidence and persistence and has career benefits.” Learn more about UROC.
Aspiring entrepreneurs are invited to a panel discussion at Cal State Monterey Bay to hear “tales from the trenches” from people who have successfully started, grown and ran a business. The free event will be held from 4 to 6 p.m., Nov. 14, in the University Center, located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Driving directions and a campus map can be found at csumb.edu/map. Attendees will hear from entrepreneurs who have started one or more companies. Each panel member will give a short talk followed by questions from the audience. Panel members: • David Fritsch is the owner and lead developer at Webity (formally Fritsch Services) of Monterey. He started the company in 2009 to offer affordable website services to small businesses, start-ups and entrepreneurs. • Brigid McGrath Massie is a serial entrepreneur, having successfully launched a book publishing company, a recreational and classic vehicle storage facility and one of the most successful bingo halls in California. She is an award winning speaker, author and business consultant. ? • Jeff Munks started a public service 30 years ago, designed to make interpreters available to help newly arrived Vietnamese. Today, Language Line Services is the world's largest provider of over-the-phone interpretation services, employing approximately 6,000 people and covering over 175 languages. • Joe Opitz has been in the restaurant industry since 1987. In 2010, he and his wife, Luciana, opened Flanagan’s Irish-American Pub in Carmel. ?
• Deborah L. Walliser, a strong advocate of sustainability, is the CEO of Got Produce?, a global farm franchise company offering modular hydroponic greenhouse systems, and executive director of Solsustech Inc., a research and development company focusing on hydroponic technology. The Entrepreneurship Forum is one of a series, held each semester, sponsored by the university’s School of Business, the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development and the CSUMB Student Entrepreneurs.
For more information, contact Mary Jo Zenk at 582-3230.
Learn more about the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development.
Actor and activist Ed Begley Jr. appears this evening at CSU Monterey Bay to preach the good green gospel: Live simply, so that others may simply live. – Monterey Herald, Sept. 28, 2010
California State University, Monterey Bay will host FOCUS, the university’s annual look at sustainability issues, on Feb. 12. The seventh annual free event presents speakers and discussion groups that address the topic, “Sustainability and a Sense of Place.” All events will take place in the University Center on Sixth Avenue at B Street. CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa will open the program with brief remarks at 1 p.m.
The day’s highlights include:
A speakers panel will follow at 3:05 and breakout sessions will get under way at 3:45. Those topics:
Visit CSUMB Focus to learn more about this program.
UPDATE: Dr. Dan Fernandez has been invited to to make a presentation on CSUMB's innovation credit regarding the Chinatown Renewal Project at AASHE's annual conference in Los Angeles. His presentation is scheduled for the afternoon of Oct. 14.
Last summer, CSU Monterey Bay earned a gold rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, known as AASHE.
The rating, awarded in the organization's STARS program, signifies that the university is doing an outstanding job of going green in areas ranging from curriculum and construction to conservation of resources.?
STARS – which stands for Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System – measures and encourages sustainability in education and research, operations and planning, administration, engagement and innovation.
Now, the university has been highlighted in the summer issue of the STARS Quarterly Review, which focuses on innovations in campus sustainability.
The publication focused on the Chinatown Renewal Project, an effort to revitalize a blighted though historically rich neighborhood in Salinas.
In partnership with other organizations, the publication reported, CSUMB has provided leadership, energy, vision and resources to the effort. Hundreds of students and more than 20 faculty and staff members have made a significant contribution to the project.
The article pointed out that sustainability has been a consistent theme in these efforts, which include building a community garden where organic food is grown; starting a Green Jobs Corps; creating a sustainable energy demonstration project; offering workshops on natural building and organic gardening; conducting oral history interviews and collecting historic artifacts; creating job opportunities for the homeless; and opening a computer training lab.
The article concluded: By encompassing social, environmental and economic dimensions of sustainability, the Chinatown project brings comprehensive solutions to a region that has experienced serious sustainability challenges.
“Going green is certainly an important part of sustainability, but it has to be accompanied by economic and social justice sustainability, “ said Dr. Dan Fernandez, chair of the university’s Division of Science and Environmental Policy.
More photos of the garden are posted in CSUMB’s Flickr gallery
For Jay Carter, participating in a residential community was an important part of his freshman year on campus.
“The programs cultivated a community that is genuine,” Carter said of his experience with the program in 2012. “The long-lasting relationships between residents and professors . . . are rich in spirit . . . ”
Carter was part of Project Higher Ground – a residential community in Avocet Hall linked to academic coursework and co-curricular activities designed to enhance student learning and personal development.
In its fourth year, Project Higher Ground is made up of student groups based on academic and personal interests such as math, computer science, health, ethnic studies and biology. Students in each group take a First Year Seminar course that directly ties with an additional course. For example, students may take a seminar on Technology and Society that connects with their section of pre-calculus. Faculty members from both courses work together to make a seamless transition from one class to the next.
Outside of class, peer leaders coordinate activities to integrate students’ coursework with campus and community experiences. This year they look forward to visiting Silicon Valley and attending the United Nations Film Fesitval held in Monterey, as well as social activities such as pizza parties in the Avocet lounge.
The name Project Higher Ground comes from the book, "Moving to Higher Ground: How Jazz Can Change Your Life," in which Pulitzer Prize-winning musician and educator Wynton Marsalis relates the principles of jazz to lessons about life.
About 200 students are participating this year, and have a choice among five First Year Seminar classes: Youth, Power and Protest; Comparative Ethnic Experiences; Eat, Love, Learn; Multicultural Health; and Technology and Society. Professors even hold office hours in the hall.
The university’s Student Life and Academic Affairs divisions, which co-sponsor Project Higher Ground, have seen an increase in student satisfaction and academic success as a result of the program.
“Higher Ground has a huge academic impact,” said Molly Springer, coordinator for Living Learning and Themed Programs at CSUMB. “And the students really feel a connection to the campus and to their peers. That connection is what brings them back” for their sophomore year.
. . . It's radio drama – but not your grandparents' radio drama. A Rancho Cielo teacher took advantage of a relationship he has built with CSU Monterey Bay instructor Steven Levinson, whose media students collaborated on the radio shows. – *Monterey Herald*, Dec. 10, 2013
The World Theater on the campus of CSU Monterey Bay will host a stellar selection of student films at this year’s Capstone Festival, scheduled for two public screenings on May 19. The matinee showing will begin at 1 p.m.; the program repeats at 6 o’clock. Admission is free.
Each semester, the Teledramatic Arts and Tecnology Department’s Capstone Festival celebrates the culminating projects of graduating seniors. These projects reflect the synthesis of knowledge, skills, and abilities developed over the course of a student's career at CSUMB. This year’s festival will feature 16 professional-quality film productions spanning genres, including documentary, animation, narrative and experimental works. Here is a list of the films to be screened.
Please note that some films in the program contain mature language or violence.
The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue, near the intersection with A Street. While the event is free; a $2 parking permit must be purchased. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
For more information, contact Professor Luis Camara of the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department at lcamara@csumb.edu or call 582-43743. For disability accommodations, e-mail jbenge@csumb.edu.
The event is co-sponsored by the Monterey Bay Film Society. *Image from "Sisyphus," directed by Danny Orona, one of the works to be screened May 17 as part of the Teledramatic Arts and Technology capstone festival*
Award among three in state A $170,000 grant has been awarded to CSU Monterey Bay by the National Endowment for the Humanities for a program to train teachers from around the country about the history of California's missions. – Monterey Herald, Nov. 9, 2012
The deYoung Museum in San Francisco . . . an exhibition there is a statement of quality and an imprint of substance. Students and alumni from CSU Monterey Bay's Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department have created a film that will be shown there. – Monterey County Weekly, Nov. 8, 2012
Fort Ord – once the largest military base in the American West – was a vital center during much of the 20th century. More than a million people lived and worked at the base, embedding the current architectural ruin with layers of murals and traces of their lives. Planet Ord explores the contemporary experience and historical echoes of their abandoned city, relating it to the many lost places in contemporary America.
This multi-media exhibition at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History is guest curated by Enid Baxter Ryce, who reveals the artwork and stories within this ever-changing icon of Monterey County. Partnering with students and alumni of California State University, Monterey Bay, Professor Ryce documents Fort Ord through film, photo, and carefully painted maps of this San-Francisco-sized military base. The Planet Ord exhibit – supported by War Comes Home, an initiative from Cal Humanities – will be on display from April 4 to July 20. The museum is located at 705 Front St., Santa Cruz.
Several special events will be held in conjunction with the show, including an April 11 screening of "Extraordinary Ord," a documentary by Eric Palmer. It has been screened at the San Luis Obispo Film Festival and won the top prize at the Monarch Film Festival. See the trailer below. Palmer is a 2007 graduate of CSUMB's Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department.
Related events:
• April 4 – Artist talk with Enid Ryce, chair of the Cinematic Arts and Technology Department at CSUMB and guest curator for the exhibit, 5:30 p.m.
• April 11 – Screening and discussion of "Extraordinary Ord," a documentary by Eric Palmer, 6:30 p.m.
• May 9 – Screening of CSUMB student films about Fort Ord, 6:30 p.m.
• May 26 – Annual Memorial Day Remembrance, 11 a.m.
Related links: Exhibit opening Exhibition
Professor Ryce's tumblr previewing images for the show
The CSU Monterey Bay men's basketball team struggled mightily last season, failing to win away from the Kelp Bed. But head coach Rob Bishop expects to see an improved Otters team this season. "We have five seniors this year," he said. "We didn't have any seniors last year." – Monterey Herald, Nov. 3, 2012
To Brenda Perez, math is essential to everyday life. “I like how you can relate everything to mathematics, one way or another,” said the senior from Salinas. “And what I like most is its challenging nature. Sometimes problems take hours to figure out. And when you do, you feel great.” Add her love of teaching –– “I always knew I wanted to teach” –– and you’ve got a math teacher in the making. The teaching part was clear early on. Not so with the math part. She entered CSU Monterey Bay without knowing what subject she would study. Then she learned that math teachers are in high demand, talked with department chair Dr. Hongde Hu and declared herself a math major with a teaching concentration. She’s driven to teach by the realization that many students struggle with the subject. “As a country, we are falling behind in math education, and underrepresented students like me have the lowest math scores in the country,” she said.
Her hard work and near-perfect grade-point average have paid off.
Perez has been admitted to the prestigious Stanford Teacher Education Program. Her year of study will lead to a master of arts in education and a preliminary teaching credential. Classes start in June. To help pay for it, she has received a Leonore Annenberg-Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, which includes a $30,000 stipend. The fellowship commits her to spend three years teaching in a high-needs secondary school. During that time, she will receive intensive mentoring. She’s quick to credit two people who influenced and inspired her, one a faculty member, the other her supervisor. Professor Hu was her academic adviser. “He guided me throughout my education, provided tutoring jobs for me and helped me obtain various scholarships to support my education,” she said. CSUMB’s California Mini Corps coordinator, Eva Silva, was her supervisor during the nearly three years she spent working for the corps, a program that employs college students to tutor migrant children. It also provides valuable experience for future teachers. “Eva has taught me so much about teaching and meeting the needs of our students. She was my mentor and teacher, and has truly been an inspiration to me,” Perez said. Jazehel Jimenez and Karen Martinez have much in common with Perez – both are from Salinas, started CSUMB in 2009 not knowing what major to pursue and ended up in math. Both are headed to graduate school. Dr. Hu encouraged all of them to select the secondary teaching concentration, and helped them find opportunities to tutor or work as teaching assistants. Jimenez, who has a 2-year-old daughter, has been accepted to the master’s degree programs at UC Santa Cruz, Stanford and USC. Stanford has offered her a $20,000 fellowship. She hasn’t decided which school to attend.
“I first need to determine which program will benefit my daughter, as well as me,” she said. Martinez has been accepted into the master’s program at UC Santa Cruz and USC. She chose to attend UCSC.
Watch a video interview with all three students by the Salinas Californian.
The CSUMB capstones are like a two-day schoolwide talent show. It all comes down to this. At the end of each semester, senior students from every department at CSU Monterey Bay present their capstones – the culminating projects of their years of schooling – at various locations. – *Monterey County Weekly*, Dec. 19, 2013
Experience adventure on the big screen when the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour makes a stop at Monterey’s Golden State Theatre on March 1, sponsored by REI Marina. The proceeds will benefit CSU Monterey Bay's Return of the Natives project.
Showtime is 7 p.m.
The Banff Mountain Film Festival is an annual event that recognizes outstanding independent films dealing with mountain culture and the environment. They vary from short subjects to full length.
The tour brings Banff to audiences around the globe. Immediately after the festival ends in November, a selection of the best films goes on tour to more than 360 locations worldwide.
Tickets are $17 for REI members, $20 for non-members. Tickets are on sale now at REI, 145 Gen. Stilwell Drive in Marina.
For more information, call 883-8048. The Return of the Natives restoration project is the education and outreach branch of the Watershed Institute at CSUMB. RON's environmental goal is to protect the waters of the Monterey Bay through restoration of the waterways and the lands draining into the bay. RON's social goal is to bring people and nature together on its restoration and garden projects in the watersheds of the Monterey Bay.
A roadside bomb in Baghdad blinded him in one eye and partially in another in 2005, and Iraq War Army veteran Travis Fugate lost his sight completely to an infection in December 2008. Fugate, 28, is now enrolled at CSU Monterey Bay . . . working toward a bachelor's degree in computer software engineering. – Monterey Herald, Nov. 12, 2012
The investiture of the president, groundbreaking for a new academic building and good news on the budget front highlighted 2013 at CSU Monterey Bay.
President Eduardo Ochoa laid out a blueprint for the university’s future during his investiture ceremony Nov. 15 in which fellow academics, staff and members of the community officially marked his position at the university.
The formal investiture — akin to a presidential swearing-in — came six months after Dr. Ochoa took the position on a permanent basis. Dozens of academic dignitaries in colorful gowns, hoods and mortarboards formed a procession into the World Theater for the event. Its theme was “advancing the vision.”?
The following day, more than 400 students, faculty and staff members took part in a day of service and learning, volunteering at 30 sites around the area. President Ochoa visited four of those sites to offer support and encouragement.
Earlier that week, community leaders and friends of the university joined the campus community to mark the groundbreaking for anew academic building. The $43 million, 58,000-square-foot structure will house the College of Business and the School of School of Computing and Design. The technology-rich building will have eight classrooms, 12 labs, offices, conference rooms and student study areas. There was good news on the budget front. An improving economy and the voters’ passage of Proposition 30 put an end to budget reductions that had cut state support by more than 30 percent since 2007-08. Tuition fees remained the same as the year before, making it easier for students and their families to plan. The improved budget prospects mean that the campus can admit more students. In the fall, 5,732 students attended classes, the largest enrollment in the university’s history.
Another bit of good news: In his investiture remarks, President Ochoa announced that $30 million has been made available by the CSU to remove all 78 of the remaining obsolete former Army buildings on campus. The project is expected take three to five years.
Among the year’s academic milestones:
• The College of Business was established and Dr. Shyam Kamath was hired to be the first dean
• The first graduates of the Master of Social Work program received their degrees in May
• The first class of the CSIT-in-3 program, an innovative collaboration with a local community college that allows students to earn a degree in computer science in just three years, started in August with a class of 32.
Innovation was a theme throughout the year. More than 20 faculty projects to promote innovation in teaching and learning were funded through the annual fund. And the President’s Speaker Series, “Disruptive Innovation in Higher Education,” focused on the challenges facing higher education in an era of increased demand, changing demographics and declining state support.
Last spring, CSUMB held a welcome home event for Leon Panetta. “It was a great pleasure to host the event because of the instrumental role that he played in the founding of our university and our close ties with the Panetta Institute, President Ochoa said.
Another event that brought many community members to campus was the Fort Ord Colloquium in December. The two-day event featured national experts in planning, economic development and environmental protection. The colloquium was an attempt to broaden the discussion from the merits of specific projects to a more all-encompassing vision.
CSU Chancellor Timothy White made his official campus visit in early October, meeting with students, faculty and staff.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – known as OLLI – brought a record number of people to campus. It recently concluded its sixth year of offering stimulating educational opportunities to those 50 and older. Its 549 members enrolled in a record 78 class offerings for a total course attendance of 2,272. The program also extended its reach by partnering with the Monterey Museum of Art, the Museum of Monterey, the World Affairs Council and the National Steinbeck Center.
The World Theater on the campus of CSU Monterey Bay will host student films and original media productions at the fall capstone festival, scheduled for Friday, Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. Admission is free.
The capstone festival will feature a dozen top-quality productions spanning genres, including documentaries, animation, narrative and experimental works produced by students of CSUMB’s Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department.
Among the highlights is a piece called Monterey Meltdown by Tara Diego. The film is a comical yet informative stop-motion animation news broadcast about drought in California, with a focus on its effects in the Monterey area.
Also worth noting is a documentary, Derby, by Dominic Parisi. Through interviews with local participants and live action shot at local competitions, it examines the culture of women’s roller derby and how it has evolved from scripted, campy catfights to a sport that emphasizes athleticism.
Read more about the 12 projects here.
The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue near the intersection with A Street. Driving directions and campus map are available here.
For more information, call the Department of Teledramatic Arts and Technology at (831) 582-3750.
Above: From Tara Diego's animation, Monterey Meltdown
Video: Trailer for Let Go, directed by Tyler Franta
After commencement, Daniel Troia didn't spent much time celebrating. Nine days after receiving his degree in kinesiology, he and current student Luke Young headed off on a 3,500-mile cross-country bike ride to see America and to raise money for a good cause.
The pair took a 20-hour train ride from Salinas to Portland, arriving on May 26. Their adventure began in earnest on June 1, when they left Oregon and headed to Idaho. They expect to arrive in New York City in about 10 weeks – in time for Young to get back to campus to complete his degree in environmental science.
Troia, 28, from Monterey, and Young, 25, from Murrieta, understand the trip will be strenuous, uncomfortable and maybe even dangerous.
“But no matter how difficult our life gets on the road, I plan to keep reminding myself that what I’m going through is much easier than the lives of people who are homeless on the streets of Monterey County,” Troia told the Monterey County Herald.
Troia and Young are asking people to sponsor their trip by making a donation to Dorothy’s Place, a facility in Salinas where the Franciscan Workers of Junipero Serra provide meals, services and support to the homeless. The center also includes a 24-hour women’s shelter.
He and Young visited Dorothy’s Place several weeks before departing on their cross-country trip. They were caught off guard by what they saw in the neighborhood.
“Neither of us could believe the conditions people were living in,” Troia told the Herald. “For somebody like me, who was born and raised in Monterey, it was shocking to realize that so many people were living like that just 25 minutes away.”
They expect to average 60 miles a day. En route to New York, they will travel through Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Visit their blog Follow them on Facebook
Photos Top: Luke Young and Daniel Troia pose for photo before embarking on their 10-week journey Bottom: Luke in Portland
Diana Vasquez grew up in the San Fernando Valley town of Pacoima with an appetite for politics.
As a teenager, she worked on political campaigns and community outreach efforts on issues such as immigration reform and youth development. Through high school and college at UC Davis – where she earned a B.A. in political science and Chicano/a Studies in 2007 – she worked to help disadvantaged youth and dislocated workers.
The 2011 graduate of CSU Monterey Bay’s Master of Public Policy program remains passionate about helping people. She’s especially concerned about access to higher education.
“I became interested in working in government because I was witnessing many injustices directly impacting working class communities,” Vasquez said. “I needed to be exposed to the everyday functions of government to learn how to create change in our society.”
That led her to the Capital Fellows Program in Sacramento. She was chosen for the prestigious Jesse Unruh Fellowship Program, one of only 18 people selected from a statewide pool of applicants. The program is named for former Assembly speaker and state treasurer Jesse M. Unruh. The program is ranked among the top 10 internships in the nation for its combination of meaningful work experience and career opportunities.
The Fellows spend 11 months in Sacramento. Following a six-week orientation, they began their office placements Dec. 5.
Vasquez was assigned to the office of Assemblymember Mike Eng, where she is focusing on issues related to education. In that role, she follows all legislation that comes before the Assembly education committee and makes recommendations to Mr. Eng.
In addition to her staff work, she also attends a graduate seminar weekly. The academic component of the fellowship emphasizes the legislative process and provides opportunities to meet with lobbyists, legislators and committee staff members to discuss issues such as campaign finance, term limits and the initiative process.
“I appreciate the fact that I am able to learn the three Ps of government: the politics, the policy and the process,” she said. “That will help me understand how to navigate the legislative process as well as the politics of the state capital.”
After her fellowship ends next fall, she hopes to continue working for the legislature and drafting legislation. But, she’s quick to add, her commitment to making education accessible to everyone will stay with her, whether she’s working inside or outside of government.
She credits her graduate degree from CSUMB with helping her on her way to accomplishing her goals. “It allowed me to examine the various issues related to policy. Stakeholders must be considered, budget, alternatives, impacts, etc., that may not be readily identifiable to others.
“I am thankful for all the support I was given at CSUMB.”
Karen Martinez, a sophomore originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, is the recipient of the 2010 Hearst/CSU Trustee’s Award for Outstanding Achievement.
Martinez, who in September received a $3,000 scholarship, plans to become a high school math teacher.
“Math was always easy for me. Even in elementary school I would help the other kids with their homework,” she said. “So, in high school, I made up my mind to study math.”
Martinez, who graduated from Salinas High School, is also a scholarship recipient through the Pay it Forward Program, through which she mentors local youth at the Boys and Girls Club in Salinas. She will be the first in her family to graduate from college.
As the school band played, student artists from Marina High and CSU Monterey Bay, along with Principal John Schilling and President Dianne Harrison, snipped colorful streamers to celebrate the completion of a mural at the high school. The ceremony on Dec. 1, 2011, marked the completion of a yearlong collaboration between the high school and the university's Visual and Public Art Department.
The mural takes its name from the school’s motto, Navigate the Future. Last spring, students at MHS exchanged ideas and drawings with Professor Johanna Poethig’s painting and mural class, and then, this fall, the project was brought to life on a prominent wall at the school’s entrance.
It shows a lighthouse and a yellow brick road with ancient footprints that lead to a universe of endless possibilities. At the base, a compass emerges from the ground while a figure at the right looks through a telescope to the future. A high-tech “teleporter” depicts a light-hearted, science fiction-infused peek into a future technological world.
Read more about CSUMB's Visual and Public Art Department here.
With Earth Day approaching, the ninth annual ethics panel at California State University, Monterey Bay will look at sustainability and the ethics of “green.”
The event, sponsored by the School of Business and the Division of Humanities and Communication, will be held from 3 to 5 p.m., Tuesday, April 12, in the University Center on Sixth Avenue. It’s free and the public is invited.
The topic under discussion is “Greenwashing vs. Sustainability . . . does virtue ethics apply?”
Ever since the first Earth Day celebration more than 30 years ago, some of the world's biggest polluters have invoked “green” images. This deceptive marketing has become known as " greenwashing." Several years ago, the Oxford English Dictionary gave the word a place in its pages, defining greenwashing as "disinformation disseminated by an organization so as to present an environmentally responsible public image."
The term “virtue ethics” refers to a way of looking at situations that emphasizes moral character rather than rules or consequences, as the key element of ethical thinking. It focuses on determining what a decision process indicates about the moral character of a person, rather than what the outcome of the decision is.
Iris Peppard, executive director of Everyone’s Harvest; Kelli Takikawa of Whole Foods; Kari Murray of CCOF, an organic certification and trade association; and Dr. Suzanne Worcester, professor of Science and Environmental Policy at CSUMB will make presentations as part of the greenwashing panel.
Four students from the School of Business and the Division of Humanities and Communication will field questions on ethical issues.
The ethics panel is held annually to raise awareness of ethical issues in business and social contexts. The objective is to help people understand how to respond to ethical challenges in ways that will contribute to their future success and well-being.
For a map of campus and driving directions, visit csumb.edu/map. For disability accommodations or more information on the panel, call 582-4232.
Oct. 26, 2010
To help the regional hospitality industry learn how to “go green,” the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development at CSU Monterey Bay hosted a conference on Oct. 4.
The Sustainable Hospitality Symposium made the connection between responsible environmental practices and economic development, and the message wasn’t lost on the 350 people in attendance. That number included about 100 industry professionals and 200 students.
Several speakers stressed that sustainability issues are becoming increasingly important in the hospitality industry and will impact how event planners select destinations.
“You have a leg up” if you’re going green, said Amy Spatrisano, one of the speakers. She added that the DoubleTree hotel in Portland attributes $4 million in business since 2006 to its sustainability efforts.
Three of the speakers – Spatrisano, Nancy Wilson Zavada and Fiona Pelham – were given Innovation awards, recognizing their contributions to the development of international standards. Spatrisano and Zavada are co-founders of the Green Meeting Industry Council. Pelham, director of Sustainable Event Ltd. in the United Kingdom, is the co-chair of ISO 20121, a standards system for sustainable events.
Participants signed a “green manifesto,” committing them to maintain the sustainable practices that are already under way in the regional industry, and promising to continue to move toward even more sustainable practices.
The event was zero-waste. The day’s schedule was printed on handmade paper embedded with seeds. After the event, the paper was planted and will grow into flowers. The centerpieces on each table included potted plants that will be used to start a garden. And lunch was served on edible plates.
The symposium, held in collaboration with the Monterey County Business Council, demonstrated the university’s vision of innovation, global connection and community engagement as well as its own efforts to go green.
Sept. 22, 2010
Karen Martinez, a sophomore math major from Salinas, is California State University, Monterey Bay's 2010 recipient of a William Randolph Hearst/CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement. The award is among the CSU's highest recognitions for student achievement.
Martinez and the other recipients were recognized at the CSU Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach on Sept. 21.
The award is given to students – one from each of the 23 CSU campuses – who have shown exemplary academic performance, community service and personal achievement; have demonstrated financial need; and experienced personal hardship.
The daughter of agricultural workers and the first in her family to attend college, Martinez graduated from high school as a member of the National Honor Society and has made the dean's list each semester at CSUMB.
She tutors at El Sausal Middle School – a school she attended. She's also a mentor at the Salinas Boys and Girls Club and volunteers at her church on Sundays.
She plans to become a math teacher so she can give students like her the opportunity for a better life.
More than 433,000 students attend the 23 campuses of the CSU system. This year, 23 of those students were honored with Hearst scholarships. The William Randolph Hearst Foundation established an endowed scholarship fund in 1984 to honor the founder of the Hearst newspaper chain. In 1999, the foundation partnered with the CSU Board of Trustees to supplement the endowment with contributions from CSU Trustees and private donors.
*Photo, left to right:**President Dianne Harrison, Karen Martinez and CSU Trustee Emeritus Ali C. Razi at Hearst/CSU Trustees' Scholar reception at the Chancellor's Office in Long Beach on Sept. 21*
*Photo courtesy of CSU Chancellor's Office***
Unlike many of her fellow internees, Kiyo Sato is willing to discuss her family’s experience during World War II.
For years, she has spoken to students, church groups and other gatherings about how a frightened nation looking for scapegoats in the hysteria after Pearl Harbor resulted in 120,000 of its Japanese-American residents – most of them American citizens – being thrown into heavily guarded camps in remote and desolate places such as Poston, Ariz.
“I believe in everybody talking about it,” Sato told the Sacramento Bee in 2007. “I don’t think it’s something you forget.”
In 2007, she wrote an eloquent memoir, “Dandelion Through the Crack.” In its latest edition, the book is titled “Kiyo’s Story: A Japanese-American Family’s Quest for the American Dream.” It won the 2008 William Saroyan Prize for Nonfiction.
Sato will visit CSU Monterey Bay on Nov. 7 to talk about her life growing up in California, being swept off to an internment camp as an 18-year-old student at Sacramento Junior College, and ultimately surviving and succeeding despite terrible odds and oppressive prejudice.
Her talk will start at 6 p.m. in the University Center living room. The public is invited to this free event.
Sato mulled over the idea of writing a book for four decades, taking the occasional writing class. It wasn’t until 2003 that she decided to do it. She told the Bee that she sees the book as a way to make sure the forced internment of Americans never happens again.
Driving directions and a campus map can be found here. "It is a magnificent memoir, fully worthy of being compared to Farewell to Manzanar. I cannot praise its pointillist realism, its Zen-like austerity, highly enough. Exquisite."
*– Kevin Starr, author of California: A History*
Astronauts explore outer space. "Aquanauts explore inner space," said Jessica Watson, a graduate student at CSUMB. She and Dr. James Lindholm are preparing to embark on a scientific mission that will take them inside the world's only undersea research station. – The Salinas Californian, Oct. 1, 2010
Filmmaker Magazine has honored CSUMB alumni Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck. The magazine, a quarterly devoted to independent film, named the pair to its annual list of "25 New Faces." – The Salinas Californian, Sept. 22, 2010
Aug. 31, 2010
Celebration of Johanna Poethig's mural at the I-Hotel in San Francisco on Aug. 4, 2010
Johanna Poethig is a prolific artist. The CSU Monterey Bay professor's latest works are both celebratory – one commemorating a decades-long struggle for housing, another honoring the vision of a college.
The Oakland resident and founding faculty member at CSUMB has been creating art through murals, paintings, sculpture and installations for more than two decades.
Her latest mural was dedicated Aug. 4 at the International Hotel on Kearny Street in San Francisco. It depicts the history of the site, where residents of the old I-Hotel – Filipino and Chinese immigrants – were evicted more than 30 years ago, then fought for decades to have low-income housing there. The mural honors manongs (elders) who lived, fought and created a home together there.
"The words of Al Robles, beloved poet and activist, float across the sun-moon circle that represents the I-Hotel's communal life," Poethig said. "Within the circle, I-Hotel manongs play music, pose for pictures and dance. A young girl waits at the time of the eviction. A boy performs at an annual Aug. 4 I-Hotel eviction commemoration, as this story is passed from one generation to the next."
The hotel now provides low-cost housing for seniors. The ground floor is a community center, where Poethig has exhibited her art.
She recently completed a project at Skyline College in San Bruno, where she created a pair of mosaic pillars, "Mission Tapestry" and "Vision Tapestry."
The pillars are located on the first and second floors of the school's Student Center. The artwork is designed to transform the space with a colorful tapestry of text taken from the college's vision and mission statements.
"The visual intention of this artwork is to enliven the hallways with rich color, strong design, and thematic content conceptually linking the two floors," Poethig said.
The students, employees and administrators were intrigued and delighted as the artwork unfolded, she reported. "There were many great comments, including the way mosaic pillars transformed the two floors of the building in a way people never imagined," she said.
"This is the power of art."
Read more about Professor Poethig's projects and visit her website.
Also, read about CSUMB's Department of Visual and Public Art.
This year marks Augie Johnston’s second year playing professional basketball in Germany.
Johnston, a former Cal State Monterey Bay basketball player and two-year starter for the Otters, graduated from CSUMB in 2009 with a degree in business. Last season he played for Germany’s Velbert Baskets, a team in the northwestern part of Germany. This year he’s stepping up his game and has signed with Germany’s Rattlesdorf Independents, a league one level higher than the Baskets located in the southwestern region. “Unless you are a high-profile Division I player, you are going to have to start at a low-level team and prove yourself,” Johnston said. “So I am very happy I was able to do that, and I hope I can move up once again after this season.” This can-do attitude is classic Johnston. While at CSUMB, the Atascadero native showed exemplary leadership ability as the assistant coach during the 2008-09 season, mentoring and supporting his team as they reached the CCAA tournament. “You really have to dedicate yourself to whatever dream you have,” he said.
Johnson hopes to coach basketball at the junior college level once he returns from Germany. “People who know me know that I was on a mission to make this happen from day one,” he said, “and I never took a day off.”
Sept. 21, 2010
Shaikh Kabir Helminski will deliver a lecture on the Ground Zero Mosque, Islam and Sufism on Sept. 23 at CSU Monterey Bay.
The free event will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. in the University Center on Sixth Avenue.
For more than 30 years, Mr. Helminski's focus has been developing and sharing a contemporary approach to Islamic concepts and practice, both within the Islamic community and outside of it.
In 2001, he was the first Muslim to deliver the prestigious Harold M. Wit Lectures on Spirituality in Contemporary Life at Harvard Divinity School. Eight years later, he was named one of the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center in association with Georgetown University.
The talk is sponsored by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the Department of Global Studies at CSUMB.
For more information, contact Cheryl Abbott at 582-4189.
Sept. 16, 2010
David Reichard and Rina Benmayor of the Division of Humanities and Communication, and former CSUMB faculty member Tomás Summers Sandoval are playing key roles in the upcoming Oral History Association's annual meeting.
The meeting will be held Oct. 27-31 in Atlanta.
As co-chairs of the program committee, Professors Reichard and Summer Sandoval have worked for the past year to design the theme and call for papers, create the program and organize the plenary sessions.
As president-elect of the association, Professor Benmayor has been responsible for conference fundraising, keynote speakers, event venues and overall organizational oversight. She will become the next president of the association.
The theme of this year's conference is "Times of Crisis, Times of Change: Human Stories on the Edge of Transformation." It has attracted more than 350 individual presenters, one of the largest in OHA history.
Atlanta is a perfect venue to explore how oral histories can lend inspiration, spark debate, and give perspective to the complex meanings of crisis, change, and transformation. It is an historic city defined by a vibrant and sometimes contested history of activism for civil and human rights. It is also a city that has been transformed by waves of rural-to-urban migration, immigration, urbanization and changes in the global economy, all of which have produced crisis, real or imagined, in local communities. The program has been designed to reflect upon the past and to connect these lessons toward a more equitable and humane future.
In keeping with the theme, the conference commemorates the 50th anniversary of the birth of the Atlanta Student Movement and the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). A keynote panel will bring together SNCC founding members Constance Curry, Lonnie King, Bernard LaFayette, Jr., and Judy Richardson to reflect on ways in which the pivotal events of the black freedom struggle transformed their lives.
Award-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa, host of NPR's "Latino USA," former special correspondent on the PBS program "Now, with David Brancaccio," and currently the president of the Futuro Media Group, will offer a second keynote address on the methodological, emotional and moral dimensions of gathering and representing stories in times of crisis and change.
The presidential reception will be held at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum.
The conference will also feature three plenary sessions:
• Overcoming Katrina: Race, Class and Hurricane Katrina, marking the fifth anniversary of the disaster;
• A Nation of Immigrants: Human Rights, Labor Right, and Migration Politics in the 21st Century, exploring the struggle for meaningful solutions to what is becoming a human tragedy;
• Reclaiming Our Stories: A Conversation with Organizers of LGBT Community-Based Oral History Projects, discussing the challenges and complexities of oral history work in LGBT communities.
A special event kicks off the conference: "Voices from the Great Depression," featuring film clips from Soul of a People, a new documentary on the Federal Writers' Project, a live performance of songs and images of the Depression and New Deal Era, and a panel discussion including legendary folklorist and social activist Stetson Kennedy.
The program also offers a variety of professional workshops, including the latest in hands-on practices in digital technologies, preservation, oral history pedagogy, community projects, and ethics and the law.
Book Spotlight panels will focus on oral history books published in 2010 by Oxford University Press and Palgrave's oral history series. Oral historians and community historians from the Atlanta area will offer a Community Showcase.
The conference has attracted notable funding and in-kind support from the Georgia Humanities Council, The National Center for Civil and Human Rights, the Jimmy Carter National Library and Museum, the Instituto de Mexico and the Mexican Consulate in Atlanta, Georgia State University, Emory University, Kennesaw State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Oxford University Press, and Palgrave MacMillan.
For more information about the conference, see the Oral History Association website.
Learn about the oral history program at CSUMB here.
Sept. 14, 2010
Panel discussion commemorates Constitution Day at CSUMB
CSU Monterey Bay will commemorate Constitution Day on Sept. 15 by examining the question "Is Citizenship a Birthright? Challenges to the 14th Amendment."The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1868, provides, in part, that "all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."
This section, originally designed to grant citizenship to former slaves and free blacks who had been denied citizenship by the U.S. Supreme Court in the Dred Scott case, has come under fire recently, especially from conservative immigration activists who have called for its repeal.
The panel will take a closer look at this debate from a local perspective, asking what it means to have a Constitution which provides for "birthright" citizenship. What might the impact of the repeal of this section of the 14th Amendment mean for immigrant communities? How important are such constitutional protections?
The public is invited to join a conversation with Henry Martin, an attorney and project manager with the Watsonville Law Center, and David Reichard, associate professor of history and legal studies at CSUMB.
Constitution Day is a national commemoration of the adoption of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787. Constitution Day programs have been required since 2004, when an appropriations bill approved by Congress contained a requirement that every school or university that receives federal money present an annual program on the Constitution.
The free event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon in the Alumni & Visitors Center. Driving directions and a map of campus are available online at csumb.edu/map.
Sept. 13, 2010
WEIGHING IN ON WASTE
Americans trash 25 percent of all the food they prepare, leading to 31 million tons of wasted food piling up in landfills each year. That food waste produces methane gas, which breaks down the ozone layer and leads to climate change.
This fall, Sodexo, the university's food service provider, started a pilot program at CSUMB and seven other campuses across the country to analyze and measure kitchen waste in an effort to better manage it.
Using a software system designed by a company called Lean Path, the food service staff can pinpoint what foods are being overproduced – and wasted. Four to 10 percent of food that commercial customers purchase ends up as kitchen waste, according to Lean Path's website.
By reducing food waste, the company says, it can also save fossil fuels that transport the waste.
Students are also being enlisted to cut food waste as a way to curb climate change.
Sodexo is asking students to take two simple steps: take only what they plan to eat, and come back if they're still hungry.
On Sept. 1, guests at CSUMB's Dining Commons were asked to weigh their leftovers. More than 200 people participated, ringing up 47 pounds of edible waste or about 3.48 oz. per person. The wasted food also translates to 17,860 gallons of water and 11.7 gallons of fossil fuel wasted, and 235 pounds of C02 created.
The next weighing will be held the first week of December. The results will be compared to see if the educational efforts have been successful.
"We are careful to source and serve food for our customers in a sustainable way, but if locally-sourced food ends up in a landfill, then we're simply creating another environmental problem," said Tom Post, Sodexo's president of campus services.
"The good news is that by simply thinking before we eat, we can trash our wasteful habits and dramatically reduce food waste," Post said.
This is another step in a program that Sodexo started on Earth Day 2008, when it called on its college operations to give up cafeteria trays, a move that reduced waste by 30 percent. To date, about 340 campuses – including CSUMB – have stopped using trays, reducing food waste and saving thousands of gallons of water required to wash them each year.
To learn more, visit www.stopwastingfood.org.
Sept. 10, 2010
Who's tracking your online activities? What shouldn't you do online? How can you use social media without risk? How can you protect your identity from online fraud and theft?
These are some of the legal, political and practical aspects of individual privacy and identity protection that will be discussed at Privacy 2.0: Demand Your Dot Rights, a free community forum to be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 29 at CSU Monterey Bay's University Center.
The event is sponsored by the university and the Monterey County chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Speakers include Dr. Chip Lenno, chief information officer at CSUMB; Arlene Krebs, technology development officer at CSUMB; and Tamar Gubbins, technology and civil liberties policy associate of the ACLU of Northern California.
Attendees will learn how e-mail providers, social media networks such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter and online companies gather personal data and use it.
For more information on the issue, visit dotrights.org.
The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue, adjacent to the World Theater. For driving directions and a campus map, visit csumb.edu/map.**
Posted on Sept. 9, 2010
Think of it as "science plus."
CSU Monterey Bay now offers a Professional Science Master's degree in Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy. The new program complements the traditional, thesis-based Master of Science degree in applied marine and watershed science that has been offered at CSUMB for five years.
The "plus" element includes a professional internship and training in advanced geospatial technologies; professional and scientific communication; scientific ethics; and environmental economics and policy analysis.
Students typically do their internships in the second year, or over the summer between the first and second years of the program. Some of them work on campus in the Seafloor Mapping Lab and the Institute for Applied Marine Ecology. Others work with government agencies such as NASA and the U.S. Forest Service as well as environmental consulting groups and non-profit agencies.
Sixteen students are enrolled this semester. "We capped it at 16 because we wanted to be able to place them in the best internships," said Dr. Susan Alexander, director of the program.
"Students find this new option appealing because of the ability to link applied marine and watershed science to professional skills and jobs," she said.
"Many of the students we're seeing are returning professionals. They have several years of work experience and are looking to gain advanced scientific and technical skills that will help them move forward in their careers," Dr. Alexander said.
Academic research groups, government agencies and nonprofits are likely to employ these graduates, but the program will also address the needs of regional "green" businesses and consulting firms.
The final lecture in this semester's Health Sciences Speaker Series will be held on Nov. 18, when Dr. Douglas Kellogg of UC Santa Cruz visits campus. Dr. Kellogg is a professor of molecular cell and developmental biology.
A question-and-answer session will follow.
His talk will start at 4:30 p.m. in Room 3145 of the Tanimura and Antle Family Memorial Library.
For more information, contact Professor Aparna Sreenivasan at 582-3210.
The series started on Sept. 23 when retired zoo veterinarian Dr. Charles Sedgwick visited campus. Plant pathologist Dr. Carolee Bull followed on Oct. 21. Dr. Bull, a research scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's research station in Salinas, is an adjunct faculty member at CSUMB. On Nov. 4, Dr. Anatole Kreitzer of the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease in San Francisco, was the guest speaker.
A professor of geography at CSU Monterey Bay is studying transportation-related air pollution and the health risks it poses to children.
With a $50,000 grant from the Leonard Transportation Center at CSU San Bernardino, Dr. Yong Lao and a colleague at the University of Cincinnati are analyzing traffic volume in Bakersfield, and mapping vehicle emissions. Then, taking into account factors such as temperature and wind, they will see how the emissions are dispersed.
The next step in the project involves linking that data with geographic information systems (GIS) and overlaying it with school district maps to pinpoint areas where children's health may be at risk. If the research points up inequalities in the risks, further GIS analysis can be conducted to look at variables such as race, ethnicity and income.
Bakersfield was selected for the study based on its 2009 ranking by the American Lung Association as the worst area in the country for year-round pollution.
Dr. Lao earned a Ph.D. from Ohio State University and has been on the faculty at CSUMB since 1996. He teaches classes in geography, GIS and research methods.
He used an internal Faculty Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity grant to do preliminary work on the project.
Sept. 8, 2010
CSU Monterey Bay has a regular program on public access TV.
The university's show airs at 5 p.m. on the second Monday of each month on Access Monterey Peninsula, part of the weekday "Your Town" series. This month's program is set for Sept. 13.
Scott Faust, CSU Monterey Bay's executive director for strategic communications, is the host. Susan Alexander, professor in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy; Leslie Carson, director of the Center for Student Success; and Vincent Carr, Associated Students president, will be this month's guests.
Dr. Alexander will talk about the new Professional Science Master's degree option now available in Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy, and how it differs from the traditional Master of Science degree available in that program.
The Center for Student Success will be Dr. Carson's topic. She'll explain what services it offers students and how it helps them stay in school, stay on course and graduate.
Carr will talk about the student experience at the university.
AMP is available on channel 27 on the campus cable system. Off campus, find it on Comcast channel 24. The program can be heard on KNRY 1240 AM and is online at www.ampmedia.org. It is rebroadcast at midnight on AMP.
No one would deny that conferences, concerts, sports events and festivals have social and economic benefits. At the same time, the organization of these events can generate considerable waste and have other negative impacts
To help the local hospitality industry tackle this challenge, the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development at CSU Monterey Bay will host a symposium Oct. 4, 2010, on sustainable hospitality and economic development. The symposium – the institute's inaugural event – in being held in collaboration with the Monterey County Business Council.
Experts will focus on how economic development is related to sustainable event business practices that make the best use of resources, minimize costs and produce a bottom line that is socially, environmentally and economically sound.
The Oct. 4 symposium is an educational opportunity for the hospitality industry on the Central Coast. It will be held at the University Center on Sixth Avenue, on the Seaside campus of CSUMB. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Presentations include:
• The Business Case for Green Meetings and Events: The Destination by Amy Spatrisano and Nancy Wilson of MeetGreen and the Green Meeting Industry Council
• The Development of International Standards: What Does ISO 20121 Mean for the Event Industry, by Fiona Pelham, managing director of Sustainable Events Ltd.
• What is a Sustainable Management System? By Wilhelm Wang, international standards expert
• Sustainable Event Management – Case Study, by Meegan Jones, author and consultant
• Industry standards – Sue Tinnish, USTAG chair
Round-table discussions led by local facilitators will follow the presentations.
Lunch and a wine and cheese networking reception are included in the $75 registration fee. Registration may be completed online at http:// hospitalitysymposium.eventbrite.com
More information on the Institute of Innovation and Economic Development is available here; learn more about the Monterey County Business Council here.
Sept. 2, 2010
Two CSUMB scientists will make presentations at the California and the World Ocean Conference Sept. 7-10 in San Francisco.
The conference focuses on management, policy, assessment and communication regarding marine and ocean issues. It was organized by California's Ocean Protection Council, Natural Resources Agency and Environmental Protection Agency.
Underscoring the role strong science plays in developing sound policy and informed management, the panels include 40 researchers from 18 universities. Among them are James Lindholm (pictured at left) and Rikk Kvitek.
Presentations will address ocean and coastal subjects that can be applied to resource management and policy. Topics such as climate change impacts, marine protected areas, regional ocean governance, and renewable offshore energy will be featured. Dr. Lindholm, Rote Distinguished Professor of Marine Science and Policy at CSUMB, is part of a session that will deal with management plans for overfished populations, and how to assess the indirect impacts of various fishing practices.
Dr. Kvitek (at right), director of the university's Seafloor Mapping Lab, is one of the researchers who will present California's seafloor mapping program as a model for collaboration and partnership. The session will provide examples of ways in which seafloor data are being applied to assist the design and monitoring of marine protected areas, explore the threats from earthquakes and tsunamis, and understand sediment transport and sand delivery among other topics.
Aug. 30, 2010
The Republic Café was once a bustling restaurant in Chinatown, a gathering place for the Chinese, Japanese and Filipino communities of Salinas. Now, decades after it closed, it's being reborn.
In 2012, the abandoned site on Soledad Street is scheduled to reopen as the Salinas Chinatown Cultural Center and Museum. It will chronicle, preserve and spread the stories of those who lived and worked in the neighborhood through exhibitions, oral histories, artifacts and cultural events.
On Oct. 15, CSU Monterey Bay will host a symposium, Chinatown: Once and Again, intended to raise awareness of the museum and the rich history found on Soledad Street and inspire people to get involved.
The symposium was envisioned by and organized by CSUMB's Department of Visual and Public Art. The daylong event will bring together nationally known scholars, community members, students and museum professionals to share their ideas, expertise and vision for the museum.
Dr. Jack Tchen, a historian, cultural activist and co-founder of the Museum of Chinese in America, will be the keynote speaker. Professor Tchen founded the Asian/Pacific/American Studies Program and Institute at New York University.
His teaching and research interests include cross-cultural and community studies; Asians in the Americas; and race, colonialism, and museums. He has written several books, including Genthe's Photographs of San Francisco's Old Chinatown, which won an American Book Award. He works on a range of exhibits, films, radio, and other public humanities projects.
A panel moderated by CSUMB's Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains will examine success stories in the field. Panelists include Sue Lee of San Francisco's Chinese Historical Society; Karin Higa, curator at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles; and Rene Yung, a San Francisco-based community artist.
Community members Wellington Lee, Wally Ahtye and Larry Hirahara – all of whom have strong ties to Chinatown – will give a presentation on the area's history, followed by an update on the project that will cover the building, the collections and related topics.
"Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined this," said Lee, who grew up in Chinatown. "I'm very excited about it."
Ahtye, whose parents owned the Republic Café, said it was the hub of Chinatown. It operated from 1942 to 1988.
"The café was a nice place to congregate with all the different ethnic groups," Ahtye said. "Everyone used it as a gathering place for celebrations, Chinese New Year, marriages and births.
"The Japanese, Chinese and Filipino communities all gathered there. It was a nice community."
Ahtye's family lived above the restaurant. He remembers the Peking duck being the most popular dish on the menu. "And the community liked our ground pork with salted fish."
Hirahara, co-chair of the Salinas Downtown Community Board and a member of the Salinas Buddhist Temple, is excited that the cultural center and museum will highlight the contributions of Asian American immigrants.
"We want to preserve the history of this historic area. Our common theme is the Japanese, Chinese and Filipino laborers," he told the Nichi Bei newspaper.
Work has already started to renovate the building. The "Chop Suey" sign has been repaired and was unveiled at a celebration last October.
"The sign was the initial step in renovating the café as a museum. We wanted to have something for people to see," said Lee, who is working on a book about Chinatown.
Earlier this year, an exhibition on the Chinese community in the area ran for 12 weeks at the National Steinbeck Center. It offered a sneak preview of what will be on display at the museum when it opens.
"Once we finish the shows" – meaning the Chinese show and two more to follow, focusing on the Japanese and Filipino communities – "we will box the exhibits up. And once the museum opens, it will have ready-made exhibits," said Steinbeck Center curator Deborah Silguero.
CSUMB students are playing a key role in the creation of the museum. Humanities and museum studies students are gathering oral histories and historical artifacts. Some of those students will make a presentation at the symposium.
The museum is the cornerstone of the Chinatown Renewal Project, a cooperative effort among CSUMB, the Salinas Redevelopment Agency and the Salinas Downtown Community Board to revitalize the 12-block neighborhood.
The symposium will start at 9 a.m. with a welcome by CSUMB President Dianne Harrison in the University Center on Sixth Avenue.
The event is free, but registration is required. To register, call (831) 582-4337 or e-mail salinaschinatown@gmail.com. Driving directions and a map of campus can be downloaded at csumb.edu/map.
Anyone who would like to learn about Chinatown before attending the symposium is invited to register for a class through CSUMB's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Two class meetings will be taught by Mr. Lee, who grew up in Chinatown, including a tour of the area. The class culminates with the symposium.
To learn more about OLLI, or to register for the class, call (831) 582-5500, or visit csumb.edu/olli.
Aug. 30, 2010
Tucked away on the third floor of the Tanimura and Antle Family Memorial Library is the special collection archive room. Here, a recent donation to the university is safely stored: the personal papers of local poet Ric Masten. "When the opportunity arose to acquire the papers of Mr. Masten, the CSUMB library didn't hesitate," said Eddy Hogan, coordinator of collection development. Masten, a prolific, colorful, and outspoken poet, folk musician and Unitarian Universalist minister, passed away in 2008 after a long battle with cancer. The university acknowledged his achievements in poetry, literature and music by granting him an honorary Doctor of Letters in 2007, the same year he delivered the keynote address at commencement. This summer, Masten's daughter, April Masten, a history professor at State University of New York, Stony Brook, traveled from New York to donate items that make up the collection – poetry books, vinyl and CD albums of his folk music, artwork, personal letters, posters for his readings and concerts, photographs, newspaper clippings and his honorary degree. Access to the CSUMB special collections archive is currently limited. When staffing permits and the collections are cataloged, the public will be able to use these resources by appointment. For more information on the Ric Masten collection, contact Eddy Hogan at ehogan@csumb.edu.
Photo by Don PorterA photograph in the collection shows Mr. Masten performing
Aug. 30, 2010
"I like that it's geared for working adults," said Adrian Lopez of Gilroy, a member of the first class of CSU Monterey Bay's Master of Social Work program. Lopez and the other 40 members of the inaugural class were invited to an open house on Aug. 20 to get to know each other before school started three days later. Students mingled with faculty and staff, community partners and university administrators.According to Dr. Mayleen True (pictured at right), MSW program director, the "pioneer" students are a mix of working professionals, recent college graduates and career changers. A majority of them come from Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties. Their majors represent a wide range of related disciplines: social work, health and human services, criminology, global studies, health education, human communication, human development (including child development), kinesiology, liberal studies, social and behavioral sciences and psychology.
Approximately 40 percent are Hispanic and bilingual (English-Spanish). Students also reported proficiency in American Sign Language, French, Italian, Russian and Tagalog.
Aug. 30, 2010
CSU Monterey Bay lecturer John Wineglass is an award-winning composer and musician who has traveled the world since he was 11 years old.
He'll tell you he owes it all to an opportunity afforded him as a youngster growing up in Washington, D.C.
"Without question, the D.C. Youth Orchestra changed my life," Wineglass said.
Wineglass, who teaches classes in the university's Music and Performing Arts Department, traveled with the orchestra to Yugoslavia, Russia, China, Puerto Rico and Korea.
"The experience got me hooked on music and travel."
"Hooked" might be an understatement. It led him to earn a bachelor's degree in music composition at American University, and a master's degree in composition for motion pictures, television and multi-media at New York University.
So when the youth orchestra asked him to compose a piece for its 50th anniversary celebration at the Kennedy Center on Aug. 21, he seized the opportunity. Despite the short notice – he had only two months to work on the five-minute piece – he was eager to contribute to the program.
The concert featured an orchestra made up of alumni of the program, under the direction of National Symphony pops conductor Marvin Hamlisch and the youth orchestra's director, Jesus Manuel Berard.
A concert review in the Washington Post singled Wineglass out for praise.
According to the Post's music critic, Cecelia Porter, Berard "drew from the group iridescent colors in the premiere of a beautifully crafted suite by DCYO alumnus John Wineglass."
The composer was also the featured violinist for the piece, one of 110 alumni orchestra members who performed that night.
"Performing that night was the culmination of my years growing up in the orchestra . . . and bridging that gap with my current career as a concert-hall composer and film/TV composer," he said a few days after the concert.
"It was quite literally living in two worlds. Playing took me back to my childhood, but the piece that we were playing was composed by me – bringing me to the present. It was exhilarating!"
Wineglass' passion for music has also led him to develop proficiency as a contemporary jazz and gospel pianist. He serves as music director for Shoreline Community Church.
He's been nominated for seven Daytime Emmy Awards and has won a trio of them, in the category ofOutstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition for a Drama Series; he's also won three ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards.
And he's performed for every U.S. president since Ronald Reagan (not to mention other world leaders, including former King Hussein of Jordan and President Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union).
At CSUMB, he teaches music and film, composition and musicianship, and theory.
Learn more about the music program at CSUMB.
Aug. 29, 2010
Four CSU Monterey Bay alumni – all graduates of the Teledramatic Arts and Technology program – are part of a group traveling the California coast making a documentary film on surfing.
Ben Chargin (Class of 2007), Adam Newacheck ('08), Haley Pikhart ('08) and Ben Hoedt ('09) and three of their friends are surfing spots in 14 counties along the Pacific Coast Highway over a two-week period that started Aug. 28. The trip will cover a distance of 1,024 miles.
Their plan is to produce a feature-length documentary, "Crash the Coast," that details the experiences of seven amateur surfers. Some of them have been surfing their whole lives, others are new to the sport. All will end their adventure by entering an amateur surf contest in San Diego on Sept. 10.
Why do it? According to the project website, most surf films have used professional surfers. This film will show that anyone can have a great road trip on a low budget.
Ah . . . the budget. That's part of the adventure. All seven of them are traveling in a 1978 Southwind motor home they bought on Craigslist for less than $2,000. Each crew member is limited to $500 in expenses for the two-week trip.
"Our sole purpose is to chill as hard as we can over the next 14 days," Newacheck said via e-mail.
The journey really started on Aug. 23, when the group left L.A. for Del Norte County in Northern California. On the route south, they will stop in Humboldt, Mendocino, Sonoma, San Francisco and San Mateo counties before reaching Santa Cruz County on Sept. 3. They will head for Carmel Beach on Sept. 4, and plan to spend the night in East Campus before continuing the journey south.
Their finished product will be submitted to the International Documentary Festival in November. They also plan a series of 3-minute webcasts, a feature film distributed through amazon.com on Blu-ray DVD, and a possible television show on FuelTV, MTV or MTV2.
All of them live in Southern California where they work, surf and play together in hopes of making their dreams into a career.
Pikhart is employed in the art department for various television shows. Newacheck is trying to start his own production company. Chargin hopes to write for television and films and Hoedt hopes to be a director of photography.
More information is available, including a blog and Facebook page.
Learn more about the university's Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department.
Aug. 27, 2010
******Actor/environmentalist opens 2010 speaker series Sept. 28**
Ed Begley Jr. isn't just another celebrity-turned-environmentalist.
The 60-year-old actor has been involved with the environmental movement for 40 years – well before his career took off with a role on the TV show, St. Elsewhere. In 1970, an oil crisis motivated him to buy an electric car.
In the four decades since, environmental activism has been a personal mission for him, something he's turned into a second career of trying to inspire others to "live simply so others can simply live," as he says.
Begley will lecture at California State University, Monterey Bay's World Theater on Sept. 28 as the President's Speaker Series resumes. His topic: Living an Eco-Friendly Life.
"We have to protect this planet, our most important asset, and stop using it up like we're having a going-out-of-business sale," Begley told the San Jose Mercury News.
It takes ingenuity, sacrifice and commitment to incorporate energy efficiency and sustainable living into daily life, as Begley demonstrates on "Living with Ed," his TV show on Discovery's Planet Green channel. The program follows Begley and his family as they try to implement his latest plan to make life more eco-friendly. He describes the program as "showbiz meets environmentalism . . . 'Green Acres' for the new millennium."
One segment featured Begley explaining how he produces energy with a bicycle each morning to make his breakfast toast. Just 10 minutes of pedaling generates enough power, stored in the batteries for his solar power system, to run the toaster.
Environmental lawyer and long-time friend Bobby Kennedy Jr. has said of Begley, "Ed has a greater sense of social obligation than anyone I know. He's like a West Coast cadet who gets up every morning and says, 'reporting for duty.' "
"Reporting for duty" means serving on the boards of a variety of environmental organizations including Friends of the Earth, and has earned him awards from the California League of Conservation Voters, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Coalition for Clean Air, among others.
When not powering his toaster with a stationary bike, his day job includes roles on television (Arrested Development, Six Feet Under, St. Elsewhere, among others), in movies (among them For Your Consideration, Best in Show, and Batman Forever) and on stage.
At CSUMB, he'll bring the audience into his ultra-green world, shedding energy-efficient light on how each of us can make a difference.
The 7 p.m. lecture is free and open to the public. Reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made online (after Sept. 2) at csumb.edu/speakers or by calling the World Theater box office at 582-4580. Driving directions and a map of campus are available at csumb.edu/map.
After the talk, he will sign copies of his book, "Ed Begley Jr.'s Guide to Sustainable Living: Learning to Conserve Resources and Manage an Eco-Conscious Life."
Aug. 24, 2010
CSU Monterey Bay is ranked second among the nation's public liberal arts colleges in its contribution to the public good, according to The Washington Monthly 2010 College Guide.
Unlike the better-known U.S. News rankings, which focus on measures of academic reputation, The Washington Monthly rates schools based in three broad categories: social mobility, which emphasizes recruiting and graduating low-income students; research, with a focus on producing cutting-edge scholarship and Ph.D.s; and service, which emphasizes encouraging students to give something back to their country. The magazine says it seeks to reward those colleges that do a good job of educating students. And unlike other rankings systems, no one category is weighted more highly than another.
Overall, CSUMB was ranked 65th among the 252 schools included in the survey of liberal arts schools.
In the category of research, CSUMB ranked 25th overall and third in research expenditures with $7.03 million spent last year. It ranked 32nd overall in service and eighth in the category of faculty and staff members, courses and financial aid devoted to service learning.
"In our eyes, America's best colleges are those that work hardest to help economically disadvantaged students earn the credentials that the job market demands," the guide's editor, Paul Glastris, has said. "They're the institutions that contribute new scientific discoveries and highly trained Ph.D.s. They're the colleges that emphasize the obligations students have to serve their communities and the nation at large."
The complete listings can be found at http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings_2010/liberal_arts_service.php
Aug. 23, 2010
*CSUMB's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute brings those 50-and-better back to school*
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at CSU Monterey Bay resumes this fall for its fourth year with a diverse range of courses, speakers and events specifically for those 50 and better.
OLLI at CSUMB, with support from the Bernard Osher Foundation, is part of a national network that recognizes learning and exploration have no age limits. Members are inspired to take a fresh look at themselves, their world, and the possibilities that await them.
The program started with 100 members in 2007. By the second year, membership had doubled. The third year saw another 175 people sign up for courses. By the end of this year, a membership of 500 will trigger a $1 million grant from the Osher Foundation to provide an endowment.
Among the course offerings are the OLLI Writers' Circle and several other writing and poetry classes and workshops; Unearthing the Past: the Prehistory of Monterey Bay; Introduction to Oceanography; the Three Worlds of Jazz, about the Monterrey Jazz Festival; and back by request, OLLI Goes to the Movies: International Social-Issue Films.
Several classes, such as Autumn Bird Migration and Salinas Chinatown: Once and Again, involve field trips. Most of the classes will be held on the CSUMB campus; several will be offered at locations in the local community.
Former Assemblymember Fred Keeley is back with a six-session class on the 2010 California elections that will include polling and campaign updates and a post-election summary. And popular MPC instructor John Provost will offer an eight-week class in integral philosophy.
Community members can purchase individual OLLI class offerings or may become members by paying a $149 annual fee or $99 semester fee, which includes complimentary tuition for three OLLI courses per semester as well as many other benefits including a parking pass, invitations to social events, discounts to the university's sports center, swimming pool, athletic events and World Theater performances.
For details or to register for classes, call 582-5500.
Aug. 23, 2010
CSU Monterey Bay has been named a "military-friendly school" by G.I. Jobs magazine.
The list honors the top 15 percent of colleges and universities that are doing the most to embrace America's military members and veterans as students, according to the magazine's publisher, Rich McCormack.
The magazine polled more than 7,000 schools nationwide in determining the results, examining criteria such as efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students.
Among CSUMB's military-friendly practices are web pages with information specifically for veterans; a specially designated counselor and support team to help veterans make the transition from active duty service to accomplishing their personal educational goals; and a Student Veterans Organization that is currently in the planning stages.
CSUMB has seen an increase in the number of queries and applications from veterans since the webpages went up and the veterans' contact was put in place. The number of veterans contacting the university for pre-admission counseling has increased, with some of the queries coming from Iraq and Afghanistan.
In the semester just completed, 53 CSUMB student veterans were using various GI Bill benefits (38 of them using the new Post 9/11 GI Bill) and another 20 were using the Dependents Educational Assistance program as eligible dependents of veterans. And 89 students were eligible for the College Fee Waiver Program for Veterans' Dependents through the California Department of Veterans Affairs. These students, as family members of disabled or deceased veterans, receive a waiver of fees.
For fall 2010, 48 students are using the Post 9/11 GI Bill program.
To learn more about veterans educational benefits, visit http://www.gibill.va.gov. CSUMB's veterans information is available at csumb.edu/veterans or by e-mailing veteran_services@csumb.edu. The magazine's list of top veteran-friendly schools can be viewed here: http://militaryfriendlyschools.com/list-2011.aspx
Aug. 20, 2010
Hundreds of excited students wheeled, carried and dragged their belongings into the residence halls at CSU Monterey Bay on Aug. 20, the first day of the three-day move-in weekend.
By the time classes start on Aug. 23, the 1,800 students who live in residence halls on the main campus and another 750 who live in East Campus housing will be settled into the rooms and apartments that will be their home for the next year.
All the activity happened with the help of about 100 faculty, staff and students who had volunteered for the Otter Welcome Team. They directed traffic, answered questions, carried boxes and gave directions to the new students – most of whom had parents and siblings along to help.
As she has in past years, President Dianne Harrison greeted new students and their parents on the main quad.
New students had a variety of reasons for choosing CSUMB, but several themes were apparent.
"I came because there's a good program in my major, marine biology," said Danielle Jaurez of Los Banos.
Jaurez didn't come alone – her best friend from high school decided to attend CSUMB as well. The two are roommates, along with a third freshman Jaurez contacted over the summer via Facebook. They used the social networking site to discuss what each would bring to outfit their room.
For Nataly Origel of Rio Vista, near Concord, size was the attraction.
Origel initially visited the campus because her sister-in-law had been a student here, and liked what she saw.
"I come from a small town, so I wanted something different, but not really big. CSUMB is small, but not too small. And it's a pretty place to live."
The incoming class includes 820 freshmen and 471 transfer students. Total enrollment is approximately 4,650; about a third of them come from Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties.
Aug. 19, 2010
U.S. News ranks the university 11th in nation, fourth in state
CSU Monterey Bay is one of the most racially diverse schools in its category, according to U.S. News & World Report in its 2011 edition of America's Best Colleges.
CSUMB is tied with Amherst College at No. 11 on the magazine's "diversity index" among liberal arts colleges in the United States. Those colleges award at least half of their degrees in the liberal arts fields of study, according to the magazine's definition. Approximately 265 colleges and universities are included in the liberal arts category.
The "diversity index" factors in the total proportion of minority students and the overall mix of groups. The information is drawn from each school's 2009-10 student body. The magazine's formula produces an index that ranges from 0.0 to 1.0; the closer a school's number is to 1.0, the more diverse the students. CSUMB earned a ranked of .54.
About 50 percent of the 4,200 students who were enrolled at CSUMB last spring identified themselves as white. Latino Americans made up 26 percent; Asian American, 6 percent; African Americans 4 percent; Pacific Islanders and Native Americans, 1 percent each. Others listed two or more ethnicities or declined to state. The university ranked fourth in California, behind Whittier, Occidental and Pomona colleges.
CSUMB also ranked high in the magazine's category of economic diversity, with 39 percent of students receiving Pell grants – federal financial aid that usually goes to students with family incomes under $20,000.
And the university was among the leaders in the category of least debt owed by students. Members of the Class of 2009 who borrowed money had an average debt of $15,254.
Aug. 18, 2010
Photo by Don Porter
Left ro right: Barbara Vella, Swarup Wood, President Dianne Harrison and Ronnie Higgs at the President's Medal Award event Aug. 17 at the World Theater
Dr. Dianne Harrison introduced the President's Medal recipients at the conclusion of her State of the University address.
In the spring, the university community was invited to make nominations. A committee selected finalists for Dr. Harrison's consideration. The nominees represented a cross-section of campus – some have a long history at the university, others joined the university more recently; some have direct contact with students, others have an operational focus.
Vella, a budget analyst in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy, was the staff recipient of the President's Medal. Many of her colleagues nominated her for the honor, describing her as "tireless, cheerful and respected," and citing her attention to detail, her technical mastery and outstanding communications skills.
Dr. Ronnie Higgs, vice president for student affairs and associate vice president for enrollment services, earned the President's Medal for administrators. Dr. Higgs was instrumental in growing the university's enrollment and managing that enrollment. His colleagues said he "has a tremendous wealth of knowledge and demonstrates a spirit of teamwork and cooperation."
Dr. Wood was awarded the faculty medal. He has played a pivotal role in some of the university's most important projects over the last few years. He was cited for being a faculty leader who approaches issues with a collegial attitude. His work on the University Learning Requirement revision was lauded by one of his colleagues as "a transformative accomplishment for CSUMB."
Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains was awarded emeritus status, a process that involved nomination and approval by faculty members in the Department of Visual and Public Art, followed by administrative approvals.
"Dr. Bains is such a part of the history and fabric of CSUMB that it's hard to believe she has stepped into the next chapter in her life, with a different but no doubt continuing relationship with the university," Provost Kathy Cruz-Uribe said.
A former winner of the President's Medal, Dr. Mesa-Bains joined the faculty in 1996 and "has been a standard-bearer for our core values ever since," Dr. Cruz-Uribe said.
Employee service awards were presented to 70 people who have been with the university for five years; 10-year pins were awarded to 53 people; and 58 others were acknowledged for 15 years of service.
Aug. 17, 2010
President Harrison lauds successes in State of the University address
CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison urged the audience to answer a call to service and excellence for the university and its students at her State of the University address on Aug. 17.
Faculty, staff members and students packed the World Theater to hear Dr. Harrison deliver her fifth annual address.
". . . In spite of the still-sluggish economy and the unresolved state budget, I have never been so proud of our entire university or felt more confident of its continued progress," she said.
Dr. Harrison pointed out the positive response the university has received from the organization reviewing its application for reaccreditation. "California State University, Monterey Bay has turned an important corner from its formative years and is maturing as a comprehensive university for the 21st century," she said.
Last month, more than 1,100 new students - freshmen and transfers - attended six campus orientation sessions. But Dr. Harrison reminded her audience that over 3,200 qualified applicants had to be turned away because of a budget-imposed cap on enrollment.
The new students, she pointed out, "come with high expectations, and they are counting on us to help them achieve their goals - regardless of the state budget."
Money will continue to be tight for years to come, she said. "A scarcity of public dollars has become the new normal."
But she quickly moved beyond money to talk about a few of the university's recent accomplishments.
She struck a familiar theme when she said, "We are indeed committed to the success of every student, and we are equally committed to providing an accessible, high-quality education to underserved populations."
The biology, psychology, kinesiology, business, math and computer science majors have clearly resonated with students. And so does the new Master of Social Work program, which will start its first class next week with approximately 50 students.
In the planning stage are undergraduate majors in marine biology and Spanish. And the possibility of adding a nursing program is being explored in collaboration with community colleges.
Efforts are under way to improve retention and graduation rates. Those efforts include early registration, improved advising and early intervention through the Center for Student Success, which assists students at risk of leaving school because of gaps in their readiness for college, poor time management skills or other factors.
And the quality of life for students outside the classroom is steadily improving. Dr. Harrison pointed to the success of several social programs that were started last year and an increase in participation in the election for student government officers.
Efforts to go green continue. This summer, the new solar generating facility began producing 16 percent of the university's electricity requirements. And next month, new public transportation options will be available as the "Otter Trolley," connecting downtown Salinas, campus and Marina, comes online.
"We will not be stymied by state budgets or be satisfied to simply ride out the storm," Dr. Harrison said in concluding her remarks.
"Together we will continue to innovate and be leaders in our disciplines and services and in higher education."
A transcript of the address is available here.
Aug. 16, 2010
The first university textbook on human sexuality is about to be published in China, and a CSU Monterey Bay lecturer is one of its co-authors.
The seventh edition of "Human Sexuality: Diversity in Contemporary America" by Barbara Sayad of CSUMB (pictured at left) and Bill Yarber of Indiana University and the Kinsey Institute has recently been published. According to McGraw-Hill, the book's publisher, it has been lauded by both students and instructors for providing a non-judgmental view of sexual orientation and as such, is one of the leading sexuality textbooks in the field.
After its release, the authors were contacted by Damien Lu, a professor at UCLA who is a gay activist and host of a Chinese underground radio talk show, about the possibility of having the book translated into Chinese.
According to Lu, of all the sexuality books on the American market – and there are many – Sayad and Yarber's is the most inclusive of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and questioning community. And it is the most empirical.
Several issues surfaced immediately.
Because it's illegal to be gay or lesbian in China, the government would not approve the book for use in public universities, and cultural biases and assumptions needed to be addressed.
After numerous phone calls, e-mails and meetings, these issues were resolved to everyone's satisfaction.
McGraw-Hill agreed to release the textbook as a trade publication to circumvent censorship issues. And while it won't be sold on campuses, it will be available in public bookstores.
And Chinese professors who served as volunteer translators did their work in a way that was culturally sensitive and relevant to the needs and concerns of university students.
As the Sept. 1 release date draws closer, both authors look at this as one of their greatest professional honors.
But they're not resting on their laurels. They will begin work on the eighth edition of the book early next year.
At CSUMB, Dr. Sayad teaches human sexuality, women's health, marriage and family, and wellness with a focus on service learning. She holds a Ph.D. in health and human behavior, a Master's of Public Health in community health education, and a bachelor's degree in foods and nutrition.
Aug. 13, 2010
CSU Monterey Bay will receive $1.27 million from the federal government to help low-income and first-generation college students and students with disabilities complete their education.
Each year for five years, 160 incoming freshmen will benefit from the grant through academic advising, mentoring, financial assistance and special services to help them stay in school.
The money was made available through the U.S. Department of Education's TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) Program. The goal is to provide opportunities for academic development, assist students with basic college requirements and motivate them to graduate.
SSS is only one of the programs available through CSU Monterey Bay's Early Outreach and Support unit. Upward Bound, the College Assistance Migrant Program and Talent Search are other federally funded programs available to CSUMB students.
TRIO programs were created as part of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide more opportunities for low-income and first-generation students to prepare for and enroll in college. The term TRIO was coined to describe the first three programs that were created:
• Upward Bound, which provides academic help and support to high school students, and provides them with a taste of college life through a summer program at CSUMB
• Talent Search, which identifies and assists high school students who have the potential to succeed in college
• Student Support Services, which offers tutoring and other support services to college students
Other programs, such as the Ronald McNair Program and the Educational Opportunity Center followed and TRIO now refers to all of these programs.
The five-year grant will start Sept. 1.
Aug. 13, 2010
Six tenured/tenure-track faculty members and a librarian have joined California State University, Monterey Bay for the fall semester.
The new faculty members and their disciplines:
• Dr. Judith Canner, statistics
• Dr. Benjamin Erlandson, instructional science and technology
• Dr. James Raines, social work
• Dr. Patricia Sevene-Adams, kinesiology
• Dr. Paul Wright, social work
• Sarah Dahlen, reference and instruction librarian
Fall semester classes start on Aug. 23.
Aug. 10, 2010
Professor Enid Baxter Blader will show three of her video works at the Center for Contemporary Art in Sacramento on Aug. 21.
Blader, a filmmaker, musician and painter, teaches digital cinema at CSU Monterey Bay and is chair of the university's Department of Teledramatic Arts and Technology.
Her work has been shown at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, and the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. She lectures internationally on apocalyptic media. Her work gives viewers a glimpse of everyday apocalypses, which she defines as the ending of the familiar and the beginning of something new.
In Local 909er (16 mm film and digital video, 30 minutes), Blader examines the rapid suburbanization and transformation of the Inland Empire, an area centered around the cities of Riverside and San Bernardino in Southern California. The fast-growing population has resulted in master-planned communities, mega malls and "McMansions" replacing the once vast expanse of vineyards, orange groves and fields.
Secret Apocalyptic Love Diaries (video, 12 minutes) is an ongoing, episodic series that Blader shot with her "Frankenstein camera," made of parts from old TV cameras. She describes Diaries as a "small-time apocalypse" about relationships.
An excerpt from Planet Ord will be shown that documents the de-commissioned Fort Ord Army Base, now the site of CSUMB.
The show will start at 2 p.m., doors will open at 1:30. Admission is free to CCAS members and students; general admission is $5.
The Center for Contemporary Art is located at 1519 19th St.
For more information, call the museum at (916) 498-9811 or visit www.ccasac.org.
Photo of Enid Baxter Blader by Reggie Woolery/KCET
Aug. 10, 2010
"Most Californians don't think about how colorful and vibrant the rocky reefs are," CSUMB Professor James Lindholm said in late July as he and other researchers surveyed areas of the North Coast.
Dr. Lindholm, Rote Professor of Science and Policy, is collaborating with Dirk Rosen of Marine Applied Research and Exploration of Oakland to survey deep-water habitats using a remotely operated vehicle.
Some of the images transmitted from the ROV showed a seafloor near the Farallon Islands exploding with purple, red, green and orange anemones, sponges, sea cucumbers, sea squirts, rockfish and other creatures. The images are gathered by the ROV, which flies a few inches above the surface of the rocky reef.
"The ROV, because of its versatility and ability to stay down for long periods of time, gives us an opportunity to collect a lot of data," Dr. Lindholm, director of CSUMB's Institute for Applied Marine Ecology, told the Contra Costa Times.
In July, the researchers finished the first round of video and still-camera surveys of newly created marine protected zones from San Mateo County north to Mendocino County. They gathered over 140 hours of video and more than 8,500 photos, as well as other information.
Scientists want to capture what these underwater regions look like now so that the images can be compared with those taken in the future to learn what has changed as a result of the new marine reserves and other protected areas.
"I'm very excited about what the baseline project will deliver; it will be right on target with determining how these areas are performing," Cheri Recchia of the Ocean Protection Council said last April when the funding was awarded.
The council provided funding for 11 projects that will target marine life and habitats for up to three years, studying the organisms inside and outside the protected areas to establish a picture of marine ecosystems and human activities.
The baseline program is a collaboration among California Sea Grant, the Ocean Protection Council, California Department of Fish and Game, Ocean Science Trust and the Marine Protection Area Monitoring Enterprise.
For more information, visit the California Sea Grant website at www.csgc.ucsd.edu.
Photo credit: Dr. James LindholmThe image was taken by a remotely operated vehicle; it shows a deep-water rockfish and a basket star
Aug. 9, 2010
Kinesiology professor Kent Adams was honored by the National Strength and Conditioning Association at its annual conference in July.
At the meeting in Orlando, Fla., Dr. Adams was given the editorial excellence award in recognition of his work on the group's publication, the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. He serves as associate editor of the publication, primarily reviewing articles.
"Kent's well-earned award and his contributions have shaped the NSCA into what it is today," said Dr. Jay Hoffman, president of the association's board.
The conference featured more than 50 educational sessions and research presentations designed to help attendees expand their knowledge and further their careers.
The NSCA is a nonprofit educational association that serves a membership of 30,000 in 52 countries. Drawing on its network of members such as Dr. Adams, it develops and presents the most advanced information regarding strength training and conditioning practices, injury prevention and research findings. It provides a bridge between the scientist in the laboratory and the practitioner in the field.
Dr. Adams, who earned a Ph.D. at Oregon State University, came to CSUMB from the University of Louisville in 2005.
His research covers the lifespan – everything from childhood obesity to osteoporosis in the elderly.
"I consider myself to be a teaching researcher. I'm very enthusiastic and I love teaching students, but I also love involving them in research so they are at the cutting edge. I want to get students involved in the research process with their capstone projects and also with research that applies to the community, such as research on aging and performance.
"My goal is to give students who want to work hard this definable outcome of presentations and publications that matter when they look at graduate schools, that matter when they look at careers in the health and fitness industry.
"What we're trying to do with our students is give them the knowledge, skills, and abilities to go out in the community and appropriately design quality fitness programs for kids, for older adults, for people with diseases and disabilities."
Read more about Dr. Adams' Kinesiology department.
It's no secret that water drives California agriculture.
For a variety of reasons – a growing urban population, more water allocations for endangered species, climate change, a smaller snowpack in the Sierra – the state's water supply is expected to shrink in coming years, forcing growers to use it even more efficiently. Faculty members from CSU Monterey Bay have teamed with engineers and scientists from NASA and other partners to help growers do just that. They are using remote sensing and modeling tools to estimate irrigation needs at the Constellation Vineyards (formerly the Mondavi vineyards) in the Napa Valley and at multiple sites throughout the San Joaquin Valley. After full-scale pilot project this year, the system will be ready for use with a range of crops in other areas of the state. The key is images taken by satellites circling the earth, passing over California regularly. The condition of crops revealed in the imagery can assist farmers in determining when and how much to irrigate.
"Certainly many growers in California are highly efficient with water use already," said Forrest Melton, a senior research scientist at CSU Monterey Bay, who is working with NASA Ames on the irrigation project.
"By providing information on current crop conditions, we hope to support farmers in continuing to get the most value out of the water available."
Melton said that many farmers currently receive updates from the California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS), operated by the state Department of Water Resources. CIMIS provides weather information and valuable daily estimates of baseline or "reference" evaporation and transpiration, which can be used to determine when and how much water crops need.
But translating the information from CIMIS for use in schedulinig irrigation can require additional calculations and the use of look-up tables, according to Melton, which don't fully account for year-to-year variations in growing conditions. NASA's satellites will be able to provide this information, along with forecasts of precipitation and soil moisture calculated from models running on CSUMB, NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) computers.
Growers can access that information on their laptops or cell phones. Tapping into information from the NASA satellites and computer models – which will take into account irrigation information, weather data, crop types and soil conditions – will give growers strategic guidance regarding water use. Dr. Lars Pierce of CSUMB says the primary contribution of the researchers has been to bring together several sources of information and technologies that growers use to estimate their water needs, automating the process of mapping those needs. That makes it easier to interpret and use the information.
Partners in the project include CSUMB, NASA's Ames Research Center in Mountain View, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Western Growers Association, and the California Department of Water Resources.
Listen to a National Public Radio story about the project.
July 30, 2010
Nationally honored program 'graduates' its second class
"The arts are a way to touch the heart," Luis Valdez told a group assembled in the University Center at CSU Monterey Bay on July 30. "And, above all, the arts are the key to the future."
Valdez, founder of El Teatro Campesino and an original faculty member at CSUMB, spoke to an audience of 250 youngsters, their parents, and educators from the Monterey County Office of Education and the university.
His remarks were made at the graduation ceremonies of the Migrant Junior Otters program. A collaboration among CSUMB, county Office of Education and El Teatro Campesino, the program involves youngsters in grades four through eight from 10 Monterey County school districts.
During the month of July, the youngsters were brought to campus each day, where they received instruction in language arts and math in the morning. Each afternoon, they were involved in theater activities, including music, dance and art, taught by staff members of El Teatro. The youngsters were also introduced to college life and learned what it takes to be a successful student.
Carl Del Grande, administrator with the Migrant Education, Region XVI office and principal of the Junior Otters program, emphasized its success.
"We can point to scores in language arts that prove this program works," he told the audience. Then he reminded the youngsters, "This is your hometown university."
Rosa Coronado, MCOE migrant education director, also praised the program.
"This program was recognized at the 2010 National Migrant Education Conference. It's a nationally known collaboration," she said.
"Our goal is to ensure that our migrant students see themselves as future college students, and this collaboration makes that possible."
After remarks by Valdez and several administrators, the youngsters showed off their work, performing fables they had transformed into musical pieces.
*Photos by Don Porter Top: Luis Valdez Above: Audience listens attentively to Luis Valdez Left: Students perform for their families *
July 27, 2010
For the third straight year, California State University, Monterey Bay has received a grant from the outdoor recreation retailer REI for the Return of the Natives project.
The $15,000 grant will help to support work with school children and local teachers, CSU Monterey Bay students and community volunteers on habitat restoration projects on the Fort Ord public lands, the creeks of Salinas and Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District lands in Locke-Paddon Park and Marina Dunes Preserve.
Return of the Natives (RON) is dedicated to bringing people closer to nature and nature closer to people through hands-on experience in restoring habitats. RON, the education and outreach branch of the Watershed Institute, is housed at CSUMB.
"We're excited to be partners – on many levels – with REI," said Laura Lee Lienk, co-director of the Watershed Institute. "Their staff volunteers for our events, they publicize the work of Return of the Natives/Watershed Institute in the community, and now to be one of a very few regional grant recipients is wonderful."
REI promotes environmental stewardship and outdoor access through education, volunteerism, gear donations and financial contributions. The Kent, Wash.-based company gave away $3.7 million last year to support outdoor stewardship and connect children to nature.
July 27, 2010
Aug. 7 event features filmmaker Reggie Bullock
"Learn Today, Lead Tomorrow" will be the theme of the Central Coast African American youth conference to be held on Aug. 7 at CSU Monterey Bay.
Sponsored by the 100 Black Men of the Monterey Peninsula and California State University, Monterey Bay, the free, daylong event is aimed at African Americans between 12 and 18 years old and their parents.
Filmmaker Reggie Bullock will give the keynote address. His film, A War for Your Soul, encourages adults to play a more active role in educating children. The film was released over the Internet in March of 2009; since then, over 7 million people have viewed it. It was originally targeted toward at-risk African American youth, but many viewers are left asking themselves, "How can I help my community?"
Registration will get under way at 7:30 a.m., followed by breakfast at 8:30. The program will begin at 9 o'clock in the World Theater. At 9:30, the students will move to classrooms in nearby buildings to attend a variety of workshops, while parents will stay in the theater for their own set of workshops.
A catered lunch will be available from noon to 1 p.m., followed by Mr. Bullock's presentation and film showing.
To reserve a space, call 794-8485 by Aug. 2.
Chartered in 2007, the 100 Black Men of the Monterey Peninsula chapter has committed to providing focused, effective, and participatory leadership in communities throughout the greater Monterey Peninsula area.
July 26, 2010
Routledge Press has recently published "Citizen and Soldier: A Sourcebook on Military Service and National Defense from Colonial America to the Present," co-edited by Dr. Gerald Shenk.
The publisher's website describes the book this way:
Americans grow up expecting that in a time of need, their country can depend on its people for volunteer service to the military. Indeed, this has been a social and at times legal expectation for the citizenship of this country since 1776. Yet, since the end of World War II, U.S. forces have been caught up in long-term military engagements, and the military aspect of citizenship has become an increasingly marginalized one in a country where only a minority of citizens even vote.
"Citizen and Soldier: A Sourcebook on Military Service and National Defense from Colonial America to the Present" provides a useful framework and supporting documentary evidence for an informed discussion of the development of the American ideal of the "citizen soldier." Presented with insightful introductions and useful discussion questions, this concise collection of 27 primary documents takes a close look at the U.S. military and shows how it became entwined with the rise of American national identity.
The book was co-edited with Dr. Henry Dethloff, professor emeritus of history at Texas A&M.
Dr. Shenk (pictured at left) is a professor of social and behavioral sciences at CSUMB. Since 1996, he has taught a variety of history courses, including California history and U.S. social and political history. He is best known among CSUMB students for his course, "Domination and Resistance in the Americas." His research interests include war and American society, race and gender, California history, African American history and Filipino American history. In 2005, he published "Work or Fight! Race, Gender and the Draft during World War I."
He spent part of last year as a Fulbright Scholar in the Philippines, where he lectured and did research on civic education and teacher training.
CSUMB's Otter Bay Restaurant and campus catering were featured at the International Flavors of Marina Food, Wine and Beer Festival held July 22 at The Dunes shopping center
Over 20 Marina food and beverage establishments and Monterey County wineries participated in the third annual event.
OBR and catering manager Michelle Baylacq, hosted the restaurant's tasting booth with food created by Chef Bruce Brown and student Sous Chef Andrea Gilliland.
The menu included prosciutto melon cups, smoked salmon with a gluten-free cracker on apple jicama slaw, jalapeno citrus prawns also served with a gluten-free cracker, and artichoke crab crostini. The offerings were designed to showcase the restaurant's focus on serving local and sustainable food.
The festival featured a green living sustainability center. Passion Purveyors, a distributor of "green" products, provided bamboo utensils. Composting and recycling bins were set up by the Monterey Regional Waste Management District.
The restaurant and catering service are run by Sodexo, the campus food service provider.
Student Sous Chef Andrea Gilliland serves a vegetarian option to Professor Daniel Fernandez, chair of the Division of Science and Environmental Policy
July 22, 2010
Steven Avila has a passion for politics and government, and that passion will soon take him to Washington, D.C.
The 21-year-old senior business major at CSU Monterey Bay will spend the fall semester working in the office of a member of the California delegation through the Panetta Institute for Public Policy's Congressional Internship program.
Steven sees it as an opportunity to be among people who share his enthusiasm for public policy as well as a chance to see things from a different perspective.
"It may sound like a cliché, but it really is the opportunity of a lifetime," the Palmdale resident said.
To him, business and politics go hand-in-hand.
His business classes focus on the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit. "All those things are important and relevant for any major," he said, and good preparation for anyone who aspires to hold public office.
"Many of our most respected leaders were once business owners, entrepreneurs. Our economy is still struggling; I believe it takes the insight and experience of a good businessman/woman to help shape the policies of tomorrow."
Steven's political resume includes serving in student government while in high school and helping with voter registration drives while a student at Antelope Valley College.
His parents have always been politically minded, and that served to inspire him as well.
"My mother, an elementary school teacher, and my father, a Los Angeles police officer, always kept me involved in the world around me," he said.
"Whether I was helping my mother protest at the school district or attending a union meeting with my dad, I was always involved. It was these small events that inspired me to take an interest in government, and make my voice heard."
That kind of activism inspired him to volunteer for a Service Learning assignment at the Sally Griffin Center in Pacific Grove.
"Steven brought many skills to our senior center," Andrea Fuerst, director of the center, wrote in a letter supporting his application for the internship. "His business skills were welcome in our computer coaching and training programs. He helps in the kitchen, delivers meals to homebound seniors, and works in our weekly produce market."
He hopes to meld his interests in business, policy and people – there's the triple bottom line again – into a career in alternative energy.
"The United States has the money and resources to develop the 'next big thing' and I would love to be a part of it. Not only is it great for business, but it also has the potential to create an entire new industry with new jobs and growth for this economy. It's just another example of how business directly affects politics.
"While in Washington, I'd love to work for a Congressmember who is working on this new technology."
Steven is one of 25 students selected for the program. Each of the 23 campus presidents in the CSU system selects a student; one comes from Santa Clara University, another from Dominican University.
The program begins with an intensive two-week course at the Panetta Institute at CSUMB during which elected officials and other government staff members explain how the legislative process actually works. Then each intern is assigned to work for 10 weeks in the Capitol Hill office of a member of the California Congressional delegation.
"There's just no substitute for this kind of firsthand experience," Institute Director Sylvia Panetta is quoted as saying on the institute's website. "We've had tremendous cooperation from our members of Congress – both Republicans and Democrats – in working with our students."
The Panetta Institute covers costs associated with the program, including airfare and housing in Washington. Each intern also receives a stipend to help cover other expenses.
Steven plans to take full advantage of the opportunity afforded by the internship.
"Someday I would love to run for office," he said. "When my third-grade teacher told the class that anyone could be President of the United States, it really resonated with me. I'm not saying I want to be president, but I believe that if you work hard and do the right thing, there is opportunity to be had."
More information on the Panetta Institute's Congressional Internship program.
July 21, 2010
Filmmaker Magazine has honored CSU Monterey Bay alumni Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck.
The magazine, a quarterly publication and website devoted to independent film, named the pair to its annual list of "25 New Faces."
The list is the magazine's "bet on the individuals who will be shaping the independent film world of the future."
When Machoian (Class of '07) and Ojeda-Beck ('09) met as students in the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department, they had different styles but found a third when working together.
The films they have made together display classic art house film style, according to the magazine. Visuals are the key, along with colorful imagery and solitary characters in simple situations, with editing that tells a story without much dialogue.
At CSUMB, their goal was to make as many films as they could over the course of a semester, resulting in 14 shorts. Ella and the Astronaut was shown at festivals all over the world, and Charlie and the Rabbit premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last January.
They work collaboratively. After conversations about an idea, they talk out each scene on location, trading off filming and directing. They share editing duties.
Since graduating, they have made two seasons of their web series American Nobodies, short films profiling people in small towns.
"The documentaries we do are secondary to the experience we get having time with the individual people," Machoian told the magazine. "We've learned that Americans are amazingly compassionate people who are looking for such a small amount of joy in life . . . What they are interested in is putting food on the table, a roof over their head and having something in their life that they love to do."
Machoian has become the first TAT alumnus to get a university teaching job. He will teach full-time this autumn at CSU Sacramento, replacing a faculty member who is on leave. Ojeda-Beck has been accepted into the Master of Fine Arts program at UC Berkeley and been awarded a fellowship to help cover the cost.
The list is featured in the magazine's summer issue and can be found online at www.filmmakermagazine.com. Established in 1992, the publication covers the craft and business of filmmaking and has a readership of 60,000.
For more information:
American Nobodies can be viewed here.
View the trailer for Charlie and the Rabbithere.
View the trailer for Ella and the Astronauthere.
Read more about Machoian and Ojeda-Beck here.
Learn more about CSUMB's Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department here.
*Photo by Don PorterRobert Machoian (left) and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck talk with TAT department chair Enid Baxter Blader at a campus screening of Charlie and the Rabbit *
University holds summer orientation sessions
A generation ago, college orientation was a perfunctory event, focusing on getting the new students registered for classes.
Now, universities, including CSU Monterey Bay, have made this annual ritual an important part of the student experience, and include a separate program for parents.
Otter orientation was held in July, with events meant to showcase the campus to students who will enter in the fall. All six sessions – two for transfer students, four for incoming freshmen and their families – were at the maximum capacity of 200 students. Freshmen sessions also drew more than 300 family members.
The sessions were designed to ensure a successful transition to CSUMB. Students had the opportunity to meet with an adviser, register for classes, learn about the university and how to get involved with campus life. They were introduced to campus organizations, student government, living and learning opportunities, Greek life, outdoor recreation and intramural sports. And they got information on academic services, such as tutoring and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center.
At a session called Beyond the Classroom: Getting Connected, Kelly Mailly, the campus coordinator of leadership development, told students, "What you do outside of class is what will set you apart when you finish here." Student government adviser Ajamu Lamumba echoed that. "This is about involvement," he told a group of transfer students.
New students will have the opportunity to make connections and get involved during Otter Days Aug. 20-29, and at the Club Showcase, which will be held in early September.
A group of incoming freshmen and their family members attend an orientation session on July 12 in the University Center
Photo by Don Porter
August 6, 2010
SBDC to host training day for small businesses
Based on the success of the recent Governor's Conference on Economic Development, California's Small Business Development Centers are hosting a series of follow up workshops at CSU Monterey Bay that began on Aug. 5.
Some 300 entrepreneurs from the local region had the opportunity to spend the day with federal, state and private sector experts who introduced new and growing small businesses to selling opportunities in the state.
The program included presentations by procurement officers from the California departments of General Services, Transportation, Consumer Affairs and Health, as well as tri-county agencies and corporations. The United States General Services Administration and VA also participated.
Contracts from the government and major corporations can provide a critical source of revenue for small businesses – if they can get in the door to meet, negotiate and win the bids. That can be daunting for young companies, but the upcoming workshop at CSUMB help.
California's Small Business Development Centers, the Governor's Office of Economic Development and Business Matchmaking sponsored the free event.
A networking lunch was held for further contact with participating entrepreneurs.
The afternoon included a series of "procurement in the round" sessions hosted by federal, state and private sector experts who discussed getting started in procurement with groups of seven guest companies at a time. Attendees rotated among tables to meet a variety of buyers.
Small Business Development Center counselors were available to provide one-on-one counseling.
"We were there to help with whatever the small businesses need to seal the deal with these buyers," said Andrea Nield, associate director of CSUMB's SBDC.
A separate session focused on disaster preparedness for small business and feature planning for both manmade and natural occurrences.
"Most people assume preparedness means thinking about food and water, but they need to think about how they would keep their business running in an emergency," Nield said.
The California Disabled Veterans Business Alliance hosted a breakout session for both disabled veterans and potential partners in various industries.
Representatives of various non-profit support groups from the city, county, state and federal government distributed material and answered questions from participating small businesses.
"The Governor's Economic Development Conference was both educational and motivational and we are taking the lessons of that meeting 'on the road' to help interested small businesses get started and grow during these challenging economic times," said Kristin Johnson, state chair of the Small Business Development Centers.
She noted that small businesses are the backbone of California's economy; 99 percent, or 3.5 million of the state's businesses are considered "small businesses" and they employ more than 7 million Californians.
Learn more about CSUMB's Small Business Development Center.
July 2, 2010
Volunteers can help restore the natural habitat around Upper Carr Lake from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 17.
Participants will pick up trash, clean up graffiti and pull weeds. Tools, water and snacks will be provided.
The event is sponsored by Return of the Natives, an environmental education program based at California State University, Monterey Bay's Watershed Institute.
The lake is on East Laurel Drive, between Constitution Boulevard and Sanbord Road.
More information is available at wateshed.csumb.edu/ron.
July 12, 2010
Student success in science, technology, engineering and math – the STEM disciplines – as well as Service Learning classes in those fields will get a boost as the result of a grant CSU Monterey Bay was recently awarded.
The university will receive $25,000 per year for three years to give students the opportunity to do in-depth community service in a STEM field.
CSUMB is one of five CSU campuses to share in the Learn and Serve America grant awarded by the Corporation for National and Community Service, an independent federal agency created to connect Americans with opportunities to give back to their communities. The other campuses are Chico, Fresno, San Marcos and Sonoma.
The grant will bring together community agencies, students and faculty members from the STEM disciplines in a "learning community." The resulting partnerships will lead to community-based projects that students can work on for their "capstone" graduation requirement instead of the typical laboratory- or field-based projects.
These projects will benefit "town and gown," as well as have significant impacts on students.
Classes in the College of Science will be involved, including:
• Environmental Justice Service Learning, taught by Dr. Daniel Shapiro. He is interested in food security issues and anticipates working on projects with the staff of the Agricultural and Land Based Training Association (ALBA) and with Everyone's Harvest, which organizes local farmers' markets.
• Math in the Community, taught by Dr. Joanne Lieberman and Dr. Hongde Hu. Students will work with local high school math teachers to improve teaching practicing in partner classrooms.
• Interpretation of Monterey Bay Natural History Service Learning, taught by Dr. Suzanne Worcester. Students have worked with the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District and the Monterey Regional Waste Management District. Dr. Worcester hopes to find opportunities for students to create interpretive panels and environmental educational lessons plans for the partners.
Laura Lee Lienk, coordinator with the Service Learning Institute, and Dr. Seth Pollack, SLI director, will coordinate the project sat CSUMB.
To learn more about the Service Learning Institute at CSUMB, click here.
July 8, 2010
Ehlers attends Homeland Security training course
CSU Monterey Bay staff member Diane Ehlers recently completed a course for emergency responders at the Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston, Ala. The center is operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Ehlers, the university's director of environmental protection, health and safety, received training in environmental health issues including food safety, sanitation, hazardous materials, vector control and shelter health and safety issues.
"As the person responsible for environmental and public health at CSUMB, I found the training to be relevant and useful," Ehlers said. "The instructors were all experts with hands-on experience in disaster preparedness and response."
The center provides federally funded interdisciplinary training for emergency responders across the United States. It offers training in 10 areas, including public health – the course Ehlers completed.
Participants are selected from among the nation's 11 million emergency responders. The training is intended to give them the critical skills and confidence they need to be prepared to deal with local emergencies.
Ehlers volunteered for the all-expenses-paid course. She has worked at CSUMB for 15 years.
Learn more about environmental protection, health and safety at CSUMB.
July 3, 2010
Alexandra Ramos was designing a logo for her band, Pam. With a little direction from instructor Kevin Cahill and mentor Blake Panos, she had come up with a design she liked while working in a graphic art class.
It was week one of Imagine College, a summer program based at CSU Monterey Bay that gives high school students from the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District a taste of college life and provides an opportunity for some of them to earn scholarship money to help pay for it. Alexandra, a 10th grader at Seaside High, was already familiar with the campus. "My brother graduated from CSUMB two years ago. That's why I was interested" in the summer program, she said. "I really like art. You can express yourself in so many ways."
She had always drawn by hand, but learned three software programs during her week at Imagine College. "None of the students had used these programs, but they picked it up incredibly quickly," Cahill said. "They're digital natives."
While two dozen students worked away in a computer lab, others were working on film projects. One group assembled behind the library, working on a film about young peoples' goals and aspirations.
Kaitlin Harvey, a sophomore at Seaside High, was the director, a confident young woman who seemed to know what she wanted from the actors and camera operator. Kaitlin acknowledged that she decided to attend the program to "have something to do," but realized that she was developing skills that will be useful in the future.
"It's taught me to be a leader . . . how to communicate with other people," she said.
Instructor Luis Camara gave the team advice on lighting and camera angles. "Kaitlin knows what she wants," Camara said. "And the camera person knows what she's saying. They seem to get the dynamic the way it's supposed to work."
Camara explained that the students were learning to collaborate, and "they pick up the process pretty quickly. Some of them fall in love with it. Others find it tedious.
"Either way, they learn that making films is harder than they thought it was going to be," he said.
Three separate weeklong sessions of the Imagine College Summer Scholar Institute were held in June, each one hosting 60 students from Monterey, Seaside and Marina high schools who chose to study graphic design, filmmaking or web design. CSUMB instructors taught the classes; university students and recent graduates served as teaching assistants and mentors.
The cornerstone of the program is the guarantee of a $4,000 scholarship to any student who attends two Imagine College summer sessions, graduates from Seaside High with a 2.5 grade-point average and gets accepted to a four-year college or university. The first students to earn scholarships will graduate from Seaside High next June.
"It's exciting to anticipate the first scholarship class in 2011," said Carol Lenters of MPUSD, director of the summer program.
A donor and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation provide the funding. CSUMB, MPUSD and UC Santa Cruz Educational Partnership Center sponsor the institute.
July 2, 2010
*Nationally honored program gets under way July 6*
Starting July 6, more than 250 youngsters will spend a month on the campus of CSU Monterey Bay as the Migrant Junior Otter program gets under way for its second year.
The program offers instruction in language arts and math in the morning. Each afternoon, students will be involved in theater activities, including music, dance, art and video editing. The youngsters will also be introduced to college life and learn what it takes to be a successful student.
They will stage a performance for their families and school district officials at a closing event on July 30.
A collaboration among CSUMB, the Monterey County Office of Education and El Teatro Campesino – the San Juan Bautista theater group founded by Luis Valdez – the program will involve youngsters in grades four through eight from 10 Monterey County school districts.
"We are very proud of the Migrant Junior Otters Program," said Rosa Coronado, MCOE migrant education director. "In May, it was recognized at the 2010 National Migrant Education Conference as an outstanding example of a collaborative effort.
"We are confident that 250 young migrant students will be excited and inspired about their future holding the prospect of attending a college or university," Coronado said.
Learn more about CSUMB's various outreach and support programs.
Before students began their freshman year at CSU Monterey Bay this fall, the university expected them to complete a homework assignment on a subject they won't get class credit for – alcohol.
During the summer, incoming students were required to spend about three hours completing a mandatory web-based course that deals with a variety of alcohol-related topics.
The course, called AlcoholEdu, is in its second year at CSUMB, but has been used for a decade at hundreds of campuses. Outside the Classroom, the Massachusetts company that developed it, says that about 36 percent of all freshmen at American four-year colleges and universities will take the course this year.
UC Berkeley, Stanford, UCLA, San Francisco State, Chico State and CSU Channel Islands are among the California schools that have adopted the program.
Indications are it has been successful at CSUMB.
The goal is to ensure that students have a base of information before they arrive on campus – when they are exposed to alcohol and behavior patterns get formed.
Students begin the program by taking a survey that measures their attitudes about, and knowledge of, alcohol. After completing the survey, the program walks them through a variety of topics including how alcohol impacts brain development and learning, factors that affect blood alcohol content and laws about alcohol.
The course is personalized to each student based on past drinking patterns, gender and perceptions about alcohol. They can log in and out of the program whenever they want and finish the course at their convenience.
Six weeks into the semester, students take the second part of the course. The interval allows them to digest what they have learned.
"Chico State saw a drop in alcohol-related cases referred to Judicial Affairs after AlcoholEdu was introduced," Andy Klingelhoefer, CSUMB's judicial affairs officer, said in 2010 when the program was first introduced.
He noted that CSUMB also saw a drop in alcohol-related cases last spring, and so far this year, he's seen an even bigger drop.
"The educational part of it gets students thinking about the issue by the time they arrive on campus," Klingelhoefer said. "Last year, 64 percent of freshmen said they didn't drink. That surprised other students. They assume their peers are drinking more than they really are. It's valuable information for them," he said.
Among last year's CSUMB freshmen, 23 percent indicated they were high-risk drinkers compared to 27 percent nationally.
After completing AlcoholEdu, students reported increases in positive behavior intentions. Among high-risk drinkers who did not see a need to change their drinking behavior before the course, 36 percent indicated a readiness to change their drinking after completing it.
Top reasons the students cite for not drinking: going to drive (71 percent); don't have to drink to have a good time (62 percent); don't want to lose control (51 percent).
Students who fail to complete the course before arrival will get reminder notices; those who still don't comply will not be allowed to register for the spring semester until they do.
As another way to address the issue, CSUMB is scheduling more alcohol-free activities, Klingelhoefer said.
All events put on by the Associated Students, the Otter Student Union, clubs and organizations are alcohol free. The Black Box Cabaret hosted 68 events last year attended by more than 10,000 students where no alcohol was available.
College drinking isn't new. It has been a sore point in American college history as far back as the days of Thomas Jefferson, who complained about it at the University of Virginia, Henry Wechsler, director of the College Alcohol Study at the Harvard School of Public Health, told the San Francisco Chronicle.
July 2, 2010
Dr. Lila Staples, head of the museum studies program at CSU Monterey Bay, will present a seminar on "Steinbeck's Monterey as Painted by his Contemporaries" July 22 at the Monterey History and Maritime Museum.
The museum is located at 5 Custom House Plaza.
The 7 p.m. program is part of the Monterey History and Art Association's monthly lecture series. Admission is free for association members and $10 for nonmembers.
Dr. Staples is the coordinator of the California Regional Art History Project at CSUMB. An art historian, she teaches a variety of courses in the Visual and Public Art Department, and is a frequent lecturer at museums and universities in Central and Northern California.
She is a former president of the Monterey Museum of Art and the Pacific Grove Heritage Society, and currently serves on the board of the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History and the Fort Ord Museum and Archive Project at CSUMB.
More information about Visual and Public Art program.
June 29, 2010
Starting Sept. 7, students, faculty and staff members will be able to commute from their homes or jobs in Salinas to CSU Monterey Bay via a direct bus route.
Monterey Salinas Transit will add a new service, Line 25 – the Otter Trolley – that will connect downtown Salinas, Hartnell College, East Campus housing, central campus, the Dunes Shopping Center and other commercial locations in Marina.
In a study completed last year, MST identified the campus community as an untapped market that was not well served by public transit. But, "there was an issue with getting the funding together to provide more service," Carl Sedoryk, general manager of MST, told Metro Magazine.
Last school year, the university and MST teamed up to provide fare-free service on Line 16, which runs from Monterey to Marina via campus. Riders board the bus at campus stops for free; fares must be paid for the return trip. "Ridership increased by 1,000 percent," said campus transportation planner Megan Tolbert. That also led MST to believe there was a potential for more riders to and from campus.
The funding issue was solved when the Transportation Agency for Monterey County agreed to foot the bill for about $306,000 of the $425,000 total cost of the service. Fares paid by riders are expected to cover the rest – approximately $119,000 – Tolbert said.
The trolleys can be boarded anywhere on campus – including East and Central Campus – for free. Return fare will be $2.50. They will stop at all current shuttle stops and MST stops.
Line 25 will operate twice an hour, 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., on weekdays when school is in session.
The trolleys are equipped with wheelchair lifts and are just as convenient as the current campus shuttle service, which the new bus line may eventually replace. They will stop at all existing shuttle stops as well as MST stops.
Bike racks have not yet been installed on the vehicles, but each one can accommodate two bikes inside.
"I think it's great that we've been able to work with CSUMB to provide mobility and opportunities for students to explore the community and have access to jobs," Sedoryk told Metro Magazine. "I think it will be good for the students and the local economy. And we're happy to be a part of that."
A brochure with route map and schedule for the new line is available from Tolbert at 582-4262 and can also be found online at csumb.edu/trip.
More information about Monterey Salinas Transit is available at http://www.mst.org.
June 28, 2010
Angela Mele, a student in CSUMB's Science Illustration program, is spending a month this summer as an artist-in-residence at Glacier National Park in Montana. She will create illustrations of flora and fauna for use in educational programs and activities related to the park's fire ecology program.
According to the National Park Service, the purpose of the artist-in-residence program is to stimulate and foster the artistic exploration of the park and to share the artist's inspiration with the public through educational programs and exhibits.
The Science Illustration program moved to CSUMB from UC Santa Cruz Extension at the start of the 2009-10 school year. One of the most prestigious programs of its kind in the nation, the program prepares students who are sought after by renowned institutions and publications around the world.
Read about the program at ScienceIllustration.org.
While doing research for his capstone project, CSUMB graduate Sam Peterson learned about "The Beat Within," a weekly publication that features the writing of incarcerated youth. The publication was started by volunteers in San Francisco in 1996; it has expanded to much of California.
The project began in Monterey County's Juvenile Hall in June 2008, and Peterson has been leading writing classes at least twice a month since then. "The stories these young people tell reveal a reality hidden from many," Peterson told the Monterey Herald. "The lifestyle that some of these kids live is not publicized anywhere."
Peterson and other volunteers type up the pieces, write a comment on each one and send them to the project's San Francisco headquarters. A few weeks later, the students see their pieces in a booklet that mirrors a bit of their reality.
Peterson,who majored in social and behavioral sciences, would like to expand the program into Monterey County's Youth Center, a low-security residential treatment facility in Salinas.
CSUMB graduates Javier Tamayo and Omar Murillo are using their love of music to benefit children in the east Salinas community where they both live.
While still students, the two drummers decided to start a percussion group for kids. Murillo applied for a grant from the Community Foundation for Monterey County in early 2009; in August of that year, they received $3,750 - enough to buy several drum sets. With that, the nonprofit Alisal Percussion was established and lessons began.
Murillo and Tamayo lug the drum sets to the Cesar Chavez Library every Wednesday night. More than 50 people attended a recent class and the numbers grow each week.
"Young teenage boys are the group we can't really get into the library, and they were out here, as well as younger kids," librarian Carissa Purnell told the Salinas Californian.
The program has gone so well, it is expanding to a low-income housing development, where classes will be offered two nights a week.
Tamayo is currently employed as a recruiter for the College Assistance Migrant Program at CSUMB. Murillo is a retention adviser at the university.
June 23, 2010
Vincent Carr was selected to attend the 11th annual Student Leadership Seminar at the Panetta Institute for Public Policy housed at CSU Monterey Bay.
During the spring semester, Carr was elected president of CSUMB's Associated Students – the student government – and took office at the end of the school year.
The seminar was held the week of June 20. The students lived in the university residence halls.
Each year, the Panetta Institute brings together student body presidents and other elected student leaders from the 23 California State University campuses, Santa Clara University, Dominican University of California and Saint Mary's College of California to help them hone their leadership skills and develop strategies for addressing campus, community and national problems.
The seven-day seminar, called Education for Leadership in Public Service, is intended to teach the students about leadership principles and practices; to send them back to their campuses as more effective leaders; and to encourage them to pursue lives of public service.
Among the panelists are former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norm Mineta, former NFL player and coach Herm Edwards and former California Secretary of State Bruce McPherson.
"The young people who come to this program have already distinguished themselves as leaders among their peers at their universities," said Sylvia M. Panetta, director of the Panetta Institute. "We want to encourage them to continue to serve their communities and their nation as leaders after graduation and throughout their lives.
"To do so, we expose them to leaders from a variety of areas and with a wide breadth of experience. The students learn from these experts and from one another, developing the skills of effective leadership including ethics, compromise and coalition building," Mrs. Panetta said.
The course was developed in 1999 by a blue-ribbon panel of public officials and academic leaders in response to the findings of the Institute's national survey of college students, which showed alarmingly low levels of student interest in government and public service. Program costs are fully paid by the university or student body association with which each student is affiliated and by the Panetta Institute. Students earn academic credit for their participation.
June 21, 2010
The city of Soledad and CSU Monterey Bay's Small Business Development Center will open an outreach office in the Lum Building at 749 Front St. The community is invited to the center's grand opening at noon on July 7.
"Together, we'll work to offer strong support to the businesses in our community and strengthen their sustainability," said Soledad Mayor Richard V. Ortiz.
The new Small Business Development Center at Soledad will provide critical services to that city's small business community. During a SBDC visit, entrepreneurs, startup companies and even seasoned firms can confidentially discuss and review business strategies. Quality advice and support are available to help start and/or grow a small business, learn how to apply for a SBA loan, access market research, develop business plans, set up accounting systems, project cash flow needs, determine technology requirements, assist with selling products and services to the government and help access a myriad of resources and services – all intended to open a world of opportunity to Soledad businesses.
"The SBDC has demonstrated its ability to support and promote increased economic growth," said Dr. Marylou Shockley, chair of CSUMB's School of Business. "It offers vital support and training and is a natural addition to our efforts to help area and regional businesses. The university is well-positioned to provide leadership to the region's small businesses."
Entrepreneurs often find that discussing questions in a confidential and unbiased setting can help identify and clarify key decisions. Appointments can be made online at csumb.edu/sbdc or by calling Ana Martinez at 675-7232.
The center provides services at various locations from Gilroy and Hollister to King City. Ms. Martinez can coordinate client services with the appropriate outreach office.
June 18, 2010
Jennifer Colby, a lecturer in the Liberal Studies Department, has won an Art and Activism Award from the Women's Caucus for Art, Pacific Region.
Called the Catalyst Award, it is given for exemplary projects, artworks or collaborations that make an impact in support of the environment. Awards will be presented at an eco-art conference in Berkeley on June 25.
Dr. Colby is an artist, curator, educator, community activist and co-founder of Galeria Tonantzin, a gallery featuring women's art in San Juan Bautista.
Her Watershed Multimedia Team received two grants from the California Council for the Humanities. One of the grants was used to produce "My Place in the Watershed," an installation of maps and prints created by local schoolchildren, and "The River of Photos," a 24-inch by 200-foot montage. Both were part of a recent exhibit at the National Steinbeck Center. To read more about the exhibit, click here. The other grant supported a 2004 exhibition about the Pajaro Watershed.
In 2007, she won the educator of the year award from the Arts Council for Monterey County. She served as president of the national Women's Caucus for Art from 2006-08 and founded the organization's Monterey Bay chapter.
Her personal artwork explores ecological themes and women's stories.
Dr. Colby has been on the faculty at CSUMB since 2000. She earned a Ph.D. in humanities, philosophy and religion from the California Institute for Integral Studies; a master's degree in theology, religion and the arts from the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, and a master's in studio art from CSU Fresno.
She has taught studio art and art history in K-12 settings, colleges and universities, including the Pacific School of Religion, where she directed contemporary art exhibits at the Bade Museum.
At CSUMB, she teaches classes in culture and cultural diversity, introduction to teaching and learning, and service learning courses.
June 18, 2010** **
Erick Justesen, who played for CSU Monterey Bay's golf team in 2003, put his local knowledge to good use in Thursday's opening round of the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.
Justesen, who teed off in the last group, at 2:42 p.m., shot 35-39-74, five strokes behind the leaders. The former Otter was in good company, coming in with the same score as Tiger Woods and beating Phil Mickelson by a stroke.
While a member of CSUMB's golf team, he played Pebble about once a semester. He also spent two summers as a caddie there.
He graduated a two-time All-American at CSU Stanislaus in 2008, transferring from CSUMB after realizing that he wouldn't be eligible to play for the Division II national championship. At the time, CSUMB was in a probationary period after moving up to D-II.
"I wasn't aware at the time that I went to CSUMB that we weren't going to be eligible for nationals," Justesen told the Monterey Herald. "Every golfer wants to compete at the top of wherever they are."
He finished in the top 10 at the D-II national championship his junior year, then lost the title by one stroke during his senior year.
The Sacramento native is currently competing on the Canadian Tour and occasionally plays in a Nationwide Tour event.
To qualify for the Open, Justesen fired a 36-hole total of 9-under 133 (65-68) to earn one of four spots in a sectional qualifier held at Del Paso Country Club in Sacramento. He started his qualifying odyssey at a regional qualifier at Bayonet Golf Course, where he took medalist honors with an even-par 72.
He teed off today at 9:12 a.m. from the first hole. He's playing with Jerry Smith and amateur Hudson Swafford.
June 15, 2010
Work by students at California State University, Monterey Bay as well as teenagers will be presented at the Carmel Short Cinema for Young Filmmakers event at the Forest Theater on June 26 at 8 p.m.
Sponsored by the Forest Theater Guild and CSU Monterey Bay's Department of Teledramatic Arts and Technology, the screening is an encore presentation of work shown at last spring's Monterey Bay Film Festival as well as pieces created by university students for their senior projects, called capstones.
Among the "shorts" – all are under 10 minutes – to be screened are music videos, documentaries, animation and narratives including iDance, an experimental and poetic film that follows two hip-hop dancers. It offers viewers a chance to experience life inside the hip-hop culture, and will leave people stunned, inspired and hopeful. The three-minute piece was created by CSUMB student Chris Marcos for his capstone project.
All films are family-friendly (PG-13 content).
Enid Baxter Blader, who teaches digital video at CSUMB, is the event's producer.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door. Spectators are advised to wear warm clothing and may want to bring a blanket. Concessions will be available.
The Forest Theater is located at the corner of Mountain View and Santa Rita streets near downtown Carmel. For information, visit the web at www.foresttheaterguild.org. Schedule of films to be shown, with name of filmmaker(s), their hometown or country, title and running time (CSUMB students are indicated):
• Aram Abrahamyan and David Martirosyan, Armenia, "Sako," 5 minutes, 16 seconds • Mimi Zarate, Watsonville, "Graffiti," 4:21 • Jackllyn Smith, San Juan Batista, "Bench," :50 • Ben Kadie, Seattle, "Sparks in the Night," 3:04 • Robby Sanguinetti, San Francisco, "Mushroom," 1:53 • Noe, El Salvador, "Noe's Story," 3:47 • Katie Kirsch, Santa Clara, "Over My Shoulder," 1:00 • Elle Gold, San Francisco, "Evening Music," 3:40 • Gabriel Medina, Watsonville, "Jesuno," :28 • Henry Shenk, Kaelan Gilman and Parker Davis, Portland, "The Umbrella," 2:48 • SoMoCoCat, Soledad, "Zomboy," 3:43 • Joe Doruff and Greg Bissell, San Juan Batista, "Explosion of Happiness," :28 • Fiona Whelan, Samatha Williams and Arran Walker, England, "Just a Normal Day," 4:15 • Chris Marcos, Salinas (CSUMB), "iDance," 3:17 • Danyell Cortopassi (CSUMB), "Bumps in the Night," 3:20 • Nick Kova, Marina (CSUMB), "All Children Mild," 5:30 • Robert Lowenkopf, Daniel Rodriguez and Sam Myers (CSUMB), "Candy Flipped," 9:48 • Scott Waldvogel (CSUMB), "Simple English," 5:20 • Andrew Dolan, Moss Landing (CSUMB), "Dead Sam's Music," 6:16 • Cody Kyle (CSUMB), "Irwin Stevens: Untamed World," 5:02
June 14, 2010
******July 15 event free to the public********With the diagnosis rate estimated to be 1 in 110 children, proven approaches to teaching youngsters with autism are critical. The growing number of children with autism in public schools requires that new methods be explored and implemented.
The public is invited to a free seminar on educational models for children with autism spectrum disorders to be held from 7 to 9 p.m., July 15 at CSU Monterey Bay's World Theater. Parents of children with autism will find it useful, as will educators and medical professionals. Speakers include Dr. Cathy Scutta, an educational consultant with experience adopting multiple methods in large systems. Also on the program is Donna LeFevre, a behavior specialist and educational consultant. They will talk about their successes in merging applied behavior analysis, speech and occupational therapy for children with autism.
They will also present recent findings from research conducted at Temple University, one of the first studies to compare three educational programs for children with autism currently being used in public schools.
"We are fortunate to partner with Tucci Learning Solutions to bring experienced educators to the CSUMB campus to discuss these new approaches to support children with autism and their families," said Dr. Josh Harrower, CSUMB professor of special education and moderator of the seminar.
"Behavior analysis has proven a successful approach to autism, but our knowledge on implementation is still growing and we welcome this opportunity to focus on models that are working in real classrooms."
Tucci has worked with the Monterey County Office of Education, Carmel Middle School, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, and the Pacific Grove Unified School District.
Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map.
About Tucci Learning Solutions, Inc.
Tucci Learning Solutions, Inc. provides consultative and training services for educators and parents of birth to 3, pre-school, and school-age children with a diagnosis of autism, pervasive developmental disorders, other developmental disabilities, and challenging behavioral difficulties.
Tucci's Competent Learner Model is an intensive, individualized teaching program designed to build a bridge of cooperation and understanding across school and home programs. The model promotes consistency in programming across all settings. The model has been developed over 30 years in a variety of settings. Several school districts/programs in California, West Virginia and Pennsylvania have adopted components of the Competent Learner Model.
About CSUMB's Certificate Program in Behavior Analysis
CSU Monterey Bay offers a certificate in behavior analysis. The program consists of three university courses, taught on campus. These three courses satisfy the Behavior Analyst Certification Board's university coursework requirements for national certification as an Assistant Behavior Analyst. When the university certificate program is completed, students will only need to meet the supervised experience requirements set forth by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board to be eligible to take the national board certification exam. For more information on CSUMB's Certificate Program in Behavior Analysis, please visit http://teach.csumb.edu/site/x16167.xml.
June 8, 2010
CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison has announced that nine faculty members have been granted tenure.
The newly tenured faculty members and their departments: • Joseph Eng, director, writing program;• YoungJoon Byun, computer science; • Jennifer Dyer-Seymour, psychology; • Carl Ferguson, education; • Jennifer Fletcher, humanities and communication; • Heath Proskin, mathematics; • Carolina Serna, education; • Scott Waltz, liberal studies; • Murray Millson, business.
Byun, Dyer-Seymour, Ferguson, Fletcher, Proskin, Serna and Waltz were promoted to associate professor. Millson was promoted to full professor. In addition, Kent Adams, kinesiology, and Diana Garcia, humanities and communication, were promoted to full professor.
June 7, 2010
Being physically fit has a different definition for police and other public safety officers than for the rest of us. That makes their fitness training especially important.
CSU Monterey Bay is working with Monterey Peninsula College's Law Enforcement Academy to improve the fitness level of students in the academy's six-month program.
The academy class that graduated in early June included police recruits, sheriff's deputies and park rangers. The 48 members of the class assembled on a recent Tuesday afternoon in the university's exercise physiology lab, where CSUMB students – under the direction of kinesiology professor Kent Adams – gave them a basic fitness assessment by checking their flexibility, body composition and blood pressure.
The recruits went through the same process at the beginning of their training; the comparison gave them an idea of how much their fitness level had improved.
"Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) dictates a regime of physical fitness and training as part of each recruit's course work," said John Darling, a retired Monterey County sheriff's deputy who works as an instructor at the academy.
"Their assessment results don't figure into their grade," Darling said while watching the CSUMB students do the testing. "It allows them to know if they lowered their body fat or lost weight."
CSUMB Police Commander Earl Lawson, an instructor at the academy, made the connection with Dr. Adams and the university's exercise physiology lab.
"This is a great opportunity for kinesiology students to get hands-on experience," Dr. Adams said. He added that the students – all members of the campus Exercise Science Club – volunteer their time.
Darling noted that the fitness level of firefighters and police officers is declining. He suggested that reflects what's going on in society. It's no secret that America is getting fatter. According to studies, one in five Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 – the prime recruiting age – is obese.
A recent story in USA Today reported that overweight and out-of-shape recruits for police, fire and emergency medical services are presenting increasing problems for agencies around the nation.
Harvard School of Public Health professor Stefanos Kales said no national studies on recruits exist, but in localized studies researchers "consistently find that among police and firefighters, generally three-quarters are overweight and that includes one-third who are obese."
In photo above, a CSUMB kinesiology major measures the flexibility of a student at the MPC Law Enforcement Academy. Photo by Don Porter
June 1, 2010
Paul Taylor Dance Company highlights upcoming season
The best art tells a story, and CSU Monterey Bay's Performing Arts Series at the World Theater just completed a season that told a variety of them. And there are more to come.
Starting off the theater's ninth season last fall, the colorful costumes and leaping dancers of the Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company exploded across the stage – 80 dancers strong – illuminating a culture more than a thousand years old. The dancers inspired the audience to leap as well – to their feet with thunderous applause at the end of the show.
That was followed by the Woods Tea Company, a lively folk music group that introduced the audience to some little known instruments – including bouzoukis, bodhrans and tin whistles – while playing music rooted in the 19th century.
For its holiday performance, the theater offered "A Christmas Carol." The classic Dickens tale was given a new spin by being produced as a radio drama, complete with actors reading scripts, live sounds effects and music. It was the first time many audience members had experienced radio drama, and they were clearly delighted with it. The show was rebroadcast on KAZU 90.3 over the holidays.
Next up was "Mind Boggling: The Show," which brought ventriloquist Andy Gross to the World Theater. Gross blended comedy, magic, illusion, theater and ventriloquism to amuse the audience. It was the first magic show ever included in the theater's performing arts season, adding more variety to an already diverse lineup.
Audience members had a chance to experience Japanese Kabuki theater when master storyteller Brenda Wong Aoki performed "The Legend of Morning Glory – A Boy, A Girl, and A Promise." The poignant love story was staged as a one-woman show and was accompanied by a taiko drumming ensemble, dancers and live music.
Grammy-nominated vocalist Perla Batalla closed out the season with a performance that told the story of her Latin-American upbringing and celebrated Hispanic music and culture on Cinco de Mayo. Batalla enchanted the audience with her easy rapport and soaring vocals, provoking a standing ovation from the delighted crowd.
Dance takes center stage when the theater's 10th anniversary season gets under way in the fall.
On Oct. 21, Madrid-based Noche Flamenca pays its first visit to campus. Famenco is wild and ancient, an art form crafted during the Spanish Inquisition by the country's outcasts: gypsies, Jews, Moors and Muslims. It's the soul of Andalusia, the southern region of Spain, and the voice of an entire nation. "Why (flamenco) exists is why any minority art form exists – which is as a rebel song, a deep cry to be whoever you are," explained Martín Santangelo, artistic director, choreographer and cofounder of the company. Featuring lead dancer Soledad Barrio, the performance group promises flamenco without tricks or gimmicks. It features rapid, fluid guitar playing, heart-piercing vocals, impassioned dancing and a flurry of rhythmically pounding hands and feet. "It's interesting. The further you go backward, the more modern it seems," Santangelo said about flamenco.
The Paul Taylor Dance Company returns to the World Theater on Nov. 11 for a very special performance. Taylor has choreographed a new dance called "Brief Encounters," in celebration of his 80th birthday. The piece is set to the music of Claude Debussy's "Children's Corner."
At an age when most artists' best work is behind them, Taylor is acclaimed for the vibrancy, relevance and power of his dances. He continues to tackle some of society's thorniest issues. He may propel his dancers through space for the sheer beauty of it, or use them to wordlessly illuminate war, spirituality, sexuality, morality and mortality. If, as Balanchine said, there are no mothers-in-law in ballet, there certainly are dysfunctional families, ex-lovers, fallen preachers, rapists, angels and insects in Taylor's dances.
And that fits perfectly into the World Theater's mission.
"One of our goals at the World Theater is to present artists who educate and enlighten," said theater director Joe Cardinalli. "We do this by presenting and creating diverse programming to entertain the campus and the community.
"Come for a full evening at the university - have dinner at the Otter Bay Restaurant adjacent to the theater, enjoy a professional performance in the theater and complete the evening by visiting with the performers in the theater lobby after the show," Cardinalli said.
Look for a new season of entertainment, enlightenment and education.
And, take advantage of a special early-bird special: buy tickets to either Noche Flamenca or Paul Taylor Dance Company by June 9 for $25 each, or get a ticket to both shows for $45. Tickets will certainly cost more when they go on sale in August and will likely sell out, so now is the best time to get tickets to the two hottest dance shows of the fall.
Juleen Johnson folded colored paper to create origami butterflies. Two thousand origami butterflies.
To fulfill a university requirement that all seniors complete a capstone – a research or creative project – the visual and public art major created an installation that represents those who have to reconcile two identities.
"Adoption and Adaptation: A Personal Journey of a Korean Adoptee" tested her skills.
"I didn't know how to work with metal; I had to learn that. It's something I'll use in graduate school," she said. "Once I learned the technique, the metal grid (from which the butterflies are suspended) took me a month to make.
"The butterflies took me five months to fold. To hang them took another month," she added.
"The capstone was a chance for me to reflect on being adopted. And it taught me about my own artistic process," said the 28-year-old from Alaska who will attend the Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland starting in August.
Johnson's project fulfilled a requirement facing graduating seniors at colleges and universities across the country. By requiring a capstone project, the schools want undergraduates to pull together, synthesize and apply years of learning.
At CSUMB, all students have been required to do capstone projects since the first graduating class in 1997. Some of those projects are archived in the campus library. (View the archive here.)
During the Capstone Festival in May, the campus took on the feel of an intellectual marketplace. In various locations, a biology major presented a study of human stem cell proliferation, a social and behavioral studies major looked at women police officers in American society and a psychology student examined the socialization of sarcasm.
Business students, working in teams, presented strategic business plans for local companies and organizations.
World Languages and Cultures student Sandra McKee gave a 25-minute talk – entirely in Japanese – on the arguments for and against changing Article 9 of the Japanese constitution. A PowerPoint presentation running in the background provided the information in English.
And music major Trevor Smith – with help from his friends – performed a three-movement piece he composed for a brass quartet.
While the projects require a great deal of time and effort, the projects are worth it.
"Increasingly, people want to know what students can do with their learning and how they can apply that learning across all the courses in their college," Carol Grear Schneider, president of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, told the Los Angeles Times.
In addition, she told The Times, colleges want to do a better job of preparing graduates for the demands of the job market and graduate schools. The capstones, she said, help students "become people who can problem-solve and produce something of high quality."
Research by the National Survey of Student Engagement shows a steady increase in those completing capstones. In 2009, 64 percent of students reported doing such a project compared to nine percent in 2000.
Campuswide requirements like the one at CSUMB are most common at small liberal arts colleges. At nearly 40 percent of universities, some individual departments require them. Examples include UCLA, the University of Utah and Keene State College in New Hampshire. And many schools offer them as options rather than requirements.
The fall capstone festival is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, Dec. 16 and 17. The public is invited.
Photos by Don Porter.
Top: Juleen Johnson at her capstone presentation, wearing traditional Korean dress, called a hanbok
Above: Trevor Smith performing his Suite for Brass Ensemble
May 24, 2010
Professor Barbara Mossberg believes that poetry has the power to change the world. That conviction helped earn her the position of poet in residence for the city of Pacific Grove.
She's the fourth person to occupy the position since it was created in 2002.
In that capacity, she will help the city organize poetry-related community activities and events and hopes to involve the university. And she will live in the Poet's Perch, the historic home in downtown Pacific Grove, a half-block from the beach.
The house was willed to the city by Whitney Latham-Lechich after her death in 1997. Latham-Lechich was a poet and educator, and wanted the house used to promote poetry in the city.
"I've always been a poet," Dr. Mossberg said in accepting the position. "My job titles have been wonderful – president, dean, professor, scholar in residence, senior fellow, Fulbright lecturer, each an incredible opportunity to serve.
"But to have the title of poet in residence! This makes whole my various selves. Thank you, Pacific Grove."
Dr. Mossberg, director of CSU Monterey Bay's Integrated Studies program, is a teacher, thespian, poet, environmentalist, lecturer and scholar.
Her academic achievements include a Ph.D. in literature and linguistics from Indiana University, several senior Fulbright awards and an appointment as the American Studies specialist for the U.S. State Department.
She began her academic career teaching drama and literature at the University of Oregon. Later, her teaching career expanded to include an appointment as senior Fulbright distinguished lecturer at the University of Helsinki, where she taught American literature and drama as chair of American Studies.
The U.S. State Department appointed her scholar in residence to represent American higher education in the U.S. and around the world. She's lectured and consulted for countless educational, governmental and nonprofit organizations.
Among her community activities, she serves as vice president of the Forest Theater Guild.
She can be heard every Sunday from noon to 1 p.m. on radio station KRXA 540, hosting "Poetry Slow Down," a program now in its third year.
"Every week, I write an original show . . . to 'make it new,' as Ezra Pound said. My listeners keep me on my toes."
For more information, visit http://csumb.edu/site/x20683.xml and http://www.barbaramossberg.com
May 24, 2010
Another graduation weekend has come and gone, with families flocking to town for the commencement ceremony. For many students, it was time to say goodbye to CSUMB and to unwanted stuff.
Recycling intern Tristan Mansson-Perrone and a committee of volunteers helped them do just that, in a way that was environmentally friendly.
They organized CSUMB's first move-out waste diversion program. As students were moving out of their residence halls for the summer, they were urged to deposit reusable and recyclable items in large containers that dotted the campus.
The container positioned near the three residence halls in North Quad collected more than 1.125 tons of reusable items – everything from clothing to furniture to small appliances. The items were taken to the Last Chance Mercantile, a resale shop operated by the Monterey Regional Waste Management District in Marina, where they will be available to the public for purchase.
"We're still waiting on the numbers for the container by the Student Center, as well as the 11 20-yard dumpsters around campus, to get a good idea of the total amount diverted from the landfill," Mansson-Perrone said.
In addition, 23 barrels of clothing were collected from the residence halls and sent to Goodwill.
"That's a lot of reusable items diverted from the landfill," Mansson-Perrone said. "We have something to be proud of."
According to AS Environmental Senator Duane Lindsay, the student environmental committee is planning to work with the commencement committee next year to organize a zero-waste graduation.
May 22, 2010
*Sylvia Panetta urges students to a life of service*
On a sunny, breezy morning, Sylvia Panetta told the graduates of California State University, Monterey Bay to turn challenges into opportunities through service to others.
Mrs. Panetta, chair of the Board of Directors and president of the Panetta Institute for Public Policy, was the keynote speaker at the university's May 22 commencement. With almost 890 students receiving bachelor's and master's degrees, and more than 200 earning teaching credentials, it was the largest graduating class in school history.
They received their degrees before a capacity crowd of about 8,000 family members and friends.
In referring to the process by which Fort Ord became CSU Monterey Bay, Mrs. Panetta (pictured at right) reminded the audience that it took the work of countless local people to make a dream come true and convert swords into plowshares.
"Many people were afraid that the loss of Fort Ord would create a big economic hole on the Monterey Peninsula. But, there was a dedicated group of people who saw opportunity in challenge. People from diverse backgrounds and with very different interests came together to ensure that something remarkable could and would be created," she said.
"Today, the creation of the university, something we thought was a *good* idea, has proven to be a *brilliant* idea. Your graduating class is the fulfillment of the dream that our generation . . . had for the land where this university now thrives."
She reminded the graduates that the country's founders created not just a nation and a Constitution, they created "an obligation in each of us to serve this nation and honor that Constitution. We were each given a duty to fulfill the most important moral covenant we have - to care for each other."
While acknowledging the current economic climate and related job market will not be easy to navigate, she encouraged the graduates to remind themselves of their responsibility to serve others.
"The challenges you face cannot be used an an excuse for apathy or as justification for disengagement," she told them. "You can, and you must, remember your commitment to your community, to your nation and to the world. You are already on that path; it's now time to take the next steps."
Sounding a familiar theme, she told the students that they had had the unique opportunity to learn from service and were equipped with a set of skills that connects them to their environment and to people.
"Why not take the educational tools that you have acquired and find a way to serve? The skills you will gain will serve *you* for the rest of your life."
The ceremony opened with the traditional welcome in Spanish, Japanese, Italian and Chinese, delivered by members of the faculty.
In her remarks, President Dianne Harrison pointed out that the graduating class "boasts an amazing array of talent.
"Many have overcome enormous challenges, attaining academic success, achieving as athletes, receiving prestigious honors, and sharing their gifts and abilities with fellow students and the community. Their success is incredibly rewarding," she said.
Dr. Harrison (pictured at right) shared the stories of a few of these students:
• Cicilia Chudivan, a business major who maintained a very high grade-point average while leading the women's golf team to its best season in school history. A native of Indonesia, she will attend the Monterey Institute of International Studies to pursue a master's degree.
• Adan Romero, a first-generation student from Salinas who majored in biology. He was inspired to pursue a career in medical research by his mother, who suffers from osteoarthritis. In the summer of 2008, he conducted research on an early diagnostic tool for the disease at UC San Francisco. He will continue his work to better people's lives when he heads to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology this fall to pursue a Ph.D. in biological engineering.
• Yvette Cervantes, a global studies major, overcame a number of obstacles to get to college, A child of farm workers, she started college but had to drop out in her first year. But she kept at it, graduated from Hartnell College in Salinas and then transferred to CSUMB. Her desire to help others led her, as a student employee in the Office of Admissions, to provide the first Spanish-language tours of campus. And she's been involved with the University Promise program, which encourages sixth-graders to go to college.
President Harrison then introduced the student speaker, Hayley Allison, this year's winner of the President's Medal for Exemplary Student Achievement. Allison, a Teledramatic Arts and Technology major, produced the first Monterey Bay Teen Film Festival in 2009 and further developed the event this year. As a Service Learning leader, she was instrumental in establishing film and video workshops for at-risk teens.
Referring to the university requirement that all students complete service learning classes, Allison told her fellow graduates, "We have given our service to the region, and we have changed it. We must now put that experience to work on a larger scale."
Two faculty members were also honored. Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains was awarded emeriti faculty status, acknowledging her distinguished service to the university. Dr. Pat Tinsley McGill was acknowledged for winning this year's Griffin Award for outstanding teaching.
May 20, 2010
The war for Indian children will be won in the classroom. – Wilma Mankiller
The quotation from the late principal chief of the Cherokee Nation is displayed in the cubicle of Kathryn England-Aytes, a lecturer in the Social, Behavioral and Global Studies Division at California State University, Monterey Bay.
It serves as a daily reminder that native voices in education are critical. And it makes her invitation to spend the summer as a visiting scholar in the Cherokee Studies Program at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Okla., especially meaningful.
NSU dates to 1846, when the Cherokee National Council authorized establishment of male and female seminaries to fulfill the requirement of a treaty between the United States and the Cherokee Nation that public and higher education be provided for the Cherokees.
It is the second oldest institution of higher education west of the Mississippi, and still has a proud heritage of serving native people, currently claiming the largest number of full-time undergraduates who are American Indians.
As the granddaughter of a Cherokee educator who began her teaching career in 1908, England-Aytes (pictured above) continues to be influenced by stories of her grandmother's teaching.
"My grandmother's influence has reached into the 21st century in my multimedia classrooms with technology she could never have imagined, but within a learning environment she would easily recognize, and hopefully enjoy," England-Aytes said.
England-Aytes attended public schools in Oklahoma in the 1960s, pursuing higher education as a returning student in the 1980s while raising two daughters. She completed undergraduate and graduate degrees in psychology and social science at Southern Oregon University, graduating summa cum laude, while working as a family advocate within the criminal justice system.
Since 1998, she has taught courses in social and behavioral sciences in Oregon and California, but her heart is often in Oklahoma, and she is delighted to return there to teach a course entitled "Historical Perspectives of Native American Women," which will include presentations by Cherokee Nation historians, educators and tribal members.
The course comes at a particularly poignant time, just weeks after the death of Mankiller, who last October had been named NSU's first Sequoyah Institute Fellow.
"I cannot imagine Tahlequah without Chief Mankiller," England-Aytes said. "Her early passing was such a loss for the Cherokee Nation and beyond. We are using one of her books as a text, and it is certainly a privilege to be able to honor her extraordinary work and life, not only for native women and the Cherokee Nation, but for women across the world."
May 19, 2010
***Monterey County Film Commission makes award*******
Rachel Asendorf was selected as this year's recipient of the $1,000 prize in the Monterey County Film Commission Film Student Scholarship and Awards Program. Asendorf is a junior in the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department.
The Monterey County Film Commission scholarship program was created to provide financial aid and incentive to students of film and beginning filmmakers who reside in Monterey County or are enrolled in a college or university in the county. The fund was established as a permanent endowment with the Community Foundation for Monterey County. Film commission board member Phyllis Decker is the scholarship program chair.
Asendorf, who lives on campus, is putting herself through school. This school year, she worked as a news intern in the office of strategic communications at CSUMB, learning how to merge news and technology. She is also a production assistant for the Monterey Teen Film Festival, helping manage media and marketing, and had her own political talk show on the campus radio station, focusing on issues such as media influence.
In 2007, she won the Hispanic Heritage Bronze Award in the Los Angeles area for excellence in news writing. In high school in Apple Valley, she produced, directed, edited and filmed two documentaries that were distributed to each student who purchased a yearbook.
Her career goal is to produce video packages and enter the online or broadcast journalism field. "I want to enlighten, inform and entertain audiences through my productions," Asendorf said.
She plans to use the money to buy a video camera.
The scholarship was created in 2008. That year, CSUMB students Estee Blancher and Veronica Calvillo shared the award. Last year, Juan Ramirez was the winner for a film that looked at life in Juvenile Hall.
"When I was looking at colleges, I saw the story about Estee's work on the CSUMB website, and that inspired me," Asendorf said. "I'm pleased to get the same scholarship she did."
May 1, 2010
In order to graduate, CSU Monterey Bay students in the Visual and Public Art Department create a capstone project – a sort of senior thesis of art. Mounted together, they form an exhibit open to the public.
The capstone projects are the final capping of skills, knowledge, values and commitments of the individual students. In these projects, student artists have identified public themes and critical issues that are relevant to themselves and their audience.
This year's exhibit, dubbed Visual Matters, gathers 18 works in a show of creative force. The exhibit will open on Monday, May 10, with an artists' reception from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Visual and Public Art Building (Bldg. 71). The public is invited.
For an online exhibit catalog, visit vpa.csumb.edu.
The work will be on display until the final capstone and medal ceremony, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friday, May 21. The public is invited to this free event or to view the exhibit on weekdays during normal business hours. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map.
The campuswide Capstone Festival will take place Thursday and Friday, May 20 and 21. For a schedule of capstone presentations in all academic departments, visit csumb.edu/capstone.**
May 11, 2010
CSU Monterey Bay spending sustains 1,500 jobs
With university-related annual spending of more than $155 million, CSU Monterey Bay sustains nearly 1,500 jobs in the region, according to a new report issued by California State University.The report, "Working for California: The Impact of the California State University System," demonstrates that the 23-campus system is a key source of job creation and innovation for the state economy.
According to the report, CSU-related spending generates more than $17 billion in economic activity in California, supporting about 150,000 jobs and generating nearly $1 billion state and local taxes annually.
It estimates that for every dollar invested by California, the CSU generates $5.43 for the state economy.
CSUMB's economic impact generates nearly $8.5 million in local and more than $17 million in statewide tax revenue. And more than $97 million of the earnings by CSUMB's alumni are attributable to their degrees.
The analysis comes as the governor prepares to release his revised budget Friday. The report is available here.
May 11, 2010
Dr. Rebecca Bales has been selected to attend a summer institute for university professors at the Newberry Library's D'Arcy McNickle Center for American Indian History in Chicago.
She is one of 25 scholars drawn from across academic disciplines and institutions selected to attend the institute, which is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The institute, "From Metacom to Tecumseh: Alliances, Conflicts, and Resistance in Native North America," will examine the complex and shifting alliances between various Indian nations of North America and European colonists competing for land and political ascendancy in regions east of the Mississippi between 1675 and 1815.
The institute will include lectures, discussions, museum visits and opportunities for primary research in the library's humanities archive. At CSUMB, Dr. Bales teaches Native American history in the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies. She earned a Ph.D. in history from Arizona State University.
May 10, 2010
The World Theater on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay is set for a stellar crop of student films and original media productions to be premiered at the Capstone Festival, scheduled for Friday, May 21 at 6 p.m. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Admission and parking are free and the public is invited.
The festival will feature 18 top-quality productions spanning genres, including documentary, narrative and experimental works produced by students of CSU Monterey Bay's Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department. To see a list of productions, visit tat.csumb.edu, then click on "capstone."
The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue. For more information or to request disability accommodations, call 582-3743. For driving directions and a campus map, visit csumb.edu/map.
The campuswide Capstone Festival will take place on Thursday and Friday, May 20 and 21.
The conference focused on management, policy, assessment and communication regarding marine and ocean issues. It was organized by California's Ocean Protection Council, Natural Resources Agency and Environmental Protection Agency.
Underscoring the role strong science plays in developing sound policy and informed management, the panels included 40 researchers from 18 universities. Among them were CSUMB professors James Lindholm and Rikk Kvitek. Dr. Lindholm, Rote Distinguished Professor of Marine Science and Policy at CSUMB, was part of a session that addressed management plans for overfished populations and how to assess the indirect impacts of various fishing practices.
Dr. Kvitek, director of the university's Seafloor Mapping Lab, made a presentation on California's seafloor mapping program as a model for collaboration and partnership.
May 5, 2010
*******CSU's Road to College Tour visits Salinas***
Paulina is in eighth grade and already she's starting to prepare for college.
Her reason is clear: "I want to be something important in the future."
She doesn't have a particular school in mind, and doesn't know exactly what she wants to study, "but I'm going to get ready to go to college," said Paulina, who would be the first in her family to do so.
The Washington Middle School student and about 340 of her classmates got a taste of college life May 5 during the California State University "Road to College" event, which is making stops statewide to talk to youngsters about what they need to do in order to go to college.
The tour includes a 40-foot, diesel-powered, "wired" bus wrapped with the "Road to College: Get on Board" theme. The bus interior is designed to look like a college dorm room. Before experiencing college life inside the bus, the middle schoolers learned about financial aid, campus life and career opportunities. The statewide campaign is meant to help students like Paulina think about college and start to plan for it.
The five-week campaign started in the Imperial Valley, made its way up the Central Valley, then headed to San Francisco and the Central Coast before it ends May 14 in Long Beach. Each stop is near one of the 23 CSU campuses.
CSU Monterey Bay hosted the stop in Salinas. University President Dianne Harrison addressed several groups of youngsters, university staff members worked with school officials to organize the event and 10 CSUMB students talked with the youngsters, answering questions and helping them use computers set up for the occasion.
"I hope that each and every one of you has in mind to go to college," Dr. Harrison (pictured at left) told the youngsters. She reminded them that they need to take the required classes in high school and that financial aid is available.
"Don't stop thinking about college today. The information you got today is a road map," she told them.
CSUMB student Jocelyn Martinez, a freshman from Salinas, was putting in Service Learning hours at the event. She was stationed next to a computer monitor showing a presentation on the CSU.
"I'm asking them what they're interested in," she said. "We're trying to let them know that whatever their interests are, they can study it somewhere in the CSU system."
Jocelyn wants to be a high school guidance counselor. "My high school counselor told me to go to Hartnell College, or to go in the Army. I was told I couldn't make it at a four-year university," Jocelyn said. "That made me determined to do just that. I got into CSUMB, am finishing my freshman year, and financial aid has covered the full cost.
"I want to tell other kids that they can go to college."
The Road to College tour is the result of a partnership between the CSU and AT&T, which donated $500,000 for the project. To learn more, visit www.calstate.edu/roadtocollege.
The middle school students had their pictures taken wearing the traditional mortar board. Each was given the photo and a packet of information to take home, reminders of the day and of the fact that it's never too early to think about, and prepare for, college.
(Photos by Don Porter)
May 5, 2010
The university's efforts to create and support a sustainable environment continue as demolition work gets under way in the northwest sector of campus.
This month, a total of 32 structures – buildings and ramps – will be taken down in the area used for parking during the annual AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament. The area is between Eighth and Fifth streets (going north to south) and Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Second Avenue (east to west).
Phase two of the project involves taking down two metal buildings immediately east of the Otter Sports Center – the Outdoor Recreation Center and an unused building. That project is scheduled to start June 3 and take about two weeks. The nearby Child Development Center will be unaffected.
The contractor is obliged to reuse and recycle 90 percent of the materials from the demolished structures.
Concrete recovered from the demolition of slabs and building foundations will be pulverized and reused to create permeable surfaces that reduce storm water runoff.
Campus activities, air quality and traffic will not be impacted by the work.
May 4, 2010
***May 17 talk sponsored by Rethinking Schools of CSUMB ***
Renowned school reformer Deborah Meier will present a talk at Oasis Charter Public School in Salinas at 6 p.m., May 17. The talk is free and open to the public.
A senior scholar at New York University, she will discuss the current climate of top-down reforms and her vision of democratic progressive education for a pluralistic society.
Meier has spent more than 40 years working for education reform as a teacher, writer and public advocate. A well-respected critic of state-mandated standards and testing, she believes that a strong community of parents, teachers and students is necessary to build effective schools. She founded and served as teacher-director of several innovative public schools that serve predominantly low-income African-American and Latino students. Those schools are considered exemplars of reform nationally.
Her books include The Power of Their Ideas (1995), In Schools We Trust (2002), Keeping School (with Ted and Nancy Sizer, 2004) and Many Children Left Behind (2004).
The talk is sponsored by Rethinking Schools/La Educación Reinventada of California State University, Monterey Bay, a group of educators committed to equity, justice and multiculturalism within the public education system.
Oasis Charter School is located at 1135 Westridge Parkway, Salinas, behind Costco in the Westridge Mall.
More information is available from Nicholas Meier at 582-3536 or Miguel Lopez at 582-3997.
May 3, 2010
The California State University is taking to the road with the message of academic preparation, access for underserved students and the need for future workforce professionals in California.
From April 12 to May 14, thousands of middle and high school students at nearly 40 stops statewide are expected to board a 40-foot, diesel-powered, "wired" bus wrapped with the "Road to College: Get on Board" theme. The bus contains laptop computers with career exploration, academic preparation and financial aid planning information.
The bus will make a stop at Washington Middle School in Salinas on May 5. Starting at approximately 11:30 a.m., groups of students will be invited to climb aboard to learn about preparing for college. They will be able to sit at the computer stations and watch videos about college life, preparing for college and the CSU system. And they'll have the opportunity to interact with 10 CSUMB students who will be on hand to talk with them about college requirements and opportunities, as well as financial aid.
The Road to College tour is designed to provide youngsters with the tools to create a better future – and to take that message to them in their own communities.
The Road to College tour is the result of a partnership between the CSU and AT&T, which donated $500,000 for the project.
More information is available here.
April 29, 2010
The California Ocean Protection Council has awarded $4 million, some of it going to a CSU Monterey Bay professor, to monitor North Central Coast marine protected areas.
Funding was provided for 11 projects that will target marine life and habitats for up to three years, studying the organisms inside and outside the protected areas to establish a picture of marine ecosystems and human activities.
The region being studied ranges from Alder Creek in Mendocino County south to Pigeon Point in San Mateo County.
"I'm very excited about what the baseline project will deliver; it will be right on target with determining how these areas are performing," Cheri Recchia of the Ocean Protection Council told the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
The baseline program is a collaboration among California Sea Grant, the Ocean Protection Council, California Department of Fish and Game, Ocean Science Trust and Marine Protection Area Monitoring Enterprise.
Dr. James Lindholm, Rote Professor of Marine Science and Policy at CSUMB, is collaborating with a scientist from Marine Applied Research and Exploration of Oakland on one of the projects. They will use a remotely operated vehicle to survey soft and rocky deep-water habitats along the North Central Coast.
The ROV will sample subtidal habitats in the protected areas, ranging in depth from 20 to 119 meters. The ROV will "fly" just above the seafloor to collect photographs and video imagery of biological communities inside and outside eight of the new marine protected areas.
The project will employ undergraduate and graduate students in the university's Institute for Applied Marine Ecology.
"This is an exceptional opportunity for our students to participate in science that is directly informing the management of the marine environment here in California," Dr Lindholm said.
For more information, visit the California Sea Grant website at www.csgc.ucsd.edu.
Photo is an image taken by a remotely operated vehicle of a deep-water rockfish and a basket star. Credit: James Lindholm
Three CSUMB students were recognized for the quality of their work at the California State University Student Research Competition.
The system-wide contest showcases the high caliber of research conducted by CSU students at all 23 campuses. This year, the competition was held May 6 and 7 at Fresno State.
A CSUMB graduate student and an undergraduate each took second place in the biological and agricultural sciences category and an undergraduate was runner-up in the engineering and computer science category. Erin Stanfield, a master’s degree student in Coastal and Watershed Science & Policy, was recognized for her research project, "Presence and Toxicity of Freshwater Cyanobacteria in Pinto Lake, Monterey Bay Area, California." Dr. Aparna Sreenivasan was her faculty adviser. Kevin Johnson, a biology major, was honored for his project, "A Comparison of Cyanobacterial Abundance and Potential Toxicity in Two California Coastal Lakes." Dr. Sreenivasan was his adviser. Edgar Calcanas, a computer science and information technology major, earned recognition for his project, "Performance Analysis of a Delay Tolerant Routing Protocol." Dr. Sathya Narayanan was his adviser. The purpose of the annual competition is to focus attention on the outstanding accomplishments of students engaged in significant research and creative activity in all academic disciplines. Participants made oral presentations before juries of professional experts from major corporations, foundations, public agencies, colleges and universities in California, then responded to questions. CSUMB’s representatives were chosen by a campus selection committee.? Other students who presented their work: ?• Anthony Basilio, Biology: "Effects of body size on the swimming performance and pectoral fin growth of black surfperch (embiotoca jacksoni) from central California." Advising Faculty: Dr. Lara Ferry, Dr. Ben Perlman and Dr. Aparna Sreenivasan
• Alexandra Davis and Craig Mueller, Environmental Science, Technology & Policy: "A regional analysis of the distribution of Rippled Scour Depressions along the California coast." Advising Faculty: Dr. Rikk Kvitek • Jesse Mangiagli, Psychology: "College Students’ Attitudes Toward Sexuality: An Analysis of Homophobia as a Function of Masculinity." Advising Faculty: Dr. Mrinal Sinha • Stacy Mauzey, Biology: "Extended Host Range of Pseudomonas cannabina pv. alisalensis Includes Brussels Sprouts and Cabbage." Advising Faculty: Dr. Marc Los Huertos; Research Advisor: Dr. Carolee T. Bull, USDA/ARS • Cody Rosasco, Psychology: "Adult Sleep Patterns are not Predicted by Parental Perceptions and the effect of infant sleep-training methods." Advising Faculty: Dr. Jennifer Dyer-Seymour
• Keri Zaro, Kinesiology: "Applied Warm-Up Strategies: Effects on Vertical Jump." Advising Faculty: Dr. Trish Sevene and Dr. Kent Adams
Photos galleries are available here (May 6) and here (May 7).
June 3, 2010
CSUMB taps sun for energy needs
The university has gotten greener.
Work on a solar power generation facility was completed in late June, thanks to a public-private partnership entered into in 2008.
The 6.4-acre solar panel array – consisting of approximately 3,900 panels – was installed at ground level on a vacant lot on the east side of Seventh Avenue, between Col. Durham Street and Butler Street. The plan was to complete the project before students returned to school in the fall.
"It's renewable energy, it's environmentally friendly and it reduces greenhouse gas emissions," said Mike Lerch, CSUMB's assistant director of energy.
In addition to financing and building the system, SunEdison, the nation's largest solar energy service provider, will operate and maintain it over the course of a 20-year contract. The university will purchase the power at a pre-agreed price.
The system is expected to generate almost 2 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year for CSUMB, enough to meet 16 percent of the university's current electricity needs. It will reduce carbon dioxide emissions associated with electricity consumption by 713 metric tons per year, equivalent to the amount generated by 92 vechicles.
CSUMB is one of four CSU campuses scheduled to have solar equipment installed in 2010 to deliver zero-emission renewable energy directly to the campuses.
The map shows the area on the east side of Seventh Avenue, between Col. Durham Street and Butler Street, where the solar panel array is being installed.
California State University, Monterey Bay's annual spring concert will be held Saturday, April 30 at 7 p.m. in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue. The public is invited to this free event.
The university's chorale and small vocal ensemble, Nuovo Plaisir – both directed by Professor Paulette Gissendanner – will perform. Also on the program is the CSUMB community band, directed by Theresa Hruby-Percell, a string quartet and a guitar ensemble.
Parking fee of $2 must be paid. For a map of campus and driving directions, visit csumb.edu/map
For more information or to arrange for disability accommodations, call 582-3009.
April 26, 2010
Auditions for a 2011 production of the musical comedy "Damn Yankees" will be held on Tuesday, May 4, and Wednesday, May 5, at 7:30 p.m. in the Music Hall at California State University, Monterey Bay.
Singers should prepare two songs, one from a musical, and are asked to bring their own accompaniment. Those auditioning will also be asked to read from the script.
"Damn Yankees" is a musical comedy by George Abbot and Douglas Wallop about a passionate baseball fan who sells his soul to the devil so that his favorite team, the Washington Senators, can beat the unstoppable New York Yankees and win the pennant.
The Devil, taking the form of a slick salesman, Mr. Applegate, convinces an aging baseball fan, Joe Boyd, to give his soul to become a young, handsome, supernaturally gifted baseball player named Joe Hardy who subsequently joins the Senators, the worst team in the league, and leads them to win game after game. Along the way, Joe Hardy from Hannibal, Mo., misses his wife, Meg, and longs to be with her despite Mr. Applegate's efforts to enthrall him with the charms of a devilish temptress named Lola. Joe Boyd, however, insisted on an escape clause when he made his pact with Mr. Applegate, and will try to exercise it before his time is up. Will Joe succeed or become another lost soul in the collection of Mr. Applegate?
With a series of famous show tunes including "You Gotta Have Heart" and "Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets," Damn Yankees is solid entertainment from the first crack of the bat to the last slide into home plate.
A campus map and driving directions are available at csumb.edu/map.
This production will be staged next April 21, 22, and 23. Rehearsals will start in the fall. For more information, call 582-3005.
April 26, 2010
Pat Tinsley McGill, associate professor of business administration at CSU Monterey Bay, will be honored April 28 at the annual teaching awards ceremony sponsored by the Community Foundation for Monterey County.
Dr. Tinsley McGill will receive the Allen Griffin Award for excellence in teaching at the post-secondary level. Faculty members from Monterey Peninsula College, Monterey Institute of International Studies, Defense Language Institute and Naval Postgraduate School also will be honored, along with Monterey Peninsula high school teachers. Middle school and elementary school teachers will receive the Mildred Willemsen Awards. In all, 21 local educators will receive awards.
Established in 1982, the Griffin Award was created by a bequest from the late Col. Allen Griffin, former publisher of the Monterey Herald and founder and former board president of the Community Foundation. The award honors teachers who have a record of sustained excellence in the classroom and who have made a significant impact in the community.
Dr. Tinsley McGill teaches classes in entrepreneurship and strategic planning, as well as the business capstone class.
Among her entrepreneurial ventures, she founded the first private satellite network in the U.S. to serve public schools; founded and served as executive director of the first print and online guide to distance learning resources; and established some of the earliest rural community technology centers in the nation. Through these initiatives, she formed collaborations among local school districts, state departments of education, colleges, universities and corporations to increase access to education resources for children and adults across the country.
Over the past fifteen years she has worked as a consultant to the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, public and private corporations, the World Bank, and numerous other nonprofit organizations. Her work with the World Bank focused on establishing a satellite- and Internet-based university to serve villages in Sub-Saharan Africa. Through her work with nonprofits, she managed the development of award-winning online services and print publications for children and families. She also assisted PBS and local public television stations in shaping new education services for families, students, and teachers nationwide.
She serves on the board of the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce and is a frequent speaker on business topics in the local community.
She earned a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas; a Master's of Business Administration from the Graduate School of Management at the University of Dallas in Irving, Texas; and a Bachelor of Arts from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.
April 20, 2010
Through a partnership between CSUMB and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, it's now possible to see what's going on beneath the cold waters of the bay via the web.
The Sanctuary Characterization & Image Display or SCID allows students, scientists and members of the public to study the sanctuary seafloor without leaving their dorm room, office or home.
"The idea is to see what's there and what's going on," said Dr. James Lindholm, director of CSUMB's Institute for Applied Marine Ecology (IfAME).
An underwater camera captures photo and video of the fish and other creatures that live within the sanctuary's boundaries. Those images are uploaded to a database accessible at the SCID website.
Visitors to the site can choose from more than 1,000 Google markers on the sanctuary map; they can then choose to view photos or video. Should they choose video, a short YouTube video pops up when a marker is clicked, revealing what's underneath. According to Dr. Lindholm, the deepest area captured on video was nearly a quarter mile down.
"Our goal is to make it easier for people to get a sense of what the bottom looks like," Dr. Lindholm said.
One graduate student is using the site to look at a link between types of fish and seafloor features inside a marine protected area in the southern part of the sanctuary.
The map's images include the times and dates they were taken and the depths where they were shot. Those images were taken in three ways: using a camera sled, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and a submersible occupied by a person.
A team of staff members and students from IfAME go out throughout the year to collect the images and videos.
The website started four years ago; the new version is the third incarnation. The site will be updated as new data becomes available.
Version 3.5 is set to launch before the end of 2010.
Photo caption: This camera sled is towed behind the RV Fulmar, collecting video imagery of the seafloor. Photo by Ashley Knight
April 19, 2010
**
A team of students from California State University, Monterey Bay took first place in the Currents Symposium research poster contest sponsored by the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
The Sanctuary Currents Symposium is an annual event for researchers, educators, students and the public to learn about research being conducted in the sanctuary. Awards are presented for outstanding research posters; scientists are honored for advancing the knowledge of marine science; and organizations that have contributed to the mission of the sanctuary are acknowledged.
This year, the symposium was held at CSU Monterey Bay on April 10. The topic was Voices of Hope: Science and Innovation for the Ocean.
CSUMB won the top honor in the undergraduate division for a poster reflecting this year's theme. The research project involved a 10-year comparison study of landscape changes in California's most common seafloor habitat - the shallow, sandy plains that are home to many flat fish and invertebrate species. The work was done as a project by students in Professor Rikk Kvitek's applied coastal remote sensing class. Jessica Riggin took second in the undergraduate category and Jessica Watson was runner-up in the graduate student division for their research posters. All told, 17 CSUMB graduates – nine undergraduates and eight graduates – presented their research.
Dr. Kvitek received the prestigious Ed Ricketts Memorial Award and delivered the Ricketts Memorial Lecture. Over the last two decades, he has focused on applied projects in Monterey Bay and Elkhorn Slough. At CSUMB, he created and directs the Seafloor Mapping Lab.
April 19, 2010
*******Illustration students exhibit at Natural History Museum***
If you've ever wondered about the artwork that illustrates science textbooks, field guides, and interpretive signs in parks and nature preserves, you'll have the opportunity to learn about it when an exhibit opens next month in Pacific Grove.
Illustrating Nature, an exhibit of work by students in the CSU Monterey Bay Science Illustration Program, will be on display at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History May 8 through June 5. The public is invited to an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. May 7 at the museum, located at 165 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove.
The 63 artworks and sketchbooks in the exhibit depict everything from numbats to butterworts to Fibonacci patterns in great detail using media including pen and ink, scratchboard, colored pencil, watercolor, gouache, acrylic and digital media.
"This is the first of what will be an annual exhibit at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History," said Lori Mannel, museum director. It's only one example of the partnership between CSU Monterey Bay and the museum.
"The museum has benefited from partnering with CSUMB," Mannel said. "We work with the university's Serving Learning Institute, have six interns working with us and support student capstone projects. Science Illustration graduates also teach the museum's Drawing from the Collection classes to the public."
Last fall, the Science Illustration program relocated from UC Santa Cruz Extension to CSUMB. One of the most prestigious programs of its kind in the nation, it prepares students who are sought after by scientific institutions and publications around the world. Graduates are working at the Smithsonian Institution; New York's American Museum of Natural History; the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History; the Monterey Bay Aquarium; and National Geographic, Scientific American and Nature magazines.
"We're excited to be able to continue a tradition of partnership with a local natural history museum," said Ann Caudle, program director. "After a rewarding 20-year relationship with the museum in Santa Cruz, we look forward to future collaborations with the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History."
Three events will be held during the run of the exhibit:
April 25, May 2, 9 and 16 – Art and Nature: Drawing from the Collections, taught by Science Illustration Program graduate Erin Hunter. $95, information/registration: 648-5716, ext. 17May 15, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. – Demonstration of illustration techniques by illustrators featured in the exhibit. FreeMay 22, 2 p.m. – Science Art from Cave Walls to Computer Screens, illustrated lecture about the role of imagery in the formalization of ornithology as a science. Free
Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is free. More information is available online at www.pgmuseum.org and scienceillustration.org.
Illustration credits: Chipmunk (top) by Angela MeleNumbat (middle) by Cynthia ClarkSeahorses (above) by Annette Filice
April 14, 2010** **
Since 2000, CSU Monterey Bay's Camp SEA Lab has helped youngsters discover the ocean through summer camps and outdoor school programs. Students get their hands wet through kayaking, snorkeling, and surfing, while their minds get engaged through active science lessons and ocean conservation projects.
In its 10-year history, the program has ignited thousands of K-12 students' interest and excitement in marine science.
For some, the experience has been transforming.
"When I was in 5th and 6th grade, I attended Camp SEA Lab and I absolutely loved it! I'm majoring in biology right now, and I'm planning on going on to graduate school to get my master's in marine biology," said Rebecca Summers, former SEA Lab camper and a student at Seattle Pacific University.
This summer, the Science, Education and Adventure continue with a variety of day camps and residential camps around the Monterey Bay area, including several programs especially for teens 13 to 16 years old.
Camp SEA Lab serves as a gateway to higher education, and, unlike other marine science-based activities, the program promotes ocean careers through exposure to marine technology and research and marine science professionals.
For more information and a list of this summer's activities, click here.
April 13, 2010
California State University, Monterey Bay will honor students for academic excellence at the annual Honors Convocation on Saturday, April 17, in the University Center ballroom.
The ceremony honors 119 students who will graduate in May with academic honors (Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude and Summa Cum Laude), as well as five students who earned special awards.Award winners:
**• President's Award for Exemplary Student Achievement, **given to a well-rounded student who has made notable contributions to a particular area of university life:****Hayley Allison, Los Gatos, Teledramatic Arts and Technology.
**• Provost's Award for Exemplary Academic Achievement, **given to a student who has excelled personally and academically, has contributed to the learning community of CSUMB and has achieved a grade-point average of at least 3.5:****Adan Romero, Salinas, biology
**• Outstanding Senior Award for Social Justice, **given to a student who has coordinated or participated in a project that promotes social justice:****Carolina Melendrez, Los Angeles, Human Communication
**• Alumni Vision Award, **given to a first-generation college student who has worked to extend the university's Vision into the lives of others:****Rudy Medina, Salinas, Human Communication******• Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athlete Award, **given to a student-athlete in recognition of exemplary academic achievement:****Cicilia Chudivan, Jakarta, Indonesia, Business Administration
In addition, Service Learning Awards will be presented to a graduate in each major who has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to service in the local community:
Biology – Sarah GoumaaBusiness Administration – Robert MinaCollaborative Health and Human Services – Guadalupe FloresEnvironmental Science, Technology and Policy – Rachel Lena OsiasHuman Communication – Adriana Melgoza, Patricia SuarezSchool of Computing and Design – Lucy SilvaIntegrated Studies – Alexandra Helene LudovinaKinesiology – Daniel BarrasLiberal Studies – Maria Julietta MorgaMathematics – M. Louise CallantaPsychology – Ashley Copeland Teledramatic Arts and Technology – Hayley Allison Visual and Public Art – Marissa Miranda World Languages and Cultures – Regina Samoyoa
April 12, 2010
Krista Almanzan of KAZU radio has won a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in electronic journalism presented by the Radio, Television, Digital News Association.
She won in Region 2, which includes California, Nevada, Hawaii and Guam, in the category of audio feature reporting. Her winning story profiled a group called the Monterey Bay Veterans, which runs a recreational rehabilitation program for disabled veterans that holds fishing derbies on Monterey Bay. The story can be found here.
Regional winners automatically become eligible for the national awards competition in June.
Last summer Almazan was selected to participate in National Public Radio's Impact of War project. She attended a training session, courtesy of NPR, that opened a path for local reporters to file NPR stories on how the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have affected their communities. Her award-winning report was part of that project.
Almazan started her journalism career in Iowa where she covered the 2000 and 2004 presidential races and Iowa caucuses for local television stations. In 2005, she won the Stanley Foundation Award for Outstanding Broadcast Coverage of Iowa's global connections. Later that year, she returned to her home state of California where she continued to work in television and simultaneously got her start in public radio as a freelance reporter with Capital Public Radio in Sacramento. In 2007, she joined the staff at KAZU where she serves as host of All Things Considered as well as news director.
It's the second award for Almanzan in the last six months. In November, she was honored by the Radio-Television News Directors Association of Northern California for best feature reporting on a serious subject for "A Second Chance in Salinas." The story examined a program called Take the Lead, which pairs at-risk youngsters with dogs surrendered to the local SPCA.
KAZU 90.3 FM is a community service of California State University, Monterey Bay.
The 7 p.m. performance features percussionist Babatunde Lea and saxophonist Greg Abate and Friends.
"I guess you could say my music is jazz steeped in the music of the African diaspora," Lea recently told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I try to take a look at the music of a lot of different African cultures and blend it together."
Lea (pictured at left) grew up in New York City, listening to Afro-Caribbean music and was influenced by an African master drummer he met when he was a teenager. Early in his career, he worked with musicians such as saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and vocalist Leon Thomas Jr.; that exposed him to many world rhythms.
He appeared at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 2006.
"I draw a lot from African culture and one of the main things I draw is that music is functional; in African life music accompanies everything," Lea said. "The music can put you in a space to make you learn a lot, to open you up. Once you're open and energized then you can start building things to make the world a better place. Music is like oil and water: it does the bidding of who controls it; it has the power to open you up but it doesn't direct where you go once you're open."
But his music has its roots in jazz. "That's where my heart is," he said.
Abate spends more than half of the year on tour. At CSUMB, he'll perform alongside CSUMB's jazz band. A soloist like Abate travels alone and performs with different sidemen in every town, but he says these strangers quickly bond into an extended musical family.
After graduating from Berklee College of Music, Abate (at right) performed with the Ray Charles Orchestra in the 1970s and with the revived Artie Shaw Orchestra during the '80s. He also has made more than a dozen recordings, and now teaches jazz studies at Rhode Island College when he's not playing at festivals and clubs throughout the country and overseas.
The concert is sponsored by CSUMB's Music and Performing Arts Department and the univesity's Special Event Fund and made possible by a grant from the Nathan Cummings Foundation.
Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 for seniors, military and students. They can be purchased online at csumb.edu/worldtheater or by calling the box office at 582-4580. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map.
For more information or disability accommodations, call Nicole Mendoza at 582-3009.
"Lea makes a good case for drums being jazz's most important instrument."– Providence Phoenix
"Abate's musical style can be seen as a distillation of swing's easygoing vibe and bop's more animated groove. He has developed a unique voice."– METRO San Jose
April 10, 2010
Chapin, Leahy to be honored with leadership awards
Don Chapin, president and CEO of the Don Chapin Company, and Bill Leahy, executive director of the Big Sur Land Trust, will be honored at CSU Monterey Bay's School of Business Showcase.
The event will be held May 13 in the University Center starting at 6 p.m. with cocktails. Dinner and the program will follow.
The showcase is intended to play a part in developing a strong relationship between the local business community and the university's School of Business. Prceeds benefit the school's program program fund.
Mr. Chapin will receive the business leadership award. He and his father, Don Chapin Sr., founded the company in 1978 as a family owned and operated construction business. The company has since grown to become one of the largest general engineering contractors on the Central Coast. A community leader and philanthropist, he serves on the boards of a variety of local nonprofit organizations.
Mr. Leahy will be honored for community leadership. He joined the land trust in 2003 and has helped guide the organization to conserve an additional 10,000 acres of land through private landowner agreements and public parkland acquisitions.
The leadership awards were inaugurated last year to recognize community leaders who have shown a commitment to CSU Monterey Bay and the mission of the university. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet faculty members, graduating seniors and successful alumni, and to learn more about how the School of Business is educating students to be ethical and effective leaders.
Student awards, including one for the school's outstanding senior, will also be given out at the showcase.
Tickets are $100 each. Reservations may be made by calling 582-4141 by April 28. For more information, call 582-3653.
April 8, 2010
*******Perla Batalla brings her sublime voice to World Theater***
One voice. Two languages. Many traditions.
That's what will be on display when Grammy nominated vocalist and composer Perla Batalla returns to California State University, Monterey Bay's World Theater on May 6 as the Performing Arts Series concludes for the 2009-10 season. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.
No newcomer to the area, Batalla (pictured at right) performed on the Seaside campus in 2005 and in 2003, and is back by popular demand. In 2005, the World Theater's Presenting Series co-commissioned her "Gracias a la Vida" album and produced a DVD of her on stage. Batalla was born in Los Angeles, where her father, a musician, owned a popular Spanish-language record store. The music she heard there influenced her profoundly.
She first gained international attention as a backup singer for Leonard Cohen. Some years later, Cohen encouraged her to embark on a solo career. She released her debut album in 1994. The critics loved it, calling her singing "sublime" and her talent "stunning." "Mestiza" followed in 1998, and "Heaven and Earth" in 2000.
The Spanish-language classics she heard growing up are featured on her fourth album, "Discoteca Batalla," recorded in 2002 as a tribute to her parents' record shop. Since its release, it has consistently appeared on "best of" lists throughout the country. In 2004, Batalla was invited by the Kennedy Center to perform songs from the album as artist in residence.
A year later, her Grammy-nominated tribute to Cohen, "Bird on the Wire," was praised by Sing Out magazine as "beautifully conceived and executed."
" 'Bird on the Wire' was something I felt I had to do," she told a newspaper in San Rafael. "I feel so connected to Leonard's music. I feel it's a part of me, a part that's very deep."
She honors her roots and exposes young audiences to the beauty of music and the Spanish language through her outreach efforts in some of the poorest communities in the United States. In 2008, she received the U.N.- commissioned Earth Charter Award for extraordinary devotion to social and economic justice. That work makes her a good fit for the World Theater. "Each year, the World Theater hosts a production commemorating Cinco de Mayo," said theater director Joe Cardinalli. "Besides presenting an evening of memorable music and song, Perla Batalla's performance follows our mission to educate and enlighten our campus and local communities through diverse entertainment and performances," Cardinalli said.
"We are so pleased to have Perla return to the World Theater stage. She's the ultimate professional and a pleasure to work with," Cardinalli added. Tickets range from $10 to $40 and can be purchased by calling the World Theater box office at (831) 582-4580 or online at csumb.edu/worldtheater. The World Theater offers a buy-one, get-one-free promotion for the first 100 tickets sold to this performance.
The Otter Bay Restaurant, located in the building adjacent to the theater, is offering a special pre-show menu for this performance. Call 582-4580 for details.
The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue on the CSUMB campus. Driving directions and a campus map are available at CSUMB.edu/map.
AT A GLANCE
• WHAT: Perla Batalla in concert
• WHERE: CSUMB's World Theater
• WHEN: 7:30 p.m., May 6
April 6, 2010
Earth Week features daily student activities
Earth Day is really Earth Week at CSU Monterey Bay.
Since the first Earth Day in 1970, people around the world have sought to celebrate the planet through a variety of individual and community activities. But Earth Day is about more than observing the beauty and vitality of nature; it's also about renewing our commitment to saving our living planet. The Associated Students' Environmental Committee has a variety of activities planned for the week. The week will get under way on Saturday, April 17, Campus Clean-Up Day. Volunteers – staff, students and administrators – will spend the morning (10 a.m. to noon) picking up litter and other debris around the campus. The event will conclude with a barbecue at the Student Center. To volunteer, call Susie at 582-3700. Also on Saturday, a free dance will be held in the Black Box Cabaret from 9 p.m. to midnight. On Sunday, April 18, the campus community is invited to join the Club of Eden and the AS Environmental Committee to learn about the university's community garden and composting. Each student will receive a free plant. Student groups – four per team – are invited to create an environmental-themed work of chalk art on the Main Quad sidewalk from 2 to 4 p.m. on Monday, April 19. Best creation will win $100. From 7 to 9 p.m. in the Student Center, students will have the chance to learn about campus and community environmental initiatives at a sustainability forum. The sixth annual Bike-to-Breakfast event will be held on Tuesday, April 20. Everyone who bikes to CSUMB's University Center on Sixth Avenue from 7 to 10 a.m. will get a free breakfast at the Otter Bay Restaurant. From 8 to 10 p.m., a Tang Pong tournament will be held in the Student Center. Entry fee is $10 per two-person team. On Wednesday, April 21, the campus community is invited to envision peace by planting a Peace Tree from 1 to 2 p.m. At 7 p.m., the World Theater will host a free double-feature movie showing: Disney's "Earth," followed by "Youth and Revolt" with a student fashion show between the films. Thursday, April 22 is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Celebrate it by shopping at CSUMB's first Farmers Market, in the Main Quad from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. End the day by enjoying reggae at the BBC from 8 to 11 p.m. Everyone who wears green on Earth Day will receive a raffle ticket for a $100 prize. A pair of films will be shown at 7 p.m.,** Friday, April 23**, in the Student Center. Time to Tackle Climate Change, which shows how workers can play a fundamental role in the route to a sustainable world, and Coal Country, the story of the dramatic struggle around the use of coal, which provides over half the electricity in the U.S., will be shown. The week ends with a three-day student camping trip to Yosemite, April 23-25. The $20 fee covers two nights and three days of food, fun and nature. Registration can be made in the Student Center. For more information, contact Duane Lindsay, Associated Students' environmental senator, at dlindsay@csumb.edu.
April 5, 2010
A documentary by four alumni of the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department at CSU Monterey Bay has won an award at the International Family Film Festival.
Juan Ramirez, Stephen Sprague, Ashley Paolini and Isaac Castro – all members of the Class of 2009 – won in the category of Best Student Documentary for "Concrete Paradigm," a film that features young detainees at Juvenile Hall in Salinas reading their poetry. The students taught a film workshop at Juvenile Hall in Fall 2008; that experience led to the documentary.
As part of the festival, "Concrete Paradigm" was screened at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood along with 86 other films from 14 countries and 15 film schools.
The festival celebrates cultural diversity, creativity, tolerance and global unity in its choice of family films and screenplays.
April 5, 2010
CSU Monterey Bay has been named one of the top 75 colleges and universities to have harnessed the power of Facebook – the No. 1 social networking site on the web – to keep their fans involved and informed.
In recent years colleges and universities across the country, including CSUMB, have embraced the power of social networking. From recruiting new students to sustaining relationships with their alumni, schools are using sites such as Facebook to keep in contact with their students, staff, faculty and graduates.
DistanceEducation.org, a website that offers information about online education, has named a list of its favorite college and university Facebook pages and CSUMB has made the list, along with the University of California-Irvine, Arizona State University, Oregon State and George Washington University, among others.
According to a story on the site, the schools it has selected "are using the power of Facebook for good by keeping their fans involved and up-to-date on everything from academics to sports."
April 2, 2010
**Annual labor film festival to screen four movies at CSU Monterey Bay **
The ninth annual Reel Work May Day Labor Film Festival – traditionally held in Santa Cruz – has scheduled four events on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay. This is the third year CSU Monterey Bay has been a festival venue.
The festival features films that illuminate the lives of workers and the ways workers and unions around the world organize to make change.
This year's schedule starts on April 23; two of the films will be accompanied by speakers.
Friday, April 23, 7 p.m., Student Center:* Time to Tackle Climate Change* (SustainLabor, 2008, 20 minutes). Shows how workers can play a fundamental role in the route to a sustainable world.
Coal Country (Mari-Lynn Evans and Phyllis Geller, 2009, 85 minutes). The story of the dramatic struggle around the use of coal, which provides over half the electricity in the U.S. Passions run high in the mountains of Appalachia. Families and communities are deeply split over what is being done to their land by the latest form of strip mining called mountaintop removal, or MTR. Coal companies blast the tops off mountains and run the debris into valleys and streams, filling air and water with chemicals, and an ancient mountain range is disappearing forever.
Monday, April 26, 7 p.m., Library, Room 1170: *The People Speak *(Howard Zinn and Tony Sacco, 2010, 110 minutes). Stories of ordinary people making history, represented in dramatic readings by film and music stars woven together with historical footage and music.
Tuesday, April 27, 7 p.m., University Center:* Milk *(Gus Van Sant, 2008, 129 minutes). San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk and the birth of LGBT politics in the 1970s.
Cleve Jones will speak before the screening. He began his career as an activist in San Francisco when he worked as a student intern in Milk's office. An AIDS and LGBT rights activist, Jones conceived of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt and in 1983 co-founded the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Currently, Jones works with UNITE HERE, the hotel, restaurant, and garment workers union, to make the labor movement more open to LGBT members. He is a driving force behind the Sleep With The Right People campaign, which aims to convince LGBT tourists to stay only in hotels that respect the rights of their workers.
Wednesday, April 28, 7 p.m., Library, Room 1188:* Race to Nowhere *(Vicki Abeles, 2009, 85 minutes). A look at the fast-paced world of children in our schools, the impact of No Child Left Behind on teachers, and how the Race to the Top may fail our students.
Dr. Linda Bynoe, a faculty member in the Liberal Studies Department at CSUMB, will lead a discussion after the film. In 2006, Dr. Bynoe received the California Faculty Association's Mario Savio Equal Rights Award in recognition of her leadership in the promotion of equal rights throughout the campuses of the California State University system.
Admission to all events is by voluntary donation; the $2 university parking fee must be paid. The CSUMB chapters of the Student California Teachers Association and the California Faculty Association are sponsoring the events along with the campus Earth Week committee and the campus Out and About Student Association.
For a complete listing of this year's films in Monterey, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties, visit www.reelwork.org. For more information on the CSUMB screenings, contact Jennifer Colby at 582-5045 or jcolby@csumb.edu.
April 2, 2010
Caroline Haskell, CSU Monterey Bay's director of health and wellness services, is this year's recipient of the Jay Foss Clinical Services Award given by the Monterey County Mental Health Commission.
The award is bestowed annually to practitioners who have provided outstanding mental health services in the local community. It is named for the late Jay Foss, a former member of the commission.
Ms. Haskell will receive the award May 20 at the sixth annual Fiesta of Hope, a community event that raises awareness of the resources, treatment options and support available for those touched by mental health issues in Monterey County. The dinner will be held at the Embassy Suites in Seaside.
A staff member of the university since 1996, she is the founding director of the Personal Growth and Counseling Center and currently oversees all campus health and wellness services, including the PGCC, the campus Health Center and the office of Student Disability Resources. She provides counseling and psychological services for students, staff, and faculty and is an adjunct faculty member.
Ms. Haskell earned an M.S. in social work from Columbia University School of Social Work and a B.A. in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley. She is a licensed clinical social worker with the California Board of Behavioral Science Examiners and a Board Certified Diplomate with the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work.
University staff members Barbara Sayad, Flo Miller, Gary Rodriguez, Margaret Keith and Lynne White Dixon signed the nomination letter, along with Dr. James Lake, a local psychiatrist, and Mary Lounsbury, a psychologist at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.
"We have witnessed her extraordinary professionalism, creativity, leadership and demeanor. In our opinion, Caroline has demonstrated advocacy, integrity, clinical skills and passion .... She is extremely capable and resourceful as a clinician and administrator," the letter said.Separate letters of nomination were also sent by campus VP for Student Affairs Patricia Cardenas-Adame, Dean of the College of Professional Studies Brian Simmons, Director of Student Housing and Residential Life Don Yackley and Police Commander Earl Lawson. Several community members submitted individual letters as well.
Monterey County Superior Court Judge Adrienne Grover will be the featured speaker at the 7 p.m. dinner. She will talk on "Finding Hope in the Criminal Courts." Tickets are $45 and reservation deadline is May 1. To reserve tickets, call Janet Barajas of Monterey County's Health Department's Behavioral Health Division at 755-4856.
April 2, 2010
Districts from tri-county area will be on hand
CSU Monterey Bay will host a teacher recruitment fair from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 6 at the University Center on Sixth Avenue.
Representatives from school districts in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties will share information about current job openings and projected positions for fall 2010. Those attending the fair should bring several copies of their resume, transcripts and credentials.
Credential specialists will be available to answer questions; representatives from CSUMB will be available to answer questions about teaching credential pathways.
The fair, presented by CSUMB in partnership with the Monterey County Office of Education, is open to the public.
For more information, call 582-4628 or e-mail sgannon@csumb.edu. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map.
April 1, 2010
Not everything began with Stonewall.
On April 14, filmmaker Glenne McElhinney (pictured at right) will screen her film, "On These Shoulders We Stand" at 7 p.m. in the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library, Room 1188.
The film chronicles the lives of 11 elders, from their early years to their coming out, to their groundbreaking activism for the rights of all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people.
Contrary to popular belief that the struggle for gay rights was confined to New York City and San Francisco, the film profiles several Los Angeles activists who helped change the course of both California and LGBT history. Viewers will learn how Los Angeles' gay community has had a national impact on issues as diverse as the First Amendment, the entertainment industry and the civil rights movement.
"On These Shoulders We Stand" brings the marginalized and under-reported history of Los Angeles' LGBT community to a new generation of American audiences.
A question-and-answer session will follow the screening.
Watch the trailer here.
The presentation is sponsored by the Division of Humanities and Communication, Out & About and the Department of Teledramatic Arts and Technology.
March 30, 2010
***Health Care Access for the Most Vulnerable: What Works? ***
M. Jean Serafy, excecutive director of Free Clinics of the Western Region, will be the keynote speaker at the 14th annual Social Justice Colloquium Wednesday, April 14, at CSU Monterey Bay.
"Health Care Access for the Most Vulnerable: What Works?" is the theme of the event. It will link the current crisis in health care accessibility, especially for marginalized members of society, to issues of social justice, and explore how these concerns can be addressed.
"Health care has been an ongoing debate in the United States since the early 1900s and has impacted every person's life in some way," said Dr. Rebecca Bales, assistant professor in the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies at CSUMB.
"Some vulnerable populations in California have limited access to health care. This year's colloquium will focus on this issue because health care is an issue of social justice when vulnerable populations have limited or no access."
Ms. Serafy will speak from 6:15 to 6:45 p.m. in the University Center ballroom. Her background in health care management includes more than 35 years of experience in a variety of public and private settings. She has a master's of business administration degree in health care administration from National University in San Diego.
The keynote address will be followed by a roundtable discussion with Mark Espinosa, executive director of the San Francisco Native American Health Center; Dr. Mark Tunzi, residency director at Natividad Medical Center; and Allen Hullinger, administrative officer of the Veterans Administration clinics in Monterey, San Jose and Capitola. Dr. Bales will moderate the panel. A question-and-answer session will follow.
"By inviting experts who work to bring health care to the vulnerable, we will shed light on this issue and strategize about how best to address it," Dr. Bales said.
The day will start with a health fair in the campus quad from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula's Tyler Heart Institute will take blood pressure readings, representatives from the Central Coast Visiting Nurse Association will do cholesterol screening for a $35 fee and Central Coast HIV/AIDS Services will administer free HIV/AIDS tests. Among the organizations that will distribute information about health care options in Monterey County are the county Department of Social and Employment Services, Natividad Immunology and Diabetes Outpatient services, Planned Parenthood, Clinica de Salud and the Central Coast Pediatric Dental Group, among others.
The Social Justice Colloquium is an annual event featuring international activists and scholars discussing timely questions of social and environmental justice.
The event is free and open to the public. Parking for the evening portion of the program is free in the University Center lot. For driving directions and a campus map, visit csumb.edu/map.
For more information, or for disability accommodations, call Florence Shirakawa at 582-3890.
Students will spend summer on prestigious research projects
For some college students, summer is a time to put the books away for a few months.
That's not the case for a group of CSU Monterey Bay students in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC), who will spend their summer conducting experiments, gathering data and summarizing their scientific findings in research papers.
They have been accepted into National Science Foundation-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs. Most programs are very competitive and accept only 10 percent of applicants, according to Dr. Bill Head, director of UROC and a faculty member in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy.
"The opportunity to experience a new campus, new research and new faculty is unparalleled, and well worth the effort UROC students, their mentors and staff put into the applications," said Dr. Head (pictured at left).
The students who have REU positions lined up are:
• Jena Cleveland, who has been accepted to UC San Francisco's prestigious biophysics program
• Liz Lopez, who will head to Oregon State University to work in benthic marine ecology
• Michael Diaz, who will spend the summer at Texas A&M conducting research in forensic entomology
• Eric Ross, who will conduct ornithology research at Kansas State University
• Debbie Torres, who will spend the summer at Syracuse University conducting research in medicinal chemistry and organic synthesis.
In addition, UROC has secured summer opportunities for students to work with researchers at UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Sonoma State University, Bodega Marine Lab, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and CSUMB.
"Our task now is to get the students geared up to hit the ground running when they arrive at their research placement," Dr. Head said. "They'll be reading literature, reviewing proposals and building relationships with their respective labs."
UROC started in 2008, funded by grants and gifts. The center works to support faculty-student collaboration across all academic disciplines through training, research and professional development. Students come away from the UROC experience with a deeper appreciation of the research process, a thorough understanding of their curriculum content and a clearer pathway to graduate school and post-college job opportunities. Students are given the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge in the field, with the guidance of a faculty mentor. They contribute to large research projects and develop research questions of their own, which they then connect to the broader community through professional conferences and research publications.
The UROC office is located on the second floor of the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library.
March 19, 2010
Solar power project set to get under way this summer
CSU Monterey Bay is about to get greener.Thanks to a public-private partnership entered into in 2008, the university will take another step toward reducing its carbon footprint when work begins this summer on a solar power generation facility.
SunEdison, the nation's largest solar energy service provider, will finance, build, operate and maintain the system over the course of a 20-year contract. The university will purchase the power at a pre-agreed price.
The system is expected to generate almost 2 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year for CSUMB, enough to meet 16 percent of the university's current electricity needs. It will reduce carbon dioxide emissions associated with electricity consumption by 713 metric tons per year, equivalent to the amount generated by 92 vehicles.
The 6.4-acre solar panel array – consisting of approximately 3,900 panels – will be installed at ground level on a vacant lot on the east side of Seventh Avenue, between Col. Durham Street and Butler Street.
"It's renewable energy, it's environmentally friendly and it reduces greenhouse gas emissions," said Mike Lerch, CSUMB's assistant director of energy.
CSUMB is one of 4 CSU campuses scheduled to have solar equipment installed in 2010 to deliver zero-emission renewable energy directly to the campuses.
This is the area on the east side of Seventh Avenue, between Col. Durham Street and Butler Street where the solar panel array will be installed.
March 19, 2010
*'Charlie and the Rabbit' to be screened*
CSU Monterey Bay presents the Monterey Bay Film Festival on April 3 at the World Theater on Sixth Avenue. Doors will open at 12:30 p.m. and screenings will begin at 1 p.m. Admission and parking are free.
The festival is a multi-generational event where work by teenagers, college students and advanced filmmakers will be screened in one venue. The purpose of the festival is to give the community a chance to see films they might not have seen otherwise, while also featuring the work of teenagers and students.
"We're calling it 'CSU Monterey Bay Presents' because we want the campus and the community to feel like it's theirs," said Professor Enid Baxter Blader, chair of the Department of Teledramatic Arts and Technology. "It's also an opportunity to connect a festival to an educational institution."
The event expands on last year's Teen Film Festival. It includes a dozen shorts by teenagers, and five by the CSUMB students who worked with them. New this year is a program of 11 short films curated by Mike Plante, a programmer at the Sundance Film Festival since 2002 and director of programming with CineVegas for eight years.
Plante visited campus last spring as part of a program called "Seeing the Future of Film." He saw the potential of CSUMB's Teen Film Festival, wanted to build on that base and volunteered to work with Professor Blader to expand it
Among the films Plante has chosen to show is "Charlie and the Rabbit," created by CSUMB alumni Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck. Plante selected the film to be screened at Sundance in January; this showing will be its first local screening.
Hayley Allison, a student in Teledramatic Arts and Technology, produced the portion of the program featuring work by young people for her senior capstone project. More than 150 films by teenagers were submitted. The finalists were chosen by a panel of TAT students.
"The overarching theme of the work by young filmmakers was gang violence and how to prevent it," Professor Blader said.
Schedule:
12:30 p.m., doors open 1 p.m., Films by Young People (work by teenagers and college students) 2:15 p.m., reception and discussion with filmmakers 3 p.m., short films curated by Mike Plante
There's more information about the festival, including a list of the short films to be presented.
March 1, 2010
California State University, Monterey Bay was presented with the Business of the Year Award Feb. 27 by the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce.President Dianne Harrison accepted the award on behalf of the university at a dinner attended by more than 350 Chamber members and guests at the Hyatt Regency Monterey."We're counting on your partnership and support as we continue to grow and develop in the future," Dr. Harrison said. "The truth is, after our first 15 years, we're just getting started!"CSU Monterey Bay was chosen by a panel of business leaders and nonprofit administrators from among the Business Excellence Award winners in 19 categories that were announced last August. At that time, the university was honored in the education category, based on its goals, its service to students, its employee satisfaction, its commitment to sustainability, and its involvement with the Chamber and surrounding communities."Some may ask why a state university is selected as the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce 2009 Business of the Year. The answer is clear. CSUMB contributes mightily to the well-being of our community," said Mary Adams, president and CEO of United Way of Monterey County and a member of the chamber's board of directors."It's not only a major employer – approximately 700 faculty and staff members – but its students bring added revenue and benefit to businesses on the Monterey Peninsula."Ms. Adams added, "CSUMB exhibits business excellence, operating with a very sound business model. It is succeeding despite a grim economy. All things considered, who could be more qualified than CSUMB to be our Business of the Year."Also honored Saturday were Jim Tunney, recipient of the Ruth Vreeland Award for Public Official of the Year; David Armanasco, Citizen of the Year; Woody Kelley, winner of the Robert C. Littlefield Award; and Laura A. Davis, Volunteer of the Year.
Pictured above (left to right): Ruth Thompson, executive director of the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Harrison and Alan Richmond of the Chamber.
March 16, 2010
Participants in the 2009 event
The fifth annual Mud Run – in which participants climb hills, vault over walls, crawl through a tunnel and slog through pits of mud – will be held March 27 starting at 9 a.m. at Freeman Stadium on Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard.
Who says raising money for a good cause has to be good, clean fun?
The Mud Run is sponsored by CSU Monterey Bay, the Big Sur International Marathon and the Presidio of Monterey and benefits the university's athletic scholarship fund and Presidio charities.
Patterned after the popular mud run at Camp Pendleton, Army and Marine drill sergeants will bark orders to motivate participants along the way. While it's too late to register for this year's event, spectators are invited to watch from the area outside the stadium and along the course. Awards will be handed out at 10:30 a.m. for the top five individual male and female runners in their age group, and the top three teams. All finishers will get a T-shirt, a medallion and a shower.
Interested runners can sign up for next year's Mud Run starting Nov.1. For more information, visit the web at www.bigsurmudrun.org or call 625-6226.
CSUMB to compete in national disc golf championship
While the world tuned in to see Tiger Woods' return to golf at The Masters tournament at Augusta National, the disc golf community prepared for its national collegiate championship this week, in North Augusta.
Several hundred disc golfers representing approximately 40 colleges and universities will compete in the fourth annual Collegiate Disc Golf Championships April 15-18. CSU Monterey Bay earned a spot in the field by virtue of its victory in last November's West Coast College Open, held on the university's Cypress and Oaks courses. The Otters go in as the No. 8 seed. Unlike the contestants at that better known event in Georgia, the college golfers – playing on a course about five minutes away, although it's located in South Carolina – don't chase little white balls. These golfers take to the air. Like regular golfers, the players will hike around the 18-hole course carrying drivers and putters. But instead of clubs made of graphite, they use discs made of durable plastic. Scoring in disc golf is similar to regular or, as the players say, "ball" golf. Players get a certain number of strokes, or tosses, to hit the target – in disc golf, a basket. Eight CSUMB players will make the trip to North Augusta: club president Nick Mafei, team captains Danny McQuillian and James Lustenader, Greg Thomaschevski, Kenny Allison, AJ Wecker, Danny Messina and Tyler McBrian. Coach Merle Witvoet will not be able to accompany the team.
The sport is growing in the college ranks. The first national championship drew a field of six teams. The second year, 12 teams competed. Seventeen teams entered last year and 40 are expected this year.
The national team championship will be decided at the tourney, as well as singles and doubles titles. The top six individual finishers will earn "All American" honors.
"We beat the University of Oregon at the West Coast Open," said Lustenader, "and they placed eighth in last year's national championship. And last year's singles champion is rated a 930 on the Professional Disc Golf Association scale.
"Because multiple Otters have ratings higher than that, we feel we stand a good chance of bringing home a national title," Lustenader said.
To learn more about disc golf at CSUMB, visit the club online.
March 12, 2010
Census on Campus Frequently Asked Questions
CSU Monterey Bay has designated March 15-19 as Suicide Prevention and Awareness Week.
A variety of activities are planned, sponsored by the university's Personal Growth & Counseling Center, in collaboration with Student Housing & Residential Life.
The schedule includes:
Monday, March 15****** Information table 11 a.m.-1 p.m., in front of the Dining Commons (or inside, in case of rain)****Tuesday, March 16 Information table****11 a.m.-1 p.m., at the Library Café
Wednesday, March 17 Student discussion night with Suicide Prevention Service of the Central Coast, includes free food and items to be given away: "What Can We Do to Help?" 7-8:30 p.m., at the Black Box Cabaret****Thursday, March 18****Brown bag workshop for staff and faculty members, "The Three Rs of Helping Students in Emotional Distress: Recognizing, Responding and Referring." Noon-1 p.m., at the Personal Growth & Counseling CenterThe Yellow Ribbon Campaign will go on all week. All members of the campus community are asked to wear yellow ribbons, which symbolize help and support for those who may be struggling with feelings of depression and hopelessness. Ribbons are available at the Personal Growth & Counseling Center or at the events listed above.
For more information, contact the Personal Growth & Counseling Center at 582-3969.
To request disability-related accommodations, contact Gary Rodriguez at 582-4437 or grodriguez@csumb.edu.
Andrea Zeller-Nield has been named associate director of California State University, Monterey Bay's Small Business Development Center.
The center, located at 425 Belden St. in Gonzales, provides management and technical assistance to small businesses and entrepreneurs, helping to create and retain jobs in order to strengthen the local economy. It serves the area long the highways 101 and 25 corridor from Gilroy to King City.
Ms. Nield has more than 19 years of experience with the state of California in economic development, infrastructure development and environmental planning. That included a stint in San Luis Obispo, where she started and managed Mission Community Services Corp., host to Central California's first and only Women's Business Center funded by the Small Business Administration.
She also worked for the state's Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency (TTCA), where she served as the assistant state director for the California Small Business Development Center Lead Center. During her tenure with the TTCA, she also provided leadership in eight Southern California counties with strategic planning and implementation of programs for economic development and workforce transition.
Her background includes experience managing defense adjustment grants for military base reuse efforts at installations in Southern California, where she assisted individuals, businesses and communities with conversion from military to commercial markets.
Her experience in the private sector included a position as a pricing analyst at Honeywell, management responsibilities in her family's Global Van Lines agency in the San Gabriel Valley, and running her own dressmaking business.
Ms. Nield earned a bachelor's degree at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She holds a certificate in land use and environmental planning from the University of California, Riverside, and the National Development Council's Economic Development Finance Professional certification.
"We are very pleased to have Andrea take the helm of CSU Monterey Bay's Small Business Development Center," said Dr. Marylou Shockley, chair of the university's School of Business and the center's director. "She brings a wealth of experience and expertise in economic development, management and strategic planning."
The SBDCs are a partnership that includes Congress, the Small Business Administration, the private sector and the colleges, universities and state governments that manage them. CSU Monterey Bay's center comes under the auspices of the University of California Merced's SBDC regional network, a fully accredited and nationally recognized program.
March 11, 2010
CSU Monterey Bay has received a $2,000 grant to provide training in green building for one of its staff members. Director for Campus Planning and Development Kathleen Ventimiglia has been selected to attend the training sessions.
As part of the Advancing Green Building in Higher Education Program, Second Nature, a Boston-based nonprofit organization, awarded grants to 15 colleges and universities. The program's goal is to help budget-strapped schools build "green" on their campuses.
Ventimiglia (pictured at left) will choose from among workshops, webinars and online classes. She's interested in courses that deal with new construction built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards.
Second Nature is the lead support organization of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment. CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison signed the Presidents' Commitment in June 2007. As a result, the university will work toward climate neutrality, educate students about the issue and support research into ways to reverse climate change. The combination of climate neutrality, research and education is what makes the initiative unique. To read more about the Presidents' Climate Commitment at CSUMB, visit csumb.edu/green.
Jan. 18, 2010
CSUMB plays major role in Steinbeck Center exhibit
An exhibition at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas tells the story of a local watershed, and the story of California State University, Monterey Bay's community engagement.
"The Creeks of Salinas: The Gabilan Watershed Experience" runs from Feb. 5 through April 25 with several special events scheduled during that time.
Jennifer Colby, exhibit curator, community artist and lecturer in Liberal Studies at CSUMB, tells the story of how the watershed has been transformed as a result of 15 years of work done by the Return of the Natives (RON) at the university's Watershed Institute.
"This is a California story," Dr. Colby said. "The watershed has been home to the Mutsen Ohlone and waves of immigrants, some whose stories John Steinbeck told. Today's story is of hope in the center of a city brought by the restoration of the natural waterways – a community action made possible by CSUMB's vision of service learning and by many, many hands who cleaned, planted, and tended the heart of the Gabilan."
When CSUMB was founded, marine scientists realized the importance of watersheds to the health of the ocean – the water that flows into the Pacific from coastal streams has a major impact. RON was born to restore these creeks to health through restoration with native plants.
"We have focused the eyes of the community on the watershed. We have changed the perception. Now people realize that this watershed is something natural and not just a drainage ditch," said Laura Lee Lienk, co-director of the Watershed Institute.
The exhibition tells how this was done –from the planting of seeds in greenhouses by school children to the transformation of polluted and abandoned creeks to vibrant parks in the center of Salinas – through years of service learning and engaging the community in cleaning and planting.
Hundreds of CSUMB students and thousands of K-12 students have participated. Natividad Creek Park and Upper Carr Lake have been restored. Dreams for the future include an ambitious plan to restore the original Carr Lake wetland in the center of Salinas into a natural habitat and park.
To tell this story and the larger story of the Gabilan watershed, Dr. Colby was awarded a $10,000 California Stories Grant from the California Council for the Humanities. The grant was used to produce two community art projects: "My Place in the Watershed," an installation of maps and prints created by six Salinas and Castroville area schools, and "The River of Photos," a 24-inch by 200-foot montage of photos created with the Watershed Experience MMPublishing Team.
The community art projects highlight each section of this watershed and professional artists reflect on its past, present and future in their paintings, photography and sculpture.
An installation of a mini watershed includes a mural by local artist Jose Ortiz and youth group Hijos del Sol.
During the exhibition, the public is invited to receptions on the first Friday evening of each month, and a family Watershed Day on March 20, which features workshops in poetry, drama and hands-on art and science.
The exhibit closes with an Earth Day celebration April 25.
The Arts Council for Monterey County, the California Department of Education's Learn and Serve program and the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services provided additional funding.
IF YOU GO****What: "The Creeks of Salinas: The Gabilan Watershed Experience"
Where: National Steinbeck Center, 1 Main St., Salinas
When: Feb. 5-April 25, 2010
Information: www.steinbeck.org
March 9, 2010
Census on Campus Frequently Asked Questions
******A Boy, A Girl, and A Promise**
Many great love stories have been told throughout history – from Antony and Cleopatra to Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Everyone enjoys stories that end with some variation of ". . . and they lived happily ever after." On April 15 at 7:30 p.m., the World Theater at California State University, Monterey Bay will present a love story from the Kabuki theater, "The Legend of Morning Glory – A Boy, A Girl, and A Promise," written by master storyteller Brenda Wong Aoki.
The story dates to the early 1600s when Kabuki started in Japan. Aoki has created a monodrama, a play done by one actor, accompanied by a taiko drumming ensemble, dancers and live music. Her work synthesizes Japanese Noh and Kyogen theater, Commedia Dell'arte, modern dance and everyday experience.
"The Legend of Morning Glory" tells the story of the daughter of a powerful samurai, who meets and falls in love with a boy from a poor family. When the boy's love poem about the morning glory (a flower that blooms only for a few moments in the sun) blows into the girl's boat, she is determined to marry him, turning down the rich suitors her father has lined up for her. Finally she runs away, determined to marry the boy. Unaccustomed to the world outside her father's castle, she cries herself blind and makes a living as The Morning Glory, an itinerant storyteller famed for her tale of lost love. In the end, the two lovers meet one last time at a lonely inn on the banks of the Oi River.
"The story is about first love, the love everyone always remembers," Aoki said. "I heard this story from Pete Seeger when his wife, Toshi, invited me to perform with Pete and Arlo Guthrie when I was starting out as a young performer. At the time, Pete had tears in his eyes after he told the story. I didn't understand why he was so moved. I was too young. Today, many years later, I get it.
"In 2008, I was living in Japan and searching for a new story. I went to the Kabuki, the Noh and the Bunraku (puppet theater) but nothing moved me. I came home and I remembered Pete's story. This story comes from the Kabuki, but I wrote it from my own point of view," she said.
The performance features Aoki in the lead role; Asian jazz pioneer Mark Izu; taiko drumming by Maze Daiko; shakuhachi (traditional Japanese bamboo flutes) by Saxman Mas Koga; and dancers Kai Kane Aoki Izu and Emma Lanier. The performance is directed by Obie-award winner Jael Weisman, choreographed by Tony-nominated Kimi Okada, and has original music by Mark Izu and Janet Koike.
Aoki has performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., New Victory Theater on Broadway, Hong Kong Performing Arts Center, the Adelaide Festival in Australia, the Esplanade in Singapore, and at the Graz Festival in Austria.
Tickets range from $10 to $40 and can be purchased by calling the World Theater box office at (831) 582-4580 or online at csumb.edu/worldtheater. The World Theater offers a buy-one, get-one-free promotion for the first 100 tickets sold to this performance.
The Otter Bay Restaurant, located in the building adjacent to the theater, is offering a special pre-show menu for this performance.
The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue on the CSUMB campus. Driving directions and a campus map are available at CSUMB.edu/map.
May 21, 2010
*** Sylvia Panetta keynote speaker***
Sylvia Panetta will give the keynote address at California State University, Monterey Bay's 14th annual commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 22.
The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. at Freeman Stadium on Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard. CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison will confer degrees on approximately 890 students; another 200 will receive teaching credentials.
"We are delighted and honored that Sylvia Panetta has agreed to speak at Commencement, our university's most important event of the year," Dr. Harrison said. "She is widely respected, and rightfully so, for her outstanding record of leadership, her tireless dedication and her commitment to education."
Mrs. Panetta is chair of the Board of Directors and director of the Panetta Institue for Public Policy. The institute works to attract young people to lives of public service, helping them expand their knowledge of the policy process and develop their skills as future leaders. It sponsors Congressional internship and leadership programs for college students and coordinates the Monterey County Reads program.
From 1977 to 1993, she administered five district offices in the 16th Congressional District as a volunteer for her husband, Leon Panetta, who represented that area for 16 years. She directed each of his re-election campaigns from 1980 to 1992.
She actively supports the Sylvia Panetta Scholarship Fund at Monterey Peninsula College; is a past board member of the National Steinbeck Center and the Community Foundation for Monterey County; was the founding executive director of the Foundation to Support the Monterey Peninsula Unified school district; and has served as honorary chair for numerous Central Coast fundraising campaigns.
This year she received the Outstanding Community Service Award from her alma mater, St. Vincent de Paul High School in Petaluma, and the Monterey County Business Council's Economic Vitality Award for Education.
Mrs. Panetta earned a nursing degree from St. Joseph's College in San Francisco and studied humanities at Dominican College of Caifornia, Monterey Peninsula College and Sonoma state University. A native of San Francisco, she lives in Carmel Valley with her husband. They have three sons and five grandchildren.
Traffic is likely to be congested on Highway 1 in the vicinity of the campus before and after the ceremony.
For more information on commencement, visit the web at csumb.edu/grad.
March 5, 2010
CSU Monterey Bay has a regular program on public access TV.
The university's show airs at 5 p.m. on the second Monday of each month on Access Monterey Peninsula, part of the weekday "Your Town" series. This month's program is set for March 8.
Scott Faust, CSU Monterey Bay's executive director for strategic communications, is the host. Dr. Mayleen True, Dr. Mark O'Shea and Laura Lee Lienk will be the guests.
Dr. True will talk about the Master of Social Work program the university will offer starting in fall 2010. The program grew out of a need expressed by government agencies and nonprofit organizations in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties. Even before the website was functioning, Dr. True received dozens of inquiries about the program - a testament to the demand and the need for it.
Dr. O'Shea, a professor of education, will talk about the various teacher training programs the university offers. He'll also talk about his experience teaching a science class at San Benito High School for five weeks over the break between the fall and spring semesters. And he'll talk about a grant CSUMB and two other universities received last fall to improve the quality of teacher education.
"Research shows that teacher quality is the most important factor in improving student achievement," Dr. O'Shea said. "We need to improve the way we prepare teachers by examining methods introduced to medical education almost a century ago."
Before 1910, most medical schools trained physicians through lectures and classroom presentations. Educational reformer Abraham Flexner envisioned today's medical education system, grounded in clinical practice and apprenticeship. As a result of his influence, today's medical professor is affiliated with a teaching hospital, practicing medicine within that setting while also teaching. By contrast, education professors continue to teach in the classroom. Rarely do they demonstrate their own skills as K-12 teachers.
Ms. Lienk, co-director of the Watershed Institute, will talk about the exhibit currently on display at the National Steinbeck Center that highlights the work of the Watershed Institute's Return of the Natives project and the 15 years of restoration work done by the project and its volunteers.
AMP is available on channel 27 on the campus cable system. Off campus, it's on Comcast channel 24. The program can be heard on KNRY 1240 AM and is online at www.ampmedia.org. It is rebroadcast at midnight on AMP.
March 12, 2010
The Census comes to campus
When the U.S. Census Bureau rolls through college campuses once every decade, many students slip through the cracks.
This year, census and CSU Monterey Bay officials are taking steps to ensure that students get counted – and there's a lot riding on it.
The count helps ensure that the local community receives its fair share of government funding since census data directly affect how billions of dollars per year in federal funding are allocated to local and state governments. And it affects grant and loan programs for college fees.
But money isn't the only reason to be counted. Data about how our communities are changing are crucial to many planning decisions – in education, transportation, public safety, emergency preparedness and disaster recovery, neighborhood improvements and public health, among others. Census data also inform important research done by college faculty, students, librarians and community leaders.
Posters have gone up around campus, reminding students of the upcoming census. Around April 1, those living in what the Census Bureau calls "group quarters" will be counted. Census Bureau employees will visit the 11 residence halls, distributing individual questionnaires for students to complete and return.
Students who live in East Campus housing – as well as those who live in apartments or houses off campus – will receive a general form in the mail between March 15 and 17, just like their parents will receive at home. Roommates will have to fill it out together and should select the "roommates" and "college living" boxes. The forms should be mailed back in the envelope provided.
Census Bureau employees emphasize that it takes about 10 minutes to complete the form.
It's easy to shrug off the census as nothing more than the government taking attendance. But it's more than that: It's a means of improving our community. And what easier way to do so than by just answering "here"?
For more information, visit the Census Bureau at http://2010.census.gov/campus.
Questions and answers about the census
Here are some commonly asked questions regarding college students and the census, provided by the U.S. Census Bureau:
Q. Why should I fill out the census? A. The 2010 Census helps ensure that your academic community receives its fair share of political representation and government funding. Census data directly affect how billions of dollars per year in federal funding are allocated to local and state governments. Data about how our communities are changing are crucial to many planning decisions – in education, transportation, public safety, emergency preparedness and disaster recovery, neighborhood improvements, public health, and much more. Census data also inform important research done by college faculty, students, librarians, and community leaders. Your participation is vital to ensure a complete and accurate count for your community in 2010. And, think of it as a nice way to give back to a community you have called home during your time at CSUMB.Q:****Are my parents able to fill out the form for me? A: No, your parents are not allowed to fill out the form for you. The census is a snapshot of where people are living on April 1. So unless you live at home and commute to school, you must fill out your own census form.
Q:****What if I live on campus? ****A: For group living situations, such as university residence halls, you will receive a special form that will be distributed by Census Bureau employees. You fill it out yourself and don't have to collaborate with your roommates. Each roommate fills out a separate form.
Q: What if I live in East Campus housing or off campus in an apartment or house? ****A: If you live in East Campus or off campus, you will receive a general form, just like your parents will receive at home. You and your roommates will have to fill it out together and will select the "roommates" and "college living" boxes.
Q: What if I'm an international student?****A: Even if you are not a U.S. citizen, you are responsible for filling out the census if you are studying in America in spring 2010. If international students do not fill out the form, community services that they are able to access, such as libraries and hospitals, will lose funding.
Q. What kinds of questions will the census ask me?A. The 2010 Census will have one of the shortest census questionnaires in the history of the United States, dating back to the nation's first census in 1790. It asks only a few simple questions about each of the people living in your household, including name, age, date of birth, sex, race, Hispanic origin, relationship to others in the household, whether you sometimes live or stay somewhere else, and four questions about the household in general. The census form will take about 10 minutes to complete. The census does NOT ask for financial information or your Social Security number.
Q. Can I complete the census online?A. No, questionnaires are not available online. In September 2008, a Census Bureau data collection team completed a thorough analysis of implementing an Internet reporting option. From a technical perspective, they found using the Internet was feasible; however, without time to fully test the entire system, security concerns led the Census Bureau to decide not to offer the 2010 Census questionnaire online. However, the Census Bureau plans to introduce an Internet data collection option in the 2020 Census.
Q. Will the census share my information with anyone?****A. No. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share an individual's census questionnaire responses with anyone, including the FBI, welfare, immigration, other government agencies, or law enforcement entities. All Census Bureau employees have taken an oath to protect confidentiality and know that they are subject to a federal prison sentence of up to five years, a fine of up to $250,000, or both, for disclosing any information that could identify a respondent or household.
March 3, 2010
******The ethics of higher education . . . who pays?**
Funding for higher education will be the topic of the eighth annual ethics event sponsored by the School of Business and the Division of Humanities and Communication at California State University, Monterey Bay. The event will be held from 3 to 5 p.m., March 17, in the University Center ballroom. It's free and the public is invited.
The topic is timely given the recent demonstrations on college campuses regarding budget cuts for higher education in California.
Steve Boilard, higher-education chief in the non-partisan Legislative Analyst's Office, will be the guest speaker. Mr. Boilard, who holds a Ph.D. in political science from UC Santa Barbara, was in the news recently, responding to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal to shift state money from prisons to universities. The proposed constitutional amendment would place dangerous restrictions on a state budget already plagued by spending limits, Mr. Boilard said. Gov. Schwarzenegger raised the idea Jan. 6 in his State of the State address. The amendment would guarantee the California State University and University of California systems at least 10 percent of the state budget, gradually scaling back prison spending to reach that number. "We think the state needs flexibility every year to prioritize the areas with the highest needs," Mr. Boilard told the Sacramento Bee. "To say that not passing this would leave higher education vulnerable, well, passing it would leave other areas vulnerable." Rather than restricting state spending, he said, California should set college-enrollment limits and do a better job of planning for growth.
His 30-minute address will be followed by short presentations from a trio of CSU Monterey Bay faculty members - Brad Barbeau of the School of Business, Monica Bray of the Department of Health, Human Services and Public Policy, and Angie Tran of the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies.
Professor of philosophy John Berteaux will join Mr. Boilard and the three faculty members in fielding questions from the audience.
The ethics panel is held annually to raise awareness of ethical issues in business and social contexts. The objective is to help people understand how to respond to ethical challenges in ways that will contribute to their future success and well-being.
For a map of campus and driving directions, visit csumb.edu/map. For disability accommodations or more information on the panel, call 582-4232.
March 1, 2010
Film composer Alan Silvestri will present a lecture on March 12 at California State University, Monterey Bay.
Mr. Silvestri will address students in the university's music and film programs from 10 a.m. to noon in the Music Hall on Sixth Avenue. The public is invited.
He will talk about the process of scoring a film from musical ideas to final mix, explain how music serves the narrative, and discuss the importance of capturing the emotional pace of a film while interpreting and translating the director's vision.
In a career that has spanned 30 years, his melodic scores have won the applause of Hollywood and movie audiences all over the world.
He is best known for his scores for Romancing the Stone (1984), the Back to the Future trilogy (1985, 1989, 1990), Predator (1987), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), Predator 2 *(1990), *Death Becomes Her (1992), Forrest Gump (1994), Contact (1997), Cast Away (2000), The Polar Express (2004), Beowulf (2007) and A Christmas Carol (2009).
Silvestri has also composed music for television shows, including Starsky & Hutch, CHiPs, Manimal and HBO's Tales from the Crypt.
In 1995, he received the Richard Kirk Award from BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.) for outstanding career achievement and an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music in Boston. In 2002, he received the Henry Mancini Award from ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) for lifetime achievement.
The resident of Carmel Highlands has received two Academy Award nominations, one for Best Original Music Score for Forrest Gump and one for Best Original Song for "Believe" on The Polar Express soundtrack. He also earned two Golden Globe nominations: Best Score for Forrest Gump and Best Song for The Polar Express.
And he has received three Grammy Award nominations, winning one award – Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media, for "Believe." His other two nominations were for Best Soundtrack Album (for Back to the Future and Who Framed Roger Rabbit).
Whether composing orchestral action or tender melodies, his work is identifiable by its keen sense of melody and theme.
Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map. For more information, call Nicole Mendoza at 582-3009.
Veronica Gonzalez works with young people in her position with Monterey County's Division of Behavioral Health, helping them transition into adulthood. She's enthusiastic about her job, and she's eager to advance in her career. To do that, she needs a master's degree in social work. Until now, she would have to leave the area to accomplish that. With a full-time job and an eight-month-old baby, "I didn't want to waste time commuting to a school outside of my community," Gonzalez said.
Starting this fall, she won't have to leave the area.
Until July 10, CSU Monterey Bay will accept applications for its new Master of Social Work program that will start in August. The plan calls for 50 students to be accepted into the first class.
"The MSW program is an excellent example of the university collaborating with community partners in order to meet critical workforce needs," said CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison. "My own background is in social work so I am especially pleased that CSUMB will play an important educational role in preparing future professionals who will be equipped to address significant social issues in our region."
There has long been a need for people with MSW degrees in the region. Before the university even opened its doors in 1995, discussions had been held about establishing a social work program. A variety of issues intervened.
With the passage of Proposition 63 in 2004, funding became available. The Mental Health Services Act added a 1 percent tax on personal incomes over $1 million. The money is funneled to county mental health programs; some of it is earmarked for workforce development. Monterey County's Behavioral Health Division has used some of that money to support the development of the university's MSW program.
"Once people leave the area for education, they often don't come back," said Dr. Mayleen True, director of the new program (pictured at left). "And because of the cost of living here, it's been hard for local agencies to recruit MSWs.
"The solution is to grow our own."
In her position as executive vice president of the Kinship Center, Carol Bishop has first-hand experience with the situation Dr. True described.
"For years we have hired wonderful young staff who have had to leave us to go out of the area in order to continue their education, and we lose this talent," Ms. Bishop said.
"We all want to provide the very best quality services to our communities, and this new MSW program will allow us to do so with graduates who understand this community, because it is their community."
The program has grown out of a strong university-community partnership with a variety of agencies and organizations involved in the planning process, helping to develop the curriculum and the resources needed to implement it. Among the community partners are Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, and nonprofit organizations including the Kinship Center, Interim, Inc., Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Dominican Hospital of Santa Cruz and the local Veterans Administration clinic.
"Licensed, bilingual, home-grown social workers are severely needed in this community, whether to address the trauma of gang violence, treat the post-traumatic stress disorder of our veterans, provide counseling to those with emotional problems that often accompany chronic health conditions, or increase the number of trained counselors in our schools," said Dr. Wayne Clark, Monterey County Behavioral Health director.
"The community expressed their support, leaders rolled up their sleeves, and the vision of a local graduate social work program is at hand. As a community, we can be proud of this accomplishment," Dr. Clark said.
Since people currently employed with local government agencies and nonprofits are the likely students, classes will be offered in the evenings. The three-year program will allow students to concentrate in Behavioral Health or Children, Youth and Families. Students must also complete an internship of 1,000 hours total, 250 hours per semester starting in the second year.
While working adults are the primary candidates, recent college graduates are also encouraged to apply. Financial aid will be available.
For some people, the program can't start soon enough.
"I have waited six years for this program to start here in the Monterey Bay area. It feels great to say that I grew up here, received my education here and work here, all in my community," Gonzalez said.
For more information, call Dr. True at 582-4216 or visit the MSW web site.
March 1, 2010
The annual Take Back the Night speak-out and march to protest sexual violence will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, March 5, at CSU Monterey Bay.
The event serves as a safe place for survivors of sexual violence to share their experiences, often for the first time.
The evening will start at 6 p.m. when people will gather in the Student Center on the campus quad to hear guest speakers and participate in a self-defense workshop. At 7, candles will be lit and the group will march through campus to symbolically reclaim the safety of the night and raise awareness about the issue.
The march will end on the quad with a moment of silence to pay respect to the victims and survivors of sexual violence.
The event is sponsored by Theta Alpha Sigma sorority.
Take Back the Night began in 1973 in Germany, where women walked the streets by candlelight to create community awareness of violence toward women. TBTN crossed the Atlantic in1978 and was used as a theme for a national protest march at the first feminist conference on pornography in San Francisco. It has been a staple of American campus feminism since then. The event works to empower women and serves as a collective voice to demand an end to the violence.
Feb. 25, 2010
California State University, Monterey Bay has been named to the 2009 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction.
Launched in 2006, the Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement. Honorees were chosen based on a series of selection factors including scope and innovation of service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service, and the extent to which the school offers academic service-learning courses.
CSUMB is the only school in California and one of only five in the country that requires students to take Service Learning courses. Requirements include a lower division general education class and an upper division course in each major.
Last year, more than 1,700 CSUMB students contributed 58,000 hours of service to more than 400 community organizations in Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties. That equals an investment of $1.1 million in local schools and nonprofits.
An outstanding example of a collaborative community-university service project is the Chinatown Renewal Project in Salinas. It focuses on creating a safe, welcoming and revitalized neighborhood that embraces its cultural history.
CSU Monterey Bay students from eight disciplines – humanities; business; environmental science, technology and policy; health and wellness; information technology; teledramatic arts and technology; visual and public art and service learning – provided more than 3,800 hours of service with a variety of community partners associated with the project during the 2008-09 academic year.
Other Service Learning students worked as technology tutors. Still others worked on environmental justice projects. Some did community-based watershed restoration.
Six schools received Presidential Awards. In addition, 115 were named to the Distinction List and 621 schools were named to the Honor Roll. In total, 742 schools were recognized. A full list is available at www.nationalservice.gov/honorroll.
The Honor Roll is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, in collaboration with the departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact and the American Council on Education.
"Congratulations to CSU Monterey Bay and its students for their dedication to service and commitment to improving their local communities," said Patrick Corvington, CEO of the corporation.
"Our nation's students are a critical part of the equation and vital to our efforts to tackle the most persistent challenges we face. They have achieved impactful results and demonstrated the value of putting knowledge into practice to help renew America through service," Mr. Corvington said.
Recent studies have underlined the importance of service learning and volunteering to college students. In 2009, 3.16 million college students gave more than 300 million hours of volunteer service, according to the Volunteering in America study released by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Each year, the corporation invests more than $150 million in fostering a culture of service on college campuses through grants awarded by its programs; the education awards that AmeriCorps members receive at the conclusion of their term of service to pay for college; and through support of training, research, recognition and other initiatives to spur college service.
The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. It administers Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America, a program that supports service learning in schools, institutions of higher education and community-based organizations. For more information, go to www.nationalservice.gov.
Feb. 22, 2010
*Smoothies pedaled at event are just tip of iceberg*
CSU Monterey Bay will hold a teach-in on Feb. 25, designed to move the debate on climate change from talk to action. This year's event looks at issues and solutions of local relevance in addressing the issue.
Activities are scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the University Center on Sixth Avenue. All are free and open to the public. Visitors may stay for the whole program, or attend only those presentations that interest them. For a complete schedule, click here. Displays will also be set up, and a complimentary lunch will be available. Parking is free.
A range of topics will be presented by faculty, staff and community members between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., highlighted by former Assemblyman John Laird speaking on "Green Jobs as Part of the Economic Recovery." Virginia Johnson of Ecology Action and Kelly O'Brien of KUSP's Life in the Fastlane are also scheduled for the morning portion of the program.
Jim Fowler will be on hand throughout the day to demonstrate his "fender blender," a bicycle-powered blender he uses to make fruit smoothies. An attachment clips to the back of a bike, and when the rear wheel turns, it spins the blender mechanism – a creative way to conserve energy.
A series of panel discussions will be held from 1 to 1:45 p.m. Most will be repeated from 2:15 to 3 p.m., allowing participants to attend two panels. They include:
• Greening CSUMB's Food Cycle: Ideas and Input****(presented at 1 and 2:15 p.m.) Tim Miller, Sodexo; Uriah Paiva, Sodexo; Tony Serrano, ALBA; Leslie Dodds, CSUMB Garden Club; facilitated by Rebecca Kersnar
• Alternative Vehicles and Fuels: A Window into the Industries****(presented at 1 and 2:15 p.m.) Charles Fishel, Abundant Biofuels; Dr. Allen Fuhs, Professor Emeritus, NPS; Lee Colin, Green Vehicles; Jason Burnett; Randy Deshazo, AMBAG; facilitated by Chris Sentieri
• Green Jobs: Education and Opportunity****(presented at 1 and 2:15 p.m.) Jo Fleming, Santa Cruz; Gary Merrill, Green Careers Partnership; Thomas Rettenwender, MPC; Deidre Sullivan, MATE/MPC; Dr. Kevin Raskoff, MPC; Dr. Bradley Barbeau, CSUMB; facilitated by Dr. Marylou Shockley, chair of CSUMB's School of Business
•****Improving Campus Culture with Bike Boulevards: Interactive Survey and Workshop****(presented at 1 and 2:15 p.m.) University Police Department; Linda Meckel, AMBAG; Transportation Agency of Monterey County; facilitated by Megan Tolbert, CSUMB transportation planner
• Zero Campus Carbon: Realizing the President's Campus Climate Commitment****(presented at 2:15 p.m.) Dan Fernandez, CSUMB; James Barsimantov, UCSC; Deborah Lindsay, Pacific Grove city council member and green community relations specialist; John Doughty, AMBAG; facilitated by Monica Galligan
This is the third year CSUMB has presented an event to address issues related to climate change. The first two were held in conjunction with Focus the Nation, an effort that saw more than a thousand colleges and universities across the country examine the issue on the same day.
Feb. 16, 2010
Have a question about financial aid? Here's an opportunity to get it answered.
On Wednesday afternoon, local television station KION-46 will assemble a panel of financial aid experts from local schools, including two from CSU Monterey Bay, to take questions from viewers.
The panel members will answer questions called into the station between 5 and 6:30 p.m. The answers won't be broadcast; each caller will have a personal conversation directly with a financial aid adviser. The phone number will be displayed on the TV screen during the newscast.
KION is located on channel 5 on Comcast as well as the CSUMB cable system.
California State University, Monterey Bay has received a grant from the Monterey Peninsula Foundation to support the Imagine College Summer Scholar Institute.
The $380,000 grant will help Imagine College toward its goal of encouraging high school students to think that college is a realistic possibility and help them pay for it.
Students from Seaside, Monterey and Marina high schools who have completed the ninth or 10th grade are invited to participate. Each student enrolls for a five-day session and can choose one of three courses to pursue during the week. Technology, environment or arts-related classes are offered.
CSU Monterey Bay faculty members teach the courses; students and alumni serve as teaching assistants or mentors.
While Imagine College will hold its third session this summer, it's been held in Houston and in Nashville, Tenn., for years.
The cornerstone of the program is the guarantee of a $4,000 scholarship to any student who graduates from Seaside High with a 2.5-grade-point average, attends two weeks of Imagine College summer sessions and gets accepted to a college or university.
CSUMB, the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District and UC Santa Cruz Educational Partnership
Center jointly sponsor the institute.
The Monterey Peninsula Foundation is committed to funding organizations and programs that demonstrate the greatest positive effect. The Foundation is guided in grant making by specific areas of interest that include: youth, education, health, human services, arts, community and environmental programs. It disburses funds generated by hosting the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and The First Tee Open at Pebble Beach.
To read more about Imagine College, click here and here.
Feb. 10, 2010
President Harrison accepts plaque for University Promise program
The Salinas City Council gave President Dianne Harrison a plaque of commendation Tuesday in appreciation for CSU Monterey Bay's University Promise program of outreach to Salinas sixth-graders.
Since last spring, about 2,000 students from the Alisal Union and Salinas City school districts have visited campus for a presentation that conveys the promise that they can attend CSUMB if they stay in school and meet basic requirements. The visits end with a campus tour.
"Giving young people hope in this community is not a small thing," Mayor Dennis Donohue said.
Accepting the plaque, Dr. Harrison said many people deserve credit for the ongoing University Promise program and CSU Monterey Bay's other community outreach efforts.
"Nothing gets done at a university without the help and work of many people," she said. "So, on behalf of all our faculty, staff and students, I thank you."
Dr. Harrison (pictured above) also briefed the council and audience at Salinas City Hall on the many strong connections between the university and the community, which is home to about 10 percent of CSUMB students.
Feb. 8, 2010
CSU Monterey Bay has a regular program on public access TV.
The university's show airs at 5 p.m. on the second Monday of each month on Access Monterey Peninsula, part of the weekday "Your Town" series. This month's program is set for Feb. 8.
Scott Faust, CSU Monterey Bay's executive director for strategic communications, is the host. President Dianne Harrison; Renee Curry, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Science; and Kate Lockwood, professor of computer science, will be this month's guests.
President Harrison will talk about the budget situation, enrollment and what new programs are looming on the horizon. Dean Curry will talk about the President's Speaker Series and its next lecturer, Junot Diaz, who will visit campus Wednesday night. The new computer science major, the upcoming Monterey Bay Information Technology Summit for high school students and embrace, the Monterey Bay Regional Academy for Computing Education, will be Professor Lockwood's topics.
AMP is available on channel 27 on the campus cable system. Off campus, it's on Comcast channel 24. The program can be heard on KNRY 1240 AM and is online at www.ampmedia.org. It is rebroadcast at midnight on AMP.
Feb. 5, 2010
Performer's act is magical entertainment
Andy Gross has been described as a Renaissance man. During his one-man performances, he might throw his voice, perform a magic trick, and then bend a spoon with his mind. He may do a little stand-up comedy, and then haul out his ventriloquist's dummy. He brings all of these talents to California State University, Monterey Bay's World Theater at 7:30 p.m. on March 4 in "Mind Boggling: The Show."
The performance blends comedy, magic, illusion, theater and ventriloquism together to create an evening of entertainment suitable for the whole family.
Andy's show will be the first of its kind in the World Theater Performing Arts Series.
"We have looked at both comedy and magic in the past, but either the scheduling didn't work or the shows were not quite the right fit," said Joe Cardinalli, World Theater director.
"Andy's show is uniquely entertaining and combines the best onstage craft of humor and spectacle. His show is inspired by decades of tradition from vaudeville-style shows, but his delivery is completely contemporary. It's the kind of show that everyone can enjoy, regardless of age or experience," Cardinalli said.
Andy has been performing since he was 8 years old. He has appeared on network and cable TV - in Beverly Hills 90210, the Jenny Jones Comedy Headline Special and Just the Ten of Us - is a frequent performer in Las Vegas and at comedy clubs and has entertained at corporate events, including Fortune 500 companies such as Enterprise, IBM and Microsoft.
He often works as a technical consultant on magic, ventriloquism and the paranormal for television shows and movies. Pieces from his large collection of ventriloquist dummies are used as props for TV shows, stage productions and films.
" 'Mindboggling: The Show' provides an affordable opportunity for friends and family to come together, enjoy quality entertainment, and leave the outside world behind for a little while," Cardinalli said.
Tickets range from $10 to $40. Special offer: buy-one, get-one-free. Tickets may be purchased by calling the World Theater box office at (831) 582-4580 or online at csumb.edu/worldtheater.
The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue on the CSUMB campus. Driving directions and a campus map are available at CSUMB.edu/map.
A 10-week competition got under way Jan. 17 aimed at encouraging students to recycle.
Part of a nationwide event called RecycleMania, the program pits the eight residence halls on the main campus against each other to see which one recycles the most. A separate competition involves the three buildings in the North Quad complex."I think we can look forward to being seen as a green campus," Environmental Senator Duane Lindsay said. "It will probably take a few years for students to get in the habit of recycling, but making students aware of the importance of it will help further efforts" toward a green campus.
Students can participate by using the small blue bins that were delivered to each dorm room last fall, and then emptying the bins in their building's blue dumpster. The amount - measured in pounds - of recycled materials will be weighed weekly; the buildings with the most recycled material will receive a trophy and recognition from the student environmental group.
This year, CSUMB is entered in the noncompetitive "benchmark" division of RecycleMania. The information gathered will be used to establish a baseline, which will give the university the opportunity to compete next year. Recycling is one of the ways the university is working toward reducing its carbon footprint in accordance with the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment. President Dianne Harrison signed the commitment in June 2007. Began in 2001, RecycleMania has seen the number of participating schools increase yearly. More than 607 campuses across the country are competing this year. Last year, CSU San Marcos won the national title for the fifth time, beating out 450 other schools. CSU Chico was second best in the state last year and seventh in the nation. The competition ends March 27; results will be published in April at news/students-work-make-university-green.org.
*Annual event at CSUMB raises money for student scholarships*
KSBW-TV meteorologist Jim Vanderzwaan will help auction off dozens of items – including tickets to the Panetta Lecture Series and next year's AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am – at the 12th annual Have a Heart for Students dinner and auction at California State University, Monterey Bay on March 13.
Thegoal is to raise $110,000 for student scholarships, a need that is more urgent than ever because of the financial crunch many families are experiencing.
Dozens of faculty and staff volunteers take on the roles of waiters and wine stewards, all in an effort to raise money to help the 65 percent of CSUMB students who receive some form of financial aid.
This year's planning committee is co-chaired by Leslie Taylor and Shahin Anable. "Efforts like this are really community events," Anable said. "They're about our future – wherever we live."
The theme is "Home, Sweet Home" and features a menu inspired by the Salinas Valley and the Monterey Bay. Live and silent auctions will highlight the event, which will be held in the University Center ballroom and begin with the silent auction and mixer at 5 p.m. Dinner will start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $85 per person and can be reserved by calling 582-4141. For more event information, click here. For driving directions and a campus map, visit csumb.edu/map.
Faculty, staff and alumni volunteers are also needed to help with the serving. To volunteer, call Christina Bailey at 582-3017.
And stay tuned for more exciting auction items. The committee is working on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Hollywood set for the TV series "CSI." WHAT: Have a Heart for Students Dinner and AuctionWHEN: 5 p.m., Saturday, March 13WHERE: University Center on Sixth Avenue, CSUMB campusCOST: $85 per person. Reservations: 582-4141 or online
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Feb. 2, 2010
Spanish-speaking families invited to Feb. 13 event
California State University, Monterey Bay invites the Spanish-speaking parents of incoming and prospective students to Dia de Los Padres, a reception and information session to be held Saturday, Feb. 13 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club in Salinas. This event is co-hosted by Monterey County Office of Education, Migrant Education, Region XVI.
The event is aimed at parents of students who have been admitted to CSU Monterey Bay for the fall of 2010 from Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, as well as parents of high school students who are interested in learning more about the university.
The event will be held at the Boys and Girls Club, 85 Maryal Dr. Continental breakfast will be available from 8 to 9:30 a.m.; lunch will be served afterward.
Staff members of the university's recruitment, admissions, outreach and support programs, housing and financial aid offices as well as several faculty members will be on hand to make presentations and answer questions in Spanish. Staff members from the MCOE's Migrant Education Office will also be on hand.
During the event, MCOE will provide activities for younger children.
More information is available from CSUMB Admissions Counselor Maria Ceja at 582-3738, or from MCOE Director of Migrant Education Rosa Coronado at 755-6403.
"This event is about building a bridge with the Spanish-speaking community" said David Linnevers, CSUMB's director of admissions and recruitment. "We are excited to be back in Salinas and to continue our close partnership with Migrant Education (Region 16) and our newest Dia de los Padres partner, the Boys and Girls Club."
Jan. 27, 2010
Throughout much of the university's history, CSU Monterey Bay's Black Box Cabaret has been a creative home for students and community members, showcasing their visual, theatrical and musical talents. It first opened in 1996, when business students, faculty and staff took a 1940s-era military building, originally intended for temporary use, and created the BBC. In 2000, the BBC was shut down because it did not comply with ADA and other building code regulations. When they learned there was no plan to reopen the facility, students took it upon themselves to save the building. They took their cause to the student union ballot box. With 90 percent approval, students voted a $40-per-year increase in student fees to fund needed modifications to the building – totaling over $1 million. Summer 2001 saw the beginning of construction and by February 2002, the Black Box Cabaret reopened. The good news: In fall 2009, the BBC's debt was finally paid off through the student fee assessments. The facility is now under the full control of the Otter Student Union. More good news: After being closed last year, the BBC reopened with a gala kickoff weekend Jan. 28-30.
The Otter Student Union, working with Associated Students and Student Activities, plans to schedule regular events in the facility. Among them is a Feb. 24 event celebrating Black History Month. Joe Rogers will appear with his "Dream Alive" presentation, inspired by the Rev. Martin Luther King. The talk will be free and open to the public. For more information about the Black Box Cabaret, go to csumb.edu/bbc.
CSUMB administrators will join other California State University officials in bringing the college message to thousands of church members during the fifth annual CSU Super Sunday, a program to connect with and inform African American students and their families about what it takes to get into college.
Now in its fifth year, Super Sunday, which began with 24 churches, has expanded to include more than 90 churches throughout the state and has led to the development of companion college fair events called Super Saturday.
On three consecutive Sundays each February, CSU leaders including the chancellor, trustees, presidents and others speak at various churches across the state to share with students, parents and community mentors information about preparing for college, applying to the CSU's 23 campuses, and obtaining financial aid.
CSUMB President Dianne Harrison and Provost Kathy Cruz-Uribe will speak during church services on Feb. 21 at the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church and Greater Victory Temple Church, both located in Seaside.
"At Super Sunday, thousands of students and their families learn that planning for college starts in the sixth grade. We hope to make communities aware of the steps that students need to complete each year to get to college," CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed said.
"We are pleased to say that these efforts are paying off. Since Super Sunday began, the CSU has seen steady increases in African-American undergraduate enrollment."
The event is part of the CSU African American initiative which started in 2005 when Chancellor Reed and Bishop Charles E. Blake convened community, civic, business and education leaders together to develop new ways to educate K-12th students, parents and families about the value of a college degree to ensure a stable future.
A central theme of Super Sunday messages is a call to begin planning for college admission as early as middle school and to enroll in challenging classes that prepare students for college.
Following the services, CSU outreach staff and church education counselors will provide information about college applications and financial aid. Students will also be introduced to CSU Mentor, the website that prospective students use to find information and apply to a CSU campus. Participants will also receive the "How to Get to College" poster, which provides middle and high school students and their parents with step-by-step information on planning for college.
For more information, visit www.calstate.edu/supersunday.
Jan. 26, 2010
Christine Erickson joins staff March 29
Christine Erickson will join the staff at California State University, Montrey Bay as Dean of Students. Her first day will be March 29.
She will oversee student housing and residential life, judicial affairs, student activities and leadership development, and the Student Center. She will also be involved in crisis planning and coordinating.
Ms. Erickson comes to CSU Monterey Bay from CSU San Bernardino, where she has served in a variety of increasingly responsible positions, including judicial and student affairs management officer, associate vice president for student life, director of student leadership and development, lecturer and associate director of services to students with disabilities.
She brings two decades of experience in student affairs and management and has a proven track record in budgeting, strategic planning, student development and personnel management.
She earned bachelor's degrees in psychology and human services and a master of arts in education, all from CSUSB. She expects to receive an executive doctorate in higher education management in May from the University of Pennsylvania.
"Her experience in all aspects of student affairs is an excellent fit with the needs of CSU Monterey Bay. I am excited that she has agreed to join our Student Affairs team," said Patricia Cardenas-Adame, the university's vice president for student affairs.
Christopher Marcos is proving that students in the Teledramatic Arts and Technology program at CSU Monterey Bay can excel on both sides of the camera.
Marcos is currently starring in Pacific Repertory Theatre's production of the Broadway musical, "All Shook Up," the first offering of the theater's School of Dramatic Arts.
"All Shook Up" is set in 1955. Marcos plays the lead role of Chad, a hip-swiveling, guitar-playing stranger who comes to town and falls in love with a local girl who dreams of leaving her sleepy town for the more exciting life of the big city.
The story is inspired by Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" and is based around the songs of Elvis Presley.
"One of the fun things about this production is that, instead of having the Elvis-inspired music as a background score, each of the 25 tunes actually advances the plot," director Stephen Moorer told the Monterey Herald.
Marcos is learning about Elvis and his music.
"I knew most of his music, but it wasn't on my iPod," he told the Herald. "I never imagined myself playing Elvis or singing Elvis songs – but the play has opened my eyes. I'm definitely an Elvis fan now. There are a lot of songs I'd never heard of before and I've started loving them."
Marcos is the leader of a local hip-hop dance crew called the Infamous Night Rockers, who compete in dance tournaments throughout California. He says it's not a big leap from Elvis to hip-hop.
"It's not far from what I do – it's a lot of hip stuff," he says of his dancing in the production. He even choreographed dances to "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Don't Be Cruel."
"Chris is an up-and-coming talent," said Moorer said. "He's charismatic and real and he sings and dances like crazy."
Marcos appeared in several other PacRep productions, including "High School Musical" and "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," but this is his biggest role.
The play will be presented on weekends through Feb. 14 at the Golden Bough Theatre, located on Monte Verde between Eighth and Ninth avenues in Carmel. For tickets or more information, call 622-0100 or go online at www.pacrep.org.
Jan. 25, 2010
KAZU 90.3 FM will provide live coverage of President Obama's State of the Union message beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Coverage will include the President's address plus the Republican response.
The address will also be streamed live on the station's website at KAZU.org and on iTunes.
KAZU, NPR for the Monterey Bay area, is a community service of California State University, Monterey Bay.
Jan. 22, 2010
The advice is straightforward – take Martin Luther King Jr.'s teachings and make them relevant to your life.
That's the message Joe Rogers will bring to his audience during his "Dream Alive" presentation at 7 p.m., Feb. 24 at California State University, Monterey Bay. The talk will be held in the Black Box Cabaret, located behind the Campus Health Center on Inter-Garrison Road and Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard. The event is free and open to the public.
Rogers, a former lieutenant governor of Colorado and a practicing attorney in that state, has told interviewers that he gives these presentations to take Dr. King's message out of the history books and make it relevant to people's pursuit of their dreams and values.
" ‘Dream Alive' is the story of America – past, present and future – told through the life, memory and legacy of Dr. King," Rogers has said. "My commentary gives people an explanation of how we as a nation worked through the issues of slavery and segregation.
"It's not only about race, it's also about economics, education and leadership," Rogers told a reporter at a recent appearance at Ohio University.
During his presentation, he will deliver portions of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" and "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speeches in a voice that has been described as sounding uncannily like the slain civil rights leader's own. It's a unique blend of history, storytelling, theater and motivational speaking.
Rogers earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Colorado State University and a law degree from Arizona State.
While serving as Colorado's lieutenant governor, he led efforts to improve the lives of the state's children and the quality of its schools and worked to enhance job and economic opportunities within the state. Since leaving office, he has served on the seven-memver blue ribbon National Commission on the Voting Rights Act.
Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map.
Black History Month events are produced by the Associated Students' Cultural Enrichment Committee. For more information, contact Associated Students adviser Ajamu Lamumba at 582-3698.
Of all the parts of a woman's body, none is quite as shrouded in mystery as the vagina.
The very word is rarely spoken aloud; it is confined to hushed tones and furtive glances, a word to be vaguely embarrassed by. This will not be the case at the World Theater Feb. 4, 5 and 6, though, where that most private part finds itself thrust into the spotlight in "The Vagina Monologues."
The play has received rave reviews in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. Written by Eve Ensler, the "Vagina Monologues" tells the stories of a variety of women, their connections with each other and with the world. CSUMB's production is student-run, student-directed and features student actors.
The funny, serious and enlightening play explores new and interesting viewpoints for both men and women.
The play's staging at CSUMB is part of this year's V-Day campaign. V-Day's mission: to celebrate women and girls and to stop the sexual violence being perpetrated against them all over the world. V-Day has raised millions of dollars since it started 11 years ago and has been named one of Worth Magazine's "100 Best Charities."
V-Day has grown exponentially, from an underground feminist event to a mainstream media one. Benefit performances are scheduled around the world in connection with Valentine's Day. The CSUMB production is put on by EMPOWER, a student organization that educates the community about ending violence against women. EMPOWER will donate a portion of the proceeds to local organizations working to do just that.
This year's production will feature new monologues. Parents, please note the mature content and adult themes of the play.
Tickets may be purchased at the box office, ordered by calling 582-4580, or online at csumb.edu/worldtheater.
For more information or disability-related accommodations, contact svejvoda@csumb.edu.
Event: Vagina MonologuesWhere: World Theater on Sixth AvenueWhen: Feb. 4, 5, 6, all performances at 8 p.m. Tickets: $15 general admission; $7 students with ID and seniors; available by calling the box office at 582-4580Parking: FreeInformation: svejvoda@csumb.eduDriving directions/campus map: Available at csumb.edu/map
Jan. 20, 2010
California State University, Monterey Bay, in collaboration with other schools in the region, is doing its best to create the next generation of computer science and information technology professionals.
As many as 100 high school students from Monterey and Santa Cruz counties will get a taste of the subject on Feb. 12 when they visit the university for the first Monterey Bay Information Technology Summit (MBITS).
"We're calling it the 'Monterey Bay' summit," said Professor Sathya Narayanan, director of the undergraduate computer science program at the university, "because it's a regional event."
The School of School of Computing and Design and the Monterey Bay Regional Academy for Computing Education (mbrace), a grant-funded project based at the university, are sponsoring the event.
The day is designed to expose students to careers in computing, and to raise awareness of the new undergraduate computer science degree at CSU Monterey Bay and the existing computing-related degree programs at Hartnell, Monterey Peninsula and Cabrillo colleges. It will also serve to educate teachers and counselors about the growing opportunities in the field.
The region's abundance of higher education and research institutions, government agencies and military installations means there are jobs for computer scientists in the local area. "We want to help prepare students for those jobs," said Joe Welch, computer science instructor at Hartnell College.
And the national picture is just as rosy. Government projections show that more than 1.5 million high-end computing jobs will be created in the economy by 2016, making it one of the fastest growing occupational fields. For example, computer software engineering jobs are expected to grow 45 percent over the next five years.
"A lot of students have no idea of what is means to be a computer scientist," said Dr. Kate Lockwood, assistant professor in ITCD. "And it's a valuable opportunity for teachers and counselors to see what the field is about, and what the university offers, so they can advise students."
The day will start at 9:30 with students working in several computer labs. They will get hands-on experience using animation software, seafloor mapping software, computer network emulation software and several other activities led by computer professionals from Yahoo, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) and Scalable Networks. The idea is to get the students excited about the field and inspire them to think about it for a career.
At 11 a.m., Dr. Peter Norvig, director of research at Google, will present the keynote address. Dr. Norvig (pictured at left) is the author of more than 50 publications in various areas of computer science. Before moving to Google, he worked at NASA Ames Research Center, where he oversaw a staff of 200 scientists. The presentation will be held in the University Center on Sixth Avenue and is open to the public.
At 12:30 p.m., the high school students will have lunch and question a panel of college students - from CSUMB, the local community colleges and the Naval Postgraduate School - about college life and pursuing a degree in computer science.
The summit is just one of the ways CSUMB is trying to interest students in computer science. In December, the university hosted an event to commemorate National Computer Science Education Week. And it recently secured a grant to provide generous scholarships to students pursuing a degree in the field.
Another example is mbrace. Funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, mbrace aims to attract a diverse group of students into computing to meet the growing demand for computing talent in our society.
"The goal is to strengthen the pathway from high school to community college to CSUMB to the workplace," said Leslie Kern, mbrace program coordinator.
Mbrace is a collaborative effort among the university and Monterey Peninsula, Hartnell and Cabrillo colleges. It will provide mentoring as well as paid internships starting in the summer of 2010 in computer-related fields. Students at all four schools are eligible to apply.
"We're trying to grow a community around computer science," Kern said.
For more information on MBITS 2010 or the services provided by mbrace, e-mail mbrace@csumb.edu.
Jan. 12, 2010
Camacho one of just three Californians picked for USDA conference
Joey Camacho knows about agriculture from the ground up. Now, he's about to see it from the top down.
The CSU Monterey Bay business major, who is concentrating in agribusiness management, is preparing to attend a high-level conference Feb. 18 and 19 outside the nation's capital.
Camacho (pictured at left) is getting his chance courtesy of the United States Department of Agriculture. He is among 22 students nationwide – three from California – selected to attend the department's 2010 Agricultural Outlook Forum.
As part of the conference's student diversity program, the Agriculture Department and agribusiness sponsors will pay for his airfare, meals, hotel expenses and conference registration fee.
The Salinas resident grew up near lettuce fields in the north part of the city. His grandparents worked in the strawberry fields; his brother and sister-in-law work in the produce industry. But agriculture wasn't his first career choice.
He was working at HSBC in Salinas but in August 2009 his position was eliminated, forcing him to consider other career paths. Dr. Marylou Shockley, head of the School of Business and one of his professors, suggested he investigate opportunities with the USDA. When Dr. Brad Barbeau passed along information about the forum, he quickly completed the application and required essay.
"Joey is one of our outstanding students in the agribusiness program," Dr. Barbeau said. "He's the student coordinator for the agribusiness concentration, helping to create a social network among our agribusiness students."
Networking is, at least in part, what the Agricultural Outlook Forum is about. The forum will provide opportunities to learn about the industry, and to do some career networking.
"It gives the students some exposure to a wide range of opportunities," said Brenda Chapin, forum coordinator for the USDA.
The department bills the annual conference as its biggest event of the year. This year's theme is Sustainable Agriculture: The Key to Health and Prosperity. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will deliver the keynote address. The program includes panel discussions and presentations by experts inside and outside of government.
This year's topic fits in nicely with Camacho's interests.
"I'm interested in agribusiness because of its importance to environmental sustainability," he said. "I'm attending the conference to learn more about what the USDA is doing to 'go green.' The environment is changing and everyone needs to do their part to help."
Camacho, 25, isn't sure what he'll do after he graduates from CSUMB. Law school is a possibility, so is a career with the USDA.
The Agricultural Outlook Forum is in its eighth decade, but 2010 marks only the fourth year for the student program. Student selections were based on recommendations and essays on the topic "Agriculture as a Career." The competition was open to juniors and seniors majoring in agricultural-related fields at land-grant and Hispanic-serving institutions.
"Some students have told us that this conference was the highlight of their college careers," Chapin said. "They really participate, asking good questions at the presentations.
"It's wonderful to see all the energy they bring to the conference."
Jan. 11, 2010
*******CSUMB's Return of the Natives project sponsors annual event Jan. 16***
Volunteers will be out at 8 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 16, looking for hawks, geese, ducks, wrens and a variety of other species at the Watershed Institute's fourth annual winter bird count at Upper Carr Lake in Salinas. Everyone is welcome to help during the two-hour count.
The lake, on East Laurel Drive between Constitution Boulevard and Sanborn Road, is a resting stop for migratory birds. In 2009, volunteers from Return of the Natives counted 70 species – two more than the previous year – including American coots, yellow-rumped warblers, a few egrets and several varieties of hawks.
Participants will be provided with a data sheet on the birds of Monterey County, published by the Monterey Peninsula Audubon Society, and a pair of binoculars.
After the bird count, volunteers are invited to help clean up the lake from 10 a.m. to noon. Tools, water and snacks will be provided.
"We are happy to see that this growing environment fosters an accommodating habitat for birds - which emphasizes the purpose of the second half of the morning – to keep Upper Carr Lake clean and healthy to keep the birds coming back," said Aya Obara, an AmeriCorps Promise Fellow with Return of the Natives.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the local bird survey is one of 2,100 similar counts over the last month. As many as 55,000 National Audubon Society volunteers from Guam to Labrador and from Alaska to Chile slog through the woods, find their way up mountains or look out their kitchen windows for the squawking, quacking and tweeting flocks. Return of the Natives will submit the information it gathers to California eBird, the Audubon Society's online database.
For more information and a map, visit watershed.csumb.edu/ron or call 582-3686.
He says he owes it all to an opportunity afforded him as a youngster growing up in Washington, D.C.
“Without question, the D.C. Youth Orchestra changed my life,” Wineglass said.
When the youth orchestra asked him to compose a piece for its 50th anniversary celebration at the Kennedy Center in August, he seized the opportunity. Despite the short notice – he had only two months to work on the five-minute piece – he was eager to contribute to the program.
A concert review in the Washington Post singled Wineglass out for praise.
According to the Post's music critic, Cecelia Porter, the conductor “drew from the group iridescent colors in the premiere of a beautifully crafted suite by DCYO alumnus John Wineglass.”
The composer was also the featured violinist for the piece, one of 110 alumni orchestra members who performed that night.
Wineglass’ passion for music has also led him to develop proficiency as a contemporary jazz and gospel pianist. He serves as music director for Shoreline Community Church.
Jan. 7, 2010
CSU Monterey Bay has a regular program on public access TV.
Scott Faust, the university's executive director for strategic communications, hosts the "Your Town" show that airs at 5 p.m. on the second Monday of each month on Access Monterey Peninsula. This month's program is set for Jan. 11.
Arlene Krebs, Doug McKnight and Renee Jimenez will be the guests.
Krebs, director of the Wireless Education and Technology Center at CSUMB, will talk about the Central Coast Broadband Consortium and its effort to expand broadband Internet access to the Big Sur coast, Salinas Valley corridor and link to Santa Cruz and San Benito counties.
McKnight, general manager of KAZU 90.3, National Public Radio for the Monterey Bay area, will explain some scheduling changes that will be implemented on Jan. 18. KAZU is a public service of CSUMB.
Women's basketball coach Jimenez will talk about the success her team is having this season, the community service it performs and the new Otter Pups program for local youngsters.
AMP is available on channel 27 on the campus cable system. Off campus, it's on Comcast channel 24. The program can be heard on KNRY 1240 AM and is available online at www.ampmedia.org. It is rebroadcast at midnight on AMP.
Jan. 7, 2010
CSU Monterey Bay's Return of the Natives project and outdoor recreation retailer REI are gearing up for the annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by offering people the chance to make a difference in the community.
On Monday, Jan. 18, instead of taking a day off for the holiday honoring Dr. King's birthday, volunteers can participate in a day of service at the Marina Dunes Preserve.
Assignments include planting natives appropriate for the dunes habitat and picking up trash and debris. The work will be done from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tools, water and snacks will be provided.
The preserve is located off Highway 1. Take the Reservation Road exit, turn right on Dunes Road and meet at the yellow gates at the entrance to the preserve.
More information is available by calling Aya Obara at 582-3686. Volunteer groups of 10 or more are asked to RSVP.
The King Day of Service was intended to encourage the nation to become the "beloved community" that Dr. King envisioned. Since Congress transformed the federal holiday into a national day of community service in 1994, the effort has gradually built steam. Last year, more than a million volunteers helped more than 13,000 projects throughout the nation, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that coordinates the King Day effort.
"Dr. King's was a life lived in loving service to others," President Barack Obama said. "As we honor that legacy, it's not a day just to pause and reflect – it's a day to act. And I ask the American people to turn the day's efforts into an ongoing commitment to enriching the lives of others in their communities, their cities, and their country."
Return of the Natives gives people the opportunity to do just that. It is dedicated to bringing people closer to nature and nature closer to people through hands-on experience in restoring habitats. RON, the education and outreach branch of the Watershed Institute, is housed on the campus of CSU Monterey Bay.
REI has partnered with RON on a variety of events. The company encourages protection and restoration of the environment through its philanthropic activities. In 2008, the Kent, Washington-based company gave away $3.7 million to support outdoor stewardship and connect children to nature.
Jan. 4, 2010
*******Entries must be submitted by Feb. 12***
Time is running out for young filmmakers to submit their work to the Monterey Bay Teen Film Festival sponsored by California State University, Monterey Bay.
Entry deadline is Feb. 12 for the second annual festival, which will be held at CSU Monterey Bay's World Theater on April 3. Entries can be submitted online at csumb.edu/filmfestival.?Filmmakers between 13 and 19 years old are invited to submit films and videos up to five minutes in length. Entries may be in English or Spanish and there is no entry fee.
Students in the university's Teledramatic Arts and Technology program will organize the event and handle the judging, according to Professor Enid Baxter Blader.
"It's an educational experience for my students, who want to go out in the world and have their films screened in film festivals. A great way to understand that process is to curate a film festival," Blader said.
CSUMB also hopes the festival will serve as a way to interest local teens who might not have considered going to college. By inviting them to campus and showing them what the university offers, they may consider enrolling.
While local teenagers are encouraged to enter the competition, it's also open to teenagers from around the country.
Last year's inaugural event drew more than 100 entries and several hundred people attended the screening. Some of last year's entries can be viewed online atcsumb.edu/filmfestival.
For information is available from Hayley Allison at hallison@csumb.edu.
Jan. 3, 2010****
If one of your New Year's resolutions involves learning something new, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at CSU Monterey Bay has just the opportunity.
Among the course offerings are the OLLI Writers' Circle and several other writing and literature classes and workshops; Emergency Preparation: Beyond the Basics; Aging Positively; Nutrition; and Pebble Beach and the 2010 U.S. Open.
Former Assemblymember Fred Keeley is back with a six-session class on California's Tools for Democracy, a look at the history of the initiative, referendum and recall process and how those tools are used today.
Larry Wilde, humorist, motivational speaker and best-selling author, will offer a three-hour class on Jan. 16 geared for people who give presentations at work, like to entertain family members or dream of being a stand-up comic.
Community members can purchase individual OLLI class offereings (most cost $50) or a $99 semester fee which includes complimentary tuition for three OLLI courses per semester as well as many other benefits including a parking pass, invitations to social events, discounts to the university's sports center, swimming pool, athletic events and World Theater performances.
For details or to register for classes, call 582-5500 or visit csumb.edu/olli.
Library Buildings 2009: The Constant Library. . . The new Tanimura and Antle Memorial Library at CSU Monterey Bay addresses the challenges of building in a fragile world while creating a beautiful and functional learning environment.– Library Journal, Dec. 16, 2009
CSUMB grads' film to screen at SundanceA film directed by two recent CSU Monterey Bay graduates has been selected to appear at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival in Utah. The 10-minute film "Charlie and the Rabbit," is a project first stated by Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck and Robert Machoian while they were students at CSUMB's Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department. – KCBA, Dec. 9, 2009
Grant helps prepare students for careersA grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will help CSUMB prepare students for careers in natural resources and agriculture. The university will use the grant to enhance its curriculum by adding courses in plant and soil science.– KION, Dec. 7, 2009
Local professor wins FulbrightGerald Shenk, professor of social and behavioral sciences at CSU Monterey Bay, has received a Fulbright award to work in Manila, Philippines. For six months, Dr. Shenk will lecture on and research civic education and teacher training in the Philippines and the U.S.– Monterey Herald, Dec. 2, 2009
CSUMB receives grant to help develop Asian Cultural Center and MuseumFor decades, the Republic Café in Chinatown was a central place for Chinese, Japanese and Filipino families to congregate. Now, 21 years after the restaurant closed, federal dollars could help bring the historic structure back to life. CSU Monterey Bay's Service Learning Institute received the $600,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. – The Salinas Californian, Nov. 24, 2009
CSUMB professor wins Glenn AwardLou Denti, a professor of special education at CSU Monterey Bay and director of the university's Center for Reading Diagnosis, has dedicated his life to helping those who struggle to learn. Those efforts have earned him the Annie Glenn National Leadership Award for his work in communication, language and literacy.– Santa Cruz Sentinel, Nov. 22, 2009
Commitment to others wins praiseRachel Osias, a senior at CSU Monterey Bay, will receive the first Philanthropic Young Adult of the Year award in Pebble Beach for her leadership on four major service projects.– The Salinas Californian, Nov. 13, 2009
Salinas kids exchange vows with CSUMBMore than 570 sixth-graders from five Salinas schools spent half of their day Thursday visiting CSU Monterey Bay. During the visit, the students promised to study hard and graduate from high school. In return, university officials guaranteed a spot for them when they are ready for college.– The Salinas Californian, Nov. 6, 2009
Drawing from the natural world – CSUMB welcomes renowned science illustration program. . . the science illustration program relocated from the University of California, Santa Cruz Extension to CSU Monterey Bay. The new home ensures easy student access to field sketching sites such as Point Lobos and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.– Carmel Magazine, fall 2009
Film Starz. . . A little bit of movie magic is happening here every day. CSUMB's Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department (TAT) could be considered the Hollywood of Monterey County. Whether editing their latest films, peering through the lens of a broadcast camera or managing the campus radio station, TAT students are making headlines.– Monterey County Magazine, Fall 2009
Cell phone parentingWhen it comes to communicating with teenagers by cell phone, more is not necessarily better, a CSU Monterey Bay researcher says.– Monterey Herald, Oct. 31, 2009
Earning an MBA – CSUMB students take executive business classes online. . . It's called an Executive MBA program because it's for people with job experience. "We're looking for individuals with at least seven years of work experience,' said Murray Millson, the business faculty member who heads the program.– Santa Cruz Sentinel, Oct. 4, 2009
CSUMB wins share of $12.6M federal grantCSU Monterey Bay will share a $12.6 million federal grant with two other state universities aimed at improving teacher education by borrowing from the model of U.S. medical schools. The grant from the U.S. Dept. of Education is aimed at improving teachers' skills and training, so students in rural areas can get a better education, said MarkO'Shea, professor education of CSUMB.– Monterey Herald, Oct. 13, 2009
Study on trawling in San Luis Obispo County is set to beginCSU Monterey Bay and The Nature Conservancy will embark on a five-year study to examine how the ocean bottom off San Luis Obispo County recovers after years of trawl fishing. . . The goal is to document the changes that occur over the five-year duration of the study as the fish and other animals that live there recover. "Trawling impacts the seafloor," said James Lindholm, a marine science professor at CSU Monterey Bay. "What we don't know is how the seafloor recovers following trawling - or different levels of trawling."– San Luis Obispo Tribune, Sept. 20, 2009
CSUMB to offer scientific diving – course teaches underwater researchThere are many important details to keep track of when scuba diving: Keeping a buddy in sight, being aware of the length of time spent underwater, not diving to unsafe depths. Add to that list "transecting and quadrating," and it's easy to see why scientific diving goes to uncharted depths. Beginning next year, CSU Monterey Bay will offer its first scientific diving course.– Monterey Herald, Sept. 10, 2009
CSUMB, FORA, Marina reach agreement – Deal concerns the university's land use for future growthCalifornia State University, Monterey Bay may now move forward with its master plan after reaching an agreement with the city of Marina and the Fort Ord Reuse Authority on how to address its impact on the area's infrastructure, officials said.– The Salinas Californian, Sept. 3, 2009
Right Time to Teach – CSUMB trains professionals for new careerBill Schrier was away from high school classes for more than 20 years when he accepted an invitation to speak at Carmel High. The former federal prosecutor gave an advanced-placement class lecture about Marbury v. Madison, the landmark 1803 Supreme Court decision that helped define "checks and balances" of the U.S. federal goverment. . . . He enrolled at Cal State Monterey Bay's teacher internship program, a pathway for professionals who want to start a second career as teachers.– Monterey Herald, Sept. 2, 2009
Mixed emotions mark move-in day at CSUMBThe tense smiles and sad eyes could not betray the emotions of parents carrying boxes through the dorm parking lots Friday at Cal State Monterey Bay. Their kids wore very different expressions - excitement, optimism, opportunity - as they checked out their all-new social community and perused a campus that, to them, represented every imaginable aspect of the phrase carpe diem.– Monterey Herald, Aug. 22, 2009Too cool a school. . . The little university . . . got an unexpected endorsement from the September/October edition of Mother Jones magazine, which ranked CSUMB among "Ten cool schools that will blow your mind, not your budget."– Monterey Herald, Aug. 22, 2009
New year starts for CSUMB – Students and staff remain hopeful despite budget woesHundreds of excited college students moved into their dorms, said goodbye to their parents and got ready to start four years of learning. Over 1,800 students moved into 11 California State University, Monterey Bay residence halls Friday.– The Salinas Californian, Aug. 22, 2009
Move-In Day Starts College Journey At CSUMBAlthough school doesn't officially start until Monday, it was move-in day for hundreds of freshmen attending Cal State-Monterey Bay. More than 900 freshmen were accepted for the fall 2009 semester, and began moving in on Friday.– KSBW, 6 p.m., Aug. 21, 2009**Surprising Study Spots – Great places to go with groups, beyond the standard Starbucks or local library*****Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library***The nice surprise here: You don't have to be an otter to enjoy smartly appointed reading areas, the curved ceiling that soars over the light-filled main atrium, or the small-group skyboxes that overlook the beautiful, barrier-free ground floor. . . It earns an A+.– Monterey County Weekly, Aug. 20, 2009
Ten cool schools that will blow your mind, not your budget$39,000 a year. That's the going rate for tuition at hot liberal arts colleges like Williams and Amherst, which came in first and second, respectively, in U.S. News & World Report's best liberal arts college rankings. The 10 schools on our list may not bother to juke their stats to make U.S. News' short lists, but they still have plenty to offer - and for a lot less dough. (CSUMB made the list)– Mother Jones magazine, Aug. 20, 2009
Migrant students show off workLuis Valdez, the child of migrant farmworkers, received his first taste of theater in the first grade, when he found his paper lunch bag soaking in a bucket of water. His teacher had put it there. She used it to make a theater mask. "I thought she'd gone crazy," Valdez told an audience of children, parents and educators in the World Theater of Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday.– Monterey Herald, Aug. 8, 2009
Federal $ bring visions of rural broadbandA federal program offering stimulus funds to bring broadband access to underserved areas could be a gold rush for local techies. . . . Hosted by CSU Monterey Bay, the Central Coast Broadband Coalition aims to one day become a standalone nonprofit organization.– Carmel Pine Cone, Aug. 8, 2009
Migrant youngsters on campusThey're called Junior Otters now, but it's hoped they'll soon be graduates of Cal-State Monterey Bay. A program that brought migrant students to the university campus for two weeks this summer celebrated a special graduation Friday. Students in grades 2 through 8 took part in arts programs that included drama, dance and video production. The program's director says it's something that could help stop gang influences on children.– KION, 6 p.m., Aug. 7, 2008
Student needs guide CSUMB budget planningA focus on preserving student services and academic quality is guiding plans by California State University, Monterey Bay to close a $9.95 million revenue gap for the 2009-10 fiscal year, President Dianne Harrison said.– Seaside Post, Aug. 5, 2009
CSUMB Police . . . Professional, Prepared and Service OrientedThe California State University system is the largest in the world, with 23 campuses serving 440,000 students and 46,000 employees. . . This sizable population requires law enforcement services and all of the CSU campuses have their own police departments.– Seaside Post News Sentinel, July 22, 2009
Higher education cuts threaten our future (commentary by Professor Rob Weisskirch)California's systems of higher education are in trouble - big trouble. We're talking about more than just financial trouble. There are problems that will undermine the well-being of our state.– Monterey Herald, July 19, 2009
Colleges Will See a Decline in Megagifts, Experts PredictThe golden age for philanthropy – and the United States – may be over. . . "It's devastating," said Dianne F. Harrison, president of California State University, Monterey Bay. Turning away students when the university has the ability to serve more of them is a painful prospect for Ms. Harrison, who came to the CASE conference to get re-energized about seeking new revenue for her institution. "I know what it means to give a kid an opportunity," she said.– Chronicle of Philanthropy, July 13, 2009
Sunrise sheds new light on the missionsOn the first winter sunrise of the 21st century, Professor Ruben Mendoza and a handful of others were witnesses to an amazing sight at the old Spanish Mission San Juan Batista, located in the heart of a small town between the Gabilan mountains and Monterey. . . . Mendoza, director of the Institute for Archaeology at Cal State Monterey Bay, set out on a long research project - a "quest," he calls it - that led him to believe the illuminations at San Juan Bautista during the solstice were no accident of nature or some kind of miracle.– San Francisco Chronicle, July 13, 2009
CSUMB receives $180,000 to develop Institute for Innovation and Economic Development. . . Cal State Monterey Bay is in the early planning stages of developing an institute similar to the Lyles Center at Fresno State, devoted to turning creative ideas into reality and creating new jobs in Monterey County and the Central Coast. CSUMB and the Monterey County Business Council recently received a $180,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration to develop the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development.– Monterey County Weekly, July 9, 2009
CSUMB trio honoredThree players on the Cal State Monterey Bay women's water polo team were named to the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches All-Academic team. Nicole Smart made the Outstanding academic team (3.71-4.0 GPA), Sarah Ford was named to the Superior team (3.7-3.41) and Chloe McRae was a part of the Excellent team (3.41-3.2).– Monterey Herald, July 6, 2009
Learn-by-doing program helps teach the teachersHollister resident Alice Flores, who is the regional director for the Northern/West Central California CalState TEACH program, was named administrator of the year for region 10 by the Association of California School Administrators May 11. Flores has been a board member for the Hollister School District for 19 years. The award recognized her work at California State University, Monterey Bay.– Pinnacle News (Hollister), July 2, 2009
CSU Monterey Bay establishes undergraduate research centerCalifornia State University, Monterey Bay has established an Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC) housed in the new Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library. The center provides students with an engaged and scholarly undergraduate experience that integrates mentorship.– Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science newsletter, June 25, 2009
Business group, CSUMB receive grantCal State Monterey Bay and the Monterey County Business Council will receive $180,000 from the U.S. Dept. of Commerce to develop an Institute for Innovation and Economic Development.– Monterey Herald, June 17, 2009
Salinas' Stockton earns golf honorCal State Monterey Bay senior and Salinas native Ricky Stockton was named to the NCAA Division II PING All-American honorable mention team, voted by the Golf Coaches Association of America. Stockton was the first conference individual champion after winning the California Collegiate Athletic Association tournament in April at Hunter Ranch in Paso Robles.– The Salinas Californian, June 16, 2009
Science program moving to CSUMBIf a scientist can study it, there's probably a need to show what it looks like. That's the idea behind an academic program called "science Illustration"...– Monterey Herald, May 24, 2009
Behind the LocksJuan Ramirez just graduated, but already he can mark down "award winning filmmaker" on his resume. Ramirez, freshly minted CSUMB grad with a degree in Teledramatic Arts and Technology, was honored with the Monterey County FIlm Commission's 2009 Film Student Scholarship.– Monterey Herald, May 22, 2009
Setting path to higher educationSalinas-area grade-school kids get a view of college lifeIt's never too early to start thinking about college. Cal State Monterey Bay gave a college tour Tuesday to 450 sixth-graders from Salinas elementary schools...– Monterey Herald, May 20,2009
Otters claim CCAA Softball ChampionshipHead Coach Andrea Kenney and her Cal State Monterey Bay Softball team claimed the university's first California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Team Championship on Saturday in Stockton.– Marina Gazette, May 18, 2009
CSUMB graduates remain hopeful despite poor economyIt took nearly 20 years but on Saturday a Salinas resident and the father of two walked across the stage and proudly called himself a college graduate. Martin Vargas-Garcia received a degree in business and visual arts at the age of 40.– The Salinas Californian, May 18, 2009
From Iraq vet to CSUMB grad – Business major spent 8 years in Air ForceThe three young women who were part of his capstone study group at Cal State Monterey Bay called him "grampa." Richard Brumbaugh acknowledges that, at 32, he is one of the older students on campus. His long march to a degree took two detours through Iraq before coming to its end today.– Monterey Herald, May 16, 2009
Student joins fight against AIDSAs the first four-year college graduate in her family, Watsonville native Lisette Arredondo has acheived many of her early goals. Last month, she got to kick off a new national campaign to combat AIDS spearheaded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that will take shape over the next five years.– Santa Cruz Sentinel, May 6, 2009
CSUMB receives national accreditation for School of EducationThe university played host to a team of evaluators from the Nation Council for Accredidation of Teacher Education (NCATE) in December. The evaluators awarded national accreditation immediately.– Monterey Herald, May 5, 2009
Positioned to thrive: Higher Ed in the RecessionSince World War I, Fort Ord in Salinas, California, had been an Army training facility and artillery target race. Today, 15 years after the army left, the property's main feature is a growing regional university - Califonrnia State University, Monterey Bay.– Universitybusiness.com, May, 2009
Mother inspires CSUMB student – Motivated by mom's illness, Romero aims for graduate school"I want to do research that will make people's lives better," said Adan Romero, a 22-year-old senior biology major at California State University, Monterey Bay, who hails from Salinas. "I want to help patients." . . . After graduating from North Salinas High School in 2005, Romero chose to attend CSUMB because he received a scholarship and wanted to stay close to his mother.– The Salinas Californian, April 29, 2009
CSUMB students honored in math eventThink of it as "NUMB3RS" with an environmental science twist. While the hit TV show uses complicated math to solve crimes, a team of students from California State University, Monterey Bay used it to solve a problem involving aquaculture networks. The team - Erin Frolli, Tatsiana Maskalevich and Hannah Potter - had 96 hours to tackle a question in the Interdisciplinary Contest in Modeling, a complex problem-solving competition.– The Salinas Californian, April 29, 2009
CSUMB wood helps out Alisal High shop classesWood and metal. Everyday stuff is valuable to teachers, who need materials for their classrooms and have no budget to pay for them. Gary Walter, a businessman who lives in Salinas, saw a perfect marriage. He realized that businesses sometimes discard things they no longer need. And he knew just what to do with the stuff. . . California State University, Monterey Bay has contributed wood furniture that was left over from the Army. The wood is processed, then used in woodshop classes at Alisal High and four other Salinas schools.– The Salinas Californian, April 29, 2009
The Season of Ticks: Could Climate Change Worsen Lyme Disease?In a finding that suggests how global warming could impact infectious disease, scientists from Yale University, in collaboration with other institutions, have determined that climate impacts the severity of Lyme Disease by influencing the feeding patterns of deer ticks that carry and transmit it. . . . he paper appears in the April issue of Applied and Environmental Microbiology. Other authors are . . . Forrest Melton of California State University, Monterey Bay.– Science Daily, April 27, 2009
'Bluesical' tribute – CSUMB's Heritage Music Festival celebrates 'Big Mama' ThorntonWhen most people hear the words "You ain't nothin' but a hound dog," they think of Elvis Presley. But a more soulful version of "Hound Dog" was actually first recorded by legendary blues singer Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton. Though she was one of the first prominent female blues singers, she never achieved the wealth or fame she deserved. This Friday and Saturday night, the Heritage Music Festival will pay tribute to "Big Mama" Thornton with "Howlin' Blues and Dirty Dogs" at Cal State Monterey Bay's World Theater.– Monterey Herald, April 23, 2009
CSUMB's Stockton wins medalist title at CCAA golf championshipRicky Stockton, a graduate of Alvarez High School in Salinas, captured the California Collegiate Athletic Association medalist title after carding a 5-under-par 67 in the final round, leading the Cal State Monterey Bay men's golf team to a tie for second place, its highest finish in school history.– The Salinas Californian, April 22, 2009
'What is a library now?': CSU Monterey Bay Opens New Library"You simply don't have to build a traditional library these days," California State University Chancellor Barry Munitz told Newsweek in explaining why the new Cal State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) would not have a physical library. The year: 1995. Flash forward to December of 2008, when CSUMB celebrated the opening of its new 136,000-square-foot library building. The facility meets the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED silver standard and features "skybox study rooms," an information literacy center, a writing center, auditoriums, and a café. What happened to the vision of the virtual library?– E-Research Library, April 21, 2009
**CSUMB teen film fest rolls out today **More than 150 films have been submitted to California State University, Monterey Bay's first Teen Film Festival, which takes place today at 1 p.m. in the World Theater. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. Since last fall, students from 13 to 19 years old have been encouraged to submit their five-minute videos and films. Submissions have come from around the state - from Marin County to San Diego - but most were local, said Enid Baxter Blader, professor of film and video at CSUMB.– Monterey Herald, April 19, 2009
Stay Sharp; Study Something. . . Do you have a secret desire to pen your memoirs or perhaps just become more comfortable with your ability to express yourself in writing? Or maybe you would like to better understand and communicate with your pet? Those options and more are available through classes offered by California State University, Monterey Bay, open to people 55 years and older. An offshoot of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), created by the Bernard Osher Foundation in San Francisco, the program is in its second year.– Sixtyfive PLUS magazine, April 10, 2009
**Art of dance **The art of dance can entertain, illuminate, bridge gaps and heal. . . . Lula Washington Dance Theatre, performing narrative choreographies that illuminate social issues at Cal State Monterey Bay's World Theater tonight at 7:30 p.m. It is known for dynamic movement and bringing the social context of the African-American experience into its work. The choreography has been described as high-energy, dynamic, thought-provoking and edgy.– Monterey Herald, April 9, 2009
Film festival on braceros, other laborers coming to CSU Monterey BayThe eighth annual Reel Work May Day Labor Film Festival has scheduled three events on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay. This is the second year CSU Monterey Bay has been a festival venue. The festival features films that illuminate the lives of workers and the ways workers and unions around the world organize to make change. Two sneak previews are on the agenda: "The Red Tail," a film about the 2005 Northwest Airlines strike and one mechanic's journey to China to see where his job was outsourced, and "Workers' Republic," about the 2008 occupation of Republic Windows and Doors by its laid-off workers.– The Salinas Californian, April 8, 2009
CSUMB seniors dress to impress – Service on campus helps students with job interview wardrobeWhen Augie Johnston lands his first job interview after graduation, he won't have to worry about what to wear. On Tuesday morning, the California State University, Monterey Bay senior picked out the business suit he'll don for his employment search. Johnston, a business major graduating in May, found the free duds at the CSUMB "Dress for Success" clothes closet during its grand opening at Suite 211 of the University Corporation Building.– The Salinas Californian, April 8, 2009
OPTIMISTIC OTTER - Cal State Monterey Bay athletic director up for D-II challengeCal State Monterey Bay Athletic Director Vince Otoupal walked through an endless parking lot framed by abandoned military barracks to the right and an open field to the left. But Otoupal saw so much more. He saw that open field as the new soccer complex that would run up against the high-tech baseball and softball fields just built. He saw accompanying locker rooms for the baseball, softball and men's and women's soccer teams.– Monterey Herald, April 4, 2009
Exhibition at CSUMB Focuses on Human Cost of WarA traveling exhibit created to highlight the human cost of war is on display at Cal State Monterey Bay. Hundreds of pairs of boots symbolizing the loss of U.S. soldiers in the war in Iraq have been placed in the main quad this weekend. An exhibit of children's shoes and sandals are also being displayed to symbolize the thousands of civilians lost since the start of the war. "By demonstrating the amount of deaths that have been occurring in this way we're kind of saying there is a better way to do things," said CSUMB student Brizui Orjauela. A vigil was held Saturday night. The exhibit continues Sunday and is put on by the American Friends Service Committee.– KCBA, 10 p.m., April 4, 2009
"Ice T Presents 25 to Life" wins awardPickett Fence Entertainment is proud to announce that its film "Ice T Presents 25 to Life" has been acknowledged as Best Film and winner of the PASS award by the National Council on Crime and Delinquency. The PASS award refers to the organization's mission and role: Prevention for a Safer Society. Filmmakers Deloss Pickett and Michael Dallum made the acclaimed documentary short and subsequent feature documentary. Pickett and Dallum received bachelors degrees from California State University, Monterey Bay. – Business Wire, April 2, 2009
Tanimura and Antle Family Memorial LibraryThe Tanimura and Antle Family Memorial Library was built to meet the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Silver standard, with high-performance glass that filters out infrared light and reduces unwanted heat, water-saving landscaping and bathroom fixtures, and a high level of recycled content in the library's carpet, tile and building materials.– American Libraries, The Magazine of the American Library Association, April issue
Best Professor – Martha Diehl"I don't think of myself as a professor," says Martha Diehl. "I think of myself as a facilitator. The classes I teach are seminar style, very interactive." She was in the first class of students to graduate from CSUMB's Master's in Public Policy program in the spring of 2006. In the fall, Diehl returned as an instructor, where she teaches an introduction to the program, designed for working professionals who want real-world experience developing public policy . . . and coordinates the field program, a 400-hour internship requirement.– Monterey County Weekly, March 19, 2009
Best Institutional Food – Otter Bay Cafe, CSU Monterey BayWhen the Otter Bay Cafe opened on campus in the mid-1990s, it was similar to most institutional dining halls - the veggies were overcooked and, despite our unsurpassable local agricultural credentials, there was not a single local piece of produce on the menu. But today . . . the Otter Bay Cafe has a lunchtime organic salad bar buffet featuring a wide-range of local veggies from Earthbound Farm. . . . The cafe even has a Facebook page (OBR Sodexo).– Monterey County Weekly, March 19, 2009
Dia de Los Padres Recruits Migrant Students to CSUMBCal State Monterey Bay held its first ever event Saturday designed to recruit students from a group not known for attending college. The "Dia de Los Padres" session at the Monterey County Office of Education had CSUMB counselors give migrant farm worker parents information about sending their kids to higher education. Spanish-speaking staff members looked to build a bridge with parents, saying it's a bigger challenge for them to send their kids to college because of the language barrier. "With 70 percent of (migrant) families speaking Spanish, we want to make sure we're speaking the language of the parents," said CSUMB's David Linnevers.– KION, 6 p.m., March 7, 2009
CSUMB GETS 'REEL' – Campus hosts Banff Film Fest, panel on future of filmsFrom "reel" talk on modern alternative filmmaking to the rugged sporting world of mountain culture, Cal State Monterey Bay is hosting a diverse pair of film events this month. The first, "Watching the Future of Film," will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Black Box Cabaret on the CSUMB campus. . . . The second, Banff Mountain Film Festival at CSUMB, is a touring festival featuring several films related to mountain sports.– Monterey Herald, March 3, 2009
CSUMB wins President's Honor Roll award for service – School honored for distinguished community engagementThe Corporation for National and Community Service named California State University, Monterey Bay to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction for exemplary service to America's communities. "We are proud and pleased to receive this honor," President Dianne Harrison said. "This is the third time the Corporation has honored CSU Monterey Bay. It affirms that we are a model of service learning."– Marina Gazette, Feb. 16, 2009
CSU Push for Black Students Comes to SeasideThe Cal State University system renewed an annual effort Sunday to bring more black students to campus. The initiative is called "Super Sunday," with top university administrators heading out to some 70 black churches statewide. Cal State Monterey Bay president Dr. Dianne Harrison spoke after the morning service at Seaside's Bethel Missionary Baptist Church as part of the recruitment push. CSU officials say the initiative has led to a 15 percent increase in applications by black students and a nearly 9 percent increase in enrollment.– KION, 6 p.m., KCBA, 10 p.m., Feb. 15, 2009
CSUMB professor wins photography awardCSU Monterey Bay archaeology professor Ruben Mendoza has won a top prize in the American Anthropological Association's first photo contest. Mendoza's entry, titled "The Last Supper," was awarded third-place honors. The photo depicts a decorated pearlware plate, table setting and food remains - including a shell, faunal remains and peach pit - recovered from archaeological deposits at El Presidio de Santa Barbara.– thearchaeologicalbox.com, Feb. 10, 2009
'08 banner year for Monterey County Business Council. . . The council had a very successful year in 2008. We teamed with Cal State Monterey Bay and submitted a $180,000 federal planning grant for an Institute for Innovation and Economic Development. The institute will be placed on the campus to provide a venue for innovative ideas, support for commercial transfer of research and technology, and will provide a support network and training for businesses.– Monterey Herald, Feb. 10, 2009
CSUMB's Andrews makes ESPN teamDana Andrews has been named to the 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American District VIII women's basketball team. A four-year starter at Cal State Monterey Bay, the honor makes Andrews eligible for the national team, which will be determined this month.– Monterey Herald, Feb. 9, 2009
NASA tracks regional 'green changes'The changing appearance of Earth's green surface strata on a regional scale recently got a serious examination courtesy of NASA and some high resolution aerial photos from the private sector. These tools of choice allow time-lapse sequences from compiled satellite images and close-up photos, which reveal trends seen in the disappearing green. . . . Scientists from the NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field and Cal State Monterey Bay are looking at whether or not changes on our planet are due to human activity or extreme climate. Looking for patterns, they poured over several years of image data collected via NASA satellites. They took the results and "fused" them together with high-resolution commercial images to identify changes in locally vegetative "green" areas. They found that regional land cover disturbances can be identified, such as the recent wildfire-burned areas and extensive forest harvests.– tgdaily.com, Jan. 30, 2009
WARMING TO THE SUBJECT – CSUMB hosts climate change teach-inOn Feb. 5, Cal State Monterey Bay invites the community to check out a green dorm room, munch organic food and discuss topics ranging from gluttony to biofuels. For the university's second annual global warming teach-in, the day-long program examines the connections between agriculture, fuel and public policy. "What's going on in the environment is going to affect the food we eat, how we get from place to place, and the world's economy," says organizer Dan Fernandez, a CSUMB physics professor. "Events like this open people's eyes to what's going on and provide a breeding ground for ideas."– Monterey County Weekly, Jan. 29, 2009
Champions of the Arts - Arts Council for Monterey County honors local artists **. . . 11 artists and arts advocates will be honored as Champions of the Arts this year . . . Amalia Mesa-Bains, co-director of the Visual and Public Art Department at California State University, Monterey Bay, is this year's Champion Educator. Mesa-Bains is widely recognized for her work in teaching and inspiring the next generation of teaching artists. "Amalia Mesa-Bains is an internationally recognized scholar and leader in arts education," said Paulette Lynch, executive director of the Arts Council. "She is an extraordinary installation artist and cultural critic."– Monterey Herald, Jan. 23, 2009CSUMB students attending inauguration**California State University, Monterey Bay students Riana Hardin and Nick McGill have been selected to attend a seminar on the new presidential administration being held in Washington, D.C., through Jan. 20. The students were selected from a pool of applicants for the seminar sponsored by the Washington Center.– The Salinas Californian, Jan. 12, 2009
Matt DaSilva has been named the university police department's Officer of the Year for 2009.
Police Chief Fred Hardee made the selection, with input from officers in the department. "This selection is due in large part to the positive contributions that Matt makes to our campus community, his pro-active policing efforts, his positive attitude, great work ethic and his involvement with the CSU Critical Response Unit," Chief Hardee said.
DaSilva worked for the parking division of the Monterey Police Department in 2006 and '07, and then attended the Alameda County Sheriff's Office Regional Training Center Basic POST Academy. He joined CSUMB in June 2008. DaSilva and nominees from other local police agencies will be honored at the Monterey County Peace Officer's Association annual banquet in February.
Jan. 4, 2010
*******Can't attend the lecture? Listen to it on KAZU 90.3 FM***
Junot Diaz, the 2008 Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" and author of "Drown," will visit California State University, Monterey Bay's World Theater on Feb. 10 as the President's Speaker Series continues. His talk will get under way at 7 p.m.
"*Oscar" *describes the recent immigrant experience over several generations through the story of a Dominican family living in the United States. By focusing on four family members, the novel examines the complexity of the immigrant identity along racial, national, ethnic and gender lines.
Oscar Wao – a Spanish pronunciation of Oscar Wilde – is a teenager who buries his broken heart and frustration in sci-fi novels, comic books and Star Trek action figures. The teen, like Diaz, balances two cultures - one in New Jersey, another in his family's native Dominican Republic.
The novel mixes pop culture, political criticism and characters with street credibility. And it shows off Diaz' dexterity, demonstrating his geek credentials and his literary scholarship. Allusions to "Dune" and "The Lord of the Rings" bump up against references to Herman Melville and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Diaz, a professor of creative writing at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has had a lot to celebrate since the novel's publication. Few books have arrived to more acclaim. It was ranked on more than 35 best-book lists. Time magazine called it the novel of the year. It's a wondrous place Diaz never expected to be.
"I always kind of giggle any time I'm at an MIT faculty meeting," Diaz told CBS News. "And people are like, 'I got a Nobel Prize.' Someone else is like, 'I got a Pritzker.' And I'm like, 'My parents were illegal.' I love this. You know, only in America."
Diaz was 6 years old when his family emigrated to New Jersey as part of the wave of Dominicans who came to the U.S. after the death of dictator Rafael Trujillo. The family lived in a housing complex bordering a landfill, because rent was cheap. He escaped the neighborhood by sneaking away to the library. "I was convinced that I could stumble upon the sort of key text that would describe why I was in the United States," he has told interviewers.
With support from his mother, he found his way to Rutgers University. "I felt like I had finally come home," he told the television network. He followed that with a master's of fine arts at Cornell University.
In 1996, at the age of 27, his book of short stories, "Drown," made him an overnight sensation. The young phenom was then expected to produce the Next Great American Novel.
It took him 11 years.
Besides the Pulitzer, "Oscar Wao" earned Diaz the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and many other honors. For the self-confessed ghetto nerd, it's a sweet reward for an incredible journey.
Will readers have to wait 11 years for the next book? "I hope not," Diaz has told interviewers. "I hope I can get it down to five years. That's the dream."
CSUMB invited Diaz as part of the President's Speaker Series because the faculty deem his work to be culturally current and significant. The Speaker Series aims to bring just such voices to Monterey Bay so local communities can participate first-hand in the nation's intellectual and creative conversations.
Diaz will read from his works in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue. A book signing will follow. The event is free, but reservations are requested and can be made at csumb.edu/speakers.
A campus map and driving directions are available at csumb.edu/map.**
" . . . (Junot Diaz) has written a book that decisively establishes him as one of contemporary fiction's most distinctive and irresistible new voices.– Michiko Kakutani, New York Times
*You could call 'The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao' . . . the saga of an immigrant family, but that wouldn't really be fair. It's an immigrant saga for people who don't read immigrant-family sagas.***– Lev Grossman, Time magazine
Dec. 17, 2009
*So long2009, helloCSUMB First Night Film Festival*
Amid family-friendly art workshops and marionette theater shows, hot-blooded salsa grooves and buoyant swing dancing, and the pageantry and puppetry of the Twilight Process parade, is the inaugural CSUMB First Night Film Festival.
Starting at 3:30 p.m. in the Golden State Theater on Alvarado Street, 13 short films – the longest is 11 minutes – will be screened. They include documentaries, music videos, animation and narratives.
Among the works to be screened is a seven-minute experimental film, Ella and the Astronaut, by recent graduates Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck. Ella is the first in a three-film series they have made exploring children's ideas of imagination and reality. The second installment, Charlie and the Rabbit, will be shown at next month's Sundance Film Festival.
More than 70 performances are scheduled at 25 venues and locales across the city from 3 p.m. to midnight. Admission buttons are required for all indoor events. Adult prices are $15 in advance and $20 on Dec. 31; youth prices are $12 and $15. Tickets are available at a variety of locations around town and on the First Night website.
First Night Monterey, now in its 17th year, is an alcohol-free New Year's Eve community arts celebration designed for all ages. Musicians, dancers, singers, poets and other artisans transform the streets of the city into a festive setting. FNM is a nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to bring families together and unite the community in all its diversity through the visual and performing arts.
Learn more about the university's Teledramatic Arts and Technology program.
A complete schedule is available atwww.firstnightmonterey.org.
Dec. 16, 2009
Thanks to a collaboration between students at California State University, Monterey Bay and a non-profit organization serving children with disabilities, some local families now have a valuable tool available to them.
The Monterey-based Special Kids Crusade started work on a family resource directory in 2007. The directory was intended to help families identify regional advocacy and legal services, educational and vocational providers, public agencies, family support services, therapy and treatment providers, and recreational activities that support children with developmental disabilities in Monterey County. The 256-page directory was printed in August 2008.
"We knew there was a need for this information in Spanish," said Ilene Allinger Candreva, secretary of the organization's board of directors. "We also knew it was going to be prohibitively expensive to pay for it to be translated." Since the organization relies on donations, a few state grants and an annual fundraising event, there was no money available for the project.
Candreva knew of CSUMB's commitment to serving the community, and its emphasis on languages. She reached out to the university's School of World Languages and Cultures, where Professor Maria Zielina invited her to a meeting.
"Ilene told me that she's the mother of a special-needs child. She talked about her struggles and the obstacles she has to overcome in order to get information for her child at school, at the hospital, everywhere," Professor Zielina said. "She was so eloquent and she painted a real picture about the struggles faced by families with disabled children.
"Imagine how much harder it would be for the mother of a special-needs child who did not know the language, who couldn't get help or meet other parents experiencing the same thing.
"I understood that I needed to help. I promised Ilene that I would find a way to do it."
Professor Zielina recruited five of her former students to take on the task. "I asked them to imagine how hard it must be for families to have a disabled child, to experience peoples' ignorance and not be able to get the help they need."
The students – Francisco Lopez, Gerardo Zenteno, Marisela Ramos, Elizaura Magana and Maria Zuniga – earned no academic credit for their work; it was done on a volunteer basis. Their only "payment" was seeing their names on the Spanish-language edition, and the knowledge that they can make a difference.
The translation was finished around Christmas 2008. While the Special Kids Crusade board members went about raising money to cover the printing costs for a thousand copies, the translation went to an editor.
The Spanish edition of the directory was available in the fall of 2009. So far, about 100 copies have been distributed. Copies can be picked up at the Special Education Division of the Monterey County Office of Education; Special Education Office of the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District; and the San Andreas Regional Center. Copies are also available at the Special Kids Crusade office in Monterey by calling 372-2730.
"The students did the work on this project," Professor Zielina said. "My role was helping them, encouraging them and staying in touch with then frequently.
"We're all proud of what we did. It's the university's Vision at work."
Dec. 10, 2009
CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison is among the 2010 inductees into the Monterey Bay Business Hall of Fame, announced by Junior Achievement of Silicon Valley and Monterey Bay.
The five laureates were selected by a committee of local business leaders and previous inductees. They will be honored at the fifth annual Monterey Bay Business Hall of Fame luncheon and induction ceremony Jan. 22 at The Inn at Spanish Bay.
According to Junior Achievement officials, the inductees demonstrate a lifetime of business success and a legacy of industry and community leadership.
Other honorees include: • Julie Packard, executive director of Monterey Bay Aquarium • Ted Balestreri, chairman/chief executive officer, The Cannery Row Co. and chief executive officer/co-founder, the Sardine Factory • Sue Jamiesson, owner of Salinas Toyota Scion Hyundai • Anne Leach, partner, Ottone Leach Olsen & Ray
Junior Achievement is a non-profit organization dedicated to giving the next generation of leaders the tools they will need to be successful in today's workforce. It prepares students to face the challenges of a diverse and changing global economy.
With an emphasis on financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work readiness, Junior Achievement uses hands-on classroom activities to arm youngsters with the knowledge they need to be successful.
For more information, visit the web at www.jasvmb.org or call (831) 251-0671.
California State University, Monterey Bay has received a $500,000 grant from Lumina Foundation for Education. The grant will be used to improve the effectiveness of remedial English and math courses at CSUMB, Monterey Peninsula and Hartnell colleges - courses that are critical to student success at all three schools.
The grant is part of Lumina Foundation's Minority Serving Institutions – Models of Success program. More than 70 applications were received; the foundation funded nine of them.
Several faculty members from each school will work as a team to redesign courses in math and writing. They will share information about curricula, teaching methods and course revisions needed to make the classes align among the three schools. Their work will result in a new curriculum that will be introduced in fall 2010.
Summer institutes for faculty members will be held each of the next three years, culminating in a statewide conference in 2012 that will share lessons learned from the project.
Math and writing are particular obstacles for historically underserved populations - minorities, low-income and first-generation students. The grant will help these students get to college and graduate.
Lumina Foundation for Education works to ensure that 60 percent of Americans are college-educated by 2025. More information about the foundation is available at www.luminafoundation.org
Dec. 9, 2009
Professor Enid Baxter Blader and two students are attending the festival. Read their blog here.
A film directed by two recent California State University, Monterey Bay graduates has been selected to appear at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival in Utah. The festival will be held Jan. 21-31.
At the festival, now in its 26th year in the mountain resort town of Park City and several other locations, Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck (Class of '09) and Robert Machoian ('07) will present their 10-minute film, "Charlie and the Rabbit." The two started the project while they were students at CSU Monterey Bay's Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department. The film is about a 4-year-old named Charlie who loves Bugs Bunny and decides to hunt a rabbit of his own.
It's an example of the independent and non-mainstream attitude Sundance strives to support.
"Charlie" is the second of a three-film series the filmmakers are calling Youth Without Youth. The directors are looking at children's ideas of imagination and reality. The first production, "Ella and the Astronaut," was selected for showing at film festivals in Mill Valley; London; Athens, Ohio; and Austin, Texas, among others.
The film will be entered in the dramatic shorts category at Sundance. The short film program comprises 70 films from U.S. and international filmmakers selected from more than 6,000 submissions.
Todd Luoto, part of the Sundance team that made the selections, described the film as a "wonderfully tense trip back into childhood."
Luoto told UC Davis, " 'Charlie and the Rabbit' was chosen because it captures a tense and almost fantastical childlike world from a young boy's perspective," Luoto said. "We responded to not only the talented young star, but the direction of the piece - using little dialogue and a structure which makes the viewer a bit uneasy yet entirely engaged, helping the audience to connect with the young wanderer as he embarks on a journey hunting 'wabbits.' "
To view a short trailer, click here.
Pictured (left to right): Robert Machoian, Rod Ojeda-Beck and Professor Enid Baxter Blader, director of the TAT Department at a showing on campus Dec. 9, 2009.
For more information, visit the festival's website at http://festival.news/csumb-grads-film-screen-sundance.org/2010/press_industry/releases/2010_news/csumb-grads-film-screen-sundance_...
Dec. 8, 2009
Across campus, semester-ending projects by Visual and Public Art students are on display. The murals have something to say – from local to global, from historic to contemporary points of view.
According to Johanna Poethig, who taught the painting and mural class, the project was designed to give students an opportunity to get public art experience, and to build the CSUMB community.
The students had to find sites, make contacts across campus, create site-specific images, submit proposals for review, develop painting skills, work within a timeline and install their work in public spaces.
The theme "People are Talking" provided the framework for the paintings - a full-scale figure with text. Each student selected and researched the person portrayed for his or her specific site, according to Professor Poethig.
Among the subjects depicted are a Palestinian boy with the word "peace" in several languages; John Steinbeck; the musician Wynton Marsalis; a woman practicing yoga; a child in a flower asking us to recycle.
Some of the pieces are displayed in interior spaces, including the Student Center, the Service Learning Building, the Saratoga Community Center in East Campus, the dance studio, the Science Instructional Lab Annex, the Music Hall and the Dining Commons. These installations are temporary and will be taken down at a time agreed upon by the artist and the site.
Some of the paintings have been installed on unused buildings along Seventh Avenue. These paintings will stay up as long as the buildings are there, documenting ideas, events and student creativity over time, according to Poethig.
Pictured above is the installation by Adam Flores at the Service Learning Building. To see more photos, visit http://vpa.csumb.edu/peoplearetalking.htm
Dec. 8, 2009
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a resolution designating Dec. 7-12 as "National Computer Science Education Week" to recognize the critical role of computing in society and the need to expose students to the opportunities it presents.
To commemorate the week, CSU Monterey Bay's School of School of Computing and Design will host a panel discussion highlighting career opportunities in the field. Representatives from Silicon Valley giants Google, Yahoo and Cisco Systems as well as the Naval Postgraduate School will talk about opportunities in private industry and the government for qualified computer scientists. The panel discussion will be held from noon to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10 in Room 118 of the Media Learning Complex.
"Computer science education relates directly to issues of innovation and competitiveness," said Kate Lockwood, a professor in ITCD who helped to organize CSUMB's event. "Students proficient in computer science can expect strong demand for their skills in well-paying jobs when they graduate."
A study by the National Center for Women and Information Technology at the University of Colorado at Boulder found that U.S. universities will be able to supply only half the necessary computer science workers by 2016.
CSUMB offers bachelor's degrees in computer science and information technology, and communication design. A master's of science is offered in instructional science and technology.
The second week in December was chosen in honor of Grace Murray Hopper, a pioneer in computer science, who was born Dec. 9, 1906. She is credited with inventing the first compiler, a program that translates other peoples' programs into machine code that computers can run. She also engineered new programming languages and developed standards for computer systems that laid the foundation for many advances in computer science from the late 1940s through the 1970s.
For more information, contact Dr. Lockwood at klockwood@csumb.edu.
Photo shows Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, USN, with other programmers and the Univac 1 in 1957
Dec. 5, 2009
A grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will help CSU Monterey Bay prepare students for careers in natural resources and agriculture.
The university will use the $300,000 to enhance its curriculum by adding courses in plant and soil science – classes that are essential for careers with agencies that manage natural resources important to agriculture.
The new courses will enable CSUMB students to qualify for jobs in a range of fields within the USDA and other resource agencies, positions the agriculture department considers mission critical.
The grant will also expand the university's commitment to undergraduate research by providing 24 paid internships, linking students to a professional network and connecting them to careers in the region. A scholarship for a student in the Master's of Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy program at CSUMB will also be funded by the grant.
"This grant gives us the opportunity to bolster the development of our students - in the classroom and in the field - to prepare them for careers in natural resources in support of agriculture and related fields," said Marc Los Huertos, a professor in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy.
Dr. Los Huertos has formed a community advisory group to provide industry perspectives and help the university align its curriculum with workforce needs of the region's agricultural industry.
Dec. 3, 2009
The Master's of Public Policy program at CSU Monterey Bay is sponsoring a panel discussion involving local policymakers from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 7 in the University Center conference rooms.
Panelists are Judy Darnell, public policy director for United Way of California and a 2006 graduate of the MPP program; Monterey County Supervisor Simon Salinas; and Monterey County Chief Administrative Officer Lew Bauman.
They will speak on public policy from the perspective of an advocate, a decision maker and a government official. The panel is part of a class in Introduction to Policy Analysis and Public Action, taught by Dr. Ignacio Navarro.
"In the forum, we will learn how practitioners use and produce policy analysis in their work," said Dr. Navarro. "We will also explore how politics and technical information shape policy analysis and how practitioners balance these two seemingly competing forces in their work. Finally, we'll learn how practitioners envision policy change, their views on what causes it, and what the role of policy analysis in change is." One issue likely to be addressed is health care, since all three panelists have been involved in this timely policy issue.
The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map.
Dec. 1, 2009
CSUMB athletics kicked off a year-round series of "FUN-damental" sports clinics on Nov. 29 when the men's basketball team worked with young athletes at the Otter Sports Center.
Under the direction of head coach Rob Bishop, youngsters learned proper shooting and dribbling as well as good teamwork skills.
"This was the first of several free clinics we hope to run this year and it was a big success," said head coach Rob Bishop. "We had close to 50 kids. It was a great opportunity for my program to give back to the community.
"Our student-athletes and all the kids involved had a great time."
The free clinics are a benefit of the newly created Otter Pups Kids Club.
Among the other benefits are free admission to all Otters' regular season home games (with a paying adult), a birthday card from the CSUMB mascot Monte Rey and autograph sessions with CSUMB student-athletes.
To receive email notices of upcoming clinics, youngsters can sign up for the Otter Pups Kids Club at www.otterathletics.com.
Dec. 2, 2009
****The Monterey County Weekly newspaper has invited readers to help support CSU Monterey Bay and dozens of other local nonprofits through its "Community Fund" program.
(Read the article and **download a donation form **here: http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/archives/2009/2009-Nov-25/in-this-special-issue-the-weekly-showcases-73-local-nonprofit-initiatives-worth-supporting--and-pledges-100000-from-our-community-fund-to-match-readers-donations/1/@@index)
CSUMB, listed as No. 16 on the list of organizations, seeks your help and participation in support of its environmental sustainability initiatives. The university seeks $50,000 to hire a new sustainability officer to further develop and oversee a Climate Action Plan. Duties would include coordinating student, staff and faculty participation, integrating sustainability into the curriculum, establishing a baseline greenhouse gas emissions inventory, establishing targets for reduction, developing and implementing a plan to reduce emissions and measuring the results.
Sustainability is a core value for CSUMB. In 2007, President Dianne Harrison was one of the original signers of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment that pledged the university to a path of climate neutrality.
"Global warming is a defining challenge of our time," Dr. Harrison said at the time.
"Human activities are responsible for the problem, and working together humans have the capacity to solve the problem," she said. "That means taking serious action to stop adding global warming pollution to the atmosphere.
"CSUMB is committed to leading the way."
Nov. 24, 2009
A Nov. 30 application deadline for students seeking admission to California State University, Monterey Bay for the fall 2010 semester is fast approaching.
Since the application period opened Oct. 1, CSU Monterey Bay has received about 8,000 applications for next fall. Up to another 1,000 are expected by next Monday's deadline, said Ronnie Higgs, associate vice president for enrollment services.
"This is the last week that we'll be receiving applications, and those who have not applied need to get their applications in now," Higgs said.
Any applicant who receives a question about some aspect of his or her application should reply as quickly as possible to avoid disqualification, he said.
The university plans to send out notifications of admission in mid-December.
No applications are being accepted for the spring 2010 semester because of state budget cuts, and a lack of funding is also limiting how many students CSU Monterey Bay can accept for next fall.
High school seniors can visit www.csumentor.edu to submit applications. More information is available by calling the CSUMB Office of Admissions at 831-582-3738.
Dec. 2, 2009
California State University, Monterey Bay invites the community to visit its Small Business Development Center, an innovative program that provides management and technical assistance to small businesses and entrepreneurs.The SBDC is located at 425 Belden St. in Gonzales. The grand opening was held on Nov. 30, celebrated with a ribbon cutting (at left) and reception.
This office serves the area along the Highway 101 corridor from Gilroy to King City and provides critical services to small business owners, helping to create and retain jobs in order to help strengthen the local economy. Services at CSU Monterey Bay's center compliment and expand on the programs already being provided to Monterey and Santa Cruz counties' coastal communities by the Central Coast SBDC hosted by Cabrillo College in Aptos.
The centers help people develop business plans, secure financing, assist with marketing needs, set up financial systems, determine plans for expansion, project cash flow, identify technology needs and provide a variety of other services helpful to small businesses. In addition to the free one-on-one consulting, the centers offer a variety of workshops and seminars. Free workshops have already been offered on e-mail marketing and access to capital.
The SBDCs are a partnership that includes Congress, the Small Business Administration, the private sector and the colleges, universities and state governments that manage SBDCs across the nation. CSUMB's center comes under the auspices of the University of California Merced's SBDC regional network, a fully accredited and nationally recognized program. "We are confident this network will support and promote increased economic growth in our entire region," said Dr. Marylou Shockley, chair of CSUMB's School of Business. "These centers offer vital support and training and are a natural addition to our efforts to help area and regional businesses. The university is well-positioned to provide leadership to the region's small businesses."
University faculty members make up about half of the 20 people available to give entrepreneurs free advice. "We've got quite a large skill set" of counselors, said Andrea Zeller-Nield, associate director of the center. Some of the counselors have knowledge of key local industries, such as wine and agriculture.
More information about the SBDC is available at http://ucmsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/ or www.sba.gov/sbdc.
Nov. 30, 2009
Dr. Gerald Shenk to work in the Philippines
Gerald Shenk, professor of social, behavioral and global studies at California State University, Monterey Bay, has been named a Fulbright Scholar and will work in the Philippines.
The six-month appointment began this month. Dr. Shenk will lecture on and research civic education and teacher training at Philippine Normal University in Manila.
About 800 U.S. faculty members and professionals will travel abroad to 150 countries during the 2009-10 academic year through the Fulbright Scholar Program. Established in 1946 under legislation introduced by the late Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the program's purpose is to build mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries.
The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs sponsors the program. Recipients are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement and because they have demonstrated leadership in their fields.
Dr. Shenk joined CSU Monterey Bay in 1996 and has taught a variety of courses in history, including California history and U.S. social and political history. He is best known among CSUMB students for his course, "Domination and Resistance in the Americas." His research interests include war and American society, race and gender, California history, African American history and Filipino American history. His most recent book is "Work or Fight! Race, Gender and the Draft during World War I," published in 2005.
He is the seventh CSUMB faculty member to win a Fulbright. The others are:
• Dr. Seth Pollack, director of the Service Learning Institute, spent the last academic year in South Africa, working on curriculum to address HIV/AIDS prevention.
• Dr. Judy Cortes, Spanish-language instructor and field placement coordinator in the Department of Teacher Education, spent a semester lecturing at a Chilean university in 2007.
• Dr. Lorenzo Covarrubias, an instructor in the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies, spent 2007 lecturing at the Autonomous University of Sinaloa-Mazatlan, in Mazatlan, Mexico.
• Dr. Maria Zielina of the World Languages and Cultures Department spent spring 2004 at the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Warsaw, Poland.
• Dr. Kathryn Poethig, professor of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies, taught religion and globalization at a university in the Philippines in 2003.
• Dr. Angie Tran, professor of political economy in Social, Behavioral and Global Studies, spent the 1999 academic year teaching at Hanoi National University, the first Fulbright Scholar in Vietnam.
Nov. 20, 2009**
The Fort Ord Alumni Association recently presented scholarships to a dozen CSU Monterey Bay students at its annual luncheon. Three Salinas residents were among the recipients.
The awards bring to 100 the total number of scholarships – all in the amount of $1,000 – given by FOAA since it began the scholarship program in 1997.
Recipients include:
Memorial Scholarships
• Gen. E.O.C. Ord Scholarship: Leslie Nelson, junior from Alhambra• Gen. Joseph Stilwell Scholarship: Ivan Sarabia, sophomore from Salinas• Platoon Sgt. James Rucker and Helen B. Rucker Scholarship: Jessica Parry, freshman from Lancaster• Gen. James E. Moore Jr. and Joan P. Moore Scholarship: Adan Romero, junior from Salinas• Gen. William H. Gourley and Molly B. Gourley Scholarships: David Bennion, junior from Fresno; Kellie Stutz, freshman from Lancaster; and Alicia Leger, junior from Escondido
• Col. Richard "Hank" Hendrickson Scholarship: Cherie Schwanke, senior from Manteca • 1st Sgt. Willie B. Smith Scholarship: Bret Flowers, junior from Huntington Beach • Col. Robert Furney and Mary Furney Scholarship: Lauren Walters, junior from Cupertino • Lt. Col. John McCutchon and Col. Ila Mettee-McCutchon Scholarship: Elizabeth Cavanaugh, senior from Clarkston, Wash. • Fort Ord Alumni Association 100th Scholarship: Reginald Joe Bennett, junior from Salinas
The Fort Ord Alumni Association, a division of the CSU Monterey Bay Foundation, was established in 1996 to provide financial assistance to students and to honor and preserve the heritage of Fort Ord and the contributions of the soldiers, civilians and their families who lived and worked there. Membership is open to anyone who wishes to join in these efforts.
For more information on the association, contact FOAA chair Donna Johnson at djm1211@aol.com.
Nov. 19, 2009
By the end of the fall semester, residents of East Campus housing will have received bright blue recycling totes as CSU Monterey Bay moves into phase two of a state grant.
The university used money from the California Department of Conservation to buy 3,100 totes last spring. The grants are intended to promote recycling and are financed with unclaimed refunds on beverage containers. None of the money comes from the state's general fund.
During the summer, 900 totes were delivered to the residence halls. Each room got one tote; the six-person suites in the North Quad complex received two each.
Yvonne Perez and Sarah Goumaa, students in Professor Suzy Worcester's service learning class, and a pair of students from Seaside High School, are in the process of distributing 1,500 of the blue totes to apartments in East Campus. They are also adding stickers to some of the outside recycling bins and distributing fliers containing information on recycling.
The students are collaborating with Alliance Residential Company, manager of East Campus housing, and Waste Management, the university's garbage collector, to ensure consistent and comprehensive recycling information is distributed.
"This is a great example of how collaborations among students, staff and faculty can help make improvements on campus," said Anya Spear, campus planner.
"Without the CSUMB and Seaside High students, I don't know how we would have been able to complete this project. State funds to implement it are currently frozen."
The goal of the project is to get young people to pay attention to where they throw their trash. Each tote comes with a guide that explains what kinds of materials to recycle - bottles, cans, plastic, cardboard and paper - and a reminder to carry the full totes to the recycling dumpsters.
"We have, in the United States, been establishing a recycling infrastructure for three decades, but when we look at rates, we are not improving," Kate M. Krebs, executive director of the non-profit National Recycling Coalition, told The New York Times.
National data shows that recycling overall is flat, but it is especially poor among college-age people, even though they grew up with recycling as a widespread practice. "When you look at demographics, the 18- to-24-year-old sector makes little effort to recycle," Krebs said.
Last May, Spear, campus facilities director Bob Brown, their staff and representatives from Waste Management conducted a "trash audit" of dumpsters located near all 11 residence halls. At the company's Castroville facility, they sorted through a sample of 1.26 of the five tons of garbage. They found that nearly 16 percent of the material (by weight) was recyclable. Plastic, aluminum, tin, paper, cardboard and glass had been tossed in the trash containers instead of being recycled.
"We're hoping that by putting bins in the rooms and apartments, we'll have a better percentage" of discarded items being recycled, Spear said. "They know recycling is the 'right' thing to do; we're trying to make it the 'easy' thing to do."
Another waste audit will be conducted next year, to see if there has been an improvement.
Nov. 18, 2009
Dr. Lou Denti, a professor of special education at CSU Monterey Bay and director of the university's Center for Reading Instruction and Diagnosis, has dedicated his life to helping those who struggle to learn.
Educators across the country have benefited from his research, publications and presentations, but in late October he had a memorable speaking engagement.
Dr. Denti (pictured at left) delivered the keynote address at the annual meeting of the Ohio School Speech Pathology and Educational Audiology Consortium and received the organization's Annie Glenn National Leadership Award.
The award is named for Annie Glenn, wife of former astronaut and senator John Glenn, and an adjunct professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science at Ohio State University. She is involved with issues around communication because of her struggles with stuttering. The Glenns attended the awards ceremony.
The award recognizes people who exemplify leadership, specifically those who are committed to change through clinical or research excellence in communication, language and literacy.
In her message to Dr. Denti, she said, "I thank you for caring enough to initiate the process of change and being committed to make a difference. Specifically, I thank you for caring enough about us who suffer from communication failure and are locked in a world of isolation.
"Thank you for unlocking our doors and freeing us so that we, too, can dare to dream and then take flight." (Mrs. Glenn is pictured at right with Dr. Denti at the awards ceremony.)
Dr. Denti, the Lawton Love Distinguished Professor in Special Education at CSUMB, has been on the faculty since 2000. His research interests include special education policy, differentiating instruction, struggling readers at the secondary level and alternative education.
His books include "New Ways of Looking at Learning Disabilities: Connections to Classroom Practice," and a book of poetry, "Shadows and Moon," which delves into the feelings students experience when they don't quite fit in. He co-edited "Effective Practice for Adolescents with Reading and Literacy Challenges," which was published last year.
He has also co-edited a special series for Reading and Writing Quarterly entitled "Pointing the Way: Teaching Reading to Struggling Readers at the Secondary Level."
Nov. 17, 2009
CSUMB invites community to winter concert
CSU Monterey Bay's Music and Performing Arts Department will present its annual winter concert at 3 p.m. on Dec. 6. This year's theme is "home for the holidays."
The university's gospel choir and small vocal ensemble, Nuovo Plaisir - both directed by Professor Paulette Gissendanner - will perform. Also on the program is the CSUMB chamber orchestra, concert band and brass ensemble, all directed by Theresa Hruby-Percell, and Voices by the Sea community choir. They will be accompanied by Pat Caison and Tiffany Truett.
The concert will be held in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue. The event is free; no tickets or reservations are required. Free parking is available in the lot adjacent to the theater.
For more information or to request disability accommodations, call 582-3009. For driving directions and a campus map, visit the web at csumb.edu/map.
Nov. 17, 2009
HUD program will fund more work on Chinatown project
The Service Learning Institute at California State University, Monterey Bay has received another three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to continue work on the Chinatown Renewal Project.
The grant, one of 10 awarded to colleges and universities nationwide, is intended to help revitalize low-income neighborhoods near their campuses and address local problems. CSU Monterey Bay was awarded $600,000.
The grants are given under HUD's Hispanic-Serving Institutions Assisting Communities program; schools use the funding for a wide range of housing and community development projects. CSUMB will use it to renovate the Republic Café, located on Soledad Street in Chinatown, into the Asian Cultural Center and Museum.
The center will provide the Japanese, Chinese and Filipino communities of Monterey County and long-term residents and property owners of Chinatown a place to preserve their culture and tradition, including opportunities to document family oral history and collect and display cultural artifacts and historical documents. It will tell the story of the impact of immigrants on the development of the Salinas Valley agricultural industry and provide employment opportunities in construction and museum operation.
"This has been an incredibly rich process for the university and our community partners," said Dr. Seth Pollack, director of CSU Monterey Bay's Service Learning Institute. "In opening the Soledad Street community unity garden, we planted the seeds that showed to the neighborhood that change is possible.
"The community planning process that followed brought new voices to the table. Now, our first fruit: funds to construct the Asian Cultural Center and Museum."
Among the students who will be involved in the project are those enrolled in the university's museum studies program.
"Students now have the opportunity to see a museum collection unfold from scratch. They will interview Asian residents and help them to uncover artifacts stashed in closets, attics, garages, under beds, in photo albums and china closets. They will assist in curating these objects into a compelling story of Salinas' diverse past," said Dr. Lila Staples, who teaches in the museum studies program.
Soledad Street was once a thriving Chinese, Japanese and Filipino community. The 12 square blocks that form the area are, literally and figuratively, cut off from much of the rest of the city. The area is blocked from a main thoroughfare by railroad tracks, and blocked from full participation with the rest of Salinas because of its reputation as a haven for drugs and other illicit activity that resulted from decades of neglect.
Since 1997, CSUMB's Service Learning Institute has worked with property owners, service providers, residents and other stakeholders to improve the area. Hundreds of students from a variety of academic disciplines have worked on the revitalization project.
Nov. 16, 2009
KAZU news director Krista Almanzan was honored Nov. 7 by the Radio-Television News Directors Association of Northern California at the organization's annual awards dinner in San Francisco.
She was recognized in the category of best feature reporting on a serious subject for "A Second Chance in Salinas." The story examined a program called Take the Lead, which pairs at-risk youngsters with dogs surrendered to the local SPCA. The kids learn to train the dogs – making the pets more adoptable – while making a better connection with their school and doing better in the classroom. Read the story here.
[](http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kazu/news.newsmain/article/0/0/1511786/news/A.Second.Chance.in.Salinas)
The Nor-Cal RTNDA represents electronic journalists in radio, television and online from the Oregon border to the California Central Coast and Reno. The entry period covered July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009. More than 180 entries were received from 29 stations and were judged by news managers from around the country. Almanzan started her journalism career in Iowa where she covered the 2000 and 2004 presidential races and Iowa caucuses for local television stations. In 2005, she won the Stanley Foundation Award for Outstanding Broadcast Coverage of Iowa's global connections. Later that year, she returned to her home state of California, where she continued to work in television and simultaneously got her start in public radio as a freelance reporter with Capital Public Radio in Sacramento. In 2007, she joined the staff at KAZU where she serves as host of All Things Considered as well as news director. KAZU, 90.3 FM, is a National Public Radio news and information affiliate licensed to California State University, Monterey Bay.
Nov. 16, 2009
The intricate, throbbing rhythms, colors and excitement of contemporary Brazil will be on display at CSU Monterey Bay's University Center on Dec. 3 when master percussionist Jorge Alabe and his group Samba Rio present "The Story of Brazilian Samba."
The public is invited to the 7 p.m. event. Admission is free.
Mr. Alabe's skill developed as he grew up playing Afro-Brazilian and samba rhythms in Rio de Janeiro, and took him around the world as director of percussion with the legendary performing company Oba Oba. A popular performer and teacher, he has conducted workshops at schools and universities in the U.S. since 1993. He's now based in the San Francisco Bay area.
At CSUMB, his presentation will trace the roots and development of samba, Brazil's national rhythm, and explain the country's place within the context of the wider African Diaspora. Brazil's relationship to the U.S. and Latino communities here will also be explored.
Various styles of Brazilian music and dance will be performed and explained, including candomblé, samba de roda, pagode and batucada. Each style represents a stage in the development of samba, or a different setting in which the music is played.
Dr. Umi Vaughan, professor of Africana Studies at CSUMB, will be the host for the evening and will perform with Mr. Alabe.
The 75-minute performance will conclude with a short question-and-answer session.
Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map. For more information, contact Dr. Vaughan at 582-3116.
Nov. 15, 2009
CSU Monterey Bay senior Rachel Osias was honored Nov. 13 as the Outstanding Philanthropic Young Adult at the 2009 Central Coast National Philanthropy Day awards luncheon.
The program honors individuals who "set the standard for community involvement." Osias certainly does that.
A Service Learning Student Leader since 2006, she contributes to both her primary service site, the Agriculture and Land-based Training Association (ALBA), and to service learning action projects on campus.
In the last academic year alone, Osias (pictured at left) and other SL student leaders brought 80 local middle school students to campus for College Access Weekend, led drives that collected more than $7,000 worth of food for families in the Pajaro Valley and Alisal communities, and put together a "hunger banquet," in which participants experienced and then discussed issues related to food access, poverty and gender inequality.
"Rachel truly connects her consciousness and values with her actions," said Professor Deborah Burke, one of her service learning instructors.
An Environmental Science, Technology & Policy major with minors in both outdoor education and service learning, Osias plans to work as an environmental educator after graduation.
"I want to talk with the public and with youth about where we live and what is happening to it, and instill a sense of stewardship," she said.
The Castro Valley native said her dream is to one day open a residential camp that would provide outdoor and environmental education, particularly for the benefit of inner-city and deaf children.
This is the first time a young adult was honored at the Central Coast National Philanthropy Day event. Established in 1986, National Philanthropy Day is celebrated in more than 100 communities.
Nov. 15, 2009
*******A Christmas Carol comes to the World Theater ***
In days gone by, radio was the best form of family entertainment going, with youngsters and adults gathered around to listen to broadcasts and let their imaginations soar. The World Theater at CSU Monterey Bay is offering the opportunity to experience that again when it presents the classic holiday story "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens as a live radio drama.
Performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 11 and 12. Audience members can enjoy the live production, then listen to the radio broadcast with family and friends on Christmas Eve.
The story is the classic Victorian morality tale of a bitter old miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, a ruthless moneylender who undergoes a profound experience of redemption over the course of a Christmas Eve.
The production features Equity actor Paul Myrvold (pictured at left) in the lead role of Scrooge. Myrvold is well known to local audiences from performances at the Western Stage, Pacific Repertory Theater and El Teatro Campesino, among others.
Also appearing are veteran actors Donna Federico, Chris Graham, Michelle Vallentyne and Phil Esparza.
Marilyn Abad-Cardinalli directs the production. During a 30-year career at Gavilan College in Gilroy, she has directed and produced more than 100 plays and founded the Summer Theatre Arts Repertory "STAR" program, which has been introducing young people to the performing arts for more than two decades. She is also the executive producer of the Gavilan College educational channel, Gav TV.
"A Christmas Carol" is a traditional holiday story, but the radio version is a unique production with the actors performing a variety of roles, transforming into different characters instantly in front of the audience.
The production will include live music by the Big American Family band - Christina Bailey, Matt Bailey, Sam Wallace, Sara Bollwinkel and Matt Bollwinkel - and Foley artists, people who create live sound effects on stage.
"We will be performing for two distinct audiences," Abad-Cardinalli said, "the audience that comes to see the show on the World Theater stage, and the radio audience who will listen to the broadcast later." The production will be aired on KAZU 90.3 FM at 11 p.m. on Dec. 24.
This is the second year the World Theater has offered a holiday performance.
"We want to produce an annual holiday show as a gift to the community," said World Theater director Joe Cardinalli. "When we discovered the radio version of 'A Christmas Carol,' everyone on the theater staff agreed it was the show to produce."
Tickets range from $10 to $40. Special offer: buy-one, get-one-free. Tickets may be purchased by calling the World Theater box office at (831) 582-4580 or online at csumb.edu/worldtheater. Concertgoers can have a pre-show holiday dinner in the Otter Bay Restaurant, located next to the theater. A prix fixe menu will be offered for $19.95. Dinner reservations can be made by calling the box office. For disability-related accommodations, please contact the box office no later than 10 days prior to the performance. The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue on the CSUMB campus. Driving directions and a campus map are available at CSUMB.edu/map.
Nov. 8, 2009
*Imagine everything you did between 1976 and 1992. *
Now remove all of it.
Those 16 years were taken away from Sunny Jacobs, convicted and sentenced to death for a crime she did not commit.
It could happen just as easily to you.
The criminal justice system sometimes breaks down. And when the sentence is death, wrongful convictions are tragic – and sometimes irreversible.
"The Exonerated," a powerful drama, highlights the flaws in the American legal system through the words of inmates who survived their death penalty convictions. It tells the true stories of six innocent men and women sentenced to die - their trials, imprisonment, the events that led to their release and their attempts to return to a normal life. Much more than stories of how the system failed them, it's evidence of the resilience of the human spirit, and testimony to the hope that truth can prevail.
The production will be staged at the Golden State Theater in Monterey at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 20 and 21. Proceeds benefit KAZU, National Public Radio for the Monterey Bay area, and the Northern California Innocence Project at Santa Clara Law School.
Writers Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen based the play on interviews, letters, case files and public records. It attracted celebrity actors to its original off-Broadway production in 2002, and has been staged around the country since then, including performances at the United Nations.
The stories highlight the role that money and prejudice play in justice. All six people experienced discrimination, coerced confessions, scapegoating and mishandled or unrevealed evidence.
Kathleen "Cookie" Ridolfi, executive director of the Northern California Innocence Project (NCIP) and Linda Starr, the project's legal director, will take the stage after the performance for a brief question-and-answer session
The NCIP, part of the International Innocence Network, operates as a pro-bono law school clinical program where students, interns, clinical fellows, attorneys and volunteers work to identify and provide legal representation to wrongfully convicted prisoners. The project is also dedicated to raising public awareness about the prevalence and causes of wrongful conviction as well as promoting substantive legal reforms to prevent future wrongful convictions.
Its website lists eight people who have been exonerated through the efforts of the project.
Tickets are $25 for general admission and $50 for admission and VIP reception and can be ordered online at http://site.theexonerated-takes-chilling-look-justice-systemmonterey.com or by calling 582-4580.
Jaw-dropping. . .an intense and deeply affecting play - Ben Brantley, New York Times
Nov. 8, 2009
*Imagine everything you did between 1976 and 1992. *
Now remove all of it.
Those 16 years were taken away from Sunny Jacobs, convicted and sentenced to death for a crime she did not commit.
It could happen just as easily to you.
The criminal justice system sometimes breaks down. And when the sentence is death, wrongful convictions are tragic – and sometimes irreversible.
"The Exonerated," a powerful drama, highlights the flaws in the American legal system through the words of inmates who survived their death penalty convictions. It tells the true stories of six innocent men and women sentenced to die - their trials, imprisonment, the events that led to their release and their attempts to return to a normal life. Much more than stories of how the system failed them, it's evidence of the resilience of the human spirit, and testimony to the hope that truth can prevail.
The production will be staged at the Golden State Theater in Monterey at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 20 and 21. Proceeds benefit KAZU, National Public Radio for the Monterey Bay area, and the Northern California Innocence Project at Santa Clara Law School.
Writers Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen based the play on interviews, letters, case files and public records. It attracted celebrity actors to its original off-Broadway production in 2002, and has been staged around the country since then, including performances at the United Nations.
The stories highlight the role that money and prejudice play in justice. All six people experienced discrimination, coerced confessions, scapegoating and mishandled or unrevealed evidence.
Kathleen "Cookie" Ridolfi, executive director of the Northern California Innocence Project (NCIP) and Linda Starr, the project's legal director, will take the stage after the performance for a brief question-and-answer session
The NCIP, part of the International Innocence Network, operates as a pro-bono law school clinical program where students, interns, clinical fellows, attorneys and volunteers work to identify and provide legal representation to wrongfully convicted prisoners. The project is also dedicated to raising public awareness about the prevalence and causes of wrongful conviction as well as promoting substantive legal reforms to prevent future wrongful convictions.
Its website lists eight people who have been exonerated through the efforts of the project.
Tickets are $25 for general admission and $50 for admission and VIP reception and can be ordered online at http://site.thenews/exonerated-takes-chilling-look-justice-systemmonterey.com or by calling 582-4580.
Jaw-dropping. . .an intense and deeply affecting play - Ben Brantley, New York Times
Nov. 7, 2009
The public is invited to celebrate the recent publication of "Fire and Ink, An Anthology of Social Action Writing" at a literary event at 7 p.m., Nov. 16 in the University Center ballroom at CSU Monterey Bay.
The anthology includes stories, poems, interviews and essays that confront some of the most pressing social issues of our day. Designed to inspire and inform, the book embodies the concepts of "breaking silence," "bearing witness," resistance and resilience. It will appeal to all readers with a commitment to social justice.
Faculty members Diana Garcia, Debra Busman and Frances Payne Adler, co-editors of the anthology, will be on hand. Adler, a poet, is founder of the Creative Writing and Social Action Program at CSUMB, and is the author of five books including "The Making of a Matriot." Busman, a fiction writer, is a long-time activist. Garica, a poet, is a founding member of the Border Voices Project.
They will be joined by Lorna Dee Cervantes, Elliot Roberts and Matthew Shenoda, along with CSUMB graduates Rafael Albarran, Linda Lopez and Tracy Kelly. All have work included in the anthology.
The anthology marks the emergence of social action writing as a distinct field within creative writing and literature. It includes never-before-published pieces as well as reprinted material.
The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue. This event is free and is ADA accessible. For more information, call 582-3889. For driving directions and a campus map, visit csumb.edu/map.
Nov. 5, 2009
A class meets to read and discuss Shakespeare's play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream." As the class begins, the students chat among themselves about the usual things – their personal relationships, school events and such.
Then something unusual happens. The students and professor begin to slip into the play, becoming the characters and performing their actions as if taken over by the power of the verse itself.
A classroom becomes a forest. Students become lovers, clowns and supernatural beings. Suddenly, a November evening is transformed into midsummer and the spectators find themselves in a theatrical dream.
Thus begins CSU Monterey Bay's production of the classic play. Performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5-7 and 12-14 in the Meeting House, located on the corner of Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Divarty Street. Admission is free, but seating is limited.
The student actors are enrolled in a class taught by the play's director, Professor Will Shephard.
"In traditional theater, the audience is separate from the stage," Shephard said. "I create a space shared by actors and spectators. The stage is all around the audience - it's a very intimate experience," he told the Monterey Herald.
Shephard calls the performance "environmental theater," a term coined by director Richard Schechner to define dynamic interaction among actors, audience and performance space. Shephard worked under Schechner's direction in The Performance Group in New York.
The concept originated with director Constantin Stanislavski at the Moscow Art Theater's Second Studio and was incorporated into the work of director Jerzy Grotowski and the Polish Theatre Laboratory in the 1960s. Grotowski became Shephard's mentor when the two worked together in Poland.
The production will take place in the student's actual classroom, which used to a small church. The space lends itself well to this kind of production because it's intimate, with space for about 70 audience members.
"In environmental theater, the actors are very close to the audience, but they are definitely acting in a play," Shephard said.
The actors will wear their own clothes, but will don masks in character. Shephard is a mask maker. He made the ones used in this performance more than 20 years ago, repainting each one for different productions.
According to Shephard, the play is ideal for environmental theater because of its fantastical nature.
"At one moment we are in the court, the next moment in the depth of the forest. It's tremendously funny. All sorts of mischief takes place. The audience sits in one seat and it transforms to all these different environments. It starts as a class and comes back to a class.
"That's the real magic of theater - you're not sure where you are. Through the magic of performance and sound and light, it all comes together in a charming and entertaining way," he told the Herald.
Applications are being accepted for the Master's in Public Policy program at CSU Monterey Bay.
The MPP program is a partnership between the university's Department of Health, Human Services and Public Policy and the Panetta Institute for Public Policy. Application deadline for priority consideration is Feb.1, 2010, and the final deadline (if space remains available) is March 12 for the class that starts next fall. Classes are small, interactive, academically rigorous and professionally focused.
Courses are offered in the evenings to encourage working professionals to attend. Recent college graduates are also encouraged to apply. Among the courses offered are:
• Congressional and Presidential Politics and Policy
• Separate courses on Budget Policy, Health Policy and Social Policy
• Money, Media and Influence in Policymaking Environments
• Policy Analysis and Public Action in Diverse Communities
• Collaborative Leadership and Ethical Policymaking
Students currently enrolled in the program come from the management ranks of local governments, educational institutions and non-profit organizations; the broad range of professional backgrounds creates a dynamic learning environment.
Nov. 4, 2009
CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison has announced the appointment of Dr. Patti Hiramoto to the position of chief of staff.
In that role, she will oversee the Office of the President, serve as a member of the Senior Leadership Team and assist the president with external relations.
Dr. Hiramoto joined the staff of CSU Monterey Bay in 2008 as associate director of academic personnel. She came to CSUMB from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she was director of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action for eight years. Prior to that, she served in a similar capacity at CSUMB.
She earned a doctorate in higher education administration at UC Berkeley, and has worked at San Francisco State and Stanford University, where she served as director of academic service for the School of Education.
"Dr. Hiramoto's experience in higher education, and her history at CSU Monterey Bay, give me confidence in her ability to continue building positive relationships both on and off campus," President Harrison said in announcing the appointment. "She brings enormous university experience and competence to this position."
She replaces John McCutchon, who retired last summer.
**
Nov. 4, 2009
The public is invited to attend a World War II living history symposium sponsored by the Fort Ord Alumni Association (FOAA) and California State University, Monterey Bay on Nov. 7.
The symposium will start at 2 p.m. in the university's Alumni and Visitors Center, located on the corner of Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Inter-Garrison Road. Admission is free; donations will be accepted for FOAA's scholarship fund.
Among the speakers are:
• Jerome Morse of Pacific Grove, a member of the 82nd Airborne Division who parachuted into Holland on D-Day
• Hal Martin of Carmel, a Navy torpedo mate on Destroyer 509
• Frank Inami of Livermore, who was pulled from UC-Berkeley School of Engineering to be interned in Arkansas, sent to Illinois to complete his degree, but rejected by all branches of the military
• Bob Boddiker and Blair Hyde, both of Carmel, Marines who saw action throughout the Pacific theater
• Ross Smith of Pacific Grove, who worked as a civilian at Fort Ord, then joined the Air Corps' 90th Bomber group. He talked with islanders who recounted seeing Amelia Earhart before the war.
Driving directions and a map of campus are available at csumb.edu/map. More information is available by calling 582-4723.
Jan. 3, 2010
Young filmmakers eager to see their work on a screen bigger than YouTube will get the opportunity in April, when CSUMB holds its second annual Teen Film Festival.
The Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department is accepting applications for the festival, which will be held at CSUMB's World Theater on April 3. Entries can be submitted online at csumb.edu/filmfestival. Filmmakers between 13 and 19 years old are invited to submit films and videos up to five minutes in length. Entries may be in English or Spanish and there is no entry fee.
TAT students will organize the event and handle the judging, according to Professor Enid Baxter Blader."It's an educational experience for my students, who want to go out in the world and have their films screened in film festivals. A great way to understand that process is to curate a film festival," Blader said.CSUMB also hopes the festival will serve as a way to interest local teens who might not have considered going to college. By inviting them to campus and showing them what the university offers, they may consider enrolling.While local teenagers are encouraged to enter the competition, it's also open to teenagers from around the country.Last year's inaugural event drew more than 100 entries and several hundred people attended the screening. Some of last year's entries can be viewed online at csumb.edu/filmfestival.Submission deadline is Feb. 12. More information is available from Hayley Allison at hallison@csumb.edu.
Oct. 25, 2009
Poet Luis Rodriguez lectures at CSUMB Nov. 4
Luis Rodriguez spent a good part of his teenage life as a member of an East Los Angeles gang, and has spent a good part of his adult life trying to keep other adolescents from following that same path.
The results have been mixed. Rodriguez's son, Ramiro, is serving time in an Illinois prison for a gang-related shooting.
"I couldn't save him," Rodriguez told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. "But some of these kids still can be reached. We have to keep at it. We have to keep trying."
The best-selling author will speak at California State University, Monterey Bay at 7 p.m. Nov. 4 in the University Center. The next night, he'll take his message to El Sausal Middle School in Salinas.
Rodriguez is far removed from his violent, drug-clouded adolescence, which he described in his acclaimed autobiography, "Always Running: La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A." Since the publication of the book in 1993, he has worked to reverse the corrosive effect of gangs on communities throughout the United States.
The book is a graphic testament to the brutality of "la vida loca" - the crazy life of gangs - and is rife with violence and drugs. According to the American Library Association, it's one of the nation's 100 most censored books. It also earned a Carl Sandburg Literary Award and was designated a New York Times Notable Book.
"Always Running" is a cautionary tale, and in the end it's a story of how a few patient adults can help change the life of a young man who seems destined for prison - or worse.
He also also written several collections of poetry, children's books, a novel and a non-fiction book, "Hearts and Hands: Creating Community in Violent Times."
"We can stop gang violence in this country, but not the way we are doing it," Rodriguez recently told the Advocate News in Fort Bragg. "We cannot arrest our way out of this. We need what I call a whole community approach."
He believes communities should fight gangs with art, education and respect, not just by suppression efforts.
Says Rodriguez: "Art is the heart's explosion on the world. There is probably no more powerful force for change in this uncertain and crisis-ridden world than young people and their art. It is the consciousness of the world breaking away from the strangle grip of an archaic social order."
In reviewing "Hearts and Hands," the Los Angeles Times Book Review said, "Rodriguez is a relentless truth-teller, an authentic visionary, a man of profound compassion . . . he acknowledges the lessons we can learn from the social sciences, he scrutinizes what succeeds and what fails in the realm of public policy, but he never allows us to forget the rescue of young people is also 'a spirital quest.' "
The CSUMB lecture is free and the public is invited. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map. To request disability accommodations, call 582-3672. For more information, contact Deborah Burke of CSUMB's Service Learning Institute at 582-3631.
When Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, arrives, family members of departed souls set out water, candles, food and decorated sugar skulls to welcome their lost loved ones. Widely celebrated in Latin America, the day honors the dead as living entities. It celebrates the departed, and helps keep them present in life. This year's Dia de los Muertos celebration at CSU Monterey Bay will be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 2 in the University Center ballroom. The theme is "Hecho por Mano,” or artists of the Day of the Dead. Each year, a class in the Department of Visual and Public Art organizes the campus event, designs the program, including the theme, and builds the altars while learning about the ceremony’s history, tradition and community-building practice. All 35 seats in the popular class fill up quickly. On a recent Wednesday afternoon, a crew from KQED, the San Francisco-based PBS affiliate, attended a class to film a segment on Professor Amalia Mesa-Bains. Students had brought photos of their loved ones. With cameras rolling, they placed the photos and marigolds on altars they had constructed in previous classes. Dr. Mesa-Bains asked them to think about the people whose photos they had brought and reminded them to say “In memory of” before saying the name. Most students placed photos of family members on their altars. One brought a picture of Michael Jackson in addition to several snapshots of relatives. One placed an image of Frida Kahlo. Day of the Dead is a time for people to revere their ancestors and, in a way, make friends with death. “We can’t fear death,” one of the students said. “When you can recognize that, you can celebrate life.” The TV segment, produced for KQED’s Spark program, will air at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 30 as part of This Week in Northern California. Spark is about Bay Area artists and arts organizations. More than a showcase for art objects and the artists who make them, Spark takes the audience inside the creative process to witness the challenges, opportunities and rewards of making art.
In addition to filming the class, the TV show visited Dr. Mesa-Bains at her studio in San Juan Bautista. Her work deals primarily with interpretations of traditional Chicano altars, both in contemporary formal terms and in their ties to the Chicano community and its history. As an author of scholarly articles and a internationally known lecturer on Latino art, she has enhanced understanding of multiculturalism and reflected major cultural and demographic shifts in the United States.
Oct. 21, 2009
California State University, Monterey Bay will celebrate National American Indian Heritage Awareness Month with a screening of the award-winning documentary “Trail of Tears: Cherokee Legacy” on Nov. 9.
The community is invited to the free screening, which will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue.
The film documents the forced removal of the Cherokee Nation from the southeastern United States to Oklahoma in 1838. More than 16,000 Cherokees were forced to Oklahoma so whites can grab arable lands and prospect for recently discovered gold in Georgia.
“The policy of President Andrew Jackson led to a brutal, cross country trek in which nearly a quarter of the tribal citizens died from hunger, exposure, disease and sheer exhaustion,” director Chip Richie notes on the film’s website. “And these were primarily peaceful farming families who lived in houses, owned businesses, had their own newspapers and abided by their own constitution.”
Cherokee actor Wes Studi (“The Last of the Mohicans” and “Dances With Wolves”) hosts the film in the Cherokee language (with subtitles). The rest is in English, with American Indian descendants James Earl Jones, James Garner and Crystal Gayle narrating or doing voice-overs.
The movie shows the long period of colonial acculturation, in which Cherokees sought peace with whites. It explains the split between Indians who wanted to stay on ancestral lands and others who hoped to evade white land-grabbers forever by moving.
Steven R. Heape, the film’s executive producer and a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, will be on hand to discuss the film and answer questions. Also in attendance will be Patti Jo King, American Indian historian and lecturer at the University of Oklahoma who was an adviser on the film.
The film captured an impressive array of awards, including Best Documentary at the 2006 American Indian Film Festival. Tribal representatives from American Indian Nations of Central California will be in attendance.
Driving directions and a campus map can be downloaded at csumb.edu/map. More information is available by calling 582-3890.
"Trail of Tears: Cherokee Legacy” will remain the definitive film treatment of the subject for years to come. it is an eloquent retelling of an important chapter in American history and it deserves to be viewed widely." – Journal of American History
Oct. 12, 2009
Along with schools and businesses, organizations such as the U.S Geological Survey, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the American Red Cross will participate to test their emergency preparedness,
More information:
• To learn more about the outdoor broadcast alert system on campus, visit http://news.csumb.edu/site/x22188.xml
• To learn more about the OtterAlert system, visit http://news.csumb.edu/site/x20695.xml
• For more information about emergency preparedness efforts at CSUMB, visit http://police.csumb.edu/site/x5487.xml
•For more information on the ShakeOut, visit http://www.shakeout.org
• For more information on how to drop, cover and hold on, visit http://www.dropcoverholdon.org/
Oct. 12, 2009
CSU Monterey Bay is one of three universities that will share a $12.6 million grant from the federal government for improvement and innovation in their teacher education programs.
The Teacher Quality Partnership grant from the U.S. Department of Education is aimed at improving teachers' skills and training so that students in rural areas can get a better education. Emphasis will be placed on math, science and special education, but all teacher preparation programs will be affected.
These efforts at reforming teacher education are inspired by changes in medical education that took place a century ago.
The project is aimed at closing the achievement gap for thousands of children located throughout the nine-county region of Central California.
"The No. 1 goal is to improve K-12 student achievement," said Dr. Mark O'Shea, professor of education at CSUMB and principal investigator for the project.
The five-year grant will be shared by CSU Bakersfield and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and the offices of education in Tulare and Kern counties. It will target improving student performance in 16 high-need schools in Monterey, Kern and Tulare counties. The Monterey County Office of Education will receive funding to support professional development in local schools.
In Monterey County, those high-need schools are in the Alisal Union and Gonzales Unified school districts.
The grant will be used to accomplish four goals that will enhance the universities' teaching programs. They are:
• Reform teacher education by introducing features typically seen in medical education
• Bring teacher education faculty and content experts into K-12 classrooms during clinical training of teacher candidates
• Recruit teachers in response to the needs identified by partner school districts
• Help support and develop school leadership
Among other things, the grant money will be used to build an online network to help new teachers form a collaborative community where they can share ideas and build on individual experiences.
"Research shows that teacher quality is the most important factor in improving student achievement," Dr. O'Shea said. "We need to improve the way we prepare teachers by examining methods introduced to medical education almost a century ago."
Before 1910, most medical schools trained physicians through lectures and classroom presentations. Educational reformer Abraham Flexner envisioned today's medical education system, grounded in clinical practice and apprenticeship. As a result of his influence, today's medical professor is affiliated with a teaching hospital, practicing medicine within that setting while also teaching. By contrast, education professors continue to teach in the classroom. Rarely do they demonstrate their own skills as K-12 teachers.
"Faculty members from CSUMB and the other two universities will be in K-12 classrooms working to ensure that the university teacher preparation programs are realistic and effective. Part of our goal is to strengthen teachers' skills before they even reach the classroom," Dr. O'Shea said. He noted that university faculty members will regularly teach in the subject areas and at the grade levels for which they prepare teachers.
Work is expected to begin in January.
Oct. 7, 2009
CSUMB hosts forum on ag sustainability
Note: The forum will be held rain or shine.
The Greater Vision series of public forums on topics relevant to local agriculture continues Tuesday Oct.13, when industry professionals, educators and elected officials meet at California State University, Monterey Bay to discuss "Ag Sustainability: Our People . . . Transforming Lives."
Craig Watson, vice president of Sysco Food Services, will be the keynote speaker. Sysco is the global leader in supplying food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities. Watson's topic: "Social responsibility extends beyond the food chain."
Several speakers will address challenges facing the agricultural industry – poverty, job losses and economic trends.
"Coming together to transform lives," a panel discussion, will follow, focusing on potential solutions to these challenges. CSUMB President Dianne Harrison, Salinas Mayor Dennis Donahue, Seaside Mayor Ralph Rubio and businessman Don Chapin will get to the issue of how education, industry and government can cooperate and collaborate to transform lives in our local community.
The forum will get under way at 1 p.m. with opening remarks by Dr. Marylou Shockley, chair of CSUMB's School of Business. Mr. Watson's keynote address is scheduled to start at 3:30.
The event is free to the public, but donations will be accepted to the Grower Shipper Foundation. Driving directions and a campus map are available online at csumb.edu/map.
CSUMB's School of Business, the Central Coast Ag Task Force and the Grower-Shipper Foundation are sponsoring the forum.
This is the third and final forum addressing agricultural sustainability and stewardship making up the Triple Bottom Line - profit, planet, people. "Profit" was addressed at a forum last fall at CSUMB; "planet" was the focus last spring at Hartnell College.
A Greater Vision The third in a series of forums on sustainability, the triple bottom line "Sustainability: Our People . . . Transforming Lives" Oct. 13, 2009 CSUMB's University Center on Sixth Avenue
12:30-1 p.m. - Check in1-1:05 p.m. - Opening remarks by Dr. Marylou Shockley, chair of the School of Business1:05-1:15 p.m. - Welcome remarks by Dr. Kathy Cruz Uribe, CSUMB provost1:15-2:15 p.m. - Community Challenges panel discussion, moderated by April England-Mackie, second vice president, Ag Against Hunger "Beyond the fields: An immigrant family's experience" by Linda McGlone, Monterey County Health Department
"Empowerment -a second chance" by Jill Allen, development director for Dorothy's Place
"From the streets to success: stories of hope" by Marc Rosen, Career Center, Regional Occupation Program
"Jobs plus education equals a healthy community," by Dr. Brad Barbeau, professor, CSUMB School of Business
2:15 p.m. - "Underwriting agriculture: a banker's perspective," by Jon Hillen, relationship manager, Rabobank, NA
2:30-3:30 p.m. - Coming Together to Transform Lives panel discussion, moderated by Felicia Perez Kausin, 1st Capital Bank and Hartnell College Foundation advisory board
"Education's role in transforming lives," by Dianne Harrison, CSUMB president
"Agriculture and community: our people, our vision for the future," by Dennis Donohue, mayor of Salinas
"Cooperation and collaboration for economic development vitality," by Ralph Rubio, mayor of Seaside
"Community Involvement: it's good business," by Don Chapin, The Chapin Company and Rancho Cielo
3:30-4:30 p.m. - Keynote speaker Craig Watson, vice president of Sysco Food Services, "Social responsibility extends beyond the food chain."
4:30-4:45 p.m. - Closing remarks
Oct. 5, 2009
A sign went up on the north side of Inter-Garrison Road between Central Campus and East Campus housing last month, announcing that the area will become the home of Monterey-Salinas Transit.
The transit agency has acquired about 24 acres of a 58-acre parcel owned by Monterey County.
The county Redevelopment Agency plans to subdivide the remaining 34 acres for sale to approximately a dozen developers in 1.5- to 2.5-acre parcels. That area is known as the Whispering Oaks Business Park and is designated for light industrial use in the Fort Ord master plan.
MST will relocate its headquarters, storage and maintenance operations to the property, and hopes to break ground on the first of three buildings next summer, according to Hunter Harvath, MST's assistant general manager.
The headquarters – what Harvath calls the "signature" building – will be constructed to LEED Silver standards. The three-story building will have a sunken entrance. Entry will be on the second-floor level to minimize what is visible from Inter-Garrison Road.
A 100-foot-wide buffer of native oak trees will remain on the property between Inter-Garrison Road and the development. The entire property will be heavily landscaped.
It will also be enclosed by a decorative fence – as required by the Department of Homeland Security – much like the fence that surrounds the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey.
A maintenance facility and a fuel building will complete the project, along with paved parking for 280 buses.
Harvath emphasized the environmentally friendly aspects of the project. Recycled water will be used to wash the buses, then that water will be used for landscaping. Photovoltaic cells will be placed on the roof of the maintenance building and will provide enough energy to power the operation.
Buses will enter and leave the yard via the Eighth Avenue cutoff to Imjin Parkway. Eventually, they will also go through the East Garrison development.
MST is working with CSUMB's Planning and Development staff on issues such as storm water runoff.
Nick Nichols of the county Redevelopment Agency says the implementation of the light industrial park is dependent on economic forces over the next several years.
Oct. 2, 2009
Prospective students and their parents will have an opportunity to learn about California State University, Monterey Bay at an open house on Saturday, Oct. 17. Visitors can learn about academic programs, financial aid, housing, campus life, athletics, internships, international study and various support services available to students.
Check-in will begin at 9:30 a.m. on the main quad off Divarty Street. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Parking will be free.
Visitors are encouraged to:
• Attend presentations on academic and student services
• Take a tour of campus, including the residence halls
• Learn about ways to pay for college - affordability is a CSUMB priority
• Gather information on majors, research opportunities, athletics, careers, student clubs and organizations
• Meet and mingle with faculty members and students
Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP online at csumb.edu/openhouse. A map of campus and driving directions are available at csumb.edu/map.
Oct. 1, 2009
Folk group performs at World Theater Oct. 23
Folk music returns to the stage at California State University, Monterey Bay's World Theater on Oct. 23 when the Woods Tea Company performs. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.
Much of the music the band plays has its roots in the 19th century, but there's lots of musical dialogue during their performances, along with tight four-part harmony.
The band's music is an amalgam of lively folk, Celtic, sea chanties, Irish jigs and bluegrass. And humor is as much a part of the performance as are the many instruments they juggle.
They're not strictly traditional, though many of the tunes they play – such as the 19th century sea chanties – are musical artifacts. They play music they like, whether that music's roots are in Appalachia, the Dust Bowl, or Ireland and Scotland, and they interpret it with originality.
The band started in the early 1980s. Mike Lussen, who joined in 1983, is the longest tenured member. He sings, plays banjo, guitar, bodhran and bouzouki. Howard Wooden handles the bass as well as guitar and vocals. Tom MacKenzie plays hammered dulcimer, banjo, guitar, ukulele and keyboard, and sings. The newest member, Patti Casey, brings her skills on the guitar, penny whistle, flute, French Canadian clogboard and vocals.
The group is nothing if not versatile. They were once hired by the Canadian embassy to play Newfoundland music in Boston, they've played their share of tall ships festivals – offering the obligatory chanties and mariner tunes – and they have played Woody Guthrie festivals in the Midwest.
After building a solid reputation in New England – the group is based in Vermont – the Woods Tea Company started touring nationwide. Notable performances include New York's Lincoln Center (twice), the Chautauqua Institute (three times), appearances on PBS and National Public Radio. They perform about 120 shows a year.
Folk Music Quarterly said: "Sidestepping pretension and going for the grit, this New England group gives a lusty performance every time."
Tickets are $10 to $40. A buy-one-ticket, get-one-free offer, limited to the first 100 tickets sold, is available for all shows this season with a limit of two free tickets per customer. For more information, visit the web at csumb.edu/worldtheater or call the box office at 582-4580.
Concertgoers can have a pre-show dinner in the Otter Bay Restaurant, located next to the theater. A *prix fixe *All American Yankee menu will be offered for $19.95. Dinner reservations can be made by calling the box office.
Sept. 30, 2009
CSU Monterey Bay's Climate Action Plan aims to cut the university's net carbon emission to zero by 2030. Phase 1 of the plan was released on Sept. 15.
It fulfills the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment that CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison signed in 2007, and pledges the university to a path of climate neutrality.
The plan includes specific actions across nine focus areas - energy; solid waste; green building; transportation; food service; purchasing; water; CSUMB and California State University planning policies and directives; and education and outreach.
"Global warming is a defining challenge of our time," Dr. Harrison said.
"Human activities are responsible for the problem, and working together humans have the capacity to solve the problem," she said. "That means taking serious action to stop adding global warming pollution to the atmosphere.
"CSUMB is committed to leading the way."
The plan, developed by faculty, staff and students, will act as a road map for future university decisions. The campus has set goals to save as much energy as possible, generate energy from renewable sources and explore carbon offsets as a last resort.
Phase II of the plan will include goals, implementation strategies, financial feasibility and how to track progress. It will be competed by March 2010.
Phase I of the plan noted:
• A decline in energy use from 2005 to 2009 due to efficiency upgrades, even though the university's overall square footage increased. Projects have focused on heating, ventilation and lighting. Some of these projects have been recognized as best practices within the CSU system and have received awards from outside organizations. Energy management is an ongoing program at CSUMB, with dedicated resources.
• About 3,000 tons of waste was recycled in 2008 and nearly 3,700 tons sent to the landfill.
• The Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library is undergoing review by the U.S. Green Building Council for a LEED Silver rating; the university is also seeking a LEED Silver rating for the renovated Dining Commons.
• CSUMB is in the early stages of devising a plan to reduce single-occupant vehicle trips.
• Cleaning products used on campus are Green Seal Certified.
• East Campus housing units and new buildings are being metered in an effort to reduce water usage.
• New campus development is taking place within a centralized core connected by bike and pedestrian pathways within a 10-minute walk. Approximately 25 percent of the campus has been designated as native oak open space, and new development is taking place in already-developed areas.
• More than 15 academic courses teach some aspect of sustainability. Student capstone research has covered topics such as biodiesel, wind and solar energy; water collection, storage and reuse; composting; fog collection; and recycling.
According to the plan, the university intents to continue monitoring energy use, improve campus recycling, build to LEED Silver certifiable standards and create more transportation options.
The American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), which began in 2007, is a network of 650 signatory schools dedicated to making an environmental impact. The schools commit to becoming climate neutral and integrating environmental education into their curricula, and sign a pledge to submit a Climate Action Plan within two years.
On Sept. 15, 2009, the first deadline for the organization's 392 original members, 88 colleges and universities announced their Climate Action Plans, representing the largest group to simultaneously commit to concrete activities that address global warming.
The plans list specific steps schools are taking to reach climate neutrality by drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions and operations costs.
Schools are already noticing that in saving energy, they also are saving significant money, organizers say.
Most schools also are incorporating curriculum changes to prepare students to meet the massive challenge of climate issues upon graduation.
The Climate Action Plans submitted also show that universities are making a significant shift toward using renewable energy sources.
The vast majority of schools submitting Climate Action Plans have already submitted their greenhouse gas inventories, the first step to determining and reducing their carbon footprint. CSUMB submitted its greenhouse gas inventory on Sept. 15, 2008. It can be found at http://acupcc.aashe.org/ghg-report.php?id=370.
To read more about CSUMB's efforts to go green, visit the web at http://csumb.edu/green.
Sept. 30, 2009
Priority admissions for 2010-11 opens Thursday, Oct. 1, at California State University, Monterey Bay, and officials are encouraging students to apply early because state budget cuts mean fewer will be admitted. Those who apply during the priority period, which ends Nov. 30, have a better chance of being admitted in fall 2010, provided they qualify and complete all requirements. State budget cuts have caused all California State University campuses to decrease enrollment during the next two years. "CSU Monterey Bay expects to cut enrollment by 10 percent," said Dr. Ronnie Higgs, associate vice president for enrollment services.
"All prospective students should apply early as admissions to the university will be based on a first-come, first-served basis," Dr. Higgs said. "CSUMB will most likely reach its maximum allotted number much earlier than Nov. 30. At that point, all other applicants will be put on a wait list." High school seniors can visit www.csumentor.edu to submit applications. More information is available by calling the Office of Admissions at (831) 582-3738.
Sept. 29, 2009
During the week of Oct. 11, students at California State University, Monterey Bay will join with their peers on more than 1,000 campuses across the country to promote National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week (NCAAW).
During the week, students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of events, all designed to reinforce personal responsibility and respect for state laws and campus policies when it comes to the consumption of alcohol beverages. This year's activities include:
• Fireside chats with representatives of the CSUMB Personal Growth and Counseling Center, University Police Department, Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon
• The third annual Crash Festival, with a DUI-aftermath vehicle display
• "Olympics Under the Influence" (O.U.I.) where students will have the opportunity to navigate through a challenging obstacle course while wearing goggles that will allow them to safely feel the physical effects of alcohol by impairing their reactions and judgment
• Jell-O Wrestling: an alcohol-free event
NCAAW has grown to become the largest single event in all of academia, giving campuses the opportunity to showcase healthy lifestyles free from the abuse or illegal use of alcohol and to combat stereotypes associated with college drinking behavior.
"NCAAW remains a cornerstone in campus alcohol abuse prevention efforts," said Drew Hunter, president and CEO of The BACCHUS Network, a national nonprofit organization that supports student health and safety through peer education.
"Ultimately, campuses need to educate students about excessive drinking and consequences that can occur on both a personal and academic level," Hunter said. "Participation in NCAAW helps students and college administrators work together to increase awareness and strengthen year-round prevention efforts. We have to engage and empower students to take care of themselves and each other."
This year's theme is "iChoose," developed by The BACCHUS Network. It contains a message of student empowerment to make safe choices, to take care of friends, to keep safe by not drinking to excess, to secure a safe and sober ride home, to avoid driving after drinking, and never to ride with a driver who has been drinking. The iChoose campaign messages support personal responsibility and provide practical safety tips by reminding students that the decision to stay safe is ultimately up to them.
At CSUMB, NCAAW is a collaborative effort of the Personal Growth and Counseling Center, Student Housing and Residential Life, the Residential Housing Association, Student Activities, the Office of Judicial Affairs and Community Standards, University Police Department, athletics, Academic and Centralized Scheduling, Academic Affairs, dining services, Sigma Theta Psi sorority and the Monterey County chapters of Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon.
For more information, contact Gary Rodriguez, prevention specialist at CSUMB's Personal Growth and Counseling Center, by calling 582-4437 or e-mailing grodriguez@csumb.edu.
Sept. 24, 2009
California State University, Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison on Sept. 24 presented her 2009 State of the University address, hailing the school's efforts to overcome the state budget cuts, and urging her audience to stay committed to students.
"I am here to tell you: California State University, Monterey Bay remains strong and we are on a steady and positive course in spite of our issues with the state," she said.
The budget crisis has forced the campus to re-examine its priorities and look for ways to better partner with other CSU campuses for greater efficiency, Dr. Harrison said. It is testing "our ability to be more creative, and more strategic, than ever in our efforts to raise money through grants, contracts and private philanthropy."
No less important, she said, is the "opportunity – actually the obligation – we have before us: to educate Californians and politicians on what is at stake if state funding for higher education is not fully restored – as soon as possible."
Dr. Harrison suggested that it was possible to be both realistic and optimistic at the same time.
She pointed out that while the university needs to pause in its enrollment growth – the number of freshmen admitted next fall will be lower than this year – "we have a thousand freshmen and transfer students who are thrilled to be here this year."
Among the university's successes over the last year, she pointed to the improvement in student retention rates, and attributed it to the experience CSUMB is providing its students - outstanding faculty, a unique academic model and Student Affairs programs that resonate with them.
The greatest challenge facing the university is to increase the number of students who graduate in four or five years.
Dr. Harrison also reminded the audience that the next major classroom building has been delayed, but $40.6 million to construct the 58,000-square-foot project remains in the CSU capital-funding pipeline. In the not-too-distant future, it will house the School of Business and the School of Information Technology and Communications Design.
Another bit of good news: The CSU Board of Trustees unanimously approved the campus Master Plan and Environmental Impact Report in May. And the recent landmark agreement with the city of Marina and the Fort Ord Reuse Authority has cleared the way for continued development of the campus through 2025.
"It means that once we get the funding, we're ready to move ahead with Academic II. And it means we can move forward with the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development," in partnership with the Monterey County Business Council.
Dr. Harrison concluded by asking the campus community to "continue to work every day to make CSU Monterey Bay not just a solid citizen of the CSU but one of the most remarkable centers of higher education in the entire country.
"We can do that if we try. And our state will be a better place for it."
Linnea Hoffmann, a sophomore at California State University, Monterey Bay, has won a William Randolph Hearst/CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement. The award is among the highest forms of recognition for students in the CSU.
The award provides $3,000 scholarships to students based on academic and personal achievement, financial need and community service. The winners will be honored Sept. 22 at the CSU Chancellor's Office in Long Beach.
A resident of Riverside, Hoffmann is majoring in liberal studies with a 4.00 grade-point average.
As the daughter and granddaughter of teachers, Hoffmann grew up with the expectation that she could attend college. But as one of five children, she knew the financial responsibility would be hers alone.
Her volunteer work through the campus-based Otter Christian Fellowship has taken her to soup kitchens and to the fields of the Salinas Valley, where she gathered produce for the local food bank. She has also helped run events for children at local churches and parks.
Hoffmann's volunteer work in an elementary school classroom and vacation Bible school programs spurred her passion to teach and work with special needs children. Following in her parents' footsteps, she plans to pursue an elementary teaching credential at CSU Monterey Bay and eventually go into special education.
More than 450,000 students attend the 23 campuses of the CSU system. This year, 23 of those students were honored with Hearst scholarships. The William Randolph Hearst Foundation established an endowed scholarship fund in 1984 to honor the founder of the Hearst newspaper chain. In 1999, the foundation partnered with the CSU Board of Trustees to supplement the endowment with contributions from CSU Trustees and private donors.
Sept. 21, 2009
President Dianne Harrison will deliver her fourth annual State of the University address at 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, in the World Theater.
Dr. Harrison will emphasize the university's commitment to continue developing as a comprehensive university, despite the tough economic climate. She will review the highlights of the last year and set priorities for the coming year.
The address will last approximately an hour, with a reception to follow in front of the theater.
Please RSVP by calling 582-4001 or emailing specialevents@csumb.edu.
The State of the University address is open to the campus community. It will be shown on cable channel 71 and broadcast live via the web, accessible from http://csumb.edu/site/x12349.xml.
A team from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) concluded its three-day visit to campus on Sept. 18 with a “farewell” meeting open to the campus community.
It was the first of several visits required as part of the accreditation process. CSUMB received its initial accreditation in 2003. It must be reaffirmed periodically, and the university has spent the last year preparing for that process. Dr. Mary Cullinan, president of Southern Oregon University, is chair of the WASC group. Its task was to confirm and evaluate the adequacy of university capacity in regard to structures and infrastructures, making possible the achievement of our educational enterprise. “We enjoyed the visit,” Dr. Cullinan told the group that assembled in an auditorium at the Tanimura & Antle Library. “A number of us were on the campus years ago, and it was a thrill to see the changes.” Dr. Cullinan read a list of five commendations, and three recommendations. Among the commendations, she noted the gracious hospitality; the numerous processes, policies and plans put in place since the last WASC report; conservation efforts and thoughtful use of resources; open communication across campus; and the commitment of employees and students to the Vision. The group recommended that the university continue strengthening its feedback loop; prioritize development of academic decision-making processes and governance structure; and be more responsive to WASC requirements. “You are a great university and you’re doing wonderful things,” Dr. Cullinan said. While on campus, the group held separate open forums for students, faculty and staff where they asked for feedback about life at the university.
Another visit is scheduled for 2011. Although the accreditation process is a voluntary one, most colleges and universities choose to go through it because accreditation certifies that a school meets established academic standards and has the infrastructure, resources and curriculum to educate students.
Sept. 15, 2009
CSU Monterey Bay will hold its annual Student Leadership Conference on Saturday in the University Center.
"By teaching students how to think ethically, make good decisions, be socially and emotionally intelligent, communicate effectively and manage their time and stress level, they will have the tools to be leaders," said Kelly Mailly, coordinator of leadership development.
"CSUMB is committed to developing our future leaders."
The university has held a leadership conference for the last five years. It took off in 2008, after resources were made available to hire a staff member who focuses solely on leadership development. Attendance climbed from 20 two years ago to 140 last year.
No single training session makes someone a good leader; it's the culmination of skills that a person accumulates over time, Mailly said.
This year, the conference is attempting to engage students at a deeper level through its theme, "Leadership in Turbulent Times."
Keynote speaker is Corey Ciochetti. An assistant professor of business ethics and legal studies at the University of Denver, Ciochetti (pictured at left) encourages students to chase the truly important things in life such as a solid character, strong personal relationships and a sense of contentment. These are contrasted to worldly types of success such as excessive wealth, popularity and prestige. Audience members will get a sense of what it takes to develop character, set priorities, and gain a big-picture perspective.
Speaker Andrea Mosby-Jones (pictured at right) will remind students of the importance of thoughtful decisions in their lives. College students are faced with tough choices on a regular basis and need to learn the confidence to make good decisions that will lead them on a path to success. She'll walk them through the factors they must consider when making important personal choices. From having determination to taking control of their lives, students will see how to lead themselves and their organizations to a successful place.
Jeff Stafford will make a presentation on the skills needed to handle difficult situations and the emotions that might be attached to them.
A variety of other workshops will be offered throughout the day. Cost is $10 for CSUMB students and $15 for other students. To register, call 582-4625.
Sept. 15, 2009
Jonathan Aseltine has been selected to participate in the Congressional Internship Program.
The program, sponsored by the Panetta Institute for Public Policy, gives students an opportunity to learn about government by providing them with a two-and-a-half-month internship in Washington, D.C.
The 25 program participants represent campuses in the CSU system as well as Santa Clara University and Dominican University of California. They were chosen by their campus presidents for their exemplary academic achievements and their interest in politics and service.
The program started Sept. 14 with a two-week orientation at the CSUMB-based Panetta Institute before students travel to Washington, where they will be assigned to the office of a member of Congress from California.
The on-campus orientation provides classes on the legislative and administrative structures of a Congressional office, key California issues, the House leadership and committee roles, the budget and appropriations processes and White House relations with Congress, among other topics.
While in Washington, they will attend regular seminars with government leaders on aspects of policy including economics, the environment, foreign affairs and defense resources.
Aseltine was selected by a campus committee after a "very intense process," said Rebecca Nestor, associate director of student activities and chair of the selection committee.
A senior majoring in Social and Behavioral Sciences, Aseltine noted in his application essay that he spent nine years as a military analyst and linguist but realized that his technical job-related training needed to be supplemented with the broad knowledge base gained from a university education.
He worked in Bosnia, Germany and Iraq. "Each of these experiences is part of who I am, but I realize the need for our nation to conduct informed diplomatic and other civilian action before the recourse to military solutions. This is the reason I am pursuing my higher education," he wrote in his application essay.
The goal of the Congressional Internship program ". . . is to provide our young people with the education and inspiration to become the leaders of tomorrow," Sylvia Panetta said in a written statement.
The Panetta Institute covers all costs. Students earn 20 academic credits.
Sept. 14, 2009
Upcoming events planned by the Watershed Institute at CSU Monterey Bay:
• Saturday, Sept. 19: California Coastal Clean-up at Upper Carr Lake in Salinas, 9 a.m.-noon.
The Return of the Natives project will remove invasive thistles at Upper Carr Lake, collect California bulrush and continue ongoing cleanup efforts.
Groups and individuals are welcome to participate. California Coastal Cleanup day engages the community to show support for our shared natural resources and to change the behaviors that cause pollution. Snacks, water, and tools provided. • **Saturday, Sept. 26: Santa Rita Watershed Fair at Santa Rita Park in Salinas, **11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Representatives from RON will staff a table at this Bureau of Land Management-sponsored event. The public is invited to visit and learn more about the local watershed. More information is available by calling 582-3686.
Sept. 11, 2009
CSU Monterey Bay has a regular program on public access TV.
The university hosts the "Your Town" show that airs at 5 p.m. on the second Monday of each month on Access Monterey Peninsula. This month's program is set for Sept. 14.
Vice President for Student Affairs Patricia Cardenas-Adame and Professors Hongde Hu and Bill Head will be the guests.
Dr. Cardenas-Adame will talk about the impressions of campus she's formed in the six weeks she's been at CSUMB, what strengths she sees that can be build upon, and the role her department plays in students' education outside the classroom.
The success of the redesigned remedial math class will be Dr. Hu's topic. As chair of the Math Department, he took the lead on streamlining the class and introducing mobile technology. As a result, the success rate has increased dramatically. The program has become a model for the CSU system.
The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center, opened last year in the Tanimura and Antle Memorial Library, will be Dr. Head's topic. He'll explain what the center does, how it benefits students and share some student success stories.
AMP is available on channel 27 on the campus cable system. Off campus, it's on Comcast channel 24. The program can be heard live on KNRY 1240 AM and is online at www.ampmedia.org. And it's rebroadcast at midnight on AMP.
Sept. 11, 2009
Declaring that "it was worth the wait," President Dianne Harrison on Thursday officially dedicated the renovated Dining Commons.
Dr. Harrison was joined by staff members of CSU Monterey Bay, the University Corporation and the contractor in cutting the ceremonial ribbon that marked the end of a long wait for an upgraded dining facility.
The project had to meet four requirements, according to Dr. Harrison:
• It had to look great • It had to be environmentally friendly • It had to create a welcoming, comfortable space where students would want to gather • And it had to be completed on a tight schedule - 112 days between spring break and the start of the school year
Judging by the reaction of students who have used the facility since it opened on Aug. 21, the project is a success on all counts.
The renovation of the 11,000-square-foot former Army mess hall was done by SBI Builders and designed by the Kansas architectural firm of McCluggage, Van Sickle and Perry, with assistance from The Paul Davis Partnership, a local firm. A new entranceway was installed, the roof was replaced, structural steel framing was added, the kitchen was replaced, serpentine quarry tile was added throughout the serving areas, a conveyor dishwashing system was installed along with new heating and ventilation systems, and custom booth and banquette seating were added to create the look and feel of a restaurant.
The total cost of the project was $3.45 million.
The renovated facility uses less water. Added to the recycled materials that were used, the indoor environmental quality and other features, the project qualifies for LEED silver certification.
The contractor had help from someone with campus knowledge.
Tyler Trietman, a 2008 graduate of CSUMB, works as a project engineer for SBI Builders. "Tyler was on site during the course of the renovation. He was instrumental in gathering the information we needed," said John Meyers, senior superintendent for SBI.
Meyers added that he was pleased to see the positive reaction from returning students. "That makes it worthwhile for us. That tells me we did a good job."
Sept. 4, 2009
Next session of CSUMB's online program starts Oct. 12
The next start date for the Executive MBA program at California State University, Monterey Bay is Oct. 12.
CSU Monterey Bay's 100 percent online EMBA program is designed for success in today's global market. The program is designed for business executives who are looking to gain an edge in a diverse business environment.
The program teaches students how to:
• Analyze organizational effectiveness
• Make marketing decisions based on target markets, variables and feasibility
• Think strategically about employment and management relations
• Identify and evaluate leadership
• Prepare and analyze financial statements and projections
• Examine innovation from the product, process and organizational perspectives
For more information, visit http://emba.csumb.edu. Admission advisers are available at 866-757-5172 to answer questions and to start the application process. Sept. 21 is the application deadline.
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Sept. 4, 2009
Isabel Fuerte tries out hand sanitizer in the Student Center
In a continued effort to prevent the spread of H1N1 flu, CSU Monterey Bay has installed a dozen hand-sanitizing stations around campus. The dispensers are motion-activated, automatically releasing an alcohol-based antiseptic gel when a user places his hands underneath one.
The gel doesn't replace hand-washing, but it is a quick way to disinfect hands when soap and water are unavailable, according to Diane Ehlers, CSUMB's director of environmental protection, health and safety.
The dispensers are located in:
Sodexo has installed a hand-sanitizing station at the Dining Commons. Stations will also be placed in the Otter Express, library cafe and the Otter Bay Restaurant by the end of next week. Two extra dispensers are on hand and will be put in place when a crowd is expected at a certain location, such as the World Theater on the evening of a performance.
The dispensers are part of CSUMB's ongoing efforts to combat the flu. The university has set up a website (csumb.edu/flu) with information on how to prevent and treat the flu; emails with that information have gone out to everyone on campus; and all rooms in the residence halls have received informational fliers. Vinyl signs will soon be displayed in campus restrooms.
The objective is to encourage everyone on campus to wash their hands frequently, cover their mouths and noses when coughing or sneezing, and stay home when sick.
Sept. 2, 2009
CSU Monterey Bay signed an agreement Sept. 2 with the city of Marina and the Fort Ord Reuse Authority concerning its growth on the former Army base.
The document details how issues of transportation, water and wildlife-habitat mitigation will be handled in the years ahead as CSU Monterey Bay continues to develop as a comprehensive university.
"The completion and signing of this agreement is an historic milestone for all of our organizations and communities," said CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison in a prepared statement. "I appreciate the fact that FORA and Marina officials understand the importance of CSU Monterey Bay to its region and surrounding communities.
"The contributions the university has made and will make to this area are enormously significant - not only to the economic development of our region but also to the education of its citizens."
The agreement brings to an end more than 10 years of lawsuits and negotiations. The first suit was filed in Monterey Superior Court in 1998. In 2006, the state Supreme Court ruled that CSUMB must negotiate with local governments over paying its fair share whenever campus expansion results in the need to upgrade such things as roads and utilities.
The document clears the way for CSUMB to move ahead with plans for an Institute for Innovation and Economic Development. The proposed institute, a 10,000-square-foot building to be located at the corner of Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Divarty Street, will bring together students, faculty members, business people and entrepreneurs to provide training for people trying to start new businesses.
The university and the Monterey County Business Council received an $180,000 federal planning grant last June. The next stage is applying for a construction grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration.
"We are all making a pact, of sorts, to our communities, and to their futures," Dr. Harrison said.
The university's long-term vision for campus development is contained in a Master Plan, supported by an environmental impact report, which was approved in May by the California State University Board of Trustees. The plan, which extends to 2025, envisions on-campus enrollment of up to 8,500 students, compared to about 4,300 today.
Sept. 2, 2009
Students and faculty members in the Teledramatic Arts and Technology program continue to earn accolades for their work.
At last month's Carpinteria Valley Arts Center's first animation festival, student Andrew Dolan's entry, "The Green Knight," won honorable mention. A student-faculty collaboration, "Olive's Backyard Concert," created by Dolan and faculty member Enid Baxter Blader, won the Audience Appreciation Award.
TAT student Janaye Brown's short experimental film, "The Psychosis Series, Tape No. 1," has been selected for screening in New York at the Micro Museum's International Film Festival. It will be part of a program entitled "Not Still Art."
Brown's film, which was created last spring in an advanced video class, was shown over the summer at the Carmel Short Cinema event at the Forest Theater.
Sept. 1, 2009
A CSU Monterey Bay faculty member is joining with the Nature Conservancy and several other partners on a study to assess the impact of trawl fishing in Morro Bay, using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV).
Moving just above the seafloor, the ROV – an underwater robot equipped with cameras – gathers video and still photographs of marine life and habitats, vital data in the fight to save California's threatened oceans.
The ROV is tethered to and piloted from a ship. It scans the ocean floor and transmits data to the ship's onboard computers, where it is recorded for analysis by scientists.
Using the ROV, Dr. James Lindholm of CSU Monterey Bay and other members of the research team – the Conservancy, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Marine Applied Research and Exploration and fishing partners – can evaluate how the seafloor and the animals that live there recover after being trawled.
Dr. Lindholm has long been interested in the recovery of the seafloor and marine life from alteration by human activities, especially from trawling – a method of commercial fishing that involves pulling a large net through the water behind a boat.
"Trawling impacts the seafloor," Dr. Lindholm said. "What we don't know ishowthe seafloor recovers following trawling – or different levels of trawling."
One of the challenges in doing this kind of research is finding a place that can serve as a control area. "We need a place where there is trawling, and a comparable place where it isn't allowed – with the habitat types we want to study," the CSUMB professor explained.
As part of a larger project, the Nature Conservancy recently bought out trawling permits in Morro Bay, effectively making it a closed area – and giving researchers the control site they need.
Trawling has been a contentious issue, pitting fishermen against environmentalists.
"We aren't interested in banning any particular kind of gear," Dr. Lindholm said. "Rather, we want to provide the science that facilitates good decision-making so that the resources on the seafloor can be managed better, in the interests of fishermen, conservationists and all the people who eat fish."
Graduate students at CSUMB and Moss Landing and a handful of CSUMB undergraduates will also work on the project.
"I love working with the Nature Conservancy," he said. "It's a great project for our students to be involved in, for the science we will produce and for the broader effort of being involved with supporting the Morro Bay community."
The five-year study was kicked off recently with a name-the-ROV contest. The Nature Conservancy invited the public to vote for their favorite name online. The winning name will be announced on Sept. 25.
The nominations are:
• Beagle - Darwin's famous ship
• Petrale Patrol
• Rachel Carson - A legend among environmentalists
• Rock Lobster
• Nemo
For the record, Dr. Lindholm prefers "Nemo."
"Operationally, writing a single, short word on data sheets would be easier."
Aug. 28, 2009****
The smoke that is noticeable in the air today at CSUMB is coming from the Gloria wildfire, which is burning between Soledad and Gonzales in the Salinas Valley, approximately 30 miles from campus. So far, the fire has consumed 5,000 acres.
The Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District reports that the smoke smell will be noticeable for a few hours; by mid-afternoon the wind direction is expected to change, taking the smoke out to the bay.
In the meantime, people with sensitivities to smoke may want to stay indoors. Unusually sensitive people may consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion.
For more information, visit the air pollution control district's website at www.mbuapcd.org.
Aug. 25, 2009
***Ukrainian dance company comes to the World Theater ***
Imagine colorful costumes and leaping dancers exploding across the stage and you have a hint of what the Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company will bring to California State University, Monterey Bay's World Theater at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 22 as the Performing Arts Series opens its ninth season.
Ukraine didn't become an independent country until 1991 with the breakup of the Soviet Union, but the culture of the Ukrainian people has been evolving for more than a thousand years. Much of what Americans think of as "Russian" - borscht, elaborately decorated Easter eggs and Cossack dances, for example - is actually Ukrainian.
The 15 pieces on the program - and the company that includes 70 dancers and 10 musicians - will provide a visual delight. Each piece features brilliantly colored costumes that reflect the various traditions of this country that borders Romania, Poland, Russia and the Black Sea, and dancers that careen around the stage in the 18th-century equivalent of break dancing. The dances are romantic, optimistic, humorous and occasionally melancholy.
Ballet master Pavlo Virsky founded the company in 1937 to preserve the folk dances of his country. No "folk" ever danced like this, of course. The company is made up of highly skilled professional dancers with a great deal of ballet training. Dance lovers will appreciate the athleticism and technical brilliance on display.
Since 1980, Myroslav Vantukh, a choreographic ethnographer, has served as artistic director of the company his mentor created. He has made it a showcase for national pride.
The company last toured North America in 2004, with appearances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., New York and Chicago. This fall, it will perform in 67 cities in the United States and Canada.
"The Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company is one of the most exciting ethnic dance companies in the world, and we're delighted to have them at CSU Monterey Bay," said World Theater Director Joe Cardinalli.
"It's a big, colorful show that will appeal to a wide variety of people," Cardinalli said. "While we try to entertain, we also try to present a diversity of artists in keeping with the university's vision."
Tickets range from $10 to $40 and may be purchased by calling the World Theater box office at (831) 582-4580 or online at csumb.edu/worldtheater. A special offer is in effect for this season – buy one ticket, get one free! This offer is limited to the first 100 tickets sold for each performance. Limit two per customer (get up to two free tickets).
For disability-related accommodations, please contact the World Theater box office no later than 10 days prior to the performance.
The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue on the CSUMB campus. Driving directions and a campus map are available at CSUMB.edu/map.
Other performances scheduled for the season include:
• Oct. 23, Woods Tea Company – a Vermont-based musical group that performs bluegrass, Celtic tunes, sea shanties and folk songs. The award-winning group uses a dozen instruments in their performance, including banjos, bezoukls, bodhrans, guitars and tin whistles. • Dec. 11 and 12, A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens classic story produced as a live radio drama, featuring Actor's Equity guest artist Paul Myrvold in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge. Other actors play a variety of roles in this radio drama adaptation, with live sound effects, music and multi-media. • March 4, Mind Boggling: The Show – Multi-talented performer Andy Gross's show consists of comedy, magic, illusion, theater and ventriloquism blended together seamlessly to create an evening of entertainment suitable for all ages. • April 15, Brenda Wong Aoki – A one-woman show with live musicians, featuring Aoki in the Legend of the Morning Glory, a Kabuki tale of a rich girl who falls in love with a poor boy, separated from the boy the girl weeps until she goes blind. Wandering the countryside she becomes the Morning Glory, an itinerant storyteller. Until one day, years later.... Aoki has broken barriers and establishes a new artistic genre as a contemporary American storyteller. • May 6, Perla Batalla – This Grammy-nominated vocalist, composer and arranger returns to the World Theater for an encore performance. Batalla's mission of honoring her roots and exposing young audiences to the beauty of music and the Spanish language is ongoing in her outreach endeavors throughout the United States. We are delighted to bring Perla and her group back to the university stage.
Aug. 24, 2009
CSU Monterey Bay and two partners have been awarded $900,000 to help prepare future math teachers.
The university worked with Humboldt State and CSU Channel Islands to create the California Coast Noyce Scholarship Partnership. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the Robert Noyce Scholarship program provides support to outstanding students who are committed to teach math once they earn a credential.
The grant will allow CSUMB to offer five scholarships per year for five years. Math majors starting in their junior year will be eligible, as well as students in the math credential program. Each student will receive $10,000 per year for a maximum of three years. Awards will be made beginning fall 2009.
Stipends will also be available for professionals who chose to enter a math credential program.
The project is expected to increase the number of credentialed math teachers who graduate from the three campuses from 33 per year to 66.
Scholarship recipients will make a commitment to teach a minimum of two years at a middle or high school that is classified as "high need." Those schools typically have a high percentage of students from low-income families, high teacher turnover rates and a shortage of teachers qualified to teach science and math.
Monthly support seminars will be available to the Noyce Scholars once they start teaching.
The grant is important because of a shortage of math teachers in the local area and statewide, CSUMB officials said.
"My hope is that the scholarships will encourage more math majors to chose teaching as a career," said Dr. Hongde Hu, chair of the math department at CSUMB. "Qualified math teachers can make a big difference in the lives of students and can also improve the economic potential of our region."
Local school districts participating in the grant include the Salinas Union High School District and the Pajaro Valley Unified School District.
Congress passed the Robert Noyce National Math and Science Teachers Corps Act in 1990 as a tribute to the late Robert N. Noyce, co-inventor of the computer chip and founder of Intel.
Aug. 21, 2009
Well-organized chaos was the scene at CSU Monterey Bay Aug. 21 as many of the nearly 1,900 students who live on campus wheeled, carried and dragged their belongings into the residence halls that will be their home for the next year.
"This is one of the two best days in the year – commencement is the other," President Dianne Harrison said as she greeted new students and their parents.
About 100 faculty, staff and students volunteered for the Otter Welcome Team. They helped direct traffic, answered questions, carried boxes and gave directions to the new students – most of whom had parents and siblings along to help.
Across the campus quad, the completely renovated Dining Commons opened for the first time. With the look and feel of a restaurant, the revamped and upgraded facility is bigger and has a redesigned serving area with new food stations where diners can watch as their food is prepared. It incorporates energy efficient design, such as more windows and skylights for natural lighting.
The incoming class includes 925 freshmen and 538 transfer students. Total enrollment is approximately 4,300; about a third of them come from Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties.
President Harrison talks with parents of a freshman during move-in day Aug. 21.
Aug. 21, 2009
Dr. James Lindholm (second from right) and student divers at Monterey Beach
CSU Monterey Bay has a new scientific diving program.
"We've had a recreational SCUBA program here for some time," said Dr. James Lindholm, head of the Institute for Applied Marine Ecology at CSUMB.
"Now, an additional level of rigor has been added."
Frank Degnan, who has taught sailing and SCUBA at CSUMB for years, is the university's diving safety officer. Oversight of the program will reside with the Diving Control Board, which is made up of Degnan, faculty members and students.
Students will learn how to do research underwater. The program has been certified by the American Academy of Underwater Sciences, an organization that sets standards for scientific diving, certifications and operations at all universities in the United States.
The program, which is already up and running, will officially offer the first scientific diving course in the spring semester through the Department of Kinesiology (KIN 283/L Master Diver Certification). A grant from the U.S. Department of Education was used to pay for SCUBA equipment.
Students who complete the program will be eligible for letters of reciprocity that will allow them to dive with other university programs and research organizations.
"We're interested in giving students tools - and scientific diving is a critical tool," Dr. Lindholm said. "With scientific diving training on their resumes, our students will have a huge advantage when they look for a job. It means they'll be ready to work on day one."
Aug. 20, 2009
The service learning program at CSU Monterey Bay has been recognized by the editors of U.S. News & World Report in the magazine's 2010 edition of America's Best Colleges.
The magazine names "academic programs to look for," which it defines as "outstanding examples of academic programs that are linked to student success." CSUMB's service learning program is listed among the top programs in the country – and is one of only nine public schools included in the ranking. It's the sixth straight year the university has been honored in this category.
The listing is based on nominations submitted by college presidents, chief academic officers, and deans from schools around the country.
Service learning is a component of the university's academic program and is integrated into both the general education requirements and the graduation requirements of each major.
Hundreds of community organizations partner with the university to provide service-learning opportunities for students. Among them are the Boys and Girls Club, American Red Cross, California Conservation Corps, California State Parks, Carmel Mission and dozens of public schools.
CSUMB also earned a high ranking in teh category of diversity, with Hispanics accounting for 28 percent of the student population.
Among liberal arts colleges, CSUMB is ranked No. 18 in the category of "least debt," with the average student carrying a debt load of $15,305.
Aug. 20, 2009
MJ, one of the country's oldest investigative magazines, has included CSU Monterey Bay in its first Mini College Guide - a list of 10 diverse schools that "will blow your mind, not your budget," according to its Aug. 20 edition.
While the magazine admits that its listing is unscientific, it includes schools that have "good values and good value." Among them are public and private colleges and universities, religious and secular schools and urban and rural campuses.
It points out that $39,000 is the going rate for tuition at the liberal arts schools that top the list in U.S. News & World Report's annual college rankings. The 10 schools on MJ's list "have plenty to offer," and for a lot less money. Fees at CSUMB are approximately $4,500 for the 2009-10 academic year.
The magazine also notes that the Monterey Bay serves as a classroom for CSUMB's popular Environmental Science, Technology and Policy major.
The article can be found here: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2009/09/mojo-mini-college-guide
Aug. 18, 2009
Left to right: President Dianne Harrison with President's Medal honorees Melissa Mercado, Laura Lee Lienk and Rikk Kvitek
Melissa Mercado, Laura Lee Lienk and Rikk Kvitek were honored for their leadership and dedication to the CSU Monterey Bay vision at the Day of Welcome and President's Medal Ceremony Aug. 17.
Several hundred people attended the event in the World Theater.
In her remarks, President Dianne Harrison acknowledged the challenges posed by the state budget crisis, and its impact on the university.
"I feel like I've been on a roller coaster ride since May - a ride with steep hills and fast slides - always wondering if the track would hold together. I am sure I am not alone," she told the gathering.
"Despite these very challenging circumstances, our decisions have always been made with the best interests of our students, our employees and the future of this university in mind."
She went on to remind the faculty and staff in attendance that students must remain at the center of their thinking, planning and efforts. Then, she asked a question: How will students succeed in this environment?
"I believe it will be due to your passion, your dedication and your rich contribution to their lives and their futures," Dr. Harrison told the gathering.
She noted that the university will welcome the largest incoming freshman class ever, totaling 925 students. Another 538 new transfer students have enrolled for the fall. Total enrollment is approximately 4,300, with 1,866 of them living in the residence halls and another 650 residing in East Campus housing.
After introducing the members of the President's cabinet, and inviting new employees to share in the tradition of signing the Vision Statement, Dr. Harrison announced the President's Medal recipients.
The university community was invited to make nominations. A committee selected finalists for Dr. Harrison's consideration. The nominees represented a cross-section of campus - some have a long history at the university, others joined the university more recently; some have direct contact with students, others have an operational focus.
Mercado was honored as the staff recipient of the President's Medal. She started at the university in 2001, and has been in her most recent assignment as academic personnel representative since 2007. Among other things, she was lauded for demonstrating a spirit of teamwork, flexibility and excellence that fosters mutual respect.
Lienk, co-director of the Watershed Institute, earned the President's Medal for administrators. In her work at the Watershed Institute, she has brought environmental awareness to thousands of school children and spearheaded the effort to restore habitats throughout the area. In her role as Service Learning coordinator, she has made contributions to faculty and students.
Kvitek was awarded the faculty President's Medal. Since coming to CSU Monterey Bay in 1996, he has brought, authored or served as co-principle investigator on more than 60 funded grants and contracts. All of these projects have provided for paid student involvement. One of his former students said, "He brings out the best in people by challenging them and pushing then well beyond their own expectations."
Also honored were four emeriti professors - faculty members who have retired recently. They contributed significantly to the university and to their disciplines in their research, teaching, publishing and their work outside of the university.
This year's honorees are Diane Cordero de Noriega, John Kim, Robert van Spyk and Ken Wanderman.
Aug. 17, 2009
Seven tenure-track faculty members have joined California State University, Monterey Bay for the fall semester; another will start in the spring.
The new faculty members, their disciplines and divisions or departments:
• Dr. Aparna Sreenivasan, biology, Division of Science and Environmental Policy
• Mr. Luis Camara, digital cinema, Teledramatic Arts and Technology
• Dr. Kate Lockwood, computer science, Information Technology and Communications Design
• Dr. Jill Yamashita, psychology, Social, Behavioral and Global Studies
• Dr. Christopher Miller, hospitality management, School of Business
• Dr. Andrew Waters, music recording, Music and Performing Arts
• Dr. Mayling Chu, social work, Health, Human Services and Public Policy
• Dr. Estella Porras, journalism, Humanities and Communication (will start spring 2010)
Aug. 12, 2009
To reduce costs as a result of state budget cuts, CSU Monterey Bay will have 24 unpaid furlough days over the 2009-10 fiscal year.
The furloughs will result in a 9.23 percent reduction in pay for university employees. It is one of several steps being taken across the California State University system to close a $564 million budget gap for the 2009-10 fiscal year.
CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne F. Harrison has directed that furloughs be guided by three basic principles: first, to protect the quality of the student experience, both in and out of the classroom; second, to minimize the impact on employees; and third, to support CSUMB's continued development as a comprehensive university.
Two furlough days will be observed each month, except for March, when four days will be observed during spring break. The days are divided into two categories: six state budget closure days and 18 administrative furlough days.
On the closure days, administrative offices and the library will close, and classes will not be held. Sworn police officers will be on duty, campus dining services will be open, Residential Life staff will support student housing and the fitness center will be open. On administrative furlough days, offices will close, but classes will be held and the library will remain open with limited services. Police, dining and housing services and the fitness center will remain open.
Furlough days are (administrative furlough dates are designated with an A; state budget closure days are designated with a C):
Friday, Aug. 7 (A)
Friday, Aug. 14 (A)
Tuesday, Sept. 8 (C)
Friday, Sept. 25 (A)
Friday, Oct. 9 (A)
Friday, Oct. 23 (C)
Friday, Nov. 6 (A)
Wednesday, Nov. 25 (C)
Friday, Dec. 4 (A)
Thursday, Dec. 31 (A)
Friday, Jan. 8 (A)
Tuesday, Jan. 19 (C)
Monday, Feb. 15 (C)
Friday, Feb.26 (A)
Tuesday, March 23–Friday, March 26 (A)
Friday, April 9 (C)
Friday, April 23 (A)
Friday, May 7 (A)
Friday, May 28 (A)
Friday, June 11 (A)
Friday, June 25 (A)
Aug. 10, 2009
A group of high school and community college students spent the summer researching issues that affect young people in Salinas, Seaside and Soledad, and CSU Monterey Bay helped them share their findings.
The researchers presented their work at a town hall meeting at the university's Tanimura and Antle library on Aug. 6 at an event open to the public.
Sixty students were recruited for the eight-week paid positions by Monterey County's Office of Employment Training. Funding for the youth employment program came from the federal stimulus package to help young people become work-ready.
With the California Endowment investing $40 million in East Salinas over the next 10 years and the Community Alliance for Safety and Peace - a group of government agencies, businesses and non-profits - working on issues related to community safety, "it seemed like a good time for youth voices to be heard," said Kim Steimler, who worked as a consultant on the project. "It's a good time for young people to give input to both of these efforts."
Youth in Focus, an Oakland-based non-profit organization that teaches research, evaluation and planning skills so young people can play a part in social change, was hired to run the program. A dozen local project leaders were brought on board and trained by Youth in Focus to work directly with the young researchers.
The young people were recruited from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Seaside and Salinas, Rancho Cielo Youth Campus, an organization that works with at-risk and disadvantaged youth, and the Soledad Center for Employment Training. Each group selected a topic to investigate and designed surveys to gather information.
The four groups shared their work via documentary films, a photography exhibit, PowerPoint presentations and a forum led by the young people.
Before introducing the first presentation, Sergio Cuellar of Youth in Focus' Sacramento office told the audience "the challenge for adults now is how do we create the change these young people want to see in their communities."
First up was the group from the Seaside Boys and Girls Club. They investigated how the economy - the underground economy as well as the legal economy - is impacting young people. Among their findings: the economy impacts racial groups in different ways - more African Americans are under- or unemployed than whites. And 68 percent of young people surveyed reported feeling pressured to make money. They recommended that businesses receive incentives for hiring young people.
The team from the Salinas BGC investigated why so many young people use drugs. Their surveys indicated three reasons: for fun; to deal with their problems; and as a result of peer pressure. Those surveyed said it's easier to find drugs in Salinas than community centers or educational opportunities.
Another interesting fact emerged from the research on youth drug use - about 75 percent of youth who were surveyed said they use drugs for fun while a similar percentage of parents think young people use drugs because of peer pressure.
The team from Rancho Cielo called itself STOP - Salinas Teens Organizing for Peace. They surveyed more than 200 high school students to find out if they are affected by violence in their community and in their homes. Among their findings: more than eight in 10 said they had been affected by gang violence and 24 percent said they associate with gangs.
STOP suggested that more mentorship opportunities be created, along with vocational training, job opportunities and internships. They also wanted more arts programs. And they want to educate adults about how violence affects youth from the youth perspective.
The 18 members of the team from Soledad called themselves the PEACE - People Enthusiastic About Community and Environment - Project. They researched the feasibility of building a youth center in Soledad and learned that young people and adults overwhelmingly supported the idea.
The next steps are to make these presentations to city councils in the area and to formulate an action plan to accomplish what they want to do.
CSU Monterey Bay's Service Learning Institute brought the youth panel to campus as part of a grant it received from the CSU Chancellor's Office to identify the needs of local communities. This was the first of several open house events scheduled over the fall semester to do just that.
The first university textbook on human sexuality to be published in China was co-authored by a CSU Monterey Bay faculty member.
After the seventh edition of “Human Sexuality: Diversity in Contemporary America” by Barbara Sayad of CSUMB and Bill Yarber of Indiana University and the Kinsey Institute was published recently, the authors were approached about the possibility of having it translated into Chinese.
Several issues surfaced immediately.
Because it’s illegal to be gay or lesbian in China, the government would not approve the book for use in public universities, and cultural biases and assumptions needed to be addressed. After numerous phone calls, e-mails and meetings, these issues were resolved to everyone's satisfaction.
McGraw-Hill agreed to release the textbook as a trade publication to circumvent censorship issues. The Chinese professors who served as volunteer translators did their work in a way that was culturally sensitive and relevant to the needs and concerns of university students. And while the book won't be sold on campuses, it is available in public bookstores.
At CSUMB, Dr. Sayad teaches human sexuality, women's health, marriage and family, and wellness with a focus on service learning.
June 14, 2010
California State University, Monterey Bay will observe the final administrative furlough day of fiscal year 2009-10 on Friday, June 25. The university is observing furlough days to reduce costs as a result of state budget cuts.
CSU Monterey Bay will have a total of 24 unpaid furlough days over the 2009-10 fiscal year, with a corresponding 9.23 percent reduction in pay for its employees. It is one of several steps being taken across the California State University system to close a $564 million budget gap for the 2009-10 fiscal year. The furlough days started on Aug. 7.
University President Dianne F. Harrison has directed that furloughs be guided by three basic principles: first, to protect the quality of the student experience, both in and out of the classroom; second, to minimize the impact on employees; and third, to support CSUMB's continued development as a comprehensive university.
There were two furlough days each month, except for March, when four days were observed during spring break.
The days are divided into two categories: six state budget closure days and 18 administrative furlough days.
On the closure days, administrative offices and the library will close, and classes will not be held. Sworn police officers will be on duty, campus dining services will be open, Residential Life staff will support student housing and the fitness center will be open. On administrative furlough days, administrative offices will close, but classes will be held and the library will remain open with limited services. Police, dining and housing services and the fitness center will remain open.
Administrative furlough dates are designated as A and state budget closure days are designated as C:
Friday, June 25 (A)
Furlough days already taken:
Friday, Aug. 7 (A)
Friday, Aug. 14 (A)
Tuesday, Sept. 8 (C)
Friday, Sept. 25 (A)
Friday, Oct. 9 (A)
Friday, Oct. 23 (C)
Friday, Nov. 6 (A)
Wednesday, Nov. 25 (C)
Friday, Dec. 4 (A)
Thursday, Dec. 31 (A)
Friday, Jan. 8 (A)
Tuesday, Jan. 19 (C)
Monday, Feb. 15 (C)
Friday, Feb. 26 (A)
Tuesday, March 23 through Friday, March 26 (A)
Friday, April 9 (C)
Friday, April 23 (A)
Friday, May 7 (A)
Friday, May 28 (A)
Friday, June 11 (A)
Aug. 6, 2009
CSU Monterey Bay takes to the airwaves on Aug. 10.
The university's regular interview program airs live from 5 to 6 p.m. the second Monday of each month on Access Monterey Peninsula.
Scott Faust, the university's executive director for strategic communications, hosts the show. This month, his guests will include Jennifer Martinez, the university's major gift officer; Dean Kennedy, associate director of residential life; and Seth Pollack, professor and director of the Service Learning Institute.
Martinez will talk about fundraising at the university, especially in this time of decreased state funding. She'll also give an update on CSU Monterey Bay's alumni association.
The residential nature of the campus, including the various housing options and services offered by the Office of Residential Life and the important role it plays in students' education, will be Kennedy's topic.
Pollack will talk about the role Service Learning plays on campus and his experiences as a Fulbright Scholar in South Africa the last year.
AMP is available on channel 27 on the campus cable system. Off campus, it can be found on Comcast channel 24. The program can also be heard on KNRY 1240 AM; can be found online at www.ampmedia.org; and is rebroadcast at midnight on AMP.
Aug. 5, 2009
When students move into the residence halls later this month, they'll find something new in their rooms – bright blue recycling bins. CSU Monterey Bay used money provided by a grant from the California Department of Conservation to buy 3,100 bins. The grants are intended to promote recycling and are financed with unclaimed refunds on beverage containers. None of the money comes from the state's general fund.
Student assistants from Conference and Event Services (including Julio Arambula, pictured at left) and Campus Planning and Development sorted, labeled and delivered 900 of the bins to the residence halls. Each room got one; the six-person suites in the North Quad buildings received two. Some of the bins may find their way to apartments in East Campus, according to campus planner Anya Spear.
The goal is to get young people, living on their own, to pay attention to where they throw their trash. Each bin comes with a guide that explains what kinds of materials to recycle – bottles, cans, plastic, cardboard and paper – and a reminder to carry the full bins to the new 6-yard blue recycling dumpsters that will be installed next to each 4-yard green waste dumpster already located near the residence halls. ''We have, in the United States, been establishing a recycling infrastructure for three decades, but when we look at rates, we are not improving,'' Kate M. Krebs, executive director of the non-profit National Recycling Coalition, told The New York Times. National data shows that recycling overall is flat, but it is especially poor among college-age people, even though they grew up with recycling as a widespread practice. ''When you look at demographics, the 18- to 24-year-old sector makes little effort to recycle,'' Krebs said.
Last May, Spear, campus facilities director Bob Brown, their staff and representatives from Waste Management, the university's garbage collector, conducted a "trash audit" of dumpsters located near all 11 residence halls. At the company's Castroville facility, they sorted through a sample of 1.26 of the 5 tons of garbage. They found that nearly 16 percent of the material (by weight) was recyclable. Plastic, aluminum, tin, paper, cardboard and glass had been tossed in the dumpsters instead of being recycled. "We're hoping that by putting bins in the rooms, we'll have a better percentage" of discarded items being recycled, Spear (pictured at left) said. "They know recycling is the 'right' thing to do; we're trying to make it the 'easy' thing to do." Another waste audit will be conducted in the next year, to see if there has been an improvement.
As part of the effort to cut down on what goes into the waste stream, the university's custodial contract was recently updated to include emptying of employees' desk-side recycling bins. The new custodial provider, GCA Services Group, has extensive experience in green cleaning techniques and is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council. CSUMB is exploring green cleaning improvements in addition to its current practice of using cleaning products certified by Green Seal, an independent, non-profit organization. Due to the state budget crisis, the recycling grant has been frozen. When the money is available, the university hopes to use some of it for a recycling coordinator position that would be shared with UC Santa Cruz. CSUMB, along with 21 other communities and dozens of nonprofit and private-sector organizations, is a member of the Monterey Bay Area Recycling Partnership, led by Ecology Action.
Aug. 4, 2009
The Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act went into effect Aug. 1, creating a new GI Bill benefit program designed for those who served in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. CSU Monterey Bay is ready to assist current and new student-veterans in taking advantage of this program.
During a ceremony at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., President Barrack Obama said helping veterans who have served since the 9/11 attacks with college tuition and housing is more than a "moral obligation."
"We do it because these men and women must now be prepared to lead our nation in the peaceful pursuit of economic leadership in the 21st century," the president said.
The new Post-9/11 GI Bill is modeled after the highly successful post-World War II Servicemen's Readjustment Act, the original GI Bill, which is credited with making education affordable for eight million World War II veterans. Three U.S. presidents, three Supreme Court justices and 14 Nobel Prize winners have benefited from the GI Bill, President Obama said.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki estimated that a quarter of a million veterans – including members of the Reserves and National Guard – will benefit from the newly expanded GI Bill by 2011.
Under the new bill, the formula to determine a veteran's educational benefits is tied to months of active service. Those who have accumulated 36 months of active duty since Sept. 11, 2001, receive 100 percent of the new bill's benefits. The figure drops to 40 percent for those who served just 90 days.
The new bill is designed to replace the Montgomery GI Bill, which has provided a lower level of education funding for those who have served in the military since July 1, 1985. That bill, created during a relatively peaceful period near the end of the Cold War, seemed adequate at the time it was created.
But since the advent of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, veterans successfully argued that the Montgomery GI Bill didn't go far enough in helping those who routinely put their lives on the line. The Post-9/11 GI Bill offers significantly better benefits.
The new bill covers the full cost of fees, and includes a monthly housing allowance based on the location of the college or university. The allowance for someone attending CSUMB and taking at least 12 credits is $1,949 per month. The bill also includes a stipend of up to $1,000 per year for books.
Fees are paid directly to the university, housing and book benefits directly to the veteran.
CSUMB was already veteran-friendly, thanks to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Troops to College program, which was announced in March 2006. Since then, the university has added pages to its website with information specifically for veterans; has a specially designated counselor and support team to help veterans make the transition from active duty service to accomplishing their personal educational goals; and will establish a Student Veterans Organization on campus in the fall.
CSUMB has seen an increase in the number of queries and applications from veterans since the webpage went up and the veterans' contact was put in place. The number of veterans contacting the university for pre-admission counseling has increased, with some of the queries coming from Iraq and Afghanistan.
In the semester just completed, 35 CSUMB students were using various GI Bill benefits and another 20 were using the GI Bill Dependents Educational Assistance program as eligible dependents of veterans. Another 36 students were eligible for the College Fee Waiver Program for Veterans' Dependents through the California Department of Veterans Affairs. These students, as family members of disabled or deceased veterans, receive a waiver of fees.
For fall 2009, 24 students will be using the new program, and more are expected to sign up in the months to come.
To learn more about veterans educational benefits, visit http://www.gibill.va.gov. CSUMB's veterans information is available at csumb.edu/veterans or by e-mailing veteran_services@csumb.edu
From left to right: Master of Ceremonies Hunter Finnell, Chamber CEO Astrid Coleman, Jeff Clark of Robert Louis Stevenson School, CSUMB President Dianne Harrison, Professor Pat Tinsely McGill, CSUMB Executive Director for Strategic Communications Scott Faust, Chamber Board Chairman Chris Thom, CSUMB student Kristi Hiener, CSUMB Development Officer Jennifer Martinez, CSUMB Chief of Staff Patti Hiramoto and Chair of the School of Business Marylou Shockley
CSU Monterey Bay has earned a Business Excellence Award from the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce.
The university was honored in the education category. The awards are designed to increase awareness of the vital role business plays on the Central Coast. They recognize those businesses and organizations that have achieved excellence in their fields.
President Dianne Harrison accepted the award on behalf of the university at a dinner July 23 attended by more than 350 Chamber members and guests.
This year's competition drew more than 70 applicants across 16 categories. Factors that judges considered included the university's goals, its service to students, its employee satisfaction and benefits, its commitment to sustainability, and its involvement with the Chamber and surrounding communities.
July 27, 2009
** **
Left to right: Ellie Kincade, outreach specialist at the Marina REI; Christina McKnew, RON greenhouse manager; Joshua Littlefield, REI assistant store manager; John Houseman, CSUMB development officer; Laura Lee Lienk, director of the Watershed Institute; and Emily Smith, school programs coordinator at the Watershed Institute.
For the second straight year, California State University, Monterey Bay has received a $5,000 grant from the outdoor recreation retailer REI for the Return of the Natives project.
The grant was presented to Laura Lee Lienk and Emily Smith of the Watershed Institute. It will help to provide a living allowance for an AmeriCorps volunteer who will work with school children and local teachers, CSU Monterey Bay students and community volunteers on habitat restoration projects on the Fort Ord dunes and the creeks of Salinas.
Return of the Natives (RON) is dedicated to bringing people closer to nature and nature closer to people through hands-on experience in restoring habitats. RON, the education and outreach branch of the Watershed Institute, is housed at CSUMB.
"We're excited to be partners – on many levels – with REI," Lienk said. "Their staff volunteers for our events, they publicize the work of Return of the Natives/Watershed Institute in the community, and now to be one of a very few regional grant recipients is wonderful."
REI encourages protection and restoration of the environment through its philanthropic activities. The Kent, Wash.-based company gave away $3.7 million last year to support outdoor stewardship and connect children to nature.
"We're excited that some of our support can go to our neighbor, CSUMB," said Ellie Kincade, outreach specialist for REI's Marina store. "It's the perfect match. It feels like family."
July 21, 2009
A focus on preserving student services and academic quality is guiding plans by California State University, Monterey Bay to close a $9.95 million revenue gap for the 2009-10 fiscal year, President Dianne Harrison said Tuesday, July 21.
CSU Monterey Bay will implement a student fee increase and employee furloughs that were approved Tuesday by the CSU Board of Trustees for all 23 CSU campuses.
Like the other campuses, CSUMB will not accept any new students for the spring 2010 semester, and its enrollment will remain at 2008-09 levels - about 4,200 students.
In addition, Harrison said, the university will continue its freeze on top administrative salaries, leave positions unfilled where possible and curtail spending on travel, equipment purchases and maintenance and repair. The university also plans to use some one-time reserve funds, she said.
As a result, efforts to continually improve and develop the 1,387-acre campus will be impeded, the average class size could grow, and the number of course sections available may be reduced, Harrison said. Plans for a new academic building to house the schools of business and information technology have been suspended.
The combined effect will be a slowing, not a halt, to CSU Monterey Bay's development on the former Fort Ord Army base, she said. The university now offers 18 bachelor's degrees and seven master's degrees, with additional degree programs in the pipeline.
"We are trying to build our programs and establish a comprehensive university for the 21st century," Harrison said.
CSUMB's final budget plan is still subject to legislative actions and further consideration by campus leadership. Classes begin Aug. 24 for the fall 2009 semester.
"We're determined to maintain our core student services and the core courses of our curriculum so students who are enrolled can have a quality experience in spite of these reductions," Harrison said.
"We are making very difficult decisions about what is essential and core to our program and what is in the best interest of our students."
Additional priorities are to maintain employment and ensure a safe campus environment, she said. Spending will be aligned with major goals in the university's new 10-year Strategic Plan: ensuring student success, becoming a comprehensive university, increasing institutional capacity and attracting and retaining outstanding staff and faculty.
Echoing remarks by CSU Chancellor Charles Reed last week, Harrison said a multi-pronged approach is needed to address the massive budget shortfall through a combination of increased revenue and reduced expenses. An expectation that California's budget crisis will continue into next year or beyond also dictated a foundational strategy, she said.
The entire CSU is facing an unprecedented $584 million revenue shortfall for this fiscal year, which began July 1. The gap results from steps to address California's $26.3 billion budget deficit.
"The level of the budget reduction is such that there isn't just one approach that will work to cover the deficit, so we're looking at multiple approaches," Harrison said.
Increased student fees and employee furloughs, still subject to union approval and negotiation, will partially cover the CSUMB budget gap. The remaining amount will be made up through other campus spending reductions and use of one-time reserves.
Many shielded from higher fees
The $672 system-wide increase in undergraduate student fees for the 2009-10 academic year is in addition to a $306 increase for this year adopted by the CSU Board of Trustees in May. The undergraduate State University Fee will go from $3,048 to $4,026 per year, still far lower than comparable public universities.
One-third of the system-wide fee increase, or $79 million, will be set aside for financial aid. At CSU Monterey Bay, where a majority of students receive some form of financial aid, an estimated 30 percent will not pay any of the additional fees thanks to increases in state tuition grants and federal Pell grants.
Across the CSU system, more than 187,000 students will be covered dollar-for-dollar through a mix of grants, fee waivers and newly expanded federal tax credits.
Furloughs with students in mind
Because approximately 85 percent of CSU budget costs are in salary and benefits, personnel expenses are an inevitable part of the budget strategy.
The Board of Trustee's action Tuesday means that all management employees, including the chancellor and campus presidents, will take 24 days of unpaid furlough days between Aug. 1 and June 30, when the fiscal year ends.
The California State University Employees Union, which represents 243 support and technical employees at CSUMB, said Monday its members have ratified a 24-day furlough plan, with 81 percent support. The California Faculty Association, which represents about 300 faculty and part-time instructors at CSUMB, said it will announce July 22 whether its members have voted to negotiate a 20-day furlough plan.
A furlough is a mandated period of time off without pay. Furloughs differ from salary reductions and pay cuts in that they are temporary and do not affect employment status, health benefit eligibility or pay rate for retirement benefits.
CSU Monterey Bay plans to establish furlough schedules to minimize impact on student services and instruction, Harrison said.
A cap on CSUMB enrollment
As a result of budget cuts, the entire CSU system is seeking to reduce enrollment by 40,000 students over the next two years, reducing access to incoming students in order to maintain quality and services for current students.
At CSU Monterey Bay, this has resulted in the spring enrollment closure and a cap on total enrollment. The university has grown steadily since it opened in 1995 on the former Fort Ord Army base, and its long-term enrollment goal remains 8,500 on-campus students by 2025.
Because of strong demand from students in the Monterey Bay region and elsewhere in California, the university this summer had to turn away qualified students for fall 2009 - a first in its 14-year history.
"It's a very difficult situation to be in," Harrison said, "because we pride ourselves on providing education that's accessible to as many students as possible."
About 34 percent of CSU Monterey Bay's students come from the tri-county area of Monterey Bay, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties. Among all CSUMB students, 44 percent have parents who did not attend college, and 28 percent are Latino.
July 10, 2009
John Marker has joined the staff in Administration and Finance as interim associate vice president for facilities management and planning.
Marker recently retired from the University of Nebraska. He has over 30 years of experience in physical plant administration.
He replaces Tony Boles, who plans to return to Southern California to be closer to his family.
June 19, 2009
CSU Monterey Bay and the Monterey County Business Council have received an $180,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce to develop an Institute for Innovation and Economic Development. The institute will be located on the CSU Monterey Bay campus and will bring together entrepreneurs, the business community and the university's research capabilities. It will provide resources and training programs that will help those trying to start a business to pursue innovative ideas. In photo above, Diane Church of the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison, Alec Arago, district director for Congressman Sam Farr, and Mary Ann Leffel, president of the Monterey County Business Council, accept the grant at the sixth annual Economic Development Forum on June 18 in Monterey.
July 20, 2009********
CSU Monterey Bay is urging students who hope to enroll for the fall 2010 semester to be ready to apply for admission beginning this Oct. 1.
Like the other 22 campuses in the CSU system, CSU Monterey Bay will not add any new students in the spring 2010 semester in order to help meet statewide enrollment targets tied to budget cuts. The entire CSU system faces a $584 million shortfall in its budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year, which began July 1.
CSU Monterey Bay's own enrollment target remains capped at 2008-09 levels - approximately 4,200 students. Such limits help ensure that students receive a high quality education, said CSUMB President Dianne Harrison.
"We want to serve as many students as possible," Harrison said, "but not more than we can handle while continuing to provide an outstanding education with strong support services."
Students are encouraged to take the SAT or ACT college entrance exams this summer or early fall, said Ronnie Higgs, interim vice president for student affairs. Depending on their score, students may need to take placement tests in English and mathematics.
Students who applied to CSU Monterey Bay for this fall but were not admitted will need to reapply for fall 2010, Higgs said.
The fall 2010 application period officially begins Oct. 1 and ends Nov 30. Admissions availability will be reassessed on Nov. 1, and a high demand could force applicants onto a wait list before the end of the application period, Higgs said.
Also, students applying from the tri-county area of Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties may receive priority if wait-listing becomes necessary, he said.
On the Web****To apply to CSUMB: CSUmentor.eduFinancial aid information: csumb.edu/financialaid
June 20, 2009
A CSU Monterey Bay adjunct faculty member and senior research scientist at NASA has received the space agency's Exceptional Public Service Medal.
Vince Ambrosia (pictured at left) of the university's Division of Science and Environmental Policy and NASA's Ames Research Center in Mountain View was honored for his work on the development and use of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies to provide critical information to firefighters.
The medal is awarded to non-government employees and recognizes exceptional contributions to the mission of NASA. It is one of the agency's most prestigious honors.
NASA is known for putting astronauts on the moon and a telescope in space, but it also works with agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service to improve the observations of our own planet's phenomenon. Ambrosia led one of those efforts, which involved demonstrating how imaging systems on a UAV can be employed to provide critical information about major blazes including the location, size and terrain around the fires to commanders in the field in as little as 10 minutes.
"This unmanned aircraft can send real-time data around the clock so that incident commanders can redeploy resources or get firefighters out of harm's way," Ambrosia said. "The UAVs provide a safer way than manned vehicles to perform '3-D missions' - dull, dirty and dangerous."
Pilots at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in the Mojave Desert operate the aircraft from the ground. Sensors collect detailed thermal-infrared imagery, even at night and through smoke plumes up to 40,000 feet. A satellite data link allows real-time transfer of the fire imagery to NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, where it is quickly made available online to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, and to field operations teams in simple visualization formats, including Goggle Earth-compatible files.
"Our project . . . showcases the reputation CSUMB has gotten in the national community for having a strong Science and Environmental Policy faculty," Ambrosia said. "Some of our project team members are former CSUMB students who have excelled here (at NASA) and continue to showcase the strengths of the university and the SEP program."
Dr. Susan Alexander is the faculty principal investigator for the cooperative agreement between NASA and CSUMB. The two organizations conduct collaborative research in ecological and watershed systems with an emphasis on local, regional and global environmental problems and issues resulting from changing climatic and land-use patterns.
Graduate students in CSUMB's master's program in Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy and advanced undergraduates in the Environmental Science, Technology and Policy program have the opportunity to work with researchers at NASA Ames.
For hundreds of years, scientists from Newton to Einstein to Hawking have pondered the questions of time and space.
Brian Greene, a physicist and author of "The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time and the Texture of Reality," notes in the book's first sentence that time and space capture our imaginations like no other scientific subject. They are the metaphorical bricks and mortar of our reality, he says, "the fabric of the cosmos."
Greene will lecture at California State University, Monterey Bay's World Theater at 7 p.m. Sept. 30 as the President's Speaker Series resumes.
A media-savvy, charismatic personality, Greene is one of the world's leading theoretical physicists and a brilliant, entertaining communicator of scientific concepts. In his first book, "The Elegant Universe," he did for string theory what Carl Sagan did for astronomy: explain it in terms that anyone can understand.
Greene recounts how the theories of general relativity and quantum mechanics transformed our understanding of the universe, and introduces us to string theory, a concept that might be the key to a unified theory of the universe. "The Elegant Universe" has sold more than one million copies and became an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning NOVA special on PBS.
His second book, "The Fabric of the Cosmos," spent six months on the New York Times bestseller list and is currently being adapted into a four-part NOVA miniseries slated for broadcast next year.
In his talk at CSU Monterey Bay, he'll offer a view of human understanding of space and time. He takes a chronological approach, beginning with Newton, moving through Einstein and quantum physics and on to string theory and its hypotheses – that there are 11 dimensions, 10 of space and one of time; that there may be an abundance of parallel universes; and that time travel may be possible.
What physicists call strings are unimaginably small, vibrating, thread-shaped bits that, in theory, are the most basic building blocks of all matter. The strings vibrate differently and, like strings on a violin, produce different "notes" that determine the properties of matter and force, and together make the cosmic symphony that is our universe.
Wait. Don't bail out. This stuff is fun.
Basically, there are two kinds of physics. Albert Einstein is the hero of one – relativity – the physics that explains gravity and light speed and can even be used to help us understand everyday, commonplace occurrences. NASA, for instance, relies on equations of relativity for space travel. The other kind of physics is quantum mechanics, which explains the very, very small, the subatomic particles that physicists study with atom smashers.
The two may seem contradictory and we have not yet found a means to apply the same laws to the quantum (micro) world that can also apply to our larger world (which includes gravity as one of the forces we deal with). This is one of the fundamental conundrums of physics and many physicists have spent years trying to reconcile these two extremes.
However, string theory just might provide a solution. Using mathematical and physical equations derived from string theory, there is a possible way to create a uniform set of laws that apply from the extremely small to the extremely large, allowing us to better understand both the quantum world and the macro world in which we live.
Got that?
A graduate of Harvard and a Rhodes scholar at Oxford, Greene is a professor in both the physics and mathematics departments at Columbia University. His most recent book, "Icarus at the Edge of Time," is a futuristic retelling of the Icarus myth.
The lecture is free and open to the public. Reservations are requested and can be made online at csumb.edu/speakers or by calling the World Theater box office at 582-4580. The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue on the CSUMB campus. Driving directions and a campus map are available at CSUMB.edu/map.
To view the NOVA series, "The Elegant Universe," visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/program.html “Willful ignorance of science is not okay. We are living through a radical cultural shift, one in which science and technology play an increasingly pervasive role in everyday life. . . . A scientifically literate public is, plainly, increasingly vital.” – Brian Greene
July 7, 2009
July 6, 2009
Work by students at CSU Monterey Bay will be presented at the “Carmel Short Cinema” film and video screening at the Outdoor Forest Theater on July 19.
Sponsored by the Forest Theater Guild and CSU Monterey Bay’s Department of Teledramatic Arts and Technology, the plan is to make the screening an annual event.
Among the “shorts” – all are under 10 minutes – to be screened are music videos, documentaries and narratives. Some were made as part of advanced video classes, others were created for students’ capstones, or senior projects.
Among the films to be shown is Letters from Within (photo above), a documentary that goes inside the walls of Juvenile Hall in Salinas. It offers viewers a chance to experience what life inside a youth prison is like, and will leave the viewer stunned, inspired and hopeful for change. Stephen Sprague and Juan Ramirez created the film as their capstone project.
Another film, The National, depicts an elderly super-hero who attempts to find his place in society as he becomes too old to fight crime. When a disaster strikes Metropolis, he feels an obligation to be a hero to the city and to himself. A legacy left behind becomes the city's greatest strength, and the lives he has touched will carry on after he is gone. The film was made by Ben Hoedt and Jack Scott.
Another film, Surcos de Esperanza (Hope Furrows), made by Monica Martinez and Bettie Anderson, is a tribute to Monica's mother. It tells the story of a woman who came to the U.S. with no education or money. For many years she has toiled in the fields. Despite harsh working conditions and discrimination, she has raised a family of five.
Enid Baxter Blader, who teaches digital video at CSUMB, is the event’s producer.
Tickets are $7 and can be purchased at the door. The evening will get under way at 8:15 p.m. Spectators are advised to wear warm clothing and may want to bring a blanket. Concessions will be available.
The Forest Theater is located at the corner of Mountain View and Santa Rita streets near downtown Carmel. For information, visit the web at www.foresttheaterguild.org
"Vision," "diversity" and "service" are boldly displayed on banners that grace campus.
They are among the seven words chosen for display on the banners – excellence, innovation, partnership and community are the others – that replaced the original green and yellow ones.
In all, 60 blue, green and white banners have been installed around campus
The words were chosen to reflect the core values and attributes of CSU Monterey Bay, said Scott Faust, the university's executive director for strategic communications.
The old banners showed the university's web address. "While the website is an important communication tool, we thought people are search-oriented and we could use the space for something else – as a way to emphasize our values for the campus community and the larger community," Faust said.
Faust noted that the way-finding signs on campus have been replaced and some of the directional signs were changed to reflect a new traffic pattern.
"We looked at each of the directional signs to see how they were routing traffic through campus," Faust explained. "The long-range plan is to bring traffic to campus from Highway 1 via Second Avenue and Inter-Garrison Road."
June 26, 2009
Heather Barney was definite about her reason for attending Imagine College.
“I’m here to get that scholarship,” said the 11th-grader-to-be at Seaside High.
CSU Monterey Bay played host to the second annual Imagine College Summer Scholar Institute in June, bringing more than 150 high school students to campus for a pair of one-week sessions.
The program aims to let students know that college is a realistic goal for them, and to help them pay for it.
Students from Seaside, Monterey and Marina high schools were invited to participate. Each student enrolled for a five-day session and could choose one of three courses to pursue during the week. Choices included My Global Footprint, about global warming; My Life Online, an introduction to computer technology (photo above); and My Understanding of Home, which included storytelling and art. CSUMB instructors taught the classes; university students and recent graduates served as teaching assistants and mentors.
The cornerstone of the program is the guarantee of a $4,000 scholarship to any student who attends two Imagine College summer sessions, graduates from Seaside High with a 2.5 grade point average and gets accepted to a college or university.
A donor and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation are providing the scholarship money.
Heather chose the storytelling class. “We’re doing video, audio and ’zines. It’s about your story and your home,” she said. “It’s teaching me what college is like. It gives us an idea of what college can give us.
“And I like the food. The food’s good.”
CSUMB, the UC Santa Cruz Educational Partnership Center, the Monterey Peninsula Foundation and the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District sponsor the program.
For a mother who recently watched an offspring hatch, the red-shouldered hawk that has taken up residence at the Tanimura & Antle library seems to be in good shape.
She and her partner are the proud parents of one chick, and the mother has gotten a bit protective.
"She's swooped at someone working up there," said Mardi Chalmers, a librarian who has an interest in birds. "Hawks are aggressive in protecting their territory and their young."
The birds have built a nest on the east side of the library, at the third-floor level in an area not accessible to the public.
For a couple of years, "there was a nest in the pine tree outside the old library building," Chalmers said. "We think they moved along with us. They're very territorial. As the crow - make that hawk - flies, this library isn't far from the old one."
CSU Monterey Bay construction inspector Jim Conway spotted the nest around April 20. Then, lead construction manager Ron Deller noticed debris falling from the building on a windy day.
"I was worried that we were going to have a maintenance problem every time it was windy. I went up to third floor to investigate, and saw the nest," Deller said.
Red-shouldered hawks (Buteo lineatus) are found in eastern North America and along the coast of California. Adults have a brownish head and reddish chest; their tail is marked with narrow white bars. The red "shoulder" is visible when the bird is perched.
They normally live in forested areas. The breeding pair produces three or four eggs, but typically only one "fledge" survives. The incubation period is about a month.
The parents take turns minding the chick and finding tasty treats (such as rodents, bloodied bird pieces or small snakes) to drop into the baby's waiting beak. In just a few weeks, the white fuzz-ball will be as big as the parents.
The campus will have to settle for a view of the nest. The little one can't be seen from the ground, and mom and dad are mostly out of sight, either hunting or feeding the chick.
When the chick learns to fly, the parents will drive it off. But the chick will probably stay in the area.
Have the hawks been given names?
On that point, Chalmers is emphatic.
"We don't have names for them; they're not mascots," she said. "They're wild. We're admiring them from afar. We're pleased the hawks chose the library to build their nest."
June 19, 2009
CSU Monterey Bay has received an award for its work in energy conservation. The university was honored by the Monterey County Business Council for implementing a “green” project that resulted in significant energy savings through a public/private partnership. CSU Monterey Bay partnered with the state's public universities and a group of utility companies represented locally by Pacific Gas & Electric. The award was presented on June 18 at the business council’s Economic Development Forum at the Hyatt Regency Monterey. Led by Mike Lerch, the university’s manager of energy and utilities, the project involved retrofitting 275 outdoor lighting fixtures with a newly available compact fluorescent lamp. The retrofit reduced the energy consumption of the fixtures by 78 percent. The savings moved the campus closer to achieving its Presidents Climate Commitment goal of climate neutrality by eliminating 75 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. This is the second year the university has been honored by the business council for its work in reducing energy consumption.
June 19, 2009
CSU Monterey Bay and the Monterey County Business Council will receive an $180,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce to develop an Institute for Innovation and Economic Development.
The institute will be located on the CSU Monterey Bay campus and will bring together entrepreneurs, the business community and the university’s research capabilities. It will provide resources and training programs that will help those trying to start a business to pursue innovative ideas.
In photo at left, Diane Church of the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison, Alec Arago, district director for Congressman Sam Farr, and Mary Ann Leffel, president of the Monterey County Business Council accept the grant at the sixth annual Economic Development Forum on June 18 in Monterey.
July 1, 2009
As the new school year approaches and freshmen-to-be visit campus for orientation, CSU Monterey Bay is taking steps to reduce incidents of high-risk drinking and increase alcohol awareness, especially among students under the legal drinking age of 21.
Gary Rodriguez, prevention specialist with the Personal Growth and Counseling Center, and Andy Klingelhoefer, judicial affairs officer, are making presentations at orientation sessions. The voluntary 30-minute sessions, called Myth Busters, were added to freshman orientation as a result of an initiative from the Chancellor’s Office.
The goal is to inform and empower freshmen to make good choices concerning alcohol.
A handful of students showed up at the first session, but the second session was packed – at least 60 students filled the chairs, sat on the floor and crowded along the back wall of a University Center conference room.
“We’re not here to scare you, to tell you that drinking is bad. The reality is that you as college students will make choices in your life,” Rodriguez told the students. “We want to make sure that the choices you make are based on facts.”
Students were handed a quiz containing five statements and were asked if those statements were myth or fact: (1) Beer gets you just as drunk as hard liquor.
(2) If I’m 18 and my roommate is 21, it’s OK to have alcohol in my room.
(3) There is a correlation between the amount of alcohol a college student consumes and his/her academic performance.
(4) Anyone who passes out from drinking too much should be put to bed and allowed to sleep it off.
(5) Men and women, when drinking the same amount of alcohol, will experience the same reactions.
Rodriguez asked them to guess what percentage of CSU Monterey Bay students drink. The estimates were high – one young man thought 95 percent of students imbibe. The reality is much different – a recent survey of CSUMB students revealed that 43 percent of them chose not to consume alcohol at all, meaning that only 57 percent drink.
This information is important because studies show that many college students, particularly freshmen, believe their peers drink more than they do, which makes them drink even more. But if they know what their peers actually consume, they'll follow that social norm.
“Social norms” education programs seem to work. A recent study at the University of Missouri, conducted after it started a social norms program, found that binge drinking on campus has dropped nearly 11 percent. Administrators stress that a social-norms approach doesn't work in a vacuum – it’s most successful when combined with alcohol education and enforcement programs.
The session concluded with a reminder of the services and resources available through the campus Personal Growth and Counseling Center. Center staff members also give presentations at the start of the school year as part of Otter Days, visit First Year Seminar classes, and team with other campus offices such as Residential Life, Student Activities and the university’s police department to hold a variety of programs during National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week in October.
The answers:
(1) Fact. A 12-oz. beer has as much alcohol as an ounce of 100-proof liquor or 4 oz. of wine.
(2) Myth. Everyone in the room, suite or apartment must be 21 for alcohol to be allowed.
(3) Fact. National surveys have shown that about one-third of college students report missing a test or deadline because of alcohol. Students who earn A’s report having 3.5 drinks per week, on average. Those who earn D’s and F’s report consuming on average more than 10 drinks per week.
(4) Myth. Alcohol poisoning is real; people die from it. Don’t worry about getting your friend in trouble; call 911.
(5) Myth. Alcohol affects men and women differently, even if they weigh the same. If a man and a woman who are the same size drink at the same rate, the woman’s blood alcohol content will be higher. Of course, blood alcohol content can also be affected by genetic factors, food intake, medication, age and hormonal changes.
Catch CSUMB on public access TV
CSU Monterey Bay takes to the airwaves on June 8. The university's regular segment on Access Monterey Peninsula's "Your Town" program airs live from 5 to 6 p.m. the second Monday of each month. Scott Faust, the university's executive director for strategic communications, hosts the show. This month, his guests will include Brian Simmons, dean of the College of Professional Studies; Perry Angle, director of early outreach and support programs; and Gary Rodriguez, prevention specialist at the Personal Growth and Counseling Center. Simmons will talk about the programs and departments in the College of Professional Studies. He'll explain the various teacher credential programs and CalState TEACH, the new reading certificate progam that is set to start in the fall, and talk about the growth of the School of Business and the kinesiology department. Outreach programs will be Angle's topic. He'll talk about the new University Promise of CSU Monterey Bay program as well as Educational Talent Search, Upward Bound, Summer Bridge, CAMP and Imagine College. Among Rodriguez's subjects will be the various ways the counseling center works with other campus offices to assist students and the services it provides. AMP is available on channel 27 on the campus cable system. Off campus, it can be found on Comcast channel 24. The program can also be heard on KNRY 1240 AM; can be found online at www.ampmedia.org; and is rebroadcast at midnight on AMP.
May 19, 2009
Alice Flores, regional director of CalStateTEACH based at CSU Monterey Bay, was recently honored by the Association of California School Administrators.
Dr. Flores was named administrator of the year in Region 10, professor of education. Region 10 covers Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties.
According to the committee that selected her, she "provided dedicated leadership toward upgrading the skills and knowledge of the teacher candidates in the tri-county area."
Dr. Flores has been at CSUMB since 2005. She came from the CSU office in Long Beach, where she was involved with the program for five years.
CalStateTEACH is a California State University online teacher preparation program for those needing to complete a credential.
Using the latest technology, the Internet and print materials, CalStateTEACH delivers high quality education to people throughout the state. The program offers an intern option for employed teachers and a traditional teacher preparation option with no campus based classes. It integrates educational theory with daily hands-on classroom teaching.
With participants in schools from here to the Oregon border, the program now enrolls about 250 students per term in the region.
"In the late 1990s, California had a teacher shortage due to class size reduction," Dr. Flores said. "This program was seen as a vehicle specifically to help rural schools find and retain teachers. The program has been very successful in alleviating the statewide shortage and providing highly trained and qualified people for the classroom."
May 28, 2009
CSU Monterey Bay's Recruitment in Science Education - RISE - program held its fourth annual
The mission of RISE is to enhance diversity in the sciences. The program supports and encourages underrepresented middle and high school students from Salinas, Seaside, Marina and Monterey to expand their interest and skills in science while providing them the tools and inspiration to attend college.
And it works - of the middle school students who started in the program six years ago, 17 are graduating from high school this semester. Six plan to attend a CSU or UC campus; 11 are going to a community college.
Each fall, approximately 40 new students are recruited into the RISE program from Los Arboles Middle School in Marina and Harden Middle School in Salinas. The program follows them as they go onto high school.
Once RISE students finish the eighth grade, they receive a $1,000 college scholarship certificate. Their scholarship is placed in an account and held for them until they are enrolled in college. Once they're accepted to a four-year university, students receive their scholarships to put toward their first semester costs. If they attend a community college, they receive half of their scholarship.
Middle school students meet with RISE staff members after school once a week at the school site. These meetings focus on fun, educational, hands-on science activities as well as homework and academic tutoring. CSUMB Service Learning students assist RISE staff members with activities and tutoring.
High school students get more advanced projects, field trips and career-based curriculum. This curriculum focuses on coastal ecology, native habitats and physics and engineering activities, connecting it all to the student's world and community.
Students also participate in science competitions such as the San Jose Tech
Museum's annual "Tech Challenge: Explore the Volcano." For this competition, two teams of RISE students designed a flying device to deliver a payload of simulated scientific devices to a mock-up of a volcano.
Field trips are a large component of the high school curriculum where students meet scientists, gain career knowledge and provide services to their community.
The high school students from the Peninsula meet once per week at the Seaside Boys and Girls Club; the Salinas students meet at the Salinas Boys and Girls Club. One meeting each month provides academic preparation - SAT test-taking skills, filling out college applications and financial aid forms, etc. The other three weekly meetings are devoted to science activities.
For more information, contact program coordinator Bobby Quinonez, at 582-4556. Information is also available online at http://rise.csumb.edu.
This year's graduates, their high schools and the colleges they plan to attend:
From North Salinas High School: Freddy Barajas (UC-Santa Barbara); Brandon Basiel (Hartnell); Lupita Curiel (Hartnell); Karla Garcia (Hartnell); Rodolfo Garcia (Hartnell); Marisol Jacobo (CSUMB); Jocelynn Martinez (CSUMB); Alberto Romero (Hartnell); Fabian Ruvalcaba (Hartnell)
From Everett Alvarez High School: Nayibe Andrade (Hartnell); Trung Nguyen (Cal Poly SLO)
From Marina High School: Edgar Maldonado (MPC); Jose Ruiz (MPC)
From Monterey High School: Teresa Segovia (MPC); Carlos Valencia (San Jose State)
From Bakersfield High School: Nestor Garcia (UC-Irvine); Charlie Morales (Bakersfield College)
Under sunny skies, journalist Ray Suarez told the graduates of California State University, Monterey Bay that the world they are about to enter needs their energy and their curiosity.
Suarez, a Washington-based senior correspondent for public television's national news program, The NewsHour, was the keynote speaker at the university's May 16 commencement. With more than 880 students receiving bachelor's and master's degrees, and about 100 earning teaching credentials, it was the largest graduating class in school history.
After receiving an honorary doctor of humane letters conferred by President Dianne Harrison, Suarez commended the graduates for taking advantage of their opportunity to earn a degree.
"Whatever road you took to get here today, the vast majority of your peers did not do it. You were not deterred by the difficulties of getting to this day . . . You had an opportunity and you built something with that opportunity - yourself," he said. And while acknowledging the challenging economy the graduates are facing, he told them, "I'm not afraid for you because of what you've already shown the people around you simply by making it to this morning."
He gave a special acknowledgment to the students who started life somewhere else, or whose parents did.
"You are a vindication of the faith your family had in coming here in the first place. You are confirmation that America is a transformative place . . . but America will also be transformed by you. So thanks for making it all the way to the finish line," Suarez said.
Then he posed the question, "Why did you finish? Why?"
He acknowledged the emphasis society places on a college education as the route to a better paycheck, but urged the graduates to think of it as more than a means to make a living.
"I hope you get your diploma today with the satisfaction that comes from something more than just anticipating money. The curriculum, the critical thinking skills . . . those things weren't just about making you more employable.
"If the place did its job as an institution, and you did your job as students, your years of school have taught you how to learn for life. And that makes the world a much better place to be."
He challenged the students to see the possibilities the world offers and to be excited by them.
"Make me a promise," he asked the graduates, "or better yet, make yourselves a promise. ‘I'm not going to be bored.' The world is way too exciting, challenging, puzzling, fascinating ever to be bored. And if you keep that promise to yourself not to be bored, you won't be boring, either.
"Continue to learn. Teach others. Be a student for life. . . .This country needs your energy and your curiosity and your soul."
He reminded the graduates that the world they are entering is one that moves at a very fast pace, where boundaries no longer exist, where communication is instantaneous.
"It really is exciting, the possibilities in this new world.
"Don't be bored, and don't be boring."
This year's President's Medal for Exemplary Student Achievement went to Richard Welshiemer, a Human Communication major who served as editor of the student newspaper, the Otter Realm, and who was a Service Learning Student Leader.
"One of the things I learned here is to take time to reflect before taking action," Welshiemer told the gathering. "What is CSUMB about if not outcomes?"
In her opening remarks, President Harrison pointed out that the graduating class "boasts an amazing array of talent. Many have overcome enormous challenges, attaining academic success, achieving as athletes, receiving prestigious honors, and sharing their gifts and abilities with fellow students and the community, as well. Their success is incredibly rewarding."
She shared the stories of a few of these students:
• Richard Brumbaugh, a staff sergeant on active reserve in the U.S. Air Force. Richard is graduating in Business Administration. He spent his summers and school breaks meeting his commitment to military service, including a tour of duty last summer in Iraq - his second stint in that country. Because his deployment required him to leave school a little early, Richard actually took a final exam while deployed in the war zone. And he STILL made the dean's list. He's volunteered for another deployment, this time to Afghanistan. Today is Armed Forces Day, so it is all the more fitting that we recognize Richard's service, along with that of at least seven military veterans who are among our graduates.
• Angelica Plascencia started her American education in the eighth grade. Every morning, she crossed the border from Tijuana to attend school in San Diego County. At the time, Angelica spoke little English and had to navigate the border crossing on her own. That experience - of straddling two nations and two cultures - has shaped her research interest. Angelica is majoring in Social and Behavioral Science. She has been accepted into the anthropology program in Mexican-American Borderlands at the University of Texas, where she will pursue a Ph.D. starting in the fall.
• Martin Vargas-Garcia is graduating with a double major in Visual and Public Art and Business Administration. Martin combined his artistic skills and his agribusiness management knowledge to develop a photo novella in Spanish to teach Latino farmers about the various programs available to help them through the federal government - typically distrusted by the farmers. His work earned him the Alumni Vision Award, with what's believed to be a record EIGHT nominations from his faculty. Martin is a first-generation college student and, throughout his academic career, has held a full-time job to support his family.
• Despite growing up surrounded by gangs, drugs and violence in Southern California, Jose Sanchez was inspired by his mother to work hard and not let his environment keep him from achieving his dream. Basketball helped him do that. While majoring in Human Communication, he was a three-year member of CSUMB's team and a big contributor to the Otters' CCAA tournament victory over Division II national runner-up Cal Poly Pomona. Jose, the first in his family to finish high school, plans to play basketball in Mexico, and then wants to work with children and sports.
• As the first person in her family to earn a four-year degree, Lisette Arredondo is receiving her degree in Collaborative Health and Human Services. She is a role model for her siblings - her brother is also a CSUMB student - and for young people from her hometown of Watsonville, where her extensive community service has done much to improve the quality of life for the residents. She just completed an internship with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, where she worked on a national AIDS education campaign targeted at the Spanish-speaking community.
May 19, 2009
Juan Ramirez was selected as the 2009 recipient of the Monterey County Film Commission's Film Student Scholarship in the amount of $1,000. He is a graduating senior in the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department at CSU Monterey Bay.
The Salinas native's most recent film, "Letters From Within," was screened at the university's capstone festival on May 15. The documentary, co-directed by CSU Monterey Bay student Steven Sprague, features the stories and voices of young people in Juvenile Hall.
"Working with incarcerated teens, I learned the meaning of film and what I can do with it to help make someone's life better," Ramirez said. "This experience honestly changed my life and gave me the certainty that documentary filmmaking is what I want to pursue. I want to work on films that bring help, hope, justice and love to people all over the world."
Said Enid Baxter Blader, a professor of digital media at CSUMB, "We are elated to hear that Juan Ramirez has won the Monterey Film Commission scholarship. He is an absolutely wonderful young filmmaker, and the film, 'Voices From Within,' is fantastic and deeply moving."
The Monterey County Film Commission scholarship program was created to provide financial aid and incentive to students of film and beginning filmmakers who reside in Monterey County or are enrolled in a college or university in the county. The fund was established as a permanent endowment with the Community Foundation for Monterey County. The scholarship program chair is film commission board member Phyllis Decker.
May 7, 2009
For some college students, summer is a time to put the books away for a few months.
But that's not the case for a group of CSU Monterey Bay students who will spend their summer conducting experiments, gathering data and summarizing their scientific findings in research papers.
All 25 of the students in CSUMB's McNair Scholars program have summer research projects lined up. Some of them will work with professors on campus, some will head off to other universities and research facilities to do their work.
The McNair Scholars program started last year at CSUMB, funded through the Ronald McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program of the U.S. Department of Education. The goal of the program, named for an African-American astronaut and physicist who died in the Challenger disaster in 1986, is to increase the number of underrepresented, low income and first-generation college students who earn doctoral degrees. The students come from across the academic spectrum - the sciences, humanities and social sciences.
"Undergraduate research is the launching platform for a lifetime of learning and creative activity," said Professor William Head, director of the program. "Through undergraduate research our Scholars are making the link between their classroom and the wider world."
In addition to the summer research opportunities, the McNair Scholars work with faculty mentors, receive academic support services, visit graduate schools and receive help with the graduate school application process. They also benefit from guest lecturers, workshops and a research methods seminar.
Seven students from the inaugural group will graduate on May 16. A new crop of students, who join those continuing with the program, has replaced them. The graduates and the new students were introduced at an event on May 5.
"For most of us, it was the professors who got us through," graduating senior Angelica Plascencia said. "Before I became a McNair Scholar, I didn't know what a Ph.D. was."
She does now - the social and behavioral sciences major has been accepted into a doctoral program at the University of Texas.
McNair Scholars program manager Jessica Brown gave each of the seven graduates a blue cord to wear at commencement. "This is a tradition we're starting," she said. "We'll see more of them in the future."
Graduating from the program (with major and faculty mentor):
Michelle Bueno, social and behavioral sciences, Dr. Rebecca BalesRuben Espinoza, human communication, Dr. Rina BenmayorJessica Floyd, human communication, Dr. Umi VaughanCrystal Forman, environmental science, technology and policy, Dr. Doug SmithAngelica Plascencia, social and behavioral sciences, Dr. Juan GutierrezMaria Reyes, human communication, Dr. Maria VillasenorGerardo Zenteno-Mena, world languages and cultures, Dr. Maria Zielina
After a rigorous selection process, the following students were chosen to join the program:
Scott Bell (psychology), Dr. John BerteauxJena Cleveland (biology), Dr. Aparna SreenivasanEvelyn Duran (social and behavioral sciences), Dr. Rebecca BalesJennifer Estassi (psychology), Dr. Jennifer Dyer-SeymourLydia Jennings (environmental science, technology and policy), Dr. Marc Los HuertosMaren Mitch (environmental science, technology and policy)Imelda Munoz (human communication), Dr. Maria VillasenorAmy Napoli (social and behavioral sciences), Dr. Deanne Perez-GranadosEnrique Villa (social and behavioral sciences), Dr. Juan GutierrezAntron Williams (psychology), Dr. Jennifer Dyer-Seymour
Continuing students:
Xeronimo Castaneda (earth systems science and policy), Dr. Corey GarzaStefanie Gutierrez-Kortman (earth systems science and policy), Dr. Marc Los HuertosAlexis Hall (earth systems science and policy), Dr. Corey GarzaAlison Jones (earth systems science and policy), Dr. Susan AlexanderMegan Kelly (earth systems science and policy), Dr. James LindholmTonnett Kirby (earth systems science and policy), Dr. Fred WatsonSeth Koetke (earth systems science and policy), Dr. Suzanne WorcesterCarolina Melendrez (human communication), Dr. Rina BenmayorSarah Moreland (earth systems science and policy P), Dr. Sharon AndersonMegan Neary (global studies), Dr. Kathryn PoethigJose Pantoja (social and behavioral sciences), Dr. Juan GutierrezAna Quintana (biology), Dr. Henrik KibakAdan Romero (biology), Dr. Steven MooreNorma Vazquez (earth systems science and policy), Dr. William HeadKatie Wrubel (earth systems science and policy), Dr. James Lindholm
A science illustration program now based at UC Santa Cruz Extension is moving to CSU Monterey Bay in the fall of 2009.One of the most prestigious programs of its kind in the nation, it prepares students who are sought after by scientific institutions and publications around the world.Work by graduates of the program can be found in museums and science centers that include the Smithsonian Institution, New York's American Museum of Natural History and the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History; in magazines such as National Geographic, Scientific American and Nature; and institutions such as the National Zoo, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service."We're delighted the program is coming to CSU Monterey Bay," said Dr. Chris Hasegawa, dean of extended education, where the program will be based. "It's a good fit for our science and art programs. We can house the program on campus, and we hope to build a connection with the curriculum in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy."Said Alison Galloway, UC Santa Cruz vice provost for academic affairs and university extension programs: "We're gratified that a quality program with the potential for significant global impact has found a good home."The science illustration program's move to CSU Monterey Bay allows it to continue to utilize the natural resources of the Monterey Bay region, which forms a large portion of its curriculum," Dr. Galloway said. "It also provides the additional benefit of integrating with the campus offerings in a way not possible on our campus."The program consists of nine months of classroom and fieldwork, followed by a three-month internship. It accepts 15 students a year - individuals with a strong science background and a passion for visual art. It also serves scientists who wish to acquire the skills to illustrate their research."The program has such a good reputation worldwide that recruiting students isn't a problem," Dr. Hasegawa said. "They recruit themselves."The program director, Ann Caudle, and current staff members Jenny Keller and Amadeo Bachar will continue with the program when it moves to CSUMB.More information about the program is available online at scienceillustration.org.
May 8, 2009
May 4, 2009
California State University, Monterey Bay's School of Education has earned national accreditation.
The university played host to a team of evaluators from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) in December 2008. The evaluators spent three days on campus, reviewing the Multiple Subject, Single Subject, Special Education, and Master's of Arts in Education programs, and meeting with students, faculty members, administrators and local school administrators who work as partners with CSU Monterey Bay in preparing future teachers.
The visit was the culmination of two years of preparatory work by CSU Monterey Bay faculty and staff who prepare future teachers for the classroom. Evaluators awarded national accreditation effective immediately.
"NCATE accreditation recognizes the professionalism, competence and quality work put forth by our faculty and staff, as well as the quality of our student candidates' experiences in the field with our partner schools and teachers," said Brian Simmons, dean of the College of Professional Studies.
"It shows that our faculty are well-qualified and experienced in their fields, that our educational partners provide outstanding support for our student candidates, and that our teacher preparation programs are doing a great job preparing future teachers based upon national and state standards."
To meet NCATE standards, universities must offer intellectually rigorous standards-based programs relevant to the needs of today's classrooms. To the public, accreditation means that the school underwent rigorous external review by an external group of professionals, meeting the national and state standards set by the teaching field at large, including classroom teachers.
"National accreditation causes one to continually assess one's programs and constantly seek improvement," Dr. Simmons said of the process. The university will continue to submit annual reports to NCATE and will go through the formal visitation process again when the accreditation expires. For information on the California State University Monterey Bay School of Education, please see http://teach.csumb.edu.
California State University, Monterey Bay will hold its 13th annual Capstone Festival starting on May 8 with the Policy Forum, presented by graduating students in the Master of Public Policy program. The forum will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. in the Alumni and Visitors Center.
Each spring, the CSUMB Capstone Festival celebrates the culminating projects of graduating seniors, credential candidates, and master's students as they present their work in sessions held by each academic department.
These projects reflect the knowledge, skills, and abilities developed over the course of a student's experience at CSUMB. They include research presentations, original poetry, oral histories, art projects, performances, tabletop exhibits, films and videos, multimedia works, computer visualizations, and more.
The projects are designed to showcase topics and ideas that students are passionate about, as well as to reflect the breadth of knowledge that they have gained over their time at the university
The festival kicks into high gear on May 14, when students from seven academic departments showcase their work. The festival continues with presentations the next day, and concludes with the Teledramatic Arts and Technology showcase from 6 to 9 p.m. in the World Theater.
All events are open to the public. For more information or to request sign language interpreters or disability accommodations, please contact jainesh_singh@csumb.edu or call 582-5067.
Friday, May 8Master of Public PolicyPolicy ForumAlumni and Visitors Center2-5 p.m.
Thursday, May 14Business AdministrationUniversity Center conference rooms1-4:30 p.m.
Global StudiesTanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library, Barnet Segal Auditorium1-4 p.m.
KinesiologyUniversity Center living roomNoon-4 p.m.
Music and Performing ArtsMusic HallNoon-5 p.m.
PsychologyUniversity Center ballroomNoon-2 p.m.Service Learning: Spotlight on ServiceUniversity Center ballroom4- 6 p.m.
Social and Behavioral SciencesUniversity Center ballroom9 a.m.-noon
World Languages and CulturesWorld Languages and Cultures North, Room 1189 a.m.-3 p.m.
Friday, May 15Biology Poster PresentationTanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library, Monterey Peninsula Foundation AuditoriumNoon-2 p.m.
Business AdministrationUniversity Center conference rooms10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Collaborative Health and Human ServicesOcean Hall Suite D10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Computer Science and Information Technologyin conjunction with Information Technology & Communication DesignTanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library, Barnet Segal Auditorium9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Environmental Science, Technology & PolicyTanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library, Monterey Peninsula Foundation Auditorium9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Human CommunicationUniversity Center ballroom10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Information Technology & Communication Designin conjunction with Computer Science and Information TechnologyTanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library, Barnet Segal Auditorium9:30 a.m. -2 p.m.
Integrated StudiesMusic Hall9 a.m.-noon
Liberal StudiesUniversity Center living room9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Master of Arts in EducationMedia Learning Center, Room 1184-8:30 p.m.
Master of Arts in Instructional Science and TechnologyTanimura & Antle Memorial Library, Barnet Segal Auditorium3:30-6:30 p.m.
Master of Science in Management and Information TechnologyTanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library, Barnet Segal Auditorium6:30-8 p.m.
MathematicsChapman Science Academic Center, Room S222Noon-4 p.m.
Music and Performing ArtsMusic Hall1-5p.m.
Teledramatic Arts and TechnologyWorld TheaterDoors open at 5:30 p.m.6-10 p.m.
Visual and Public ArtVisual and Public Art Center10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Building 207, the unused three-story structure between Building 1 and dorm 208, will come down during the winter break. First, the building will be "cleaned" of any contamination.When the building is certified clean, it will be demolished and hauled away. The demolition contractor is Randazzo Enterprises of Castroville; the abatement contractor is PARC Environmental of Fresno.
Building 207 has been assessed for contamination three times since Fort Ord closed. All three surveys flagged minor contamination that is typical of the materials and methods used in military construction. The contaminated material will be removed by the abatement contractor and disposed of properly.
The technicians working on the project are licensed and trained by the EPA and OSHA and an engineering firm has been hired to monitor and record air quality in the construction site and observe the work practices of the abatement contractor.
What You Need to Know In preparation for the deconstruction, a chain-link fence will be installed around the area on Friday, Dec. 8. The parking lot to Bldg. 1 will be closed Thursday night in order to install the fence early Friday. Once the fence is in place, most of the parking spaces in that lot will be unavailable. The handicapped spaces will remain open, and a few for visitors will be available. Employees are asked to park across the street in the lots around Bldg. 21. The contractor will start work next week. The work is scheduled to be completed no later than Feb. 2.
The aerial photo (left) shows the chain link perimeter in orange. The area shown in orange hatch will also need to be fenced off when the building is being taken down, which is scheduled for early January.
The construction fence is there for your protection. No one is allowed within the construction site. If you need access to the construction site, you must contact campus Planning and Development and a visit will be arranged. Hard hats and protective footwear will be necessary within the construction site.
Schedule The contractor will begin to mobilize on Dec. 11, and abatement will begin Dec. 13 and continue until Jan. 5. The deconstruction will begin on Jan. 8, and is scheduled to be completed no later than Feb. 2.
Erik Edmonds ('06, ESSP) is giving back to CSUMB in a big way. His recent donation of $5,000 to the Division of Science and Environmental Policy was the largest gift the university has received from an alumnus to date. "They caught me on a good day," Edmonds said with a laugh. Then, taking a more serious tone, the law school student at the University of Florida added, "I always planned on giving back, and will continue to do so annually for the rest of my life." Edmonds, who began college in Vermont, moved to Santa Cruz after being paralyzed in a car accident. Before long, he "started to get bored" and began looking at going back to school. Impressed by how helpful people at CSUMB were, he enrolled as an Earth Systems Science and Policy student in 2003. "I found the entire program to be fascinating - environmental ethics, justice, water law, resource assessment, coastal zone management. I was fascinated with learning science and policy in one big blanket, experiencing both sides of it." He also found great friends and mentors in the staff and faculty. "Judith Kildow is the best academic role model a person could ever have. We started the same semester, and from day one she took me under her wing. Celeste Akkad was also a good friend; she made me feel at home while I was in school, made it seem easier to be commuting from Santa Cruz." For his capstone, Edmonds assessed the feasibility of a proposed ecological restoration project at Elkhorn Slough. "I mapped out the regulatory agencies and political bodies that would be part of the approval process." He also spent two summers working as an intern with California Assemblyman John Laird, where he answered phones and handled constituents' problems. That experience had a strong impact - Edmonds is now toying with the idea of running for office in Florida when he finishes law school. "But, it's a big commitment, and I want to put some time into the community first." For now, he enjoys the varied political opinions of people in the Sunshine State. "It's a 50-50 state, not as left-leaning as California. A lot of intense discussions start outside of my classes, and I'm finding that I am defending myself constantly. It's fun." If the Florida Legislature doesn't work out, Edmonds is also open to the possibility of returning to CSUMB. "The University of Florida has a good environmental law program. I could teach an SEP class in environmental law." Undoubtedly, the Division of Science and Environmental Policy would welcome him back. "Of all the students I have had in my long career as a professor, Erik will stand out as the most memorable for his accomplishments, his generosity of spirit, and his commitment to life and to society," said Dr. Kildow. "While his donation to the university is a first for CSUMB, it does not surprise me. It is consistent with his strong character and his humility." Edmonds puts it simply: "The best thing to do was to give back to the school. That place changed my life."
Actress Salome Jens brought the poetry of Anne Sexton to the World Theater stage with her one-woman performance, About Anne, in November. The New York Times raved about the play, calling it "a magnificent moment of theater."
While on campus, she took the opportunity to share with CSUMB students the knowledge she's gained from a lifetime of acting.
Students in the university's Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department benefited from a question-and-answer session in which Jens advised them to "be outrageous when the desire comes. Don't sit on it. I've had the career I've had because of my commitment, not because I'm special."
Her long and varied career put her opposite Rock Hudson in 1966's Seconds and under a heavy layer of makeup as the "Female Shapeshifter" in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. She's also had roles on Melrose Place, MacGuyver, and even appeared in one episode of Tales from the Crypt. When she isn't performing, Jens teaches acting at UCLA and also gives private lessons.
Jens, who developed her craft at the Actor's Studio, emphasized the importance of finding the personal in every role to give each character a subtext. An alcoholic with 25 years of sobriety, she brings her personal understanding of the disease to the passionate confessions of Sexton's poetry.
The chance to address alcoholism - especially in the life of the artist - is important to Jens. "Through Anne, I can speak to the issue of alcoholism. It's important that students have the awareness as artists to know they need to be well."
This combined lesson on alcohol awareness and the craft of acting came through vividly in Jens' workshops and performance. "What's wonderful about doing Anne is it gives students the opportunity to see what we talk about," says Jens. "They can see what I'm doing. It's not just teaching, it's showing."
CSUMB has been named a "Publisher's Pick" by Hispanic Outlook In Higher Education. The magazine compiles a national list of colleges and universities every year to identify those with solid records in recruiting, educating and graduating Hispanic students.
The standings are based upon formal and informal inquires as well as data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
This semester, 27 percent of CSUMB students identify themselves as Latino/Hispanic/Mexican-American.
Nineteen other California State University campuses also made the list. The CSU is the most diverse higher education institution in the nation, with minorities making up more than half of its identified student body. Hispanics are more than 21 percent of the total CSU student population. In 2005, the California State University conferred 57 percent of the state's bachelor's degrees earned by Hispanics.
As Amber West counts down the days until she graduates this spring, she also counts off a series of struggles that she has turned into successes - and it's quite an impressive list.
"First of all, I am hearing impaired. Second of all, I am the first generation in my family to receive a B.A. degree. I am Native American and registered with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. My family has struggled a lot to provide for us. Third, I am majoring in Collaborative Health and Human Services, concentrating in both social work and public health.
"Fourth, I am applying for graduate school and will definitely be the first in my family to get an M.A. Fifth, I was part of the Vagina Monologues last February. Sixth, the most important of all, my husband went to Iraq and was injured…"
West's story begins in Lancaster, just outside of Los Angeles. West's parents knew something was different about their daughter, but their doctor misdiagnosed her with poor vision. She wore glasses for a year until her teacher picked up on the fact that it was her hearing, not her vision that was impaired. The teacher suggested that her parents take her to an audiologist, who correctly diagnosed her when she was 6 years old. "I have no hearing in my left ear and 60 percent hearing in my right ear," explained West.
Once diagnosed, she was pulled from first grade and put in a special education classroom to begin learning American Sign Language. The teacher presented her parents with a difficult decision - did they want their daughter to be part of the hearing world or the deaf world?
"My parents wanted me to have the best of both worlds, at least until I was old enough to make the decision for myself," West said. So they fought - and won - a battle for her to attend mainstream school with an interpreter.
By her senior year, West, who also reads lips, decided she wanted to be more independent and stopped using the interpreter. She continued her education without an interpreter until her junior year at CSUMB, when she realized that the collaborative nature of her major made it difficult for her to catch everything that was going on in the classroom. She tried using an assistive device from Student Disability Resources, but ultimately decided that she preferred working with an interpreter.
West is majoring in Collaborative Health and Human Services, focusing on both social work and public health. She wants to continue on this dual path through graduate school (she's applied to UC-Berkeley and San Jose State) and earn both Master of Social Work and Master of Public Health degrees. Ultimately, she would like to educate children about nutrition, obesity and related diseases. For her Capstone, West is leading a group for 11- to 13-year-old girls at the Salinas Boys and Girls Club. She hopes to empower these young women and teach them about body image, physical activity and healthy eating.
West has also spoken out against the abuse of women. In February of 2006, she was part of the CSUMB production of the Vagina Monologues, where she and her friend Tiffany Ghiorso alternated signing the positive and negative sections of "The Village" while a blindfolded woman spoke the words. "By signing it, making it so visual, it adds another really powerful dimension to the performance," she said.
But perhaps the biggest challenge West has faced was trying to juggle school, work and an internship while worrying about her husband, Evan, who was sent to Iraq just two months after their October 2004 wedding.
Communication was extremely limited and even when they managed to speak by phone, the violence in the area kept their conversations short. Once, she heard an explosion in the background near Evan. "What was that?" she asked, but all she heard from Evan was, "I gotta go," and the click of him hanging up.
Evan was stationed at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Kalsu, Iraq, and shortly after arriving there, he fell off a Bradley Fighting Vehicle and dislocated his shoulder. He popped the shoulder back into its socket and never said much about it, but the injury got worse and worse.
Meanwhile, West was still trying to attend class. "I knew Evan was working really hard in Iraq, and that I needed to work really hard here in school. I knew that's what he would want me to do. I had to stay focused." It wasn't easy. "I realized how emotionally hard it was one day when my teacher asked, 'How are you doing?' and I just started crying in class."
Eventually, Evan's sergeant noticed that Evan no longer had use of his left arm. Unable to pass a basic physical test, Evan was flown to Germany and then home to Fort Irwin in California where he underwent surgery. Finally, in May 2006, Evan was medically discharged from the Army and able to move to Monterey with his wife.
As West's countdown to graduation gets shorter and shorter, she's looking forward to easier times ahead - being finished with her B.A., living with her husband for the first time, and welcoming a new companion into the family.
"I'm getting a hearing dog next summer," she said. "I'm so excited!"
Campus supports blood drive Thirty students, staff and faculty turned out to donate blood last week, despite the crush of end-of-semester work.
A mobile donor unit from Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula spent three hours on campus as part of its holiday blood drive. Between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, the hospital's goal is to collect 600 units.
"The hospital has been coming here for a number of years, and it's always been successful," said Flo Miller, campus health service administrator.
The hospital collected 24 units of blood in the three hours it was on campus. Some potential donors had to be turned away for a variety of reasons - they'd recently traveled to an area where malaria is prevalent; they've had a tattoo recently; they h
ad a low blood count, etc.
"We were pleased that the turnout was so good. It hasn't been that high in the p ast," said Nancy Shammas, donor recruiter for Community Hospital.
Officials at the hospital remind us that blood donation is an important way for healthy people to help their community. Blood cannot be manufactured; the only way to keep up with the demand is through regular blood donations from healthy volunteer donors.
Colleen Jozaitis, a student who was waiting in line with a friend, said she was there because "giving blood is a really cool thing to do." Other members of the campus community apparently agree.
Anyone who missed the opportunity last week can visit the hospital's Monterey facility, at 576 Hartnell St., to give blood. Call 625-4814 to make an appointment.
As Hansel and Gretel can attest, gingerbread houses, with their candy-cane columns, gumdrop landscaping, peppermint pinwheel decorations and icing trim, are practically irresistible.
So it's no surprise that these confectionary cottages - and other structures - are the basis of a campus-wide competition now in its third year.
The gingerbread house-building venture came out of a discussion among members of the holiday party planning committee several years ago. They hit upon the idea of having the campus community build the houses and then using them for centerpieces at the annual party. This year, seven teams - including several dozen employees - participated in the competition. Each group was given a kit consisting of the basic pieces and encouraged to let their imaginations run wild. Dennis Hungridge of Human Resources coordinated the event.
As for rules - there were only two: everything had to be edible, and the overall "footprint" of the house could not exceed 14 inches by 20 inches.
This year's theme, "Extreme Makeover - Campus Edition," reflected the building and demolition going on around campus.
Among the entries in the competition:
A team representing the president's office performed makeover magic on the Aquatic Center, turning it into an "Otter Haven," complete with "kelp" made from lettuce, goldfish crackers and chocolate otters.
The University Advancement team used "Hot Tamales" - bright red candies shaped like tiny logs - to represent bricks on their remake of the Meeting House.
Staff members from the Black Box Cabaret and Conferences and Events Services joined forces to recreate the building site for the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library - including a construction crane, contractor's trailer, tiny workers sporting hard hats (and a port-a-potty for their use), rebar made from spaghetti and covered with frosting, and replicas of the signs ("Future Home of . . ." and "Danger") hanging on the fence surrounding the property. Even the "dirt" looked real - made from a ground-up mixture of Oreo cookies, cream of wheat and crackers.
The team from Facilities Services and Operations recreated their building and the new IT structure. Each team member worked on his job-related portion of the structures - the electricians (using blow torches!) made the light fixtures, the painter "painted" the window sills with frosting, etc. "It's all within union rules," said Tony Cabeca.
Gingerbread cookies originated in Germany. The Germanic National Museum in Nuremberg houses the oldest existing gingerbread recipe, believed to have been written in 1395.
Gingerbread was baked long before the Middle Ages, but during the 11th century, when ginger was introduced to Europeans, it took off in popularity. And now, it's a "building" material.
CSUMB has been selected among the first group of schools to receive the new Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
"Finding new and better ways to connect with their communities should be a high priority for higher education institutions today," said Lee S. Shulman, president of the Carnegie Foundation in a news release.
"The campuses participating in this elective classification provide useful models of engagement around teaching and learning and around research agendas that benefit from collaborative relationships."
CSUMB was among 76 U.S. institutions to be chosen for their involvement in the community through partnerships, community service and other activities, as well as for making community engagement an integral part of campus culture.
"We are pleased that the Carnegie Foundation has recognized that CSUMB's commitment to community engagement is one of our core values and an important part of our mission," said CSUMB President Dianne Harrison.
The Carnegie Foundation is an independent higher education policy and research center. Since 1970, its classification of colleges and universities has been used by organizations such as U.S. News & World Report to differentiate higher education institutions.
The Community Engagement Classification is the first "elective" classification offered by the Carnegie Foundation. Colleges and universities were invited to apply and provide evidence of community engagement. Campuses could apply under categories of curricular engagement, outreach and partnerships, or both. CSUMB applied for, and received, classification in the category of curricular engagement.
"This is further indication that the work that has gone into building our Service Learning program is significant and at the cutting edge of this work in higher education," said Seth Pollack, CSUMB's director of service learning.
Added David Anderson, dean of the College of University Studies and Programs, "It is yet another external verification that CSUMB is a center of excellence in higher education in the field of community engagement."
Other California schools receiving the Community Engagement Classification were CSU campuses in Chico, Fresno, San Francisco and San Marcos, Pitzer College, Otis College of Art and Design, Santa Clara University, UCLA, University of Redlands, University of San Diego and University of San Francisco.
The university has received a $66,000 incentive award from PG&E for conserving the natural gas and electricity used to heat and light campus buildings.
The award is one of several the university has received from the utility over the past two years for excellence in energy planning and conservation.
Studying how a building's environmental systems -- heating, ventilating and lighting -- perform and modifying or adjusting each system to gain the most efficiency is how the university achieved the savings that resulted in the award. Nine campus buildings were analyzed for this latest project.
The program under which PG&E awarded the money is known as the Energy Efficiency Partnership. It was established as a team effort among the California State University system, the University of California system and utility companies, including PG&E, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric. The Public Utilities Commission uses fees it collects on utility bills to provide a financial incentive to the CSU and UC campuses to improve energy efficiency.
PG&E pays up to 80 percent of the cost of a previously approved energy-saving project, with the campus paying the rest.
"For 2006 to 2008, $14.8 million is earmarked for the 23 CSU campuses for this program to evaluate energy-saving opportunities, get them approved and implement conservation plans," said Mike Lerch, CSUMB's energy manager. "Typically, we can save 5 to 8 percent of what the university pays for electricity and gas."
This is the third award from PG&E the university has garnered. In 2005, five buildings were monitored for efficiency and changes made to their systems, earning CSUMB a $152,000 incentive payment.
This year, another $42,000 is pending for replacing inefficient lighting on campus. The lighting in the university's gym has already been completed.
'The Alumni and Visitors Center has turned into gallery space to display artwork created by students in Professor Johanna Poethig's painting and mural class.
A large, colorful mural, called Poetry of Ideas/Seasons of Wildflowers was recently installed on one of the walls in the public portion of the building.
The design connects the seasons of growth between nature and students in their exchange of ideas and experiences. The wildflowers are found in the Monterey area and represent the uniqueness and individualism of the students united in one garden. Wildflowers grow, reach their potential, and release seeds for the next season of flowers. Students also grow while attending the university, exchange ideas and leave their mark for the next generation.
The campus is invited to attend a public dedication of the mural at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 12.
After running thousands of miles, Katie Spotz understands the importance of a good pair of training shoes. It's so important that she's started a club on campus that is helping to provide running shoes to athletes around the world.
At CSUMB as part of the National Student Exchange program, Spotz started the One World Running Club early this semester. The club numbers five members - who describe themselves as "casual rather than competitive" runners. Its goal is to collect new and used running shoes for the Colorado-based international non-profit organization One World Running, which promotes an awareness of health, fitness and nutrition.
The organization started in 1986, when a resident of Boulder, Colo., came back from a trip to Cameroon with stories about how the Africans ran barefoot. That inspired a group of runners to collect, wash and send new and "near-new" athletic shoes, T-shirts and
Spotz, 19, whose home campus is Kent State University in Ohio, was inspired to start a local version of the effort after reading about the organization in Runner's World magazine.
"This project allows anyone to be involved. It's simple enough but has the potential to help out those in need," she said.
"Early on, I learned how important it is to give back and it is something I want to do throughout my life, no matter where I am. This summer, I rode my bike across America to raise funds for the American Lung Association, and as I was readjusting from that life-changing experience, I felt like I had to continue to do more to make a difference."
The club has placed shoe collection boxes around campus (Dining Commons, sports center, University Center and the Student Center) and in the community (Fleet Feet, Big 5, Monterey Peninsula College gym and the YMCA).
"The people in the community we approached were very enthusiastic about the project and glad to take part. Our goal is to collect 100 pairs of shoes by the end of the semester; so far, we've got 70 pairs," she said.
Spotz puts on the miles, in more ways than one.
She ran the Columbus Marathon - her first race at that distance -- last year. Her last competitive event was August, when she won her age group in the Great Buckeye Challenge half Ironman triathlon (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run).
After her semester at CSUMB, she's headed to a university in Dresden, Germany, then hopes to find her way to Australia before graduating from Kent State in the spring of 2008 with a degree in nutrition.
"I leave after this semester. It's such a good cause; I hope the club will live on and be a continuous project."
Enid Baxter Blader is the co-editor of a series of 22 contemporary projects that explore California and its troubled relationship with water.
Water, CA is a multimedia “experiment in geography” that helps visitors to its website understand the complex story of water in the Golden State through essays, paintings, photography, video animations and a water timeline.
Blader, chair of the Department of Teledramatic Arts and Technology, and her co-editor, artist Nicole Antebi, say the projects create a new way of navigating California’s landscape. Erasing the traditional map, tied together by counties and towns, the state can be drawn by waterways, watersheds, reclamations, deprivations . . . connecting seemingly disparate bodies.
Blader wrote and illustrated two of the entries, one examining the Central Valley and discussing the cultural divide at the heart of the battle over California’s water, the other looking at the history of the Salinas River.
Visit the site at www.watercalifornia.org, or see it on display in the fall of 2011 at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento.
Txt Msgs Alert U*Cell phones transmit safety alerts at CSUMB*? Cell phones - a convenient way to send greetings to friends and family via text messages - have been transformed into campus communications vehicles. At CSUMB, the service is called - what else? - OTTERalert. They blast out campus-wide security and emergency communication alarms - a service that has been getting a lot of attention since the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech.The campus community can rest assured that OTTERalert is for emergency alerts only; those who sign up will not receive spam. Privacy is protected, and only campus administrators and members of the University Police Department can originate the messages. Read more about OTTERalert.
Our campus is under construction. Please be cautious around construction areas. We invite you to view this short slide show created with your safety in mind.
A Battle of Wills - What happens when a gift no longer serves the mission of an institution?. . . Steve Weldon, director of planned giving at California State University, Monterey Bay, says he recently negotiated a $2.5 million gift for a reading center that entailed a 34-page donor agreement put together by the donor, the donor's lawyer, a faculty member, the university's lawyer and Weldon himself. "The expectations are detailed and clear for everybody," he says.- *Current magazine*, May/June 2008
Etchings named CSUMB's top athlete - Softball team closes season with 4-2 lossCalifornia State University, Monterey Bay women's volleyball player Brittany Etchings was named the school's Outstanding Senior Scholar Athlete of 2008 on Thursday. Etchings, a former standout at Poway High School, finished her CSUMB career as the leader in kills (1,343) and digs (1,361) and second all-time in aces with 125. . . She finished her major in telecommunications, multimedia and applied computing with a 3.67 GPA.- *The Salinas Californian*, May 9, 2008
Spicy with Sideburns - El Vez is part Weird Al, part Elvis, and all entertainmentThe self-proclaimed Mexican Elvis, El Vez, is much more than just an impersonator doing rewrites of the King's most popular songs in Spanish. The performer behind "You Ain't Nothing But a Chihuahua," his take on "Hound Dog," also teaches Mexican-American history with the backing of a fiery rock band on numbers including "Cesar Chavez '96" and comes on like a savvier, more politically minded "Weird Al" Yankovic on sly remakes of pop songs like his version of Wall of Voodoo's 1982 hit "Mexican Radio."- *Monterey County Weekly*, May 8, 2008
BROWN & PROUD - El Vez, the 'Mexican Elvis,' brings his wild 'El Vez for Prez' show to Cal State Monterey BayAppropriating a gringo icon to celebrate Chicano culture is just one of the many over-the-top quirks of El Vez, the Mexican Elvis. There's also the flashy wardrobe and greasy pompadour, channeling Elvis Presley's Las Vegas-era lounge act. There are the female back-up dancers, the El Vettes, appropriately named Priscilia, Gladysita, Lisa Maria and Que Linda Thompson.- *Monterey Herald*, May 8, 2008
'Wreck Ord Live' festival celebrates release of CDFor five years, Cal State Monterey Bay students have compiled their music on one disc to showcase the talent entrenched on the university's converted Army base campus. With "Wreck Ord Live," the mission is accomplished yet again. To celebrate, students who produced the album are throwing an outdoor jam. The "Wreck Ord Live" Music Festival takes place Saturday in the parking lot of the CSUMB Music Hall.- *Monterey Herald*, May 8, 2008
CSUMB men in second in regionalFour Cal State Monterey Bay golfers shot par or better Tuesday and the Otters jumped from fourth to second place, four strokes ahead of Western Washington University at the NCAA Division II Men's West Regional at the Adobe Creek Golf Club in Petaluma.- *Monterey Herald*, May 7, 2008
CSUMB among best places to workCalifornia State University, Monterey Bay has been named among the Best Places to Work in Monterey County by the Monterey County Business Council. Personal Dynamics Consulting of Florida designed a 40-question survey used to identify the top employers.- *The Salinas Californian*, May 7, 2008
Economy worries studentsSergio Barajas, 21, is graduating this month from California State University, Monterey Bay. But Barajas is worried about not yet having a job. He's not alone. Finding a good-paying, quality job is the biggest worry among college students, according to this year's nationwide survey of U.S. campuses by the CSUMB-based Panetta Institute. . . "I'm enrolling into a one-year teacher credential program," Barajas said. "I'm optimistic. I hope by the time I'm done with the program, I'll be able to find a job."- *The Salinas Californian*, May 3, 2008
Programa de CSUMB lanza carreras de postgradoCon la ayuda de casi $1 millón de dólares la subvención federal de 4 años, McNair, la Universidad de California en la Bahía de Monterey está preparando a 25 talentosos estudiantes para que obtengan su doctorado en otras instituciones.- *El Sol*, May 3, 2008
CSUMB softball opens playoffs with victoryARCATA - The CSU Monterey Bay softball team defeated Humboldt State 5-0 in its first game of the 2008 CCAA softball championships. Humboldt State was ranked sixth in the nation. CSUMB (35-22) plays CSU Stanislaus in the second round of the championships game. Thursday, the Otters were powered by the pitching of Angela Cabral and a three-run homer by Homa Shafii.- *Monterey Herald*, May 2, 2008
For campus news, activities and events, please visit our news website.
National recognition, the departure of the university's founding president, and the first event sponsored by the new Center for Reading Diagnosis and Instruction made campus news during 2005. CSUMB was one of 20 colleges cited as a model for promoting student success in the book, Student Success in College: Creating Conditions that Matter, published by the American Association for Higher Education. The book called CSUMB "an educationally engaging university" and added that it "unequivocally honors diversity." The university's service learning program was recognized by the editors of U.S. News & World Report in the magazine's 2006 edition of America's Best Colleges. Called "a program to look for," service learning was singled out as an "outstanding example of academic programs that are believed to lead to student success."
And in a survey conducted by Intel Corp. in conjunction with the Center for Digital Education, CSUMB was ranked among the top wireless campuses in the nation. The school is in the forefront of exploring innovative ways to use this new technology through the Wireless Education and Technology Center based on campus.
President Peter Smith, who headed the campus through its first decade, left in June to become the head of education for the United Nations, the first American to hold the position. Provost Diane Cordero de Noriega was named interim president and will serve in that capacity until a permanent replacement is named.
In January, the university received a $2.4 million anonymous gift to establish a reading center on campus. The center will be housed in a former Army building that will be renovated in 2006. Over 100 national leaders in reading, speech-language pathology and special education gathered on campus in August to explore the components of effective instructional leadership in language and reading - the first event sponsored by the new center.
The Alumni and Visitors Center opened in the spring. The ceiling contains Douglas fir recycled from Army buildings that once occupied the site - one of many ways the university recognizes the history of Fort Ord. Members of the community were welcomed to lectures by civil rights lawyer Lani Guinier and environmentalist Jean-Michel Cousteau. Also visiting campus were United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta, social commentator bell hooks, head of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Julie Packard, former Congressman and Georgetown Law Professor Father Robert Drinan, ethnic studies professor Ward Churchill and Ambassador Joseph Wilson. The university's 10 varsity teams completed their first season at the NCAA Division II level. The men's basketball team defied pre-season predictions and finished with a 10-10 record, a more-than-respectable showing. Just as impressive was the big-game atmosphere in the gym, where nearly every seat was filled. Players were recruited, coaches hired and facilities secured for the Otters baseball and softball teams, which will begin play this spring. Local resident and former professional player Rich Aldrete will head the baseball program; Andrea Kenney will coach the softball team. Other highlights include:
In the year to come, the campus is expected to get a new president; break ground for the library; and start construction on a workforce housing project that was made possible when district voters approved an exemption from developer fees - allowing the project to remain "affordable" for faculty, staff and members of the community. To make way for the new construction, several hundred Army buildings will be demolished.
There are gingerbread bakers and gingerbread artists.
And then there are gingerbread overachievers.
Perhaps the folks representing the Black Box Cabaret would fit into that category, coming up with an elaborate castle to house the Ord Wort's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - right down to a "Harry Otter" complete with glasses.
Some of the other houses featured shredded wheat roofs, melted Lifesaver ponds and marshmallow cream mortar.
And some of the gingerbread creations weren't mere houses. There was the "Freedom Train," station and railroad tracks created by the team from University Advancement, and the iPod "family" designed by the folks from Center for Academic Technology.
The gingerbread house-building venture came out of a discussion among members of the holiday party planning committee two years ago. They hit upon the idea of having the campus community build the houses and then using them for centerpieces at the annual party. This year, 13 teams - representing about 50 employees -participated in the competition. Each group was given a kit consisting of the basic pieces and encouraged to let their imaginations run wild.
As for rules - there were only two: everything had to be edible, and the base couldn't exceed 14 inches by 18 inches.
Dennis Hungridge of Human Resources coordinated the event.
Sodexho chef Bruce Brown created this 51-pound, 100 percent edible gingerbread otter and university crest to welcome staff and faculty members to the campus holiday party.
Over 31 hours of labor - and weeks of planning - went into creating the confection.
Ingredients include: • 75 cups of flour • 15 cups of sugar • 1 gallon of molasses • 4 cups of water • 6 pounds of powdered sugar • Secret spices and pixie powder
Chef Brown wishes to thank Dan Kaupie, Bill Steacy, Erika Price and Gokhan Aksoy for their help.
Work by faculty and staff in the Department of Visual and Public Art is featured in the newly opened Balfour Brutzman Art Gallery, located in Building 71.
The inaugural exhibition, "View of VPA," was curated by Cristiano Colantoni and Paul Van de Carr, students in the university's museum studies program.
The program focuses on the museum's potential and ethical responsibility for representing history and culture in a way that shapes the public's concept of its values. Students divide their time between the university setting and internships in local museums where students learn basic operation skills, conservation application, exhibit content, design and interpretation.
Meghan Lewis' experience as an exchange student in Florence, Italy, last year not only exposed her to different cultures and enabled her to make friends in other countries, it also may have advanced her academic career.
Now back at CSUMB for her senior year, Lewis is preparing for graduate school and talking about the benefits of international study.
"It changed my life - that's why I'm planning to go back. And it makes you view the United States very differently," she said in a recent interview.
Lewis is majoring in Human Communications with an emphasis in pre-law. In graduate school she plans to study international law and international relations.
That interest motivated her to investigate opportunities for overseas study. "There are tons of programs available. Anywhere you want to go, you can go. But you've got to find it yourself. No one is going to knock on your door."
The California State University International Programs allow students to study at campuses in 19 countries and pay the same tuition they would pay in California. "It ended up being more expensive for me because, while tuition is the same, rent and food are more expensive due to the exchange rate," she said.
The school she attended was housed in a villa - "old, run-down and definitely not glamorous." It was a CSU campus, not an Italian university. "I studied European Union politics, Italian literature - Dante and Machiavelli - and Italian politics." Her professors were mostly English-speaking Italians.
Lewis, a native of Grass Valley who had lived in California her whole life, was attracted to CSUMB because of its small classes, its diversity, the Human Communications major and the proximity to the ocean.
"The university was very helpful and accommodating in working out the transfer of my credits. I got half my major requirements out of the way," she said.
And what was the biggest lesson she learned?
"I learned how to be respectful of other cultures. We traveled a lot -- we took weekend trips to Germany, France, Ireland, England, Switzerland, the Netherlands. And we saw lots of Italy. We took the train, backpacked, stayed in hostels - we didn't have a lot of money. I learned some Spanish, French and German. And I learned that if I made a little effort with their language, it really pleased people.
"And I also learned that I should explore my backyard - California."
Lewis cautioned that overseas study "is not for everyone - you have to be self-sufficient in order to get out of it what you should.
"But I loved it. I can't wait to get back to Italy - and I hope to go back this summer."
To learn more, visit CSUMB's Office of International Programs in Building 58, or visit the web at international.csumb.edu.
Joseph Wilson, former U.S. diplomat and husband of exposed CIA agent Valerie Plame, will discuss "The Politics of Truth" at 7 p.m., Dec. 6 in the University Center ballroom.
Wilson was called a "true American hero" by former president George H.W. Bush for his many years of diplomatic service, including his face-to-face confrontations with Saddam Hussein in the days leading up to the first Gulf War. He may well have faded quietly into the sunset had he not written an opinion piece for The New York Times in which he accused President George W. Bush of "exaggerating the Iraqi threat" in order to justify war, specifically with respect to Iraq's alleged attempts to acquire uranium from Niger. Shortly thereafter, columnist Robert Novak noted that Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, was a covert CIA operative, a revelation that was potentially a criminal offense.
Wilson charged that Plame's CIA status was deliberately exposed by Bush administration officials, as retaliation for his public charge that U.S. intelligence concerning weapons of mass destruction in Iraq was largely a conspiracy to falsify and fabricate evidence to support the war.
"Mr. Wilson's message - follow your conscience, act ethically and responsibly, and be faithful to your values - resonates with our Vision Statement," said David Anderson, dean of the College of University Studies and Programs, which is sponsoring the event. "That's why we invited him."
The former ambassador will also sign copies of his book, "The Politics of Truth: Inside the Lies that Led to War and Betrayed my Wife's CIA Identity." Copies will be for sale in the UC lobby.
In his book, Wilson details more than two decades of foreign service, in addition to giving his personal account of the events leading to his decision to go public with his criticisms of the Bush administration, and what he views as an orchestrated attack by administration officials in retaliation for his coming forward.
The controversy surrounding Wilson began with President Bush's 2003 State of the Union Address, in which the President said, "The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa."
Wilson's editorial, titled "What I Didn't Find in Africa," was published on July 6, 2003. The next day, White House aides said that the State of the Union Address should not have contained the reference. And Secretary of State Colin Powell, then traveling with the president in Africa, gave a news conference addressing the issue.
President Bush appointed Special Prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald to determine whether any federal laws had been violated in the revelation of Plame's identity. Fitzgerald's investigation in turn led to contempt of court charges against Time magazine and New York Times reporters Matthew Cooper and Judith Miller, for their refusal to reveal who told them about Plame's identity. Cooper eventually testified it was White House political adviser Karl Rove, while Miller, after 84 days in jail, revealed that her source was Vice President Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff, Lewis "Scooter" Libby. Libby was then indicted on five counts of obstruction of justice, perjury and making false statements.
The bulk of Wilson's op-ed piece dealt with his trip to Niger in 2002, where he had been sent on behalf of the CIA to investigate the possibility that Saddam Hussein had attempted to buy enriched uranium yellow cake. Wilson concluded then that there "was nothing to the story."
About "The Politics of Truth":
"This is a riveting and all-engaging book. Not only does it provide context to yesterday's headlines, and perhaps tomorrow's, about the Iraq war and about our politics of personal destruction, but former Ambassador Joseph Wilson also tells captivating stories from his life as a foreign service officer with a long career fostering the development of African democracies, and gives us a behind-the-scenes blow-by-blow of the run-up to the 1991 Persian Gulf war.... Remarkably, Bush's White House continues to attack [Wilson].... They should understand that they have picked a fight with the wrong fellow." -John W. Dean, New York TImes Book Review
"Fascinating...dissent not from the radical fringe but from the heart of the establishment." -Tim Rutten, Los Angeles Times
"Wilson's account of his diplomatic tours in Niger, Togo, South Africa, Burundi, the Congo, Iraq, Gabon and Washington are superb.... Wilson's allegations carry the ring of truth" -Steve Weinberg, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
My boss always asks me what I learned in class that day and invariably it applies to what's happening in the office.****-- Henry Gowin, field representative to Monterey County Supervisor Lou Calcagno Applications are being accepted for the fall 2006 Master's in Public Policy program.
The MPP program is a partnership between the university's Department of Health, Human Services and Public Policy and the Leon and Sylvia Panetta Institute. Application deadline is March 1, 2006, for the class that starts next fall. The 2006 class will total approximately 20 students; classes will be small, interactive, academically rigorous and professionally focused.
Courses are offered in the evenings and on weekends to encourage working professionals to attend. Courses include:
Specialized concentrations are available for students interested in electoral politics and policymaking, and health and social policymaking.
Students currently enrolled in the program come from the management ranks of local governments, educational institutions and non-profit organizations; the broad range of professional backgrounds creates a dynamic learning environment.
To learn more about the program, potential students are invited to attend an open house from 6 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 1 in Room 110 of the Quadrangle, 1000 S. Main St., Salinas. (Visit the web (csumb.edu/mpp) for directions).
For more information about the Master's of Public Policy program, visit the web at http://csumb.edu/mpp; to receive an application packet, call the Department of Health, Human Services and Public Policy at (831) 582-3565 or e-mail mpp@csumb.edu
The Music and Performing Arts Department will present its annual winter concert on Dec 4. This year's theme is Winter Solstice.
The university's chorale, gospel choir and the small vocal ensemble Nuovo Plaisir -- all directed by faculty member Paulette Gissendanner -- will perform. Music and Performing Arts faculty and staff members Eddie Mendenhall and Elena Volkova will also perform.
The concert will start at 3 p.m. in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue. The event is free, and no tickets are necessary. For information, call 582-3009. For directions to campus and a map, visit the website at csumb.edu.
WHAT: Winter Concert WHEN: 3 p.m.-5 p.m., Dec. 4, 2005 WHERE: World Theater, Sixth Avenue, CSUMB campus COST: Free PARKING: Free in Lot 28 INFORMATION/DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS: 582-3009
Soledad Street in the former Chinatown area of Salinas is the site of vacant lots, abandoned buildings and makeshift shelters for the homeless. It's full of broken windows and broken dreams. The area has been neglected for years, despite the fact that it's located only a few blocks from the National Steinbeck Center, the crown jewel in Salinas' redevelopment efforts.
As the result of a longtime relationship between the Franciscan Workers of Junipero Serra - who run Dorothy's Place Hospitality Center on Soledad Street - and CSUMB's Service Learning program, that may change.
Dorothy's Place provides meals for the poor and the homeless. Begun when its director, Robert Smith, distributed sandwiches from the back of his car more than 20 years ago, it now serves two meals a day to hundreds of guests and has provided service-learning opportunities for CSUMB students for nearly a decade.
When faced with the prospect of losing the lease on Dorothy's, Smith approached the university for help in redeveloping the area, along with the city. The university's Service Learning Institute saw an opportunity.
University faculty and staff members applied for federal grant money to facilitate community planning for lower Soledad Street and set up job training for the homeless there. The grant was funded -- $600,000 over three years was awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The money will be a catalyst for redevelopment in the 20-acre area.
Grant money will pay the salary of a project director who, along with CSUMB service learning students, faculty and staff, will work with social service providers, property owners and business owners to produce a redevelopment plan for the area. The university hopes to have a plan ready to present to the Salinas City Council in two to three years.
"I'm really excited about the possibility of bringing people together in dialogue . . . to connect social service delivery with housing, with retail, with education," said Seth Pollack, director of service learning at the university.
Grant money will be used to teach work skills and develop micro-enterprise business opportunities for the homeless. CSUMB business students will develop income-generating projects; the possibilities include a bicycle repair business and a used clothing store.
As part of the project, university students will construct a 40,000-square-foot garden on city-owned property -- with native plants, flowers and vegetables -- at the corner of Soledad and Lake streets. Homeless people will be employed as garden assistants.
"In the short term - several years - we'll use the space as a garden. Ultimately, it will be a site for housing. The goal of the garden and the job training is to show the property owners in the area that there can be a connection between them and the folks who live there now," said Pollack.
The first order of business is to locate space in the area to house the project's administrative office and computer training classes. Work on the garden and the business plan will start in the spring.
Two events last spring demonstrated the potential the partnership between Dorothy's Place and the university holds:
For more information, contact Professor Pollack at 582-3914.
On Tuesday, Nov. 15 - National Philanthropy Day - 'Hermana' will be honored at a luncheon at the Inn at Spanish Bay as the Outstanding Service Organization on the Central Coast.
Frustrated by watching talented local students fail to complete college because of a lack of money, a group of businesswomen joined together in 2002 to create 'Hermana' (Sister), an organization that raises scholarship funds to assist CSUMB students from the local area.
The organization awards five to 10 scholarships per year in the range of $500 to $1,000 each. Recently, Hermana made a $20,000 gift to the university for an endowed scholarship that will provide support to a local student every year in perpetuity. The women of Hermana make donations themselves to the fund and fund-raise from the broader community as well.
Scholarships are awarded to Monterey County students who have overcome significant obstacles, including language barriers and family and work obligations, in order to attend college.
Hermana also sponsors activities with local young women and girls, including a much-needed mentoring program called "hermanita" (little sister). Recently, Hermana held a dinner and invited several students (high school and college) who were having difficulty in school or lacked family support for their educational goals. As a result, these students now have mentors and many of the parents of these students have become supportive of their daughter's college aspirations.
For more information, or to make a contribution, contact Director of Development Kristine Edmunds at 582-3346.
Students raise $3,500 for hurricane relief
Hurricane Katrina's devastation was felt on campus as students, faculty and staff watched and listened helplessly as the story unfolded on TV.
In response to the disaster, the CSUMB student government has held a variety of fundraising activities to benefit the victims. So far, approximately $3,500 has been raised.
For example, students who bought tickets to the recent homecoming dance had the option of giving their $5 admission price back to the student government association to be used for future events and programs, or to donate the money for Hurricane Katrina relief. The overwhelming response from students was to donate their money. Donations to the relief fund totaled $3,000.
Other fund-raising activities:
• The student government's Environmental Committee continues to hold bi-weekly recycling drives. More than $100 has been raised so far.
• The United Student Leadership Council -- a group of students representing student government and a variety of clubs and organizations on campus -- held a door-to-door solicitation campaign that resulted in another $373.
Students will be surveyed to determine which organization will receive the money collected.
The elemental mixture of wood, glass and masonry that makes up the exterior of the Chapman Science Academic Center has drawn notice from architects since it opened in the fall of 2003. Now, the building has been honored with an award. The Concrete Masonry Association of California and Nevada recently honored the first new building on the CSUMB campus with a Merit Award. A jury of five architects from across the country judged the entries, which included 25 in the education category. The 68,000-square-foot building was chosen because of the integration of sustainable materials and because of the building's functional design. The building is also cited as a successful and important first step toward realizing the master plan for the future design of the campus. In making the award, the judges said, "the selection of building materials, application of color and use of native landscape elements are all cues in setting a new visual identity for the campus . . . Reflecting the nature of the environmental science curriculum, the building embodies a strong commitment to sustainable design and construction practices." Project architect was the firm of Anshen + Allen of San Francisco. Masonry contractor was O'Neal Masonry Partners. The building was named for Patricia and Robert Chapman, Salinas residents and community leaders who donated $2.5 million toward the cost of construction. For more information about the awards, visit the CMACN website at http://www.cmacn.org.
Music professor Paulette Gissendannerwill give a free public recital on Nov. 13 at 3 p.m. at the campus Music Hall. She will perform selections by Handel, Strauss and John Carter. Ms. Gissendanner's vocal range matches her wide range of experiences: she has performed in operas including Madam Butterfly, Porgy and Bess and John Eaton's The Tempest. She premiered the role of Lydia in David Hertz' The Rose Garden Conspiracy and made her formal debut in the role of Mother in Hansel and Gretel with the Indianapolis Symphony. Her performances include solo recitals, operatic presentations, jazz and big band and musical theater. She has also directed several choral ensembles and musical theater presentations. Gissendanner will be accompanied by pianist Daniel Glover, who trained at New York's prestigious Julliard School. Since his Carnegie Hall recital debut in 1992, he has been hailed for his extraordinary technique, analytical understanding and determined phrasing. He is on the piano faculty of the University of San Francisco. For information or disability acccommodations, call Shirlene Campbell at (831) 582-3009.
This year's Music and Performing Arts Lecture Series gets under way on Oct. 20 when legendary jazz guitarist and composer Joe Beck visits campus.
During a career that spans five decades, Mr. Beck has recorded with Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Sergio Mendez, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Paul Simon, James Brown, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee and countless others. He has also recorded with the Royal Philharmonic in London, the Milan Philharmonic and the Paris String Ensemble.
Mr. Beck has composed music for TV and films for three decades; the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences has honored him with its Most Valuable Player Award five times.
The lecture-demonstration will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Oct. 20 in the Music Hall, Bldg. 30, located on Sixth Avenue, and is free to the public. Parking will be free in lots 29 and 30.
For more information or to request disability accommodations, contact program coordinator Shirlene Campbell at 582-3009.
A survey conducted by Intel Corp. in conjunction with the Center for Digital Education ranks CSUMB among the top wireless campuses in the nation. The survey, which was published in a recent edition of U.S. News & World Report, ranks the university 12th among the top 50. It's one of only four schools in California to make the list, and the only public university.
Intel sponsored the survey to identify the U.S. colleges and universities that have the greatest wireless Internet access. Bert Sperling, noted researcher and creator of the "Best Places" studies, conducted the survey. CSUMB's academic and administrative buildings, residence halls, dining facilities and green spaces have wireless access. Survey findings are based on the percentage of each campus that is covered by wireless technology, the number of undergraduate students and the computer-to-student ratio for each school.
CSUMB made this year's rankings not only because it has implemented wireless access throughout campus, but also because it is in the forefront of exploring innovative ways to use this new technology through the Wireless Education and Technology Center based on campus.
"We have 20 projects with 28 faculty that will leave you flabbergasted," said Arlene Krebs, director of the wireless center. The center - which was created in 2002 - has been awarded more than $400,000 for wireless equipment, including digital cameras and printers and handheld computers.
Students from the Division of Science and Environmental Policy use Tablet PCs and digital cameras to revolutionize field geology; science students conduct seafloor mapping in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the Ross Sea in the Antarctic using iPAQs and laptops; and archaeology students use wireless technology in their field work at the Carmel and San Juan Bautista missions. Other students, working with the education program at Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, installed a solar-powered wireless transmitter at a research blind to provide nomadic explorations of the bird and aquatic life to local school children. These are just a few examples of how wireless technology has been integrated into the teaching and learning environment at CSUMB.
"Wireless technology allows us to create networks where faculty want to teach and where students want to learn. It causes a fundamental realignment about creating educational spaces -- whether it's at Elkhorn Slough in the Monterey Bay or at the Ross Sea in the Antarctic," said Gil Gonzales, the university's chief information officer.
The Salinas City Council will honor CSUMB's Return of the Natives Restoration Education Project at a council meeting on Oct. 18, as part of Make a Difference Day. The Return of the Natives (RON) project is a community- and school-based environmental education program dedicated to involving students (kindergarten through university) in habitat restoration and service learning projects in the schoolyard and the community. The project's environmental goal is to protect the waters of the Monterey Bay through restoration of the waterways and the lands draining in the bay; its social goal is to bring people and nature together on restoration and garden projects in the watersheds of the Monterey Bay from the Monterey Peninsula to North Monterey County and from Salinas to San Ardo. RON has involved students of all ages in creek restoration, tree planting and clearing invasive weeds in Salinas since 1994. "We are working for nature and for open space," said Laura Lee Lienk, director of the project. "We view ourselves as being a part of the solution for violence, too." The program will be honored at 4 p.m. on Oct. 18 in the council chambers.
Dinner, conversation and books are on the menu for "The Author's Table," and the combination is bringing back the literary fund-raiser for its fourth year.
CSUMB and the National Steinbeck Center are collaborating to raise money for each organization's reading program by putting together best-selling authors and their fans at intimate dinners.
Fourteen dinner parties at private homes around the Monterey Bay and Salinas will be held on Nov. 7, each featuring an author as the main attraction, in addition to lavish dinner for a small group (ranging from 10 to 24 guests).
Platinum tickets are $500 per person and include first choice of dinner as well as an invitation to the opening reception honoring the authors and hosts at the National Steinbeck Center on Nov. 6. Gold tickets are $300 each and include first, second or third choice of dinner locales. Silver tickets are $150 and include one of six choices of dinner, in order of preference. Tickets may be purchased by calling (831) 625-8190.
This year's event chair is Paula Downing.
The lineup of authors includes several best-selling writers of fiction and non-fiction, an Edgar Award winner, an O. Henry Prize winner, and the winner of a New York Times Notable Book award. This year's honored author's include:
• CHARMIAN CARR was chosen to play the role of Liesl von Trapp in the 1964 film "The Sound of Music," an adventure that changed her life forever. In early 2000, she co-authored "Forever Liesl," a book detailing her experiences making the movie, and in 2001, she released her second book, "Letters to Liesl." This year marks the 40th anniversary of "The Sound of Music," which has prompted a visit to Salzburg, commemorative concerts and a re-release on DVD of that very special film.
• CATHERINE COULTER published her first long historical novel in 1982. It was followed by eight trilogies, which makes her the pioneer of the trilogy in historical romance. She writes one historical romance or one contemporary romantic suspense novel every year. That's in addition to the FBI suspense thrillers she introduced in 1996. Over 60 million copies of her books are in print worldwide; her titles have landed on the New York Times bestseller list 53 times. Out this year: Blowout (in paperback), Point Blank (her 10th FBI thriller) and Lyon's Gate (the ninth Sherbrooke series historical romance).
• ANTHONY DOERR's most recent novel, "About Grace," was named one of the Best Books of 2004 by the Washington Post. His first book, "The Shell Collection," won the 2002 Barnes & Noble Discover Prize, two O. Henry Prizes, the Rome Prize, the Ohioana Book Award, and was named a New York Times Notable Book and an American Library Association Book of the Year. His fiction has appeared in the Paris Review, Atlantic Monthly and The Best American Short Stories. Doerr also writes a bimonthly column on science-related books for the Boston Globe.
• FRANCINE DU PLESSIX GRAY's book, "Them: A Memoir of Parents," was released earlier this year to rave reviews from Time Magazine, The New York Times and the San Francisco Chronicle. Her biography, "At Home With the Marquis de Sade: A Life," was short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize. Her broad-based career has focused on non-fiction, from her first book - "Divine Disobedience: Profiles in Catholic Radicalism," which won the National Catholic Book Award - to her articles on Klaus Barbie and the French Resistance, which appeared in Vanity Fair magazine, and received the National Magazine Award for Best Reporting. Her work has appeared in scores of foreign publications, in addition to the New Yorker, New York Review of Books, The New York Times Magazine, The New Republic and Rolling Stone.
• JOHN GRAY, Ph.D., is the author of 15 best-selling books, including "Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus," the No. 1 best-selling relationship book of the last decade with more than 30 million sold in over 40 languages. An expert in the field of communication, Dr. Gray's goal is to help men and women understand and appreciate their differences in personal and professional relationships. He has appeared on Oprah, The Today Show, CBS Morning Show, Good Morning America, The View, Politically Incorrect, and Larry King Live, and has been profiled in Newsweek, Time, Forbes, USA Today, TV Guide and People.
• LAURIE R. KING's first novel, "A Grave Talent," featuring San Francisco homicide detectives Kate Martinelli and Alonzo Hawkin, won both the 1993 Crime Writers' Association John Creasey Award for Best First Crime Novel and the Edgar Award. She has since written three more novels in that series, plus gone back in time with her award-winning Mary Russell-Sherlock Holmes series. A third series focuses on Anne Waverly, a university professor in alternative religious movements. She has written three stand-alone suspense novels, a futuristic novel and two other novels. Her most recent book is "Locked Rooms," which was released in June. • JOSEPH M. MARSHALL III was a consultant and actor in "Into The West," Steven Spielberg's six-part mini-series on TNT last summer. Marshall has published five books, including "The Lakota Way: Stories and Lessons for Living," and most recently, "Thunder Dreamer: The Journey of Crazy Horse." He has been a high school teacher, craftsman of primitive Lakota bows and arrows, historian, writer, community organizer, lecturer and screenwriter. He has served as technical consultant on a number of films and had a screen role in the television mini-series, Return to Lonesome Dove. He is a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. • NINA MARIE MARTINEZ's first novel, "Caramba!," was described by one critic as "one part Gabriel Garcia Marquez, one part John Irving and one part Tom Robbins, crammed in a blender and set on puree." Now at work on her second novel, Martinez is a high school dropout with a bachelor's degree in literature from UC Santa Cruz. She is a vintage clothes dealer and an avid baseball fan. • PATT MORRISON, a writer and columnist for the Los Angeles Times, is the author of "Rio LA, Tales from the Los Angeles River," which was honored by the Southern California Booksellers' Association as the best nonfiction book of 2001. She is the host of the nationally syndicated The Book Show with Patt Morrison, produced by PBS affiliate KCET, and is regularly featured on National Public Radio. She has won five Emmys, four Golden Mike awards, and was a member of two Los Angeles Times' reporting teams that won Pulitzer Prizes. Other awards and honors include a lifetime achievement award from the Los Angeles Press Club, Ms. Magazine's Women Who Made Difference, Woman of the Year by the League of Women Voters of Beverly Hills, and the ACLU's Freedom of Information Award. Her newspaper work has included national political profiles, campaign reporting, the Persian Gulf War, the Olympics, fall of the Berlin Wall and Britain's Royal Family, while her interviews have included Salman Rushdie, Henry Kissinger, Frank Gehry and Jane Goodall.
• CARL NOLTE is, by his own description, just a humble reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle. He's also been an editor there, a soldier and a sailor. He has covered baseball, forest fires, crimes, politics, the Gulf War and the Iraq War. This fourth-generation San Franciscan has authored three books, including "The San Francisco Century" which is being released this fall.
• DANIEL OLIVAS has been described as a rising voice in Chicano literature. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, educated at Stanford University and UCLA, where he received a law degree. He is the author of four books, including his most recent: "Devil Talk: Stories." His work is included in three anthologies. He is employed by the Department of Justice, specializing in environmental enforcement and land use.
• JOHN RECHY is the recipient of two coveted Lifetime Achievement Awards, from PEN-USA-West in 1997 and the Publishing Triangle's William Whitehead Award. Rechy has written 12 novels, beginning with the now classic "City of Night." In 2004, he jumped to the top of the Los Angeles Times best-seller list with "Coming of the Night." Greeted with controversy when they first appeared, Rechy's books have been singled out for praise in recent years. "City of Night" was named one of the 25 all-time "best gay novels" by the Publishing Triangle in New York and "The Sexual Outlaw: A Document" was named one of the 100 best non-fiction books of the century by the San Francisco Chronicle. A CD-Rom of Rechy's life and works was produced through the Annenberg Center at the University of Southern California and debuted at the Museum of Modern Art in Los Angeles to an overflow crowd. His most recent books are "The Life and Adventures of Lyle Clemens," a novel inspired by Fielding's "The Adventures of Tom Jones" but set in contemporary Texas and Hollywood, and "Beneath the Skin: The Collected Essays." • KEVIN TRUDEAU is the controversial author of "Natural Cures They Don't Want You to Know About." He made headlines with radio and TV infomercials he hosted for a range of products. In 2004, this prolific marketer was banned by the Federal Trade Commission from appearing in, producing or disseminating infomercials that advertise a product, service or program to the public, except for truthful commercials for informational publications. • JIM TUNNEY, the dean of NFL referees, was a football and basketball official for 31 years and was the first official to be named to the "All-Madden Team." His book "Impartial Judgment" chronicles that NFL career. Of equal prominence is his career as an educator, motivational speaker and author. His most recent book is "It's the Will, Not the Skill: Principles and Philosophies of Success as Seen Through the Eyes, Mind and Heart of Herman Edwards, Head Coach of the New York Jets." He is the co-author of the New York Times bestseller "Chicken Soup for the Sports Fan's Soul." He currently writes a weekly column in the Monterey County Herald, "Tunney Side."
With an assist from CSUMB, the PTA and community volunteers, the students and staff of Marina del Mar Elementary School recently celebrated the things they value most - family, literacy and community.
On Sept. 23, 50 tents were erected on the school field to provide a "camping" experience for students to enjoy while reading and being read to.
Among the volunteer readers were CSUMB Interim President Diane Cordero de Noriega and her husband, Carlos Noriega, a member of the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District board. The husband-and-wife team read Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are" in Spanish and English, much to the delight of the children. Sally the Otter, the university's mascot, signed autographs and was a big hit with the youngsters.
A group of CSUMB service learners arrived at 5:30 a.m. to set up the tents and stayed all day. They helped with various activities, including face painting, relay races and crafts. The class, taught by Scott Waltz, has formed a partnership with Marina del Mar. The university students get experience working at the school; in return, the youngsters receive the benefits of many mentors to enrich their educational experience.
Also arriving before daybreak were several volunteers from Company C, 229th MIB, under the command of Capt. Jeremy Dobos, The soldiers spent the day with the children, reading and assisting with the activities.
This year's event had an added focus - to raise money for a school in the area affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The effort raised $1,500.
Every fall, college campuses across the nation invite their alumni back for celebrations of their alma mater. It's a time to acknowledge the success of the schools and their graduates.
From Oct. 5 through 8, CSUMB will celebrate homecoming with a parade, a bonfire, dances, and the big game. This is the first time CSUMB has held homecoming - which means school traditions will be formed on the spot.
As is customary with CSUMB, things will be done a little differently here. Instead of fancy parade floats, shopping carts decorated by student and alumni organizations will roll from the main quad to a pre-game barbeque. The traditional homecoming dance will raise money to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina. And the "big game" will feature the Otter volleyball squad taking on CSU Stanislaus at 7 p.m., Oct. 8 at the Otter Sports Center.
Homecoming events are open to alumni, students, faculty, staff and the community. Events kick off on Oct. 5 with a pep rally for Otter sports teams, and conclude on Oct. 8. A complete list of events can be found at http://csumb.edu/homecoming.
Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains to participate in Kahlo conference
Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains, co-chair of the Department of Visual and Public Art at CSUMB, has been invited to London to participate in a conference on Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.
The Tate Modern -- one of four galleries that display selections from the Tate Collection -- will host the event Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 in conjunction with a major exhibit of Kahlo's work that has been on display there this summer.
Kahlo (1907-1954) is now regarded as one of the most significant artists of the 20th century. Her identity, seen through her art and life, resonates powerfully throughout contemporary culture. She has become an icon for many, as one of the few widely recognized female artists and as an image of Mexico. Kahlo has had an impact across fine art, design, film, fashion and cultural theory. The conference brings together artists, historians and curators from the U.S., Mexico and Europe to look at the genealogy and nature of the Kahlo phenomenon.
Dr. Mesa-Bains is an artist and cultural critic. Her work, primarily interpretations of traditional Chicano altars, resonates both in contemporary formal terms and in its ties to her community and history. As an author of scholarly articles and a nationally known lecturer on Latino art, she has enhanced understanding of multiculturalism and reflected major cultural and demographic shifts in the United States.
Among her many awards is a 1992 Distinguished MacArthur Fellowship. She is a former commissioner of arts for the city of San Francisco.
For more information on Dr. Bains, visit http://vpa.csumb.edu/faculty/mesa_bains.htm
The map of Mexico is dotted with their strange sounding names. Palenque. Chichen Itza. Uxmal. Merida. The mystery and grandeur of these Mayan ruins have beckoned travelers for centuries.
Mayan cities appeared on the Yucatan Peninsula 3,000 years ago. The Mayans built a culture that flowered while Europe languished in the Dark Ages and that survived six times as long as the Roman Empire. They erected more cities than ancient Egypt. They lived by a calendar equal to that of the modern world, developed the concept of zero in mathematics, predicted eclipses of the sun and the moon and traced the path of Venus.
Now everyone can visit the Mayan sites and conduct field exploration on the Yucatan Peninsula with Mesoamerican archaeologist Ruben Mendoza. Dr. Mendoza, a professor at California State University, Monterey Bay, will lead a Lost Cities of the Ancient Maya tour Jan. 2-16, 2006, open to the public.
The trip costs $2,995 and includes airfare from San Francisco to Mexico City and back; accommodations for 14 nights; breakfast daily and several lunches and dinners; private coach for touring and guided visits and excursions. University credit is available for an additional cost.
The registration deadline is Oct. 14. A $250 deposit is required by that date, payable to Intrax Education Abroad. For information on payment, contact Mickie White, 800-777-7766, ext. 514.
For information on the trip, visit the web at csumb.edu/extended; contact Dr. Mendoza at 582-3760, ruben_mendoza@csumb.edu; or Lilly Martinez at 582-4364, lilly_martinez@csumb.edu.
The California State University Board of Trustees will begin the search this month for a new president of California State University, Monterey Bay to succeed interim President Diane Cordero de Noriega.
The first meeting of the search committee will be held from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, in the Alumni & Visitors Center (Building 97), on the campus. This is the first and only meeting of the committee that is an open meeting.
Under the CSU Board of Trustees' presidential selection policy, adopted in 1997, the chair of the board establishes a five-person Trustees' Committee for the Selection of the President, which is composed of the chair of the board, the chancellor and three trustees, one of whom is designated as committee chair by the board chair.
Board policy also requires the chair to appoint an advisory group to the trustees' committee. The Advisory Committee to the Trustees' Committee for the Selection of the President is composed of representatives of the faculty, staff, students and alumni, as well as a member of the campus advisory board, all of whom are selected by the campus constituent groups. Also on the advisory committee are a vice president or academic dean from the campus, and a president of another CSU campus, both selected by the chancellor. Both committees function as one group.
Trustee Roberta Achtenberg will chair the Trustees' Committee for the Selection of the President. The other trustee members are George Gowgani and Bill Hauck, plus CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed and Trustee Chair Murray Galinson. The latter two are ex-officio to the committee. Members of the Advisory Committee for the Selection of the President include faculty members Amalia Mesa-Bains, director and professor of visual and public art; Daniel Fernandez, chair, Academic Senate; and Steve Watkins, coordinator of technology development in the university library. Greg Riley, president, CSUMB Alumni Association, will represent the alumni; Ren Herring, president, Associated Students, will represent the students; and Petra Valenzuela, an academic scheduler, will represent the campus staff. Others on the committee are community members Bob Antle and Robert C. Taylor, Jr.; Tom Gray from the President's Advisory Council; Marsha Moroh, CSUMB interim provost and San Francisco State University President Bob Corrigan. The purpose of this initial meeting is to discuss the role of the committee, set the schedule of meetings, review the descriptions of the campus and the presidential position, and discuss any other business related to the search process.
The committee will work over the next several months reviewing applications and will conduct interviews with semi-finalists. It is expected that the finalists will make public visits to the campus in the spring. The Board of Trustees most likely will select a new president in March 2006.
President Cordero de Noriega will stay on as president until a new president is selected and in place. She took the place of former President Peter Smith, who accepted a position with UNESCO this past summer.
For more information about the CSU presidential search process, see the Executive Search page.
The California State University is the largest system of senior higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, more than 400,000 students and 42,000 faculty and staff. Since the system was created in 1961, it has awarded about 2 million degrees, about 82,000 annually. The CSU is renowned for the quality of its teaching and for the job-ready graduates it produces. Its mission is to provide high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of the people of California. With its commitment to excellence, diversity and innovation, the CSU is the university system that is working for California. See www.calstate.edu.
When Estée Blancher came to CSUMB in the spring of 2002, she knew that her New Orleans roots would one day be the focus of the filmmaking skills she hoped to acquire as a student in the Department of Teledramatic Arts and Technology. She wanted to make a film that would capture the culture of her hometown, its stories and the personalities who populate the place.
Then Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city in the heart of the Mississippi River Delta, and everything changed for her.
On Sept. 18, the 29-year old junior packed up a bus with filmmaking equipment and aid supplies and headed to Louisiana to document the devastation, and to help in any way she could.
"This fits in with my studies," said Blancher, who will earn six credits making her documentary. "I couldn't finish my semester and be 100 percent here, anyhow, given everything that's happened. And I've always wanted to document my culture and these stories.
"I hope it'll be an educational piece and an emotional journey," she said a few days before her departure.
"The people are tired and traumatized, and they really need help. I love my home, obviously. Anyone who's from that area is heartbroken."
Blancher plans to document the stories of the people who have been affected by the hurricane. She's eager to learn what's next for them -- will they abandon the city, or stay and try to rebuild.
According to Steven Levinson, one of Estee's teachers, "She's expanding her teledramatic skills and serving the community." He added that her personal connection will allow her to document people's lives in a way that an outsider couldn't. "She'll have people opening up to her."
Blancher traveled with a crew of six: friends, professional documentary filmmakers, and a freelance journalist. She plans to update her website (http://www.filmkatrina.com) with progress reports.
With thousands of students affected by Hurricane Katrina forced to improvise on their fall-semester plans, many are inquiring about taking classes elsewhere. Some of those students will be able to call California State University, Monterey Bay their new academic home, if they choose. CSU officials said the system stands ready to accommodate California residents who had planned to attend Gulf Coast schools, as well as out-of-state students from campuses that lay within areas affected by the devastating storm. "We will do what we can, as fast as we can, to help out these students and their families," Cal State Chancellor Charles B. Reed said in a news release. Students from Gulf Coast areas where the hurricane struck will be exempt from non-resident fees. The standard CSU fees will be required, but not immediately. The campus will provide deferred payment plans. Resident fees for the school year are $3,000. Room and board add approximately $7,000 to the cost. Even those without proper academic documentation - transcripts and placement tests - will be accepted on a conditional basis. Since CSUMB has already completed a week of the semester, newly arriving students will be ushered through the advising and registration process to get them right into classes. "We will assist students on a case-by-case basis," said Dennis Geyer, director of Admissions and Records. "We will take applications over the phone and help these students through every step of the process." Sept. 19 is the last day to apply. At that point, students would be coming to campus four weeks into the semester. But, "our faculty has expressed a willingness to do everything they can to help these students catch up on the work they will have missed, and to help them succeed," said David Anderson, dean of the College of Professional Studies. Approximately 30 two-year and four-year campuses serving an estimated 150,000 students are located in the affected areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Dozens of colleges around the country said they would help displaced students find spaces, have extended deadlines, waived application fees and promised to streamline paperwork. The federal Education Department also pledged to relax student-loan guidelines to help transferring students. A phone number -- (831) 582-3580 -- has been set up for students affected by the hurricane and interested in coming to CSUMB. E-mail can be sent to admissions@csumb.edu
How often do university students, grade-school children, federal office workers and CIA agents all receive a lesson on the same topic?
Not often, but that's what is going to happen later this month.
The lesson will cover the U.S. Constitution, courtesy of a new law sponsored by Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.). An appropriations bill approved by Congress last year contained a requirement that every school or university that receives federal money present a program on the Constitution. The law also requires that each of the nearly two million federal workers receive educational materials about the charter on Constitution Day, a day celebrating the Sept. 17, 1787, signing.
If the day falls on a weekend, as it does this year, schools can celebrate it the week before or the week after.
CSUMB will implement the law on Sept. 19 with a panel discussion about the relationship between the Constitution and the confirmation process of a Supreme Court justice.
Former Congressman Leon Panetta will moderate the discussion. Participants include Congressman Sam Farr, Assemblyman Simon Salinas, local attorney and civil liberties activist Michelle Welsh and Judge Marla Anderson.
The event will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the University Center and is open to the public.
According to published reports, Sen. Byrd was motivated to introduce the law by surveys showing that many Americans have a better understanding of the intricacies of "American Idol" than they do about the foundations of their government.
Daniel de la Cruz, a senior at California State University, Monterey Bay, has received the prestigious William Randolph Hearst/CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement. De la Cruz, who is majoring in telecommunications, multimedia, and applied computing, is in his final semester at CSUMB. He will be honored at a ceremony at the September Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach. The award provides financial support to students who show superior academic performance and community service in the face of personal hardship and challenges. Each honoree receives $3,000. This year, 12 students from across the 23-campus CSU system were honored. At 12, de la Cruz was orphaned and, without parents to guide him, dropped out of school. At 22, he was diagnosed with the same enzyme-deficiency disorder that claimed his mother's life. Refusing to be discouraged, he enrolled in computer courses, used the Internet to locate a New York geneticist who was working on a treatment for his condition, and undertook an experimental and ultimately successful therapy. His interest in computer technology was reinforced by this experience and his goal is to earn a graduate degree in information technology, which he plans to apply to help others overcome barriers in society. "I was astounded when I got the call that I had won the award," said de la Cruz. "You do what you do without thought of outside recognition. So, I was stunned and humbled and filled with gratitude. Receiving this award has exceeded all of my expectations. Maybe it will help others dream big when they see what I've done." The William Randolph Hearst Foundation established an endowed scholarship fund in 1984 to honor the founder of the Hearst newspaper chain. In 1999, the foundation partnered with the CSU Board of Trustees to create the Hearst/Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement. Contributions from CSU Trustees and private donors supplement the endowment.
Earthbound Farm brings organic produce into campus food service
Menus have taken on a whole new flavor at CSUMB since an effort to bring organic food to campus got cooking. The school's dining facilities, which are operated by Sodexho, serve more than 2,400 meals a day - about 57,600 meals per year. Starting this semester, some of those meals are made from organic produce grown by a local business, Earthbound Farm.
The school has long purchased produce from local growers - 17 of 21 campus's food service suppliers are from the surrounding area. But the partnership with Earthbound Farm marks the school's first venture into organics.
The food service operation also serves coffee from Santa Cruz Roasting Co. and buys baked goods from Cypress Baking - all part of its effort to support local businesses. No one can say definitively whether local-food projects help students avoid the infamous "freshman 15," but they do offer a fun, creative way to diversify and provide healthier and tastier foods in the dining halls.
Recent years have seen a groundswell of student interest in local and organic food in college and university campuses across the country. The Chronicle of Higher Education recently reported that about 200 institutions in the United States have farm-to-college programs; half were started in the last five years.
CSUMB's Farm to School Partnership, based at the Watershed Institute, was a lead player in the Sodexho-Earthbound Farm contract, responding to requests from students for organic, local foods.
Campus food service providers face significant challenges. They have to offer food choices that are appealing and healthful, while catering to a variety of food preferences and do it all on a limited budget. Farm-to-college programs, organics, and locally-produced foods can help them meet those challenges with great success. "We have been trying to move toward organics, but until recently the market was minimal and the cost was high," said Dan Kaupie, head of food service for Sodexho at CSUMB. "The demand is increasing across the market, which has improved availability and made the prices much more competitive."
Founded on two acres in Carmel Valley more than 21 years ago, Earthbound Farm is now one of the largest growers of organic produce in the world and uniquely capable of meeting the year-round demand for the wide variety of organic produce needed by the Sodexho operation at CSUMB to make the program truly viable. CSUMB's dining facilities will use Earthbound Farm organic salad greens, vegetables and fruits in various menu items, as well as offering a variety of Earthbound Farm's conveniently packaged organic "Grab & Go" items such as salads with dressings and toppings, apple slices, carrot dippers and raisins.
"This partnership between CSUMB and Earthbound Farm to bring fresh and delicious organic produce onto the university campus is extremely gratifying," said Myra Goodman, co-founder of Earthbound Farm. "Since my husband Drew and I started Earthbound Farm more than 21 years ago, our passion has been to bring the benefits of organic food to as many people as possible and serve as a catalyst for positive change. It's exciting to be able to bring these students organic produce, while simultaneously creating an opportunity for them to learn the importance of choosing fresh, unprocessed and sustainably produced food. Historically, 'dorm food' has not been known for its healthfulness or deliciousness and we're eager to help change both that perception and reality."
Blink your eyes and Fort Ord suddenly becomes a German town on the Belgian border during World War II.
Blink again and it's September 1944, and an American patrol has entered Nazi Germany southwest of the ancient city of Aachen. Three months after the landing at Normandy, the Allies are finally within reach of the enemy on his home turf. Among the troops there is even talk of getting home for Christmas. What follows, though, is one of the most grueling campaigns of the war - a terrible struggle across the Siegfried Line, Hitler's vaunted West Wall.
That's the scenario as the World War II Research and Preservation Society comes to Seaside on the Monterey Peninsula the weekend of Sept. 10.
Approximately 150 re-enactors representing American, British and German troops are expected, along with a variety of tanks, motorcycles and other military vehicles.
History is brought to life by the careful authenticity the re-enactors demonstrate in their uniforms, style of weapons and battle tactics. Proper field gear and equipment are required - right down to period food containers.
While the re-enactors will set up camp on Friday, the public is invited to view the battle at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10. Spectators may park on the lot located at Fifth Street and Third Avenue and purchase tickets there. They will be escorted in groups a short distance to the battle site. Spectators are asked to purchase tickets by 2 p.m. After the battle, the public will be allowed to tour the battle sites, defensive positions and bivouac area.
The World War II Research and Preservation Society (WWII RPS) is a California non-profit organization that has been active in historical research and living history re-enacting for over a decade. Members come from all walks of life, including current and retired military members, police officers, students, doctors, lawyers and business executives. All have a passion for World War II history and share a common goal of preserving our nation's part in that war.
The WWIIRPS is comprised of member "units" that are based on actual World War II units. Extensive historical research goes into the study of these units, their equipment, uniforms, leadership, and tactical significance on the battlefield. The group maintains exacting standards of authenticity and a tremendous amount of effort and resources go into building an individual soldier's "impression," which can take years to perfect.
The Fort Ord Alumni Association sponsors the event. Since its inception in 1996, the association has awarded 57 scholarships to Cal State Monterey Bay students. The group also promotes the historic preservation of the military presence on the Monterey Peninsula. Members include, but are not limited to, former soldiers and personnel stationed at Fort Ord.
When: Saturday, Sept. 10. The "battle" will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. SPECTATORS NEED TO BE THERE BY 2 P.M. What: Re-enactment of the Allied assault on the "West Wall" of Germany in the autumn of 1944 Admission: Adults, $10; students and military (active or retired), $8; children under 12, $5. Parking: Park on the lot located at Fifth Street and Third Avenue. Tickets can be purchased at the parking lot Information/ticket purchases: (831) 582-3595
Online:www.ww2rps.com; http://foaa.csumb.edu
Kenny Barron's unmatched ability to mesmerize audiences with his elegant playing, sensitive melodies and infectious rhythms inspired the Los Angeles Times to name him "one of the top jazz pianists in the world." Jazz Weekly has called him "The most lyrical piano player of our time." Mr. Barron will give a lecture-demonstration at California State University, Monterey Bay from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Nov. 3 in the Music Hall, Bldg. 30, on Sixth Avenue. The "concert" is free and open to the public. Parking will be free in lots 29 and 30. Ray Drummond, CSUMB faculty member and well-known bassist, will sit in on several pieces. Much admired for his capacity to extract lovely tonal sounds from the piano, Mr. Barron also knows how to deliver up-tempo improvisations with grace, elegance and a powerful sense of swing - all of which will be on display at the Nov. 3 lecture-demonstration. For more information, or to request disability accommodations, call Shirlene Campbell at 582-3009. To learn more about Mr. Barron, visit his website at www.kennynews/barron.com.
CSUMB: The Year in Review
*More students, commitment to the environment highlight 2007
***December 18, 2007
More students, more outside support, a commitment to the environment and a full-fledged senior leadership team marked 2007 at CSUMB...continue reading
Art with a heart
*CSUMB students team with CCA to benefit farmworkers
*December 13, 2007A billboard on display in Salinas is the result of a project involving students in the digital mural class at California State University, Monterey Bay and the Center for Community Advocacy...continue reading
Campus supports blood drive
December 13, 2007
Forty students, staff and faculty members of California State University, Monterey Bay turned out to donate blood Dec. 12, despite the crush of end-of-semester work. A donor team staffed by the American Red Cross spent the afternoon in the Alumni and Visitors Center as part of its holiday blood drive...continue reading
Show the weeds who's boss
December 7, 2007
Volunteers are needed to help the Return of the Natives Project at California State University, Monterey Bay, get rid of invasive weeds in Natividad Creek Park in Salinas on Saturday, Dec. 8...continue reading
Capstone Festival presents real gems
November 30, 2007
The World Theater on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay is set for a stellar crop of student films and original media productions to be premiered at the Fall Capstone Festival, scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m... continue reading
CSUMB students chosen to study abroad
November 20, 2007
After a rigorous application process, seventeen students from California State University, Monterey Bay have been chosen to study abroad for an academic year, through the university's Office of International Programs...continue reading
American Honda Foundation supports local students
November 20, 2007
The American Honda Foundation, a non-profit philanthropic organization headquartered in Torrance, has made a $22,000 pledge to support the Recruitment in Science Education Program (RISE) at California State University, Monterey Bay...continue reading
Student art exhibit opens
November 19, 2007
Two exhibitions will open in the art gallery at California State University, Monterey Bay on Dec. 4 with a reception for the artists from 3 to 4 p.m. that day...continue reading
Alisal High wins Chemistry Competition
November 19, 2007
Alisal High School students Miguel Zauala, Pedro Ramirez and Karina Garcia, led by teacher Paul Quiggle, placed first in the recent Monterey Bay Titration Competition. California State University, Monterey Bay's Division of Science and Environmental Policy and the American Chemical Society (ACS) sponsored the event...continue reading
Development director joins CSUMB
November14, 2007
Michael W. Mahan has joined California State University, Monterey Bay as executive director of development. He will oversee the university's fundraising efforts and alumni relations...continue reading
CSUMB librarian honored for international contributions
November 14, 2007
Steven Watkins, one of CSU Monterey Bay's founding librarians, was awarded the first ever lifetime membership by a marine science library association for his contributions throughout the years...continue reading
An Early Holiday Gift
*CSUMB invites community to Winter Concert Dec. 2
*November 14, 2007
California State University, Monterey Bay's Music and Performing Arts Department will present its annual winter concert on Dec. 2. This year's theme is Winter Solstice...continue reading
Events mark homelessness week
*CSUMB students organize activities for campus, community
*November 9, 2007
Students at California State University, Monterey Bay have organized a week of events to commemorate National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, Nov. 13-19. The week's activities will give students and community members an opportunity to get involved as well as raise awareness around issues of hunger and homelessness...continue reading
Disc Golf takes flight on Nov. 10
November 9, 2007
The putting greens are a little bumpy, the "holes" stand five feet above ground and the fairways are far from manicured. But the greens fees are free and golf shoes aren't required. The disc golf courses at California State University, Monterey Bay won't remind anyone of Pebble Beach, but for disc golfers, the 36 holes of the Oaks and Cypress courses are magical..continue reading
DMDC, CSUMB continue collaboration
*Students benefit from job opportunities
***November 9, 2007
California State University, Monterey Bay and the Defense Manpower Data Center have worked together in a variety of ways since 1996. The two organizations recently agreed to continue the arrangement for several more years... continue reading
Campus road to close temporarily
November 9, 2007
Inter-Garrison Road, one of the main east-west streets on the California State University, Monterey Bay campus, will be closed to through traffic starting Wednesday, Nov. 14... continue reading
Covina student earns prestigious award
November 7, 2007
California Sea Grant has named Jasmine Ruvalcaba a 2007 John D. Isaacs Marine Undergraduate Scholar... continue reading
Their own beat*San Jose Taiko performs at World Theater Dec. 6
***November 7, 2007
San Jose Taiko will take the stage at California State University, Monterey Bay's World Theater on Dec. 6 as the performing arts series continues...continue reading
Truths Worth Telling
*Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg visits campus Nov. 28
*November 5, 2007
The CSUMB President's Speakers Series concludes this semester's presentations with a Nov. 28 visit by Dr. Daniel Ellsberg, the RAND Corp. analyst who, in 1971, leaked the classified Pentagon Papers to the New York Times... [continue reading](http://policy.csumb.edu/policy-home/policy-tracking "Daniel Ellsberg")
CSUMB receives McNair Scholars grant
October 31, 2007
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded California State University, Monterey Bay nearly $1 million in grant money to help students from underrepresented backgrounds prepare for doctoral studies, President Dianne F. Harrison has announced...continue reading
Grant for Migrant Program
October 31, 2007
California State University, Monterey Bay has received a $2 million federal grant aimed at enrolling more migrant students in higher education...continue reading
Priority Application period open through Nov. 30
October 25, 2007
Prospective students interested in enrolling at California State University, Monterey Bay in fall 2008 are encouraged to submit their applications for admission by Nov. 30... continue reading
Associate Vice President hired at CSUMB
October 23, 2007
Tony Boles has joined California State University, Monterey Bay as associate vice president of Campus Development and Operations...continue reading
Real-world policymaking
*Learn about the Master's of Public Policy program at Nov. 7 open house
***October 23, 2007
Applications are being accepted for the Master's in Public Policy program at California State University, Monterey Bay...continue reading
Council to hear report
*Chinatown Renewal Project update Oct.* 16
**October 19, 2007
The Salinas City Council will hear an update on plans to redevelop the city's Chinatown neighborhood at its meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 16 in the City Hall Rotunda, 200 Lincoln Ave...continue reading
Bright Idea
*CSUMB to give away energy-efficient light bulbs Oct. 25
*October 19, 2007
CSUMB and Pacific Gas & Electric think you can change the world by changing a light bulb. And the public is invited to participate...continue reading
Internment, redress topic of lecture
*Former JACL leader visits CSUMB Oct. 16
*October 10, 2007
John Tateishi, former national executive director of the Japanese American Citizens League, will talk about the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II and the path to redress...continue reading
Eye of an Artist, Heart of an Activist
*Carrie Mae Weems visits CSUMB Oct. 24
***October 10, 2007
The Visiting Artist Series at California State University, Monterey Bay presents the internationally acclaimed artist Carrie Mae Weems in an evening of art, culture and politics on Oct. 24...continue reading
Student art exhibit opens*Show runs through Nov. 10
***October 10, 2007
Two exhibitions have opened in the art gallery at California State University, Monterey Bay...continue reading
Day of the Dead to be celebrated
*Nov. 1 at CSUMB
*October 10, 2007
When Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, arrives on Nov. 1, family members of departed souls set out water, candles, food and decorated sugar skulls to welcome their lost loved ones...continue reading
Community Celebrates Garden Anniversary
*Activities planned on Make a Difference Day Oct. 27
*October 10, 2007
The first anniversary of the Soledad Street Community Garden will be commemorated on Saturday, Oct. 27 with a garden party and barbecue...continue reading
Rappin' with Bertolt
October 5, 2007
CSUMB's Department of Music and Performing Arts presents its first theatre offering, a production of Bertolt Brecht's The Good Woman (also known as The Good Woman of Setzuan) Nov. 1-3 and 8-10. Showtime is 8 p.m...continue reading
Student art exhibit opens
*Show runs through Nov. 10
*October 5, 2007
Two exhibitions have opened in the art gallery at California State University, Monterey Bay...continue reading
CSUMB announces $4 million gift
October 3, 2007
President Dianne Harrison announced that California State University, Monterey Bay has received the largest single-family gift in the school's history...continue reading
Who really is that man with the guitar?
*President's Speakers Series continues Oct. 23
*October 3, 2007
The President's Speakers Series continues on Oct. 23 when filmmaker Mark Becker visits California State University, Monterey Bay...continue reading
Training on native plants offered
*Educators invited to free event
*September 28, 2007
The Return of the Natives Restoration Education Project, based at California State University, Monterey Bay, and the Wetlands Institute, will offer a training session specifically for teachers on native plants and their habitats...continue reading
Veteran Services Available
September 24, 2007
California State University, Monterey Bay works closely with veterans to provide a seamless transition to higher education...continue reading
Open House for prospective students
September 24, 2007
Prospective students and their parents will have an opportunity to learn about California State University, Monterey Bay's academic programs at an open house on Saturday, Oct. 13. ...continue reading
'Pioneer' alumni reunion at CSUMB
*Oct. 13 event honors classes of 1996-2000
*September 21, 2007
California State University, Monterey Bay's Alumni Association will host a Pioneer Alumni Reunion for the classes of 1996 through 2000 on Oct. 13. The event coincides with the university's homecoming weekend...continue reading
Dance of Community
*For Ronald Brown's company, movement is a narrative form
***September 16, 2007
Evidence Dance Company, under artistic director Ronald K. Brown, will take the stage at California State University, Monterey Bay's World Theater on Oct. 18 as the performing arts series continues...continue reading
More Support for Chinatown project
*HUD grant will fund three more years
*Septemer 16, 2007
The Service Learning Institute at California State University, Monterey Bay has received another three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to fund the Chinatown Renewal Project... continue reading
CSUMB student earns Hearst Scholarship
September 12, 2007
Marcela Vargas, a sophomore at California State University, Monterey Bay, has won a William Randolph Hearst/CSU Trustees' Scholarship for this academic year...continue reading
War and the Constitution
*Panel discussion commemorates Constitution Day at CSUMB
*September 12, 2007"
War and the Constitution" will be the topic when California State University, Monterey Bay commemorates Constitution Day on Sept. 17...continue reading.
Volunteers needed*Return of the Natives to clean up creek beds Sept. 15
*September 10, 2007
A volunteer cleanup of Gabilan, Sanborn and Natividad creeks in Salinas, sponsored by CSUMB's Return of the Natives Restoration Education Project,...continue reading
Legal boundaries, ethical quandaries*President's Speakers Series continues at CSUMB
*September 10, 2007
A well-known psychologist, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and a high-profile political activist will visit CSUMB this semester as the President's Speakers Series continues...continue reading
India Jazz Suites at CSUMB
*East meets WestIndian and tap dances unite in World Theater performance Oct. 4
*September 10, 2007
Audience members at the World Theater on Oct. 4 will experience a cross-cultural, boundary-smashing performance when Kathak dancer Chitresh Das and tap dancer Jason Samuels Smith take the stage in a program called India Jazz Suites...continue reading
New mission for NASA: fight forest fires on Earth*CSUMB researcher is project's principal investigator***August 31, 2007The West Coast of the United States has suffered extreme heat and drought this summer...continue reading
Bank of America supports service learningAugust 30, 2007Bank of America has donated $10,000 to support the Service Learning Institute at California State University, Monterey...continue reading
Lockwood Winery continues to support CSUMBAugust 28, 2007Lockwood Winery has continued its generous support of California State University, Monterey Bay with a donation...continue reading
CSUMB Earns Recognition in U.S. News*Magazine honors service learning program***August 17, 2007The service learning program at California State University, Monterey Bay, has been recognized by the editors of U.S. News & World Report...continue reading
DMDC, CSUMB continue collaboration*Students benefit from job opportunities***August, 17, 2007California State University, Monterey Bay and the Defense Manpower Data Center have worked together in a variety of ways...continue reading
Event brings soul to Soledad Street*Cleanup effort, games and food Aug. 25***August 16, 2007Soledad Street, the heart of the Chinatown district in Salinas, will host the first "Soul on Soledad Festival"...continue reading
Author's Table serves up food for thought*Popular event returns Nov. 4 and 5***August 15, 2007Dinner, conversation and books are on the menu for "The Author's Table," and the combination is bringing back the literary fund-raiser...continue reading
Nikki Giovanni: Always well-versedAugust 14, 2007California State University, Monterey Bay will present a lecture by Nikki Giovanni on Friday, Sept. 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the World Theater. Her presentation...continue reading
CSUMB welcomes biggest freshman classAugust 14, 2007When the fall semester begins Aug. 27, more first-time freshmen will start their college careers at Cal State-Monterey Bay...continue reading
Auditions for The Good Woman*CSUMB's fall production needs actors, rappers, dancers***August 10, 2007The Department of Music and Performing Arts at CSUMB will hold open auditions for a variety of roles in its fall performance of The Good Woman. . .continue reading
Chapman Foundation supports science educationAugust 10, 2007The William McCaskey Chapman & Adaline Dinsmore Chapman Foundation of Carmel has donated $10,000 to support the Recruitment in Science Education Program (RISE) . . .continue reading
Osher Institute Opens at CSUMB*Extended Education program to providelearning opportunities for adults 50 and over***August, 10, 2007The Extended Education program at California State University, Monterey Bay announces the launch of its new Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). . . .continue reading
Interim Dean appointed at CSUMBAugust 2, 2007California State University Monterey Bay Provost Kathy Cruz-Uribe has announced the appointment of Dr. Brian Simmons to the position of interim dean of the College of Professional Studies. . . .continue reading
Vice President hired at CSUMB*Jim Main will join the campus Aug. 31***July 31, 2007California State University Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison has announced the appointment of Jim Main to the position of vice president for Administration and Finance. . . .continue reading
Student-athletes honored for academicsJuly 27, 2007More than three dozen student-athletes at CSUMB have been named California Collegiate Athletic Association All-Academic Award winners for the recently completed school year. . . .continue reading
Students earn prestigious scholarshipsJuly 25, 2007Three students at California State University, Monterey Bay have been awarded scholarships for the coming year by the National Science Foundation-Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program. . . .continue reading
Volunteers needed for cleanupJuly 17, 2007Return of the Natives, the environmental education project based at California State University, Monterey Bay's Watershed Institute, will hold a cleanup and weeding on Saturday, July 28 . . . continue reading
Helping CSUMB Help Kids*The Weekly continues to support Farm to School program***July 17, 2007The Monterey County Weekly has donated $35,000 to the Farm to School Partnership based at California State University, Monterey Bay's Watershed Institute. . . .continue reading
Alumni Association elects officersJuly 13, 2007Lisa Thomas of Pacific Grove has been re-elected president of the board of directors of the California State University, Monterey Bay Alumni Association. Thomas is a 1997 graduate of the university. . . .continue reading
CSUMB gets full Division II membership*Sports program elevated effective Sept. 1***July 12, 2007Beginning with the fall sports season, California State University, Monterey Bay will be a full-fledged NCAA Division II member. . . .continue reading
Program offers diabetes education*CSUMB joins with Natividad Medical Center*July 5, 2007The collaborative health and human services program at California State University, Monterey Bay will collaborate with the diabetes education program at Natividad Medical Center to teach families about the disease. . . .continue reading
Grant for student newspaper*CSUMB's Otter Realm gets help from CNPA***July 1, 2007The foundation of the California Newspaper Publishers Association has awarded an equipment grant to the student newspaper at California State University, Monterey Bay. . . .continue reading
Summer reading camp*CSUMB's Reading Center launches new programs***July 1, 2007The deadline to register for summer reading camp has been extended to July 6. The three-week camp will be held July 9-27 at the Center for Reading Diagnosis and Instruction on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay. . . .continue reading
New undergraduate majors added*CSUMB now offering biology, psychology***July 1, 2007In response to student requests, California State University, Monterey Bay is adding undergraduate majors in biology and psychology starting in the fall of 2007. . . .continue reading
Back in the fields, with a degree*CSUMB grad is the face of a healthy eating campaign***July 2, 2007Juan Perez was a high school student when his father gave him a choice: he could go to college or work in the fields. . . .continue reading
Vice president hired at CSUMB*Jack Jewett will join the campus Aug. 1***June 28, 2007California State University Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison has announced the appointment of Jack B. Jewett to the position of Vice President for University Advancement. . . continue reading
Carr Lake project receives Packard fundsJune 25, 2007The Watershed Institute at California State University, Monterey Bay has received a grant of $150,000 from the Packard Foundation to be used for the Carr Lake Project. . . continue reading
CSUMB student attends leadership seminarJune 4, 2007California State University, Monterey Bay student Zoe Carter was selected to attend the eighth annual Student Leadership Seminar at the Leon and Sylvia Panetta Institute for Public Policy. . . .continue reading
Sodexho receives local business honor*CSUMB's food service provider gets conservation award*June 24, 2007Sodexho, the food service provider at California State University, Monterey Bay, was honored with the Chuck Haugen Conservation Fund's Business of the Year Award for its "dedication to. . . continue reading
Application deadline extended for teacher education programOpen house set for July 11June 18, 2007California is facing an acute teacher shortage. The state is expected to need 100,000 new teachers over the next decade as baby boomers retire. . . continue reading
University receives donation of music booksJune 18, 2007California State University, Monterey Bay has received several dozen books from the collection of the late Rosario Mazzeo, a clarinetist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra for 33 years.. . .continue reading
CSUMB joins educational exchange with ChinaJune 15, 2007The Office of Extended Education and International Programs at California State University, Monterey Bay and China Education Resources Inc., an educational organization that has been at the forefront of the K-12 curriculum reform initiative in China,. . .continue reading
CSUMB 'climate neutral' campusJune 12, 2007California State University, Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison today joined over 250 other college and university presidents in formally committing. . .continue reading
Executive MBA offeredJune 8, 2007California State University, Monterey Bay's School of Business will offer an Executive MBA program in September. . . .continue reading
Faculty members granted tenureJune 8, 2007Four faculty members at California State University, Monterey Bay, have been granted tenure. . . continue reading
Hidden Murals of Fort OrdJune 6, 2007Photographs capture a moment in time, and preserve history as well. . . .continue reading
CSUMB hosts national conference focused on service to the communityJune 1, 2007Cal State Monterey Bay's Service Learning Institute will host a national conference June 7-9 for faculty members engaged in community service learning programs. The annual conference, sponsored by Educators for Community . . .continue reading
World ViewMay 15, 2006The Performing Arts Series at California State University, Monterey Bay's World Theater, set to begin Sept. 14, continues the theme of "Welcome to the World.". . . continue reading
Getting a RISE out of studentsMay 21, 2007Cal State Monterey Bay's Recruitment in Science Education - RISE - program will hold its second annual graduation ceremony May 23 in the Alumni and Visitors Center on campus. . . .continue reading
CSUMB's School of Education earns accreditationMay 21, 2007California State University, Monterey Bay's School of Education passed an extensive accreditation process recently, and is the first nationally accredited program at the university. . . continue reading
Learn about new directions in campus dining at the 'Otter Chef' competitionMay 21, 2007Three members of the university's food service staff will square off in an 'Otter Chef' competition on Thursday in the university's Dining Commons. . . continue reading
Creek cleanup dayMay 14, 2006A creek cleanup will be held at Gabilan, Sanborn and Natividad creeks in Salinas from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday by California State University, Monterey Bay's Return of the Natives Restoration Education Project. . . .continue reading
CSUMB receives $100,000 arts grantMay 14, 2006The Reciprocal University for the Arts Project at California State University, Monterey Bay, has been awarded $100,000 by the New York-based Nathan Cummings Foundation...continue reading
Business students showcase community projectsMay 11, 2006The public is invited to attend California State University, Monterey Bay's School of Business Capstone Festival Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the University Center, Bldg. 29, on the Seaside campus...continue reading
Commencement set for May 19May 7, 2006Local poet Ric Masten will give the keynote address at California State University, Monterey Bay's 11th commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 19 at 10 a.m. in Freeman Stadium...continue reading
Community Foundation awards grant to CSUMB projectMay 7, 2007The Fort Ord Museum and Archive project - a joint effort of California State University, Monterey Bay and the Fort Ord Alumni Association - has received a $14,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Monterey County. It's the first significant grant the project has received...continue reading
Students win awards for researchMay 7, 2007Two students from Cal State Monterey Bay won awards for their original research at the California State University's annual student research competition held recently on the Dominguez Hills campus in Carson...continue reading
Capstone Festival May 15-24May 5, 2007California State University, Monterey Bay will hold its 11th annual Capstone Festival May 15-24 in various buildings on the Seaside campus...continue reading
CSUMB receives HP grantMay 3, 2007California State University, Monterey Bay has received a 2007 HP Technology for Teaching grant, which is designed to transform teaching and improve learning in the classroom through innovative uses of technology...continue reading
Innovative energy program wins awardMay 3, 2007A unique funding program developed by environmentally active students at California State University, Monterey Bay has won a statewide award...continue reading
Public Policy ForumMay 3, 2007Graduates of the Master's in Public Policy program at Cal State Monterey Bay, in conjunction with the Panetta Institute, will present their final projects from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday, May 10 at the university's Alumni and Visitors Center...continue reading
CSUMB students to present their work at research competitionMay 1, 2007Three students from CSUMB will compete at the 21st annual California State University Student Research Competition on May 4 and 5 at Cal State-Dominguez Hills...contine reading
Student newspaper wins awardsMay 1, 2007The Otter Realm, California State University, Monterey Bay's student newspaper, has taken several honors in the California College Media Association's annual competition...continue reading
Teachers showcaseApril 30, 2007The Marine Biotechnology & Bioinformatics for Teachers project will host a showcase from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday in the seminar room at Moss Landing marine Laboratories...continue reading
Students honored for academic excellenceApril 30, 2007California State University, Monterey Bay honored students for academic excellence at the annual Honors Convocation on Saturday, April 28, at the University Center ballroom...continue reading
CSUMB staff member earns fellowshipApril 25, 2007Herbert Cortez, manager of several grant programs at California State University, Monterey Bay, has been awarded a De La Garza Fellowship, which will take him to Washington, D.C., for three weeks this summer...continue reading
CSUMB professor honored with Milagro awardApril 24, 2007Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains, co-director of the Department of Visual and Public Art, has received another award, this one from her peers...continue reading
CSUMB holds Take Back the Night event April 25April 22, 2007The annual Take Back the Night speak-out and march to protest sexual violence will be held from 6 to 9:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 25 at Cal State Monterey Bay...continue reading
Films about Carr Lake to be shown April 30April 19, 2007Two new video productions made by CSUMB students about the proposed Carr Lake park project in Salinas will be shown on April 30 at the Alisal School District offices, 1205 East Market St. The public is invited...continue reading
Women's health fair at Marina Farmers' MarketApril 18, 2007Service Learning student leaders at California State University, Monterey Bay will host a Women's Health Fair at the Marina's Farmers' Market on Sunday, April 29...continue reading
Breast Cancer Awareness WeekApril 18, 2006Breast Cancer Awareness Week will be celebrated at California State University, Monterey Bay April 23-27, sponsored by Sigma Theta Psi sorority...continue reading
Mathletics Competition at CSUMBApril 18, 2007Professor Hongde Hu is adored by his students, proving time and again that each one can master the beauty and practical applications of mathematics while preparing for graduate school and careers...continue reading
CSUMB to Hold Spring ConcertApril 18, 2007California State University, Monterey Bay's annual spring concert will be held Sunday, May 6 at 3 p.m. in the Music Hall, Bldg. 30...continue reading
Poetic Voices - Poetry festival at CSUMB April 18April 2, 2007The eighth annual Poetic Voices poetry festival will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 18 at the University Center ballroom at Cal State-Monterey Bay...continue reading
Dodgeball tourney at CSUMB April 24-26April 16, 2007Dodgeball. For most people, it causes a junior-high flashback, and memories of nasty bruises...continue reading
Scientists reveal highly detailed imagery of California seafloorApril 16, 2007The California Ocean Protection Council and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Sanctuary Program today announced findings revealing unprecedented detailed imagery of the seafloor...continue reading
Apply now for CHISPA grantApril 16, 2007Applications are now being accepted for the Community Housing Improvement Systems and Planning Association scholarship, which will be awarded in the fall...continue reading
KAZU to air Gonzales hearingApril 12, 2007KAZU 90.3 FM will broadcast Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday morning...continue reading
Museum MattersApril 12, 2007"The Museum in a Time of Global Change" will be the topic of the fifth annual museum colloquium at California State University, Monterey Bay...continue reading
Sea of Hope"Sea of Hope," a benefit for the Monterey Rape Crisis Center, will be held from 5 to 8 p.m., April 17 at the University Center ballroom on the campus of CSUMB...continue reading
Celebrating EarthApril 11, 2007Earth Day is really Earth Week at California State University, Monterey Bay...continue reading
Symposium examines earth's environmental crisisApril 9, 2007A symposium on "Earth's Environmental Crisis and the Fate of Humanity" will be held at California State University, Monterey Bay on April 30...continue reading
CSUMB students selected to present research at national conferenceApril 9, 2007Human behavior in cyberspace and the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama are the topics of research projects by California State University, Monterey Bay students that will be presented at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research...continue reading
Wealth creation and ethics: Are they compatible?April 9, 2007"Can I Become Wealthy and Retain My Ethical Values?" will be the topic of the fifth annual Ethics Panel sponsored by the School of Business at California State University, Monterey Bay...continue reading
World Theater presents Andes MantaMarch 26, 2007California State University, Monterey Bay will present the musicians of Andes Manta on Thursday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m. in the World Theater...continue reading
"PLT: Project Learning Tree Workshop"April 2, 2007WHAT: Local educators are invited to make connections between nature and literature in a free training to be offered by Watershed Institute's Environmental Education Leadership Team...continue reading
KAZU wins Murrow AwardMarch 26, 2007The Radio-Television News Directors Association has recognized KAZU 90.3 FM with the Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in electronic journalism for the station's coverage of the E. coli outbreak in spinach...continue reading
Former NFL player to lecture at CSUMBMarch 27, 2007Former football player Esera Tuaolo will visit California State University, Monterey Bay on Tuesday, April 10.He will talk about his book, Alone in the Trenches: My Life as a Gay Man in the NFL at 7 p.m. in the University Center ballroom. The lecture is...continue reading
The Grapes of Wrath at CSUMBMarch 26, 2007The Big Read continues on March 28 with an interdisciplinary panel discussing John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath at Cal State-Monterey Bay. The event will held at 10:30 a.m. in the University Center ballroom. The program is free and the public is invited...continue reading
Musicians of New Orleans honored at Heritage Music FestivalMarch 26, 2007The devastation of Hurricane Katrina continues to affect New Orleans' ranks of jazz musicians. The floodwaters may be a memory, but the music and the performers have been impacted in profound ways...continue reading
Cesar Chavez birthday eventMarch 17, 2007The Return of the Natives project at California State University, Monterey Bay will celebrate Cesar Chavez's birthday on March 31 with activities in the Salinas park that bears his name...continue reading
CSUMB's Reading Center opensMarch 15, 2007The Center for Reading Diagnosis and Instruction at California State University, Monterey Bay will officially open on Thursday, March 15."An anonymous philanthropist had a vision...continue reading
Return of the Natives to profit from Great Battery RoundupMarch 13, 2007AAA of Northern California's Great Battery Roundup will be held April 11 through 21. Cal State Monterey Bay's Return of the Natives Project has been named the Monterey County recipient of money raised by the recycling project...continue reading
Misconceptions of a Culture of PovertyMarch 13, 2007Issues surrounding the culture of poverty and their relevance to teaching in public schools will be the topic of a panel discussion on April 2 at California State University, Monterey Bay...continue reading
Mud Run lets you spend quality time in a quagmireMarch 9, 2007Run up a hill, vault over a wall, crawl under barbed wire and through a tunnel, and then slog through a giant pit of mud. What sounds like a Marine Corps boot-camp exercise is actually a charity event...continue reading
Administrative Professionals Certificate series continuesMarch 7, 2007The Administrative Professionals Certificate program at California State University, Monterey Bay continues on March 23 with a session covering the basics of project management. The program is designed for...continue reading
Student art exhibit opensMarch 2, 2007'Life Through Our Eyes,' a mixed media exhibition of life drawings, collages and clay sculptures by students in the art program at California State University, Monterey Bay will be display from March 12 through the end of the month...continue reading
Local resident Riane Eisler visits campus March 15March 2, 2007The inaugural President's Speakers Series at California State University, Monterey Bay continues on March 15 when Riane Eisler visits campus.A resident of the Monterey Peninsula, Dr. Eisler is a social...continue reading
Grant writing workshop for educatorsFeb. 28, 2007Laura Lee Lienk and Emily Smith of the Watershed Institute at California State University, Monterey Bay will offer a day long workshop on grant writing basics for educators on Saturday, March 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The workshop ...continue reading
Students invited to enter digital art contestFeb. 26, 2007California State University, Monterey Bay is sponsoring its sixth annual digital art and design contest for students in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties.Any high school or college student is eligible to enter the poster...continue reading
Exhibit features Ord photos On display at CSUMB libraryFeb. 25, 2007"Echoes of Fort Ord," a photography exhibit featuring images of the former military base, is on display at the California State University, Monterey Bay library.The exhibit can be found along a wall to the left of the...continue reading
Diversity Days at CSUMBFeb 23, 2007California State University, Monterey Bay will hold its seventh annual Diversity Days celebration during the month of March with a variety of programs around the theme A World of Peace, highlighted by a visit from Cindy Sheehan on March 26...continue reading
Free, hands-on workshop for educatorsFeb 13, 2007The Watershed Institute at California State University, Monterey Bay will offer a free workshop on global warming for teachers on Saturday, Feb. 24.The institute's Environmental Education Leadership Team, headed...continue reading
Student Success Auction to be held Feb. 16Feb. 7, 2007Fabulous dinners, a pencil portrait by cartoonist Bill Bates, golf packages, and a bocce party for 20 with wine and cheese are among the auction items available . . .The possibilities are too many to name and available only to those who...continue reading
Vagina Monologues returns to CSUMB Performances to be held Feb. 15-17Feb. 7, 2007Of all the parts of a woman's body, none is quite as shrouded in mystery as the vagina.The very word is rarely spoken aloud; it is confined to hushed tones and furtive glances, a word to be vaguely embarrassed by. This will not be the case . . .continue reading
Can't get out to Pebble Beach? Try the Otter Open disc golf tournamentFeb. 7, 2007The CSU Monterey Bay Disc Golf Club hosts its ninth annual "CSUMB Otter Open" tournament this weekend, Feb. 10-11. Play starts at 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. both days and there is no charge for spectators...continue reading
President's speakers series debuts Inspiring curiosity, engaging ideasFeb. 7, 2007California State University, Monterey Bay will kick off its first President's Speakers Series on Feb. 28 when Princeton University philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah visits campus.One of the world's leading philosophers, Dr. Appiah is co-editor of...continue reading
Dr. Judy Cortes to teach in ChileFeb. 1, 2007Judy Cortes, field placement coordinator in California State University, Monterey Bay's Department of Teacher Education and Spanish-language instructor in the School of World Languages and Cultures, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to lecture in Chile...continue reading
CSUMB dean takes lead at NatividadFeb. 1, 2007David Anderson has been elected to serve as president of the Board of Directors of the Natividad Medial Foundation. Dr. Anderson, a historian and expert on the Vietnam War, is dean...continue reading
Student's film to be screenedJan. 22, 2007Geraldine Low-Sabado, a descendant of the first Chinese immigrants to the Monterey Bay area, will share stories of her great-grandmother and discuss her family's connection to the fishing industry and the local Chinese community on...continue reading
Not too late to apply to CSUMBJan. 25, 2007Though a record number of applications for fall 2007 have been received, California State University, Monterey Bay is still accepting applications.First-time freshmen, transfer students and graduate students ...continue reading
Financial aid deadline nears March 2 is the last day to file FAFSA applicationsJan. 25, 2007California State University undergraduates who wish to receive financial aid during the 2007-08 school year have until March 2 to file their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). While the FAFSA may be filed after March, those filing before. . . continue reading
Volunteers sought for creek restorationJan. 25, 2007Volunteers are invited to join members of Return of the Natives for restoration work at Cesar Chavez Park in Salinas.The organization, part of the Watershed Institute at...continue reading
KAZU to air State of the Union addressJan 17, 2007KAZU 90.3 FM, an affiliate of National Public Radio, will air President Bush's State of the Union address Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 6 p.mKAZU is a community service of California State University, Monterey Bay...continue reading
Fundraising Dinner and Auction Feb. 16Jan 4, 2007County Supervisor Butch Lindley will be the celebrity auctioneer and TV personality Barry Brown will be the master of ceremonies at the Have a Heart for Students dinner at California State University, Monterey Bay, on Feb. 16...continue reading
More students, more outside support, a commitment to the environment and a full-fledged senior leadership team marked 2007 at CSUMB.
In the fall, the university welcomed its largest freshman class ever - a 44 percent increase over 2006. And more than 400 transfer students - most from the tri-county area - elected to attend CSUMB. Overall, 30 percent more students were enrolled than the year before.
As the number of students grew, so did the private and government support for the university.
For the fiscal year ending June 30, CSUMB raised $6.8 million from philanthropic foundations and individuals in our community.
Among the major gifts received in 2007 were $4 million from the charitable trust and estate of the late Marian Krause to provide scholarships for students in the journalism and human communication programs; $1 million from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation for library construction; and $620,000 from the Monterey Peninsula Foundation ($500,000 for the library and the rest for athletics).
The private funding total does not include government grants and contracts. In that category, CSUMB faculty and administrators were very successful, securing a variety of funding, including: An $880,000 federal McNair Scholars grant to help students from underrepresented backgrounds prepare for doctoral studiesA $2 million federal CAMP grant aimed at enrolling more migrant students in higher education A $600,000 federal HUD grant awarded to the Service Learning Institute to help revitalize Chinatown in Salinas $3.5 million brought in by the Seafloor Mapping Lab directed by Rikk Kvitek to launch the first phase of the California State-Waters Mapping Program.
In response to our environmentally conscious campus and in recognition of our responsibility to the environment we live in, President Dianne Harrison signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, which obligates schools to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and educate about sustainability.
The commitment requires signatories to set specific, measurable goals within a definite time frame, and to incorporate proven models for achieving a lighter carbon footprint. CSUMB promises to have a concrete action plan in place within two years. A campus-wide committee has been established to develop such a plan.
Environmental issues also figured into construction work on campus, as well as deconstruction.
Our telecommunications infrastructure upgrade centralized the campus phone switches and data servers in a new IT building while vastly improving Sixth Avenue by relocating power underground, removing old poles and overhead lines, adding new light fixtures, improving the landscaping in front of the University Center, and coloring and stamping the roadway to mark the pedestrian section of the road.
The Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library currently under construction is now visible as part of the skyline. It's on schedule to be completed next fall and open in January of 2009. Built to LEED silver standards, the building includes a range of sustainable design features, including an innovative climate control system that is expected to result in the use of 28 percent less energy than California's latest energy code requires.
Work continues of a central plant that will supply hot water for radiant heat to buildings located in the central campus. The pipes that need to be installed for this project have required campus roads to be closed for much of the year.
Dozens of unusable buildings inherited from Fort Ord were deconstructed, which also improved the face of campus. About 90 percent of the materials were recycled, keeping thousands of tons of material from the waste stream.
Dr. Harrison completed her senior leadership team when Jack Jewett, vice president for University Advancement, and Jim Main, vice president for Administration and Finance, joined the campus.
Among the year's other highlights:
President Harrison presided over her first commencement in May, when 700 students received degrees. The event marked Dr. Harrison's investiture as the university's second president. CSU Chancellor Charles Reed was on hand to charge her with the responsibilities of office.
"Today, we formally welcome to the CSU system and to CSUMB, a woman of commitment, drive and passion," said Chancellor Reed. As he placed the presidential medallion around her neck, Dr. Reed continued, "I commit to your hands the leadership of CSUMB."
In March, the Center for Reading Diagnosis and Instruction opened in a fully refurbished Army building. Thanks to a $2.5 million anonymous gift, this center now serves the entire community by providing reading diagnosis and instruction for K-12 students; training teachers in language, reading, and literacy; and involving CSUMB students as tutors.
The university secured full NCAA Division II membership, one year early. Division II brings the best of collegiate competition, a true partnership between academics and athletics, and a real appreciation for the student-athlete.
The new softball and baseball fields have been completed and the teams are already practicing on them. Renovations to the fieldhouse have been completed.
The President's Speakers Series was launched in the spring and continued during the fall semester to create discussion around important topics. Following a successful spring slate of speakers - Kwame Anthony Appiah, Riane Eisler and Esera Tuaolo - the fall series filled the World Theater with campus and community members who came to hear Philip Zimbardo, Mark Becker and Daniel Ellsberg.
Students and the community also had the opportunity to hear anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, internationally acclaimed artist Carrie Mae Weems and poet Nikki Giovanni.
New undergraduate majors were added in biology and psychology.
The non-profit Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) was established through CSUMB's Office of Extended Education. The institute's programs are intended to address the intellectual needs of the over-50 population, forming a dynamic community of adults dedicated to lifelong learning. The Energy Innovations Fund, an idea put forth by students to implement sustainability projects on campus, earned a Best Practices award at the statewide CSU/UC Sustainability Conference. As its first project, the fund helped finance conversion of the Otter Sports Center lighting from high-pressure sodium lights to efficient linear fluorescent fixtures. The Alumni Association held a Pioneer Reunion for members of the classes of 1996-2000. More than 100 of those early graduates returned to campus for the event. Work continued on the Chinatown Renewal Project, a multi-year community planning effort led by CSUMB to clean up, revitalize and redevelop an eight-block area north of the downtown area of Salinas. For the fourth straight year, the service learning program was recognized by the editors of U.S. News & World Report in the magazine's America's Best Colleges issue.
The magazine named "programs to look for," which it defines as "outstanding examples of academic programs that are believed to lead to student success." CSUMB's service learning program was listed among the top programs in the country - and is one of only 14 public schools included in the ranking.
In the year to come, an Executive MBA program will get under way, work will continue on a new strategic plan for the university, the Tanimura & Antle library will be completed and planning will start for the next new academic building.
(Sources: President Harrison's State of the University address; Campus Chronicles; university news releases)
National Book Award winner Sherman Alexie highlights the spring lineup for President Dianne
Alexie, who was honored for his highly autobiographical novel for young people, "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," will visit campus April 15.
He credits a creative writing teacher at Washington State University, who gave him an anthology of American Indian writing. In the two decades since then, he's written 19 books of fiction, poetry and essays, although "Absolutely True Diary" is his first work for young adults.
A Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Indian, Alexie, 41, has also had a successful career as a playwright, filmmaker and teacher, and other books and films have drawn on his Indian heritage. But, he told the Seattle Times, "Absolutely True Diary" may be the book that's closest to the life he led.
"I was afraid of my own history," he said in an interview posted on the National Book Awards website. Yet he overcame his anxiety to write of his life in a book that has riveted adolescents.
"The number of brown-skinned teenagers who have embraced the book is so great," he told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. "One kid told me, 'This is like "Catcher in the Rye" for minorities,' and this award
The spring series gets under way on Feb. 6 with a talk by Dr. Robert Curry, research science professor at UC-Santa Cruz. His topic will be "It's All About Water: The Coming Water Crisis in California and the Nation." Dr. Curry has served on commissions organized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, California Department of Forestry, and the U.S. Forest Service. His recent research includes studies of estuarine and freshwater stream restoration projects.
On Feb. 20, Thomas DeWolf will visit campus to talk about his efforts to confront his family's history of slave-trading in his memoir, "Inheriting the Trade."
In 2001, at the age of 47, DeWolf was astounded to discover that he was related to the most successful slave-trading family in American history, a family that was responsible for transporting at least 10,000 Africans to the Americas.
His memoir recounts the journey of 10 of his family members as they retraced the steps of their ancestors through the notorious Triangle Trade -from New England to
The trip proved to be life-altering, forcing DeWolf to face the horrors of slavery and feelings of shame, white male privilege, the complicity of churches, America's historic amnesia regarding slavery, and the nation's desperate need for healing.
It also inspired him to contend with the complicated legacy that continues to affect black and white Americans, Africans and Cubans today. "Inheriting the Trade" provides a persuasive argument that the legacy of slavery isn't merely a Southern issue, but an enduring American one.
The series will continue on March 13 when Dr. Sharon Hays talks about women and welfare.
Dr. Hays is the Barbra Streisand Professor in Contemporary Gender Studies at the University of Southern California and the author of "Flat Broke with Children: Women in the Age of Welfare Reform."
Her research on single mothers who have relied on welfare finds that they are often pushed into dead-end
employment while the government's emphasis on "family values" encourages them to marry men who can support them. These mixed messages pull welfare recipients and the well-intentioned caseworkers who try to help them in multiple directions.
Dr. Hays' subjects tell stories of poverty, broken families, sexual abuse, homelessness, and the lengths to which they go in attempts to juggle part-time, low-paying jobs in an attempt to feed their children.
All lectures are free and open to the public. All will start at 7 p.m. in the World Theater, located on the CSUMB campus. To reserve seats, visit the web at csumb.edu/speakers. For a map of campus and driving directions, visit csumb.edu/map.
Gingerbread building boomThe team from Conference and Event Services was serious about their entry in the university's annual gingerbread house-building contest - an elaborate replica of St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. Really serious. Serious enough to buy and construct a 3-D puzzle of the cathedral. "Then, we went online and found the floor plan," said Lianne Minemoto. "We knew where all the domes were located." The cathedral was in keeping with the contest theme of "It's a Small World - Campus Edition." Some of the other structures featured shredded wheat and potato chip roofs, melted Lifesaver ponds and marshmallow cream mortar. Some of the gingerbread creations weren't mere houses. There was the ocean scene, featuring a research vessel from the university's Seafloor Mapping Lab around the theme "Mapping the World for Conservation"; an Egyptian holiday scene including a pyramid and camels; the North Pole, with a plea to "Stop Global Warming"; a pagoda made with seaweed and chocolate; an adobe structure; and "Frohe Weihnachten" a replica of a traditional German Christmas decoration. That one, by Team University Advancement, took top honors. See more photoshttp://news.csumb.edu/site/x21050.xml.
Campus supports blood driveForty students, staff and faculty members turned out to donate blood last Wednesday, despite the crush of end-of-semester work. A donor team staffed by the American Red Cross spent the afternoon in the Alumni and Visitors Center as part of its holiday blood drive. They collected 30 units of blood. Some potential donors had to be turned away (or "deferred," as the Red Cross staff members said) for a variety of reasons - they've had a tattoo recently, they had a low blood count, were getting over a cold, etc. "We were pleased with the turnout," said Sherrie Pfefferkorn, charge nurse with the Red Cross. "We definitely plan on doing this again." The blood drive was co-sponsored by Omega Delta Phi-AK and its service chair, Efren Camacho; the Campus Health Center; and the Alumni and Visitors Center. Read more.
The Year in ReviewMore students, more outside support, a commitment to the environment and a full-fledged senior leadership team marked 2007 at CSUMB.In the fall, the university welcomed its largest freshman class ever -a 44 percent increase over 2006. And more than 400 transfer students -most from the tri-county area- elected to attend CSUMB. Overall, 30 percent more students were enrolled than the year before. As the number of students grew, so did the private and government support for the university. For the fiscal year ending June 30, CSUMB raised $6.8 million from philanthropic foundations and individuals in our community. Among the major gifts received in 2007 were $4 million from the charitable trust and estate of the late Marian Krause to provide scholarships for students in the journalism and human communication programs; $1 million from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation for library construction; and $620,000 from the Monterey Peninsula Foundation ($500,000 for the library and the rest for athletics). Read more.
Fall Capstone FestivalThe Provost's Office is proud to sponsor the Fall 2007 Capstone Festival through Dec. 21. Look at the complete schedule. Please take time to visit the capstones and support our students who have worked hard on them.
Selling a fresh idea to studentsThe Monterey County Farm to School Partnership will continue its work in the new year, collaborating with local schools to teach children about where their food comes from and why it's important to eat healthy. The partnership, based at the Watershed Institute, has built and maintained school gardens, led hundreds of kids on farm field trips, and changed policies to improve food served in school cafeterias. The partnership aims to expand its programs in 2008 with the support of the Monterey County Weekly Community Fund. For the past four years, the Weekly has been its main supporter, contributing over $275,000. It has a goal of raising $65,000 by Dec. 31. To help the Weekly help the Farm to School Partnership, tax-deductible contributions can be mailed to Monterey County Weekly Community Fund, 668 Williams Ave., Seaside 93955.
Txt Msgs Alert U*Cell phones transmit safety alerts at CSUMB*? Cell phones - a convenient way to send greetings to friends and family via text messages - have been transformed into campus communications vehicles. At CSUMB, the service is called - what else? - OTTERalert. They blast out campus-wide security and emergency communication alarms - a service that has been getting a lot of attention since the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech.The campus community can rest assured that OTTERalert is for emergency alerts only; those who sign up will not receive spam. Privacy is protected, and only campus administrators and members of the University Police Department can originate the messages. Read More.
Campus will be closed from noon Monday, Dec. 24 until 8 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 2.
Focus the Nation - A Daylong Teach-in on Global Warming Focus the Nation is an educational initiative on Global Warming Solutions for America to be held on Jan. 31. It's a nationwide event, taking place at over 1,100 college campuses with over a million students expected to attend. CSUMB is hosting a local event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. that day in the University Center conference rooms.
Local elected officials Dennis Donohue and Fred Keeley will attend. Faculty members have signed up to give presentations on a variety of topics. The CSUMB Associated Students and Academic Senate have endorsed the event. For a preliminary schedule of events, visit csumb.edu/green.
A reminder: Fourth Avenue (the street behind the Alumni and Visitors Center) between Divarty Street and Inter-Garrison Road is ONE WAY southbound. There are no plans to make the street two-way, even during the construction work in the area. It's a safety issue - the street is too narrow to safely accommodate two-way traffic and parking.
Divarty Street is now open.
Inter-Garrison Road is closed from Sixth Avenue to the entrance to parking lot 12. Fifth Avenue is closed from Inter-Garrison to the entrance to parking lot 12. The VPA buildings are accessible via parking lot 71. Parking lot 12 is accessible from A Street and Divarty Street.
Our campus is under construction. Please be cautious around construction areas. We invite you to view this short slide show created with yoursafety in mind.
Arteaga gets a shot with EarthquakesRobert Arteaga remembers the feeling when he got an e-mail last week from the San Jose Earthquakes inviting him for Round 2 of tryouts. Excited, then overwhelmed. Arteaga was one of five people picked from the Salinas tryout to participate in the Quakes' combine Dec. 20-22. Arteaga is a former goalkeeper for California State University, Monterey Bay. Said his college coach, Artie Cairel, "Robert is a tremendous athlete and possesses cat-like reflexes. . . He most certainly could play his way on to a roster spot."- *Salinas Californian*, Dec. 17, 2007
Like the Back of His Hand - Professor dedicates himself to learning all he can about Elkhorn SloughRikk Kvitek knows nearly every inch of Elkhorn Slough. For the past 25 years, Kvitek, a CSUMB science and environmental policy professor, has been studying environmental changes in the slough and surrounding wetlands. "The loss of salt marshes is something we discovered back in the '80s," Kvitek says. So he and his students began bathymetric mapping, measuring the water depth, to create a surface model of the slough.- *Monterey County Weekly*, Dec. 14, 2007
Hands of HealthStudents in the digital art class at CSUMB have partnered with health workers from the Center for Community Advocacy to produce materials - a billboard in Salinas, a photonovela and postcards - all containing information helpful to farm laborers. The CCA workes are distributing the information.- *KSMS-67*, Dec. 12, 2007
CSUMB cagers show integrityOn Dec. 5, the Division I men's basketball team from California State University, Fresno was within seconds of being upset by Division II's California State University, Monterey Bay, but managed to prevail. What makes this so interesting is that CUMB, a small univesity, even with the loss, communicated that inegrity matters.- Integrity Matters column by Jim Bracher, *Salinas Californian*, Dec. 12, 2007
Verizon brings educational resources of Thinkfinity.org to elementary school classroomsVerizon and the Long Beach Education Foundation are embarking on a project to explore ways in which the treasure trove of educational resources available through Verizon's free and innovative Thinkfinity.org Web site can enrich the learning experience in elementary school classrooms. Legendary actor James Earl Jones, Verizon's longtime partner in promoting literacy, participated in the launch of the project at Long Beach's Mark Twain Library by reading "Jack and the Beanstalk" to a group of 4th-grade students from Tincher Preparatory School. Verizon has named California State University, Monterey Bay to lead the project, which will initially focus on elementary schools in Long Beach and is intended to become a model for integrating content from Thinkfinity.org into elementary school curricula in classrooms across California.- *CNNMoney.com*, Dec. 11, 2007
Member SpotlightCalifornia State University, Monterey Bay is our current spotlight campus! Because CSUMB is located on the former Fort Ord Army base, many military buildings are being deconstructed to implement the campus master plan. Over 90% of the material from these buildings is recycled, reused and kept from the waste stream.- *Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education e-newsletter*, Dec. 7, 2007
For campus news, activities and events, please visit our news website.
More students, more outside support, a commitment to the environment and a full-fledged senior leadership team marked 2007 at CSUMB.
As the number of students grew, so did the private and government support for the university.
For the fiscal year ending June 30, CSUMB raised $6.8 million from philanthropic foundations and individuals in our community.
Among the major gifts received in 2007 were $4 million from the charitable trust and estate of the late Marian Krause to provide scholarships for students in the journalism and human communication programs; $1 million from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation for library construction; and $620,000 from the Monterey Peninsula Foundation ($500,000 for the library and the rest for athletics).
The private funding total does not include government grants and contracts. In that category, CSUMB faculty and administrators were very successful, securing a variety of funding, including:-An $880,000 federal McNair Scholars grant to help students from underrepresented backgrounds prepare for doctoral studies -A $2 million federal CAMP grant aimed at enrolling more migrant students in higher education -A $600,000 federal HUD grant awarded to the Service Learning Institute to help revitalize Chinatown in Salinas-$3.5 million brought in by the Seafloor Mapping Lab directed by Rikk Kvitek to launch the first phase of the California State-Waters Mapping Program.
The commitment requires signatories to set specific, measurable goals within a definite time frame, and to incorporate proven models for achieving a lighter carbon footprint. CSUMB promised to have a concrete action plan in place within two years. A campus-wide committee has been established to develop such a plan.
Environmental issues also figured into construction work on campus, as well as deconstruction.
Our telecommunications infrastructure upgrade centralized the campus phone switches and data servers in a new IT building while vastly improving Sixth Avenue by relocating power underground, removing old poles and overhead lines, adding new light fixtures, improving the landscaping in front of the University Center, and coloring and stamping the roadway to mark the pedestrian section of the road.
The Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library currently under construction is now visible as part of the skyline. It's on schedule to be completed next fall and open in January of 2009. Built to LEED silver standards, the building includes a range of sustainable design features, including an innovative climate control system that is expected to result in the use of 28 percent less energy than California's latest energy code requires.
Work continues of a central plant that will supply hot water for radiant heat to buildings located in the central campus. The pipes that need to be installed for this project have required campus roads to be closed for part of the year.
Dozens of unusable buildings inherited from Fort Ord were deconstructed, which also improved the face of campus. About 90 percent of the materials were recycled, keeping thousands of tons of material from the waste stream.
Dr. Harrison completed her senior leadership team when Jack Jewett, vice president for University Advancement, and Jim Main, vice president for Administration and Finance, joined the campus.
Among the year's other highlights:
- President Harrison presided over her first commencement in May, when 700 students received degrees. The event marked Dr. Harrison's investiture as the university's second president. CSU Chancellor Charles Reed was on hand to charge her with the responsibilities of office. "Today, we formally welcome to the CSU system and to CSUMB, a woman of commitment, drive and passion," said Chancellor Reed. As he placed the presidential medallion around her neck, Dr. Reed continued, "I commit to your hands the leadership of CSUMB."
- In March, the Center for Reading Diagnosis and Instruction opened in a fully refurbished Army building. Thanks to a $2.5 million anonymous gift, this center now serves the entire community by providing reading diagnosis and instruction for K-12 students; training teachers in language, reading, and literacy; and involving CSUMB students as tutors.
- The university secured full NCAA Division II membership, one year early. Division II brings the best of collegiate competition, a true partnership between academics and athletics, and a real appreciation for the student-athlete.
- The new softball and baseball fields have been completed and the teams are already practicing on them. Renovations to the fieldhouse have been completed.
- The President's Speakers Series was launched in the spring and continued during the fall semester to create discussion around important topics. Following a successful spring slate of speakers - Kwame Anthony Appiah, Riane Eisler and Esera Tuaolo - the fall series filled the World Theater with campus and community members who came to hear Philip Zimbardo, Mark Becker and Daniel Ellsberg.
Students and the community also had the opportunity to hear anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, internationally acclaimed artist Carrie Mae Weems and poet Nikki Giovanni as they all visited campus during the year.
- New undergraduate majors were added in biology and psychology.
- The non-profit Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) was established through CSUMB's Office of Extended Education. The institute's programs are intended to address the intellectual needs of the over-50 population, forming a dynamic community of adults dedicated to lifelong learning.- The Energy Innovations Fund, an idea put forth by students to implement sustainability projects on campus, earned a Best Practices award at the statewide CSU/UC Sustainability Conference. As its first project, the fund helped finance conversion of the Otter Sports Center lighting from high-pressure sodium lights to efficient linear fluorescent fixtures.
- The Alumni Association held a Pioneer Reunion for members of the classes of 1996-2000. More than 100 of those early graduates returned to campus for the event.- Work continued on the Chinatown Renewal Project, a multi-year community planning effort led by CSUMB to clean up, revitalize and redevelop an eight-block area north of the downtown area of Salinas.- For the fourth straight year, the service learning program was recognized by the editors of U.S. News & World Report in the magazine's America's Best Colleges issue. The magazine named "programs to look for," which it defines as "outstanding examples of academic programs that are believed to lead to student success." CSUMB's service learning program was listed among the top programs in the country and is one of only 14 public schools included in the ranking.
In the year to come, an Executive MBA program will get under way, work will continue on a new strategic plan for the university, the Tanimura & Antle library will be completed and planning will start for the next new academic building.
(Sources: President Harrison's State of the University address; Campus Chronicles; university news releases)
Really serious.
Serious enough to buy and construct a 3-D puzzle of the cathedral. "Then, we went online and found the floor plan," said Lianne Minemoto. "We knew where all the domes were located."
The cathedral was in keeping with the contest theme of "It's a Small World - Campus Edition."
Some of the other structures featured shredded wheat and potato chip roofs, melted Lifesaver ponds and marshmallow cream mortar.
And most of the gingerbread creations weren't mere houses. There was the ocean scene, featuring a research vessel from the university's Seafloor Mapping Lab around the theme "Mapping the World for Conservation"; an Egyptian holiday scene including a pyramid and camels; the North Pole, with a plea to "Stop Global Warming"; a pagoda made with seaweed and chocolate; an adobe structure; and "Frohe Weihnachten" a replica of a traditional German Christmas decoration.
The competition demonstrated that you don't have to be a pastry chef to build a great gingerbread house.
.
A billboard on display in Salinas is the result of a project involving students in the digital mural class at California State University, Monterey Bay and the Center for Community Advocacy.
Called Hands of Health, the project (which also includes a set of postcards and a photonovela or soap opera book) demonstrates how students' work can improve community life and communicate the issues of our region.
CCA's primary goal is to provide better living conditions and health care by educating farmworkers in leadership skills so they can help themselves and their families. The art students collaborated with CCA's Promotores de Salud Project to promote health among farmworkers.
The students met wtih labor camp leaders and residents, interviewed workers and made several trips to labor camps in an effort to understand CCA's role in local communities. The resulting art pieces highlighted health issues for the farmworkers and will help to address their need for information.
Through the support of the Nathan Cummings Foundation, the promotores materials designed by the art students were provided free of cost to the health workers for distribution.
The billboard, located on John Street near the intersection with Abbott, will be formally dedicated at 1 p.m. on Dec. 12.
Forty students, staff and faculty members of California State University, Monterey Bay turned out to donate blood Dec. 12, despite the crush of end-of-semester work.
A donor team staffed by the American Red Cross spent the afternoon in the Alumni and Visitors Center as part of its holiday blood drive.
They collected 30 units of blood. Some potential donors had to be turned away (or "deferred," as the Red Cross staff members said) for a variety of reasons - they've had a tattoo recently, they had a low blood count, were getting over a cold, etc.
"We were pleased with the turnout," said Sherrie Pfefferkorn, charge nurse with the Red Cross. "We definitely plan on doing this again."
Blood donation is an important way for healthy people to help their community. Blood cannot be manufactured; the only way to keep up with the demand is through regular donations from healthy volunteer donors.
"I think everyone should help someone in some way. This is one of the easiest ways I can help someone," said freshman Emily Selander.
The blood drive was co-sponsored by Omega Delta Phi-AK fraternity and its service chair, Efren Camacho; the Campus Health Center; and the Alumni and Visitors Center.
A donor team staffed by the American Red Cross spent the afternoon in the Alumni and Visitors Center as part of its holiday blood drive.
They collected 30 units of blood. Some potential donors had to be turned away (or "deferred," as the Red Cross staff members said) for a variety of reasons - they've had a tattoo recently, they had a low blood count, were getting over a cold, etc.
"We were pleased with the turnout," said Sherrie Pfefferkorn, charge nurse with the Red Cross. "We definitely plan on doing this again."
Pfefferkorn explained that a unit of blood can potentially save three lives. Each donation is broken down into blood's component parts of plasma, hemoglobin and platelets. And each component can benefit a different person.
Blood donation is an important way for healthy people to help their community. Blood cannot be manufactured; the only way to keep up with the demand is through regular donations from healthy volunteer donors.
"I think everyone should help someone in some way. This is one of the easiest ways I can help someone," said freshman Emily Selander.
Other members of the campus community agreed.
Said Elizabeth Valle, a freshman VPA major, "I've always wanted to give blood. This is my first time. And it was easy."
Donors showed up all afternoon. So many had made reservations online that no walk-ups could be accommodated. Despite the efficient operation, donors were still being processed more than an hour after the 3 p.m. advertised closing.
Anyone who missed the chance to donate can visit the Blood Donor Center of Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, 576 Hartnell St., Monterey. To make an appointment, call 625-4814.
The blood drive was co-sponsored by Omega Delta Phi-AK and its service chair, Efren Camacho; the Campus Health Center; and the Alumni and Visitors Center.
The Red Cross will be back on campus four times in 2008: Feb. 20, April 23, Sept. 10 and Dec. 10.
CSUMB's top entry in this year's Apple Computer Insomnia Film Festival is filled with all the creativity sleep-deprived students can muster.
Only three minutes long and made in a single 24-hour period, the entry - called Smile - is hilariously over the top; it's about a washed-up clown who goes about his day with the haunting memories of his past.
Apple, maker of computers and editing software used in filmmaking, posted a top-secret list of elements - special props, dialogue, settings, camera techniques - online on a Saturday in October. Each team had to choose three of the 10 elements to include in its movie. Then, the team had to write, cast, shoot, edit, score and upload its short masterpiece within 24 hours.
Once the films were posted online, the public was invited to watch and rate their favorites. The 25 entries with the highest rating on Nov. 9 were screened by industry professionals including Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black), James Mangold (Girl, Interrupted, Walk the Line) and Luis Valdez. The pros chose one of the award winners; the public chose one and tech folks chose one. The winners won a treasure trove of Apple goodies.
Four groups from CSUMB were among the 3,000 high school and college teams to enter. Team Pup and Suds - Dane Bergerson, Cody Campbell, Adam Newacheck, Haley Pikhart and Derek Tekus - placed 21st, the best finish for an Otter team.
They contest rules promised them a showing in a nearby Apple store, but that hasn't yet been arranged. Stay tuned.
Here's the link to the contest website:http://edcommunity.apple.com/insomnia_fall07/collection.php?collectionID=5
"No Excuses, Just Hungry," a skateboarding film by a pair of California State University, Monterey Bay students, will have its debut showing on Dec. 7 in Salinas.
Jared Nelson and Michael Oates-Kealey, students in the university's Department of Teledramatic Arts and Technology, shot most of the footage in Salinas, Monterey, Marina and Seaside.
The pair, both 21, worked on the film for three years. Capturing the fast-paced action was a real test of their filmmaking skills - some of the shots involved the filmmakers riding their own skateboards while holding the camera.
Although the film was not a class assignment, Nelson and Oates-Kealey said their CSUMB courses strengthened their filmmaking skills.
The film will be shown at 7 p.m., Dec. 7 at the Salinas Moose Lodge, 111 Monterey St. Admission is free.
California State University, Monterey Bay, Verizon and the Long Beach Education Foundation are collaborating on a project to enrich the learning experience in elementary school classrooms.
The partners are exploring ways in which the treasure trove of educational resources available through Verizon's free and innovative Thinkfinity.org Web site can aid classroom teachers.
Verizon selected CSUMB to lead the project, which will initially focus on elementary schools in Long Beach and is intended to become a model for integrating content from Thinkfinity.org into elementary school curricula in classrooms across California.
Experts from CSUMB's Instructional Design and Technology Lab will instruct teachers at the participating schools on how using material at Thinkfinity.org can provide them with more resources and tools to help students learn.
"This program significantly advances Long Beach Unified School District's goal of putting educational technology into every classroom," said Judy Seal, executive director of the Long Beach Education Foundation. "Our teachers are excited to participate in this pilot project, which will set a new standard for technology integration in the classroom."
Legendary actor James Earl Jones, Verizon's longtime partner in promoting literacy, participated in the launch of the project Dec. 10 at Long Beach's Mark Twain Library by reading "Jack and the Beanstalk" to a group of 4th-grade students from Tincher Preparatory School.
Thinkfinity.org is the Verizon Foundation's free Web site, which provides more than 55,000 educational resources, including standards-based, grade-specific K-12 lesson plans and other interactive tools and materials for teachers and students provided in partnership with many of the nation's leading educational and literacy organizations.
Thinkfinity.org features resources across eight academic disciplines, from science to English to mathematics, to improve student achievement. Thinkfinity.org is designed to help teachers gain access to online resources quickly and requires no passwords or software downloads.
About the Instructional Design and Technology LabThe ID&T Lab serves as the lead educational agency for the Verizon Foundation's Thinkfinity-California Project. The ID&T Lab researches and tests new hardware and software tools to determine their potential for enhancing and transforming education. The Instructional Design and Technology Lab seeks methods to assist educators in "connecting" with students despite barriers of geography and time or diverse learning styles. The Instructional Design and Technology Lab is also a prototyping space for technologies, applications, programmatic initiatives, and for scholarly research design. Finally, the lab provides training in new technologies and assists faculty in incorporating innovative tools within their teaching.
The voice of James Earl Jones echoed through a Long Beach library on Dec. 10 as the actor - who voiced Darth Vader in "Star Wars" - read to a group of fourth-graders.
Jones visited the library to help promote a project involving CSUMB, Verizon and the Long Beach school system.
The partners are exploring ways in which the resources available through Verizon's educational website, Thinkfinity.org, can aid classroom teachers.
The free, interactive website provides more than 55,000 educational resources, including grade-specific K-12 lesson plans and materials for teachers.
Verizon selected CSUMB to lead the project, which will initially focus on elementary schools in Long Beach and is intended to become a model for integrating content from Thinkfinity.org into school curricula across California.
Experts from CSUMB's Instructional Design and Technology Lab will show teachers how to navigate the website and incorporate material into their classrooms.
The ID&T Lab researches and tests new hardware and software tools to determine their potential for enhancing and transforming education. The lab seeks methods to assist educators in "connecting" with students despite barriers of geography and diverse learning styles.
The lab is also a prototyping space for technologies, applications, programmatic initiatives, and for research design. And the lab provides training in new technologies and assists faculty members in incorporating innovative tools within their teaching.
John Ittelson is director of the lab and professor in the School of Information Technology and Communications Design. Barbara Starr is senior project manager for the Thinkfinity Project.
CSUMB's top entry in this year's Apple Computer Insomnia Film Festival is filled with all the creativity sleep-deprived students can muster.
Only three minutes long and made in a single 24-hour period, the entry ?called Smile ?is about a washed-up clown who goes about his day with the haunting memories of his past.
Apple, maker of computers and editing software used in filmmaking, posted a top-secret list of elements ? special props, dialogue, settings, camera techniques ? online on a Saturday in October. Each team had to choose at least three of the 10 elements to include in its movie. Then, the team had to write, cast, shoot, edit, score and upload its short masterpiece within 24 hours.
Once the films were posted online, the public was invited to watch and rate their favorites. The 25 entries with the highest rating on Nov. 9 were screened by industry professionals including Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black), and James Mangold (Girl, Interrupted, Walk the Line). The pros chose one of the award winners; the public chose one and tech folks chose one. The winners won a treasure trove of Apple goodies.
Four groups from CSUMB were among the 3,000 high school and college teams to enter. Team Pup and Suds? Dane Bergerson, Cody Campbell, Adam Newacheck, Haley Pikhart and Derek Tekus ?placed 21st, the best finish for an Otter team.
They contest rules promised them a showing in a nearby Apple store, but that hasn't yet been arranged. Stay tuned.
View the film here: http://edcommunity.apple.com/insomnia_fall07/collection.php?collectionID=5
Volunteers are needed to help the Return of the Natives Project at California State University, Monterey Bay, get rid of invasive weeds in Natividad Creek Park in Salinas on Saturday, Dec. 8.
Seize a great opportunity to meet cool people by helping restore a native plant habitat for birds, wildlife and Salinas residents. Enjoy music from Para La Gente, a group of artists and musicians who use their skills to help bring about social change.
Tools, water and snacks will be provided. The work will be done from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the park, 1351 Nogal Drive. For more information, call 582-3686 or go online at watershed.csumb.edu/ron.
The Return of the Natives Restoration Education Project (RON) is the education and outreach branch of the Watershed Institute at CSUMB. Its environmental goal is to protect the waters of the Monterey Bay through restoration of the waterways and the lands draining in the Bay. RON's social goal is to bring people and nature together on restoration and garden projects in the watersheds of the Monterey Bay from the Monterey Peninsula to North Monterey County and from Salinas to San Ardo.
New 'U Stories' now online Each month, the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences posts a 'U Story' on its website. Each features highlights of the creative and socially aware professors, students, and programs in the college. The latest U Stories feature the Day of the Dead celebration and the musical methods of choral professor Paulette Gissendanner. Check out 'U Stories' here.
*Spotlight on Staff*World Theater director is multi-talented** After a lengthy hiatus from CSUMB, Joe Cardinalli recently returned to the university as interim director of the World Theater. He brings managerial skills to the position, but he's also a designer, technical theater consultant, television field director and a musician. His introduction to Fort Ord came during the 1960s when he played keyboard in a Monterey rock band. His band often played at Stilwell Hall, entertaining troops bound for Vietnam. In the late '60s, he earned a degree in theater arts from San José State, then went on to a 33-year career with the city of San Jose in the department of parks, recreation and neighborhood services. Before retiring earlier this year, he was the department's deputy director, responsible for managing about 1,400 employees, a $60 million operating budget and a $500 million capital budget. Read more about Joe here.
*Spotlight on Alumni*Crystal Costa: Ready for prime time** Crystal Costa is on the air. A 2007 graduate, she currently reports for KJCT News 8 in Grand Junction, Colo., and hopes to anchor one day. Getting to where she is took hard work every step of the way, even though she didn't always know where she was going. "When I started college, I had no idea what I wanted to do," says Crystal, who grew up in the Central Valley and admits she came to CSUMB because she "wanted to live at the beach." She majored in Human Communication because "my passion is writing and being around people. I don't do math, science or many other subjects well, so it was also a process of elimination. I dabbled in everything; I took newspaper writing classes, magazine writing, investigative journalism and even radio classes." When it came time to choose a concentration, Crystal found the help she needed from her adviser, Professor Juanita Darling. "She sat me down to really narrow my choices and decide what I should do as a career. That's when I finally realized that news reporting is perfect for me," says Crystal. To read more about Crystal, click here.
The holiday season, CSUMB styleUPD sponsors toy drive The University Police Department is collecting toys for underprivileged children in Monterey County that will be distributed through local non-profit organizations. New, unwrapped toys may be dropped off at the police department, 82-E. For information, contact Lt. Earl Lawson at 582-3062.
Don't forget the giving tree It's become an annual tradition. University Human Resources has set up a "giving tree" in the lobby of Bldg. 23 on Divarty Street. This year, UHR is partnering with the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation's Migrant Families Program in Salinas. The program recognizes the hardships faced by agricultural working families and provides children and their families with comprehensive social and health services. Employees can help bring holiday cheer to these families by choosing an ornament from the giving tree. Each ornament is labeled with the name and age of a child and what he or she would like for a holiday gift. After purchasing the item, participants are asked to bring the wrapped gift, along with the ornament, to UHR by Dec. 14. For further information, call UHR at 582-3389.
Tasteful houses sweeten party As Hansel and Gretel can attest, gingerbread houses, with their candy-cane columns, gumdrop landscaping, peppermint pinwheel decorations and icing trim, are practically irresistible. So it's no surprise that these confectionary cottages - and other structures - are the basis of a campus-wide competition now in its fourth year. This year's competition, dubbed "It's a Small World - Campus Edition," will challenge each team to design and construct a house with an international theme. Basic gingerbread house kits will be provided and edible add-ons are allowed. The event will take place in the University Center ballroom from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 13. On-lookers and cheering squads are welcome. Finished houses will serve as table centerpieces at the annual holiday party. The winner of the Best Use of Theme award will be treated to a pizza party for up to 10 people courtesy of Sodexho. To register a team, call Kerri Rivera in University Human Resources at 582-3389 by Dec. 7.
Light up the World The annual faculty and staff holiday party will be held on Friday, Dec. 14 from 6 to 10 p.m. in the University Center ballroom. Tickets are available at the front desks of the University Center and the Alumni and Visitors Center.
Txt Msgs Alert U*Cell phones transmit safety alerts at CSUMB*? Cell phones - a convenient way to send greetings to friends and family via text messages - have been transformed into campus communications vehicles. At CSUMB, the service is called - what else? - OTTERalert. They blast out campus-wide security and emergency communication alarms - a service that has been getting a lot of attention since the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech.The campus community can rest assured that OTTERalert is for emergency alerts only; those who sign up will not receive spam. Privacy is protected, and only campus administrators and members of the University Police Department can originate the messages. To read more, Read more about OTTERalert here.
Thursday, Dec. 6: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute's faculty research speaker series continues with a talk by Professor Johanna Poethig, "Creative Interventions in Public Space/Public Mind," 11 a.m.-noon, Alumni and Visitors Center Thursday, Dec. 6: San Jose Taiko at World Theater, 7:30 p.m. Box office: 582-4580 Saturday, Dec. 8: Return of the Natives needs volunteers to help with planting in Natividad Creek Park from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Information: watershed.csumb.edu/ron or call Aaron Fox at 582-3686.
Upcoming Wednesday, Dec. 12: Teledramatic Arts and Technology capstone festival, 6 p.m., World Theater Thursday, Dec. 13: Gingerbread house building contest, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., University Center ballroom Friday, Dec. 14: CSUMB's annual staff and faculty holiday party, starts at 6 p.m., University Center ballroom. Tickets are available at the University Center front desk and the Alumni and Visitors Center Tuesday, Dec. 18: Liberal Studies capstone festival, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., University Center conference rooms Tuesday, Dec. 18: Strategic Planning town hall meeting, 3 to 5 p. m., Alumni and Visitors Center
Ongoing Exhibit of student art work in the Balfour/Brutzman Gallery in VPA No. 71, open Thursdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fridays noon to 3 p.m.
A reminder: Fourth Avenue (the street behind the Alumni and Visitors Center) between Divarty Street and Inter-Garrison Road is ONE WAY southbound. There are no plans to make the street two-way, even during the construction work in the area. It's a safety issue - the street is too narrow to safely accommodate two-way traffic and parking.
Divarty Street is now open.
Inter-Garrison Road is closed from Sixth Avenue to the entrance to parking lot 12. Fifth Avenue is closed from Inter-Garrison to the entrance to parking lot 12. The VPA buildings are accessible via parking lot 71. Parking lot 12 is accessible from A Street and Divarty Street.
Our campus is under construction. Please be cautious around construction areas. We invite you to view this short slide show created with yoursafety in mind.
CSUMB library receives $1 million - It's from David & Lucile Packard FoundationA landmark library under construction at California State University, Monterey Bay has received a $1 million grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, CSUMB officials announced. "This leadership gift is a major vote of confidence in the university," CSUMB President Dianne Harrison said Friday.- *Salinas Californian*, Dec. 3, 2007
CSUMB student gets $270 fine, probation - No contest in fracas at rallyA Salinas man hailed by some for exercising free speech but arrested and charged with disturbing the peace will have to pay a $270 fine and serve three years probation. Alberto Tovar, 22, wasn't present Friday in Superior Court, but entered a no contest plea through his attorney as part of an agreement reached with prosecutors.- *Monterey Herald*, Dec. 1, 2007
Government abuse 'grim,' Ellsberg says - Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers in 1971 to The New York Times, spoke Wednesday night at California State University, Monterey BayPoliticians and civil servants too scared to go public about government wrongdoing could result in a U.S. attack on Iran and continued violations of individual civil rights, a social activist warned Wednesday evening. Speaking before a crowded auditorium at California State University, Monterey Bay's World Theater, former RAND Corp. military analyst Daniel Ellsberg recalled the fallout from his release of the Pentagon Papers in 1971, one of the most important leaks of classified information during the Vietnam War.- *Salinas Californian*, Nov. 29, 2007
Daniel Ellsberg speaks to a full house at CSUMBDaniel Ellsberg is famous for leaking classified Pentagon papers to the New York Times back in 1971, and on Wednesday night people on the Central Coast got a rare chance to hear his story first-hand. Ellsberg spoke to a full house at California State University, Monterey Bay, and as an early opponent to the Iraq war, he's using his own story as a launching pad, to urge others to take a chance and to make a difference. Ellsberg was arrested and put on trial following his leak of the Pentagon papers, but the charges were later dropped because of so-called "improper government conduct."- *KION-46*, Nov. 28, 2007
At the Heart of the Arts - Amalia Mesa-BainsAltars - everybody has them. A space set aside for objects of personal significance. It could be the corner of a desk in your office or the corner of a room in your home. Thirty-five years ago, Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains had another idea for altars: use the design as a format for artistic expression. Today, her altar impressions are displayed in galleries and museums across Mexico, Europe and the U.S. - including the Smithsonian. As the first chair of the Department of Visual and Public Art at CSUMB, she is highly regarded as an independent artist and cultural critic.- *Monterey County Magazine*, Winter 2007
For campus news, activities and events, please visit our news website.
After a lengthy hiatus from CSUMB, Joe Cardinalli has returned to the university as interim director of the World Theater.
He brings managerial skills to the position, but he's also a designer, technical theater consultant, television field director and a musician.
His introduction to Fort Ord came during the 1960s when he played keyboard in a Monterey rock band. His band often played at Stilwell Hall, entertaining troops bound for Vietnam.
In the late '60s, he earned a degree in theater arts from San José State, then went on to a 33-year career with the city of San Jose in the department of parks, recreation and neighborhood services. Before retiring earlier this year, he was the department's deputy director, responsible for managing about 1,400 employees, a $60 million operating budget and a $500 million capital budget.
"With a degree in theater arts, I was asked to manage the children's parks and zoo when I began working for the city," he says. "I then went on to manage special events for the city." Over the years, he's managed events ranging from five to 100,000 attendees - and accumulated 35 years of theater experience.
Cardinalli was a founder of the city's Christmas in the Park - one of the largest holiday displays west of the Mississippi. It attracts about 500,000 people a month. He's also a founder of the San Jose Holiday Parade, recognized as one of the top 25 parades in the country.
He worked at CSUMB when Teledramatic Arts & Technology first started, teaching a theater production class. Nowadays, he teaches a television production class once a week at Gavilan College in Gilroy. He's been on the board of directors of El Theatro Campesino in San Juan Bautista for 10 years. He designs many of its shows, including Zoot Suit, which recently concluded a run.
"All my life I've done theater - I've never stopped. I've gone the whole circle and now I've been able to make the circle back to Monterey and work with the great staff at the World Theater."
Cardinalli recognizes the administrative and creative challenges of running the campus theater. "The key is to analyze the audiences to find out what they really want. We've already done an audience survey at the last performance and got back a third of them. Surveys will tell us if we're targeting the right people. That is, are we giving audiences what they want?
"We need community support. I've been successful at other places where we involved the community. We have to serve both the community and the university. That's the balance we need to achieve over time for the World Theater."
He sums up his goal for the World Theater in a sentence: "Smiling faces after a performance are my reward."
Crystal Costa is on the air. A 2007 graduate, she currently reports for KJCT News 8 in Grand Junction, Colo., and hopes to anchor one day.Getting to where she is took hard work every step of the way, even though she didn't always know where she was going.
"When I started college, I had no idea what I wanted to do," says Crystal, who grew up in the Central Valley and admits she came to CSUMB because she "wanted to live at the beach." She majored in Human Communication because "my passion is writing and being around people. I don't do math, science or many other subjects well, so it was also a process of elimination.
"I dabbled in everything; I took newspaper writing classes, magazine writing, investigative journalism, and even radio classes."
When it came time to choose a concentration, Crystal found the help she needed from her adviser, Professor Juanita Darling. "She sat me down to really narrow my choices and decide what I should do as a career.
"That's when I finally realized that news reporting is perfect for me," says Crystal.
Crystal determined that an internship would be the best way to get her foot in the door. "I called KION 46 and KSBW both for a month straight. I finally got a hold of KION and got an interview. After interning for six months with them, they offered me a position writing and producing KION 46 News at Noon. I was later promoted to producing and writing the Morning News, and did that for about a year."
On top of her internship, Crystal paid her own way through school - never taking a loan - by working as a waitress. "Working five days a week, interning and finishing school was quite a task. Sometimes I wasn't sure I could do everything, much less afford everything. But the pressure really helped me build character and made me realize that if you want something in life, you have to go out and get it. No one is going to bring it to you."
Despite juggling so much, Crystal maintained a 3.8 GPA and graduated magna cum laude. She credits her teachers, friends, boyfriend, and roommates for helping her make it through.
After working behind the scenes at KION for a year, Crystal says, "I was beyond ready to be on camera." She approached the search for her next opportunity with the same persistence and determination that got her the internship: "I took video clip samples of myself out in the field, and made them into a demo reel. I then sent the reel out to 70 news stations.
"I finally heard back from KJCT News 8. They had a reporter opening and I moved out to Colorado from Monterey one month after I was offered the position."
In her new position, Crystal goes out into the field to shoot footage and interviews and then edits the pieces together back in the studio. She also writes and delivers the stories on air. "I get to do something different every day. I meet new people and get to tell their stories. And I actually feel like I'm doing something for the community.
"I've had to pay my dues every step of the way, and really learn the news industry from the core, but I'm proud that I am doing what I love to do. I always want to be fulfilled in my career and feel like I am doing something that matters."
President Dianne F. Harrison has announced a $1 million grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation for the construction of the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library.
"This leadership gift is a major vote of confidence in the university," said Dr. Harrison. "It represents the Foundation's deep commitment toward student success, and it sends a strong message to our community about the importance of private support for the library."
Don Chapin, chair of CSUMB's President's Council, emphasized the importance of this gift to the region.
"The Packard Foundation's gift is key to assuring the finest education for our children, grandchildren and beyond," said Mr. Chapin, a regional business leader. "Its investment in the Tanimura & Antle library reminds us of how vital it is that all of our communities- university, friends, parents, alumni and students - come together to support this crucial building campaign."
With its stunning architecture, soaring atrium providing natural light, and views to Monterey and the Salinas Valley, the library will be the defining facility on campus, and a regional landmark. In addition to its beautiful design and functionality, the building will include a range of sustainable design features, including an innovative climate control system that is expected to result in the use of 28 percent less energy than California's latest energy code requires.
Anyone wishing to take a student-led tour of the library site can arrange it by calling Steve Weldon, director of Planned Giving, at 582-3070.
The Packard Foundation has been providing key financial support to the university since CSUMB's first years. It was created in 1964 by David Packard, the co-founder of the Hewlett-Packard Company, and Lucile Salter Packard. Throughout their lives in business and philanthropy, the Packards sought to use private funds for the public good, giving back to a society that enabled them to prosper.
The Packard gift is a second major gift the university has received recently. In October, Dr. Harrison announced that the late Marian K. Krause, through her charitable trust and estate, left the university $4 million to be used for scholarships.
The World Theater on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay is set for a stellar crop of student films and original media productions to be premiered at the Fall Capstone Festival, scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. Admission is free.
The Capstone Festival will feature 16 top-quality productions spanning genres, including documentary, narrative and experimental works produced by students of CSUMB's Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department.
The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue. Parking is free. For more information or to request disability accommodations, call the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department at (831) 582-3750. For a campus map and driving directions, visit csumb.edu/map.
Don't forget the giving tree It's become an annual tradition. University Human Resources has set up a "giving tree" in the lobby of Bldg. 23 on Divarty Street. This year, UHR is partnering with the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation's Migrant Families Program in Salinas. The program recognizes the hardships faced by agricultural working families and provides children and their families with comprehensive social and health services. Employees can help bring holiday cheer to these families by choosing an ornament from the giving tree. Each ornament is labeled with the name and age of a child and what he or she would like for a holiday gift. After purchasing the item, participants are asked to bring the wrapped gift, along with the ornament, to UHR by Dec. 14. For further information, call UHR at 582-3389.
Tasteful houses sweeten party As Hansel and Gretel can attest, gingerbread houses, with their candy-cane columns, gumdrop landscaping, peppermint pinwheel decorations and icing trim, are practically irresistible. So it's no surprise that these confectionary cottages - and other structures - are the basis of a campus-wide competition now in its fourth year. This year's competition, dubbed "It's a Small World - Campus Edition," will challenge each team to design and construct a house with an international theme. Basic gingerbread house kits will be provided and edible add-ons are allowed. The event will take place in the University Center ballroom from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 13. On-lookers and cheering squads are welcome. Finished houses will serve as table centerpieces at the annual holiday party. The winner of the Best Use of Theme award will be treated to a pizza party for up to 10 people courtesy of Sodexho. To register a team, call Kerri Rivera in University Human Resources at ext. 3389 by Dec. 7.
Truths worth telling*Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg visits campus Nov. 28* The President's Speakers Series concludes this semester's presentations with a Nov. 28 visit by Dr. Daniel Ellsberg, the RAND Corp. analyst who, in 1971, leaked the classified Pentagon Papers to the New York Times. The documents revealed the U.S. government had engaged in a pattern of deceiving the public about the number of Vietnam War casualties and the nation's ability to win the war. And they instantly validated the antiwar protest movement. He'll be talking about his book, "Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers," copies of which will be available for sale. Reserve a seat for the free event here.
Read more about Dr. Ellsberg. The lecture will be broadcast on campus cable channel 71.
Student art exhibit opens Two exhibitions will open in the Balfour/Brutzman gallery in Bldg. 71 with a reception for the artists from 3 to 4 p.m. on Dec. 4. "Invoke: A Project to Invite Memory and Forgiveness" is a collaboration of the digital public art class. The show features the documentation of eight site-specific art "interventions" responding to memory and forgiveness. These interventions took place in public spaces on Nov. 1 in observance of Day of the Dead. The second show, "Community-Based Art: Social Change in Motion," is the capstone project of Jessica Street. By looking at the work being done in South Africa with HIV/AIDS patients, the power that comes from the merging of creativity and community becomes obvious. Students in the university's museum studies program curated the exhibit, Hours are Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday noon to 3 p.m. Parking is available in lot 71 off Sixth Avenue. Please note that the gallery will be closed Dec. 14 through Jan. 20 for winter break.
Txt Msgs Alert U*Cell phones transmit safety alerts at CSUMB*? Cell phones - a convenient way to send greetings to friends and family via text messages - have been transformed into campus communications vehicles. At CSUMB, the service is called - what else? - OTTERalert. They blast out campus-wide security and emergency communication alarms - a service that has been getting a lot of attention since the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech.The campus community can rest assured that OTTERalert is for emergency alerts only; those who sign up will not receive spam. Privacy is protected, and only campus administrators and members of the University Police Department can originate the messages. Read more about OTTERalert.
Wednesday, Nov. 28: The President's Speakers Series continues with a talk by Daniel Ellsberg, 7 p.m., World Theater. Overflow seating will be available in the University Center ballroom Thursday, Nov. 29: VPA's visiting artist series continues with a lecture and hands-on workshop with scientific illustrator and CSUMB Provost Kathy Cruz-Uribe, reception 6 p.m., lecture and workshop, 6:30 p.m., University Center living room. For more information, click here. Sunday, Dec. 2: Winter Concert put on by the Music and Performing Arts Department, free, 3-5 p.m., World Theater Tuesday, Dec. 4: Opening reception for new exhibit of student work in the Balfour/Brutzman Gallery in Bldg. 71, 3 to 4 p.m.
Upcoming Thursday, Dec. 6: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute's faculty research speaker series continues with a talk by Professor Johanna Poethig, "Creative Interventions in Public Space/Public Mind," 11 a.m.-noon, Alumni and Visitors Center Saturday, Dec. 8: Return of the Natives needs volunteers to help with planting in Natividad Creek Park from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Information: watershed.csumb.edu/ron
A reminder: Fourth Avenue (the street behind the Alumni and Visitors Center) between Divarty Street and Inter-Garrison Road is ONE WAY southbound. There are no plans to make the street two-way, even during the construction work in the area. It's a safety issue - the street is too narrow to safely accommodate two-way traffic and parking.
Divarty Street is now open.
Inter-Garrison Road is closed from Sixth Avenue to the entrance to parking lot 12. Fifth Avenue is closed from Inter-Garrison to the entrance to parking lot 12. The VPA buildings are accessible via parking lot 71. Parking lot 12 is accessible from A Street and Divarty Street.
Our campus is under construction. Please be cautious around construction areas. We invite you to view this short slide show created with yoursafety in mind.
Whistle-blowers wanted here - Daniel Ellsberg to speak on importance of revealing government secretsIf any era cries out for government insiders to risk their careers by exposing truths, that era is now, says a man who may be the nation's best-known whistle-blower of all time. It was 1971 when military analyst Daniel Ellsberg released the Pentagon Papers, a secret study that revealed far more about prospects for the Vietnam war effort than President Richard Nixon's administration wanted the public to know. On Wednesday, Ellsberg will speak at Cal State Monterey Bay . . . .-*Monterey Herald*, Nov. 27, 2007
Alisal has the chemistry - student team wins 'titration' competition at CSUMBAlisal High School students Miguel Zuala, Pedro Ramirez and Karina Garcia, led by teacher Paul Quiggle, placed first in the first Monterey Bay Titration Competition held at California State University, Monterey Bay. The university's Division of Science and Environmental Policy and the American Chemical Society sponsored the event, held to celebrate National Chemistry Week.- *Salinas Californian*, Nov. 27, 2007
Take time out for taiko - San Jose group to perform at CSUMB's World TheaterSan Jose Taiko will take the stage at California State University, Monterey Bay's World Theater on Dec. 6. And the group just may inspire audience members to rediscover their own heritage. Musical director PJ Hirabayashi is a third-generation Japanese American who realized that she wanted to connect with her ethnic heritage the first time she saw a taiko group perform in San Francisco.- *Salinas Californian*, Nov. 24, 2007
Be Very Afraid - Pentagon Papers whistleblower visits CSUMB, drawing frightening parallels between Vietnam and IraqDaniel Ellsberg, who released top secret Defense Department documents to the New York Times in 1971 and helped turn public sentiment against the war in Vietnam, is a hero to some Americans, a villain to others. When Ellsberg speaks at CSU Monterey Bay on Wednesday, Nov. 28, he will draw some stark parallels between the Vietnam era and today. But he says the political "crises" he sees emerging from the Bush administration are far more damaging to the country's future.- *Monterey County Weekly*, Nov. 21
Critical Key to the Future - Literacy measures a community's economic health and vitalityBy Diane Cordero de NoriegaWhy should we be worried about literacy? This is Monterey County. Surely this is not a problem for us. The data tell a different story. Among kindergartners, 46 percent begin school without the necessary pre-academic skills. By the 11th grade, only 55 percent score at the basic level or higher in English language arts, and only 60 percent in math. Stated another way, between 40 and 45 percent of our students are below the basic level in English language arts and math. Fifty-four percent of our high school graduates entering college require remediation in writing.- *Monterey County Weekly*, Nov. 21, 2007
For campus news, activities and events, please visit our news website.
After a rigorous application process, seventeen students from California State University, Monterey Bay have been chosen to study abroad for an academic year, through the university's Office of International Programs.
They are among nearly 600 students throughout the California State University system selected to study in 19 countries. They will be immersed in the academic and living environments in their host countries for a year.While Spain and Germany are the most popular choices among CSUMB students, some are studying in Sweden, France, and South Africa. Most of them have studied the language of the host country before departure.
The program started in 1963 and has offered thousands of students a chance to learn about other cultures.
CSUMB students studying abroad this year include:? Jorge Martinez, a business major from Long Beach; Omar Mendoza, a World Languages and Cultures major from Salinas; David Garcia, a health science major from Santa Ana; and Antonio Romero, a business major from Woodland, are all studying in Spain.? Gilbert Lopez, a political science major from Los Angeles; Sara Frazer, a business major from Redondo Beach; and Casey Poma, a film major from Ukiah, are studying in Germany.? Tristan Mansson-Perrone, a radio/television major from Arcata, is studying in Sweden? Simone Thompkins, an English major from Anaheim, is studying in France.? Michaela Teel, a liberal studies major from Healdsburg; and Emily Zanardi, a liberal studies major from Penngrove, are studying in the Denmark.? Liliana Castrellon, an integrated studies major from San Fernando; and Sarah Ford, a liberal studies major from Grass Valley, are studying in Mexico.? Kiigan Snaer, a global studies major from Vista, is studying in South Africa.? Denise Sanchez, a business major from Gold Run, and Michelle Sandersfeld, an earth sciences major from Mira Loma. are studying in Australia.? Lisa Melendy, an integrated studies major from Soquel, is studying in New Zealand.
Students pay the same fees and are eligible for the same financial aid they would qualify for at CSUMB. For more information on the California State University's International Programs, visit www.calstate.edu/ip
The American Honda Foundation, a non-profit philanthropic organization headquartered in Torrance, has made a $22,000 pledge to support the Recruitment in Science Education Program (RISE) at California State University, Monterey Bay. It's the first donation the foundation has made to the university.
The RISE program encourages underrepresented high school students from Marina and Salinas to expand their interest and skills in science and provides the tools and inspiration to attend college.
The American Honda Foundation was established in 1984 in conjunction with American Honda's 25th anniversary in the United States. It was established to say "thank you" to the American people for their support through the years.The foundation makes grants to worthy non-profit causes, programs and organizations that directly benefit the people of the United States in the areas of youth education and scientific education. Since its inception, it has provided more than $20 million in grants.
Thanks to this support, the RISE program will continue to serve local high school students with a mission of enhancing diversity in the sciences.
CSUMB hosts chemistry competition? A team from Alisal High School placed first in the recent Monterey Bay Titration Competition sponsored by the Division of Science and Environmental Policy and the American Chemical Society (ACS) and hosted by CSUMB's Science Club. The competition was held to celebrate National Chemistry Week.
More than 50 students from Alisal, Gonzales, Monterey and Seaside high schools as well as CSUMB competed in the event, in which titration skills were used to determine the concentration of acetic acid in vinegar. CSUMB finished second.
All participants were treated to lunch and were entered into a raffle for an iPod, a beach towel of the periodic table and other items donated by the ACS.
CSUMB plans to make the competition an annual event.
From left: Vanessa Robinson, Louie Okamoto and Garret Thomas compete for CSUMB
CSUMB participates in national 'Focus the Nation' event? Professor Dan Fernandez and Associated Students Environmental Senator Mary Berube are planning a daylong sustainability conference on campus for Jan. 31as part of the "Focus the Nation" campaign. Focus the Nation is coordinating teams of faculty and students at over 1,000 schools to collaboratively engage in a nationwide, interdisciplinary discussion about global warming solutions for America. The intent is to focus the growing concern in the country about global warming, and to create a serious, sustained and truly national discussion about clean energy solutions, linking students and citizens directly with our political leaders. Local elected officials have been invited to join the campus and the community at this event. Learn more of this event.
On the RISE? The American Honda Foundation, a non-profit philanthropic organization headquartered in Torrance, has made a $22,000 pledge to support the Recruitment in Science Education Program, which encourages underrepresented high school students from Marina and Salinas to expand their interest and skills in science and provides the tools and inspiration to attend college. Thanks to this generous support, the RISE program will continue to serve local high school students with a mission of enhancing diviersity in the sciences.The foundation makes grants to worthy non-profit causes, programs and organizations in the areas of youth education and scientific education. Since its inception, it has provided more than $20 million in grants. Learn more about RISE.
Students provide Thanksgiving dinner for 60 families? As part of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, CSUMB's Student Leadership in Service Learning team organized a meal points collection drive. Meal-point dollars donated by students will provide Thanksgiving dinners for 60 families in collaboration with the Alisal Community Healthy Start Family Resource Center and Sodexho. On Monday, students sorted bulk food into family-size portions, thenpacked and delivered the bags. Each bag contained flour, sugar, canned goods, beans, rice and tortillas. Each family also received a turkey. This is the seventh year CSUMB students have provided Thanksgiving dinners to members of the community.
Inter-Garrison Road closed for construction work? Underground hot water lines continue to be installed to distribute heat to campus buildings. When the work is finished, dozens of old boilers will be replaced by two new ones located in the Central Plant that is currently under construction next to the VPA buildings. This will result in energy savings for the campus. The installation work along Divarty Street has been completed and the street is now open. Work crews have moved to Inter-Garrison Road, starting at the intersection with Fifth Avenue. Inter-Garrison is currently closed from Sixth Avenue to the entrance to parking lot 12. Work will continue west on Inter-Garrison to Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard. Please follow the signs and look for updates as the work progresses.
Truths worth telling*Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg visits campus Nov. 28*? The President's Speakers Series concludes this semester's presentations with a Nov. 28 visit by Dr. Daniel Ellsberg, the RAND[Image:103007_112214_1.png] Corp. analyst who, in 1971, leaked the classified Pentagon Papers to the New York Times. The documents revealed the U.S. government had engaged in a pattern of deceiving the public about the number of Vietnam War casualties and the nation's ability to win the war. And they instantly validated the antiwar protest movement. He'll be talking about his book, "Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers," copies of which will be available for sale. Reserve a seat for the free eventhttp://csumb.edu/site/x19928.xml. Read more about Dr. Ellsberg here. The lecture will be broadcast on campus cable channel 71.
Txt Msgs Alert U*Cell phones transmit safety alerts at CSUMB*? Cell phones - a convenient way to send greetings to friends and family via text messages - have been transformed into campus communications vehicles. At CSUMB, the service is called - what else? - OTTERalert. They blast out campus-wide security and emergency communication alarms - a service that has been getting a lot of attention since the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech.The campus community can rest assured that OTTERalert is for emergency alerts only; those who sign up will not receive spam. Privacy is protected, and only campus administrators and members of the University Police Department can originate the messages. Read more about OTTERalert here.
Wednesday, Nov. 28: The President's Speaker Series concludes with a talk by Daniel Ellsberg, 7 p.m., World Theater. Free, but reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling the World Theater at 582-4580.
Upcoming? Sunday, Dec. 2: Winter Concert put on by the Music and Performing Arts Department, free, 3-5 p.m., World Theater? Thursday, Dec. 6: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute's faculty research speaker series continues with a talk by Professor Johanna Poethig, "Creative Interventions in Public Space/Public Mind," 11 a.m.-noon, Alumni and Visitors Center? Saturday, Dec. 8: Volunteers are needed to plant natives in Natividad Creek Park from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Information: watershed.csumb.edu/ron
ONGOING? Through Nov. 26: Works by students in VPA 347 Chicana/o Black Art taught by Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains and Professor Stephanie A. Johnson is on display in the library. Based on the Spanish Castas paintings of the 17th and 18th centuries which categorized the mestizaje or "mixed race" people into socially stratified positions, the students' "remix" focuses upon narratives of familial legacy, ancestral exploration, and personal cross-cultural negotiation. Using the original paintings as a background with strategic alteration and addition of elements, these modern pieces counter the divisions, legal inequities, and fears promoted by the historical Castas paintings. The students developed their own narratives and reflections of hope in the new Castas images.
The fall issue of Campus Chronicles is now available online. Read about:
? Marian Krause makes CSUMB's largest single-family gift in history? Library to usher in new era of learning? Community provides major support for the campus? Dedication to students makes a difference? CSUMB receives prestigious McNair scholars grant? CSUMB helps migrant students attain college dream? School's never out for lifelong learners
? A reminder: Fourth Avenue (the street behind the Alumni and Visitors Center) between Divarty Street and Inter-Garrison Road is ONE WAY southbound. There are no plans to make the street two-way, even during the construction work in the area. It's a safety issue - the street is too narrow to safely accommodate two-way traffic and parking.
? Divarty Street is now open.
? Inter-Garrison Road is closed from Sixth Avenue to the entrance to parking lot 12. Fifth Avenue is closed from Inter-Garrison to the entrance to parking lot 12. The VPA buildings are accessible via parking lot 71. Parking lot 12 is accessible from A Street and Divarty Street.
? Our campus is under construction. Please be cautious around construction areas. We invite you to view this short slide show created with yoursafety in mind.
Name dropperMichael W. Mahan has joined Cal State Monterey Bay as executive director of development. He will oversee the university's fundraising efforts and alumni relations. Mahan joins the campus from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he had been the chief fundraising executive since 1995.- *Monterey Herald*, Nov. 19, 2007
OTTERalert gets testedCal State Monterey Bay is making sure students are well informed in case of an emergency. The university tested out its emergency response system by sending out text messages to students and staff who have signed up. After the tragic school shooting at Virginia Tech, CSUMB is stepping up its policies to make sure students know what's going on in case of an emergency.*KION-46*, 5 p.m. broadcast, Nov. 14, 2007
Faces of the HomelessStudents in the university's Service Learning program hosted a panel discussion with members of the Soledad Street community to commemorate National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.*KSMS-67*, 11 p.m. broadcast, Nov. 14, 2007
Shantytown builds awareness - CSUMB students shed light on homelessnessA group of students at California State University, Monterey Bay will camp out at the school this week to bring attention to homelessness. A "shantytown" was set up Wednesday in the university's Main Quad to illustrate living conditions and statistics relevant to homelessness, poverty and inadequate housing in Monterey County. The display is part of CSUMB's week of activities to commemorate National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, which began Tuesday and runs through Monday.- *Salinas Californian*, Nov. 15, 2007
For campus news, activities and events, please visit our news website.
Two exhibitions will open in the campus art gallery on Dec. 4 with a reception for the artists from 3 to
"Invoke: A Project to Invite Memory and Forgiveness" is a collaboration of the digital public art class. The show features the documentation of eight site-specific art "interventions" responding to memory and forgiveness. These interventions took place in public spaces on Nov. 1 in observance of Day of the Dead.
The second show, "Community-Based Art: Social Change in Motion," is the capstone project of Jessica Street. By looking at the work being done in South Africa with HIV/AIDS patients, the power that comes from the merging of creativity and community becomes obvious.
For more information, please call 582-3005; a map of campus is available at csumb.edu/map.
Two exhibitions will open in the art gallery at California State University, Monterey Bay on Dec. 4 with a reception for the artists from 3 to 4 p.m. that day.
"Invoke: A Project to Invite Memory and Forgiveness" is a collaboration of the digital public art class. The show features the documentation of eight site-specific art "interventions" responding to memory and forgiveness. These interventions took place in public spaces on Nov. 1 in observance of Day of the Dead.
The second show, "Community-Based Art: Social Change in Motion," is the capstone project of Jessica Street. By looking at the work being done in South Africa with HIV/AIDS patients, the power that comes from the merging of creativity and community becomes obvious.
Students in the university's museum studies program curated the exhibit, which is on display in the Balfour/Brutzman Gallery in Bldg. 71 on the CSUMB campus. Hours are Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday noon to 3 p.m. Parking is available in lot 71 off Sixth Avenue. Please note that the gallery will be closed Dec. 14 through Jan. 20 for winter break.
For more information, please call 582-3005; a map of campus is available at csumb.edu/map.
Students and faculty combine scientific knowledge, practical know-how, and a penchant for tinkering to invent new research tools"Don't look into the green lights, the lasers could blind you," says Professor Steve Moore, the director of the Ecosystem Electronics Lab, EEL for short. The lasers he's warning about are mounted to the ROVing Otter, a suitcase-sized robotic submarine usually deployed in Whaler's Cove off Point Lobos, just one of the devices under development at the lab. Coveted by schoolchildren across the nation, a chance to pilot the ROVing Otter brings students into the murky depths of a kelp forest - made less murky via headlights and green lasers - where they use the ROVing Otter's web-based control system to steer the vehicle deep beneath the undulating kelp. A streaming video webcam mounted to the vessel allows students to check out anemones on the seafloor, follow fish, or have a close encounter with a harbor seal, all from their own classroom.Today the Otter sits on a cluttered countertop amid circuit boards, screwdrivers, and spools of wire, waiting for Mike Bass ('08) to finish testing a new set of more powerful, more efficient thrusters (better maneuverability for following fish) as part of his senior Capstone project in the Earth Systems Science & Policy major.While Steve plays with the lasers, Mike is bent over a Coleman cooler that has been transformed into a test tank, measuring the thrust generated by a tiny motorized propeller. After fiddling with the setup for a few minutes, he gives it the juice. The propeller whirrs into action, jerking through the tank. Mike checks a gauge to see how much power it took, and makes a note.Across the room Coastal and Watershed Science & Policy grad students Tamara Myers ('09) Shane Anderson ('09), and Amanda Grant ('09) string electronic sensors onto small foam buoys. "We're working on a prototype for a low cost flow sensor," says Shane, attaching the sensor to the buoy with a small wire.When finished, these sensors will be positioned offshore in Monterey Bay to help assess fish habitat preferences. The fish in these areas have already been tagged and their movements are being tracked as part of a study led by CSUMB professor James Lindholm. The sensors will measure ocean conditions like light, temperature and water movement. When these data are correlated with data from the tagged fish, CSUMB scientists will be able to hypothesize what environmental factors make an area attractive to fish. This information, in turn, can be used by state and federal agencies to help protect the long-term sustainability of the local fishing industry.The scientists in the EEL invent out of necessity, developing new research tools because they either don't yet exist or the tools that do exist cost too much. They bring together a diverse array of scientific and engineering disciplines - from ecology to robotics - and combine those with a strong sense of what's practical and a penchant for tinkering. The result: usable technologies that reveal the natural world in new ways.They don't limit themselves to aquatic environments either. Though she hasn't made a final decision, Tamara is in talks with the Ventana Wildlife Society (VWS) about a project that might help bring California condors back from the brink of extinction. Based on earlier EEL success with a wild barn owl nest camera done in collaboration with the Hastings Natural History Reserve and Carmel Middle School, the proposal involves placing web cameras in the nests of condors recently released from captivity. Usually located in craggy cliff faces or isolated canyons, condor nests are nearly impossible to monitor. But, with today's technology, conservationists may be able to observe the nesting birds and learn what factors help or hurt their nesting success.Though the project has potential, Tamara faces some intense challenges. How will she power the cameras? How will she transmit the data? How will she design the system so that biologists can mount the cameras without disturbing the birds? How will she keep costs within the budget of a small nonprofit? Tough questions, but also the sort of stuff EEL thrives on.Several campus and community partners, including WeTEC, the CSUMB IT department, California State Parks, the Lindbergh Foundation, and Remote Ocean Systems, Inc., provide the tools and financial support that make solutions possible on a number of projects. As Steve points out, "The Ecosystem Electronics Lab provides fantastic learning opportunities for CSUMB students while developing unique nature-observing technologies to support a wide variety of ecosystem research and education efforts. That's a tall order for a small lab, and we depend heavily on generous support from many campus and community partners - including funding agencies, businesses, and private individuals - who provide the needed expertise, equipment, supplies, and funding."In a world where technology is increasingly linked to a number of environmental ills - global warming, habitat destruction, landfills overflowing with e-waste - the students and faculty at work in the EEL operate on a different paradigm, one in which robots work to save the seafloor and raptors star in their own 24/7 web-based reality shows. It's a place where technology and ecology come together for research, discovery, education and conservation. Just watch out for the green lasers.Related Links:Division of Science and Environmental Policy (http://sep.csumb.edu/sep/)More about the ROVing Otter:WeTEC Page ([ http://csumb.edu/site/x17370.xml ]http://csumb.edu/site/x17370.xml)ROVing Otter Homepage ([ http://science.csumb.edu/ro/ ]http://science.csumb.edu/ro/)Institute for Applied Marine Ecology ([ http://sep.csumb.edu/iame/ ]http://sep.csumb.edu/iame/)Carmel Middle School Owl Cam (http://home.csumb.edu/m/mooresteve/world/courses/zoology/OwlCam/CMS_OwlCam_Moore.htm)
Alisal High School students Miguel Zauala, Pedro Ramirez and Karina Garcia, led by teacher Paul Quiggle, placed first in the recent Monterey Bay Titration Competition. California State University, Monterey Bay's Division of Science and Environmental Policy and the American Chemical Society (ACS) sponsored the event, which was held at CSUMB to celebrate National Chemistry Week.
Members of the university's Science Club hosted the event.
More than 50 students from Alisal, Gonzales, Monterey and Seaside high schools as well as CSUMB competed in the event, in which titration skills were used to determine the concentration of acetic acid in vinegar.
All participants were treated to lunch and were entered into a raffle for an iPod, a beach towel of the periodic table and other items donated by the ACS.
CSUMB plans to make the competition an annual event.
Division of Student Affairs launches First-Year Call Center
The Vice President's Office of Student Affairs has implemented the First-Year Call Center. The Call Center provides another way to reach out to first-year students and inform them of campus information, advising and registration deadlines, discuss their overall satisfaction, educate them about how to get involved, as well as answering any questions or concerns. "Our goal is to call each student twice during their first year; collecting this information will lend insight into increasing our institutional effectiveness," says Sue Borrego, vice president for student affairs.
Coordinated by staff member Rachelle Bass, the Call Center is located in the Student Services Building (47). A student team has been trained and will contact each new freshman and transfer student. The information collected from these calls will be evaluated to determine any themes and inform programs geared toward increasing students' success. First-Year Call Center team members are Maria Ceja, Louie Okamoto, Isabel Lopez, Yandara Rodriguez-Jacob, Marianne Roush, and Zachary Kasow. For any questions concerning the Call Center, please contact Rachelle at 582-4160 or via e-mail.
Inter-Garrison Road closes for construction work
Underground hot water lines continue to be installed to distribute heat to campus buildings. When the work is finished, dozens of old boilers will be replaced by two new ones located in the Central Plant that is currently under construction next to the VPA buildings. This will result in energy savings for the campus. The installation work along Divarty Street has been completed and the street is now open. Work crews have moved to Inter-Garrison Road, starting at the intersection with Fifth Avenue. The work will result in Inter-Garrison being closed from Fifth Avenue to the north entrance of Parking Lot 12. Work will continue west on Inter-Garrison to Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard. Please follow the signs and look for updates as the work progresses.
CSUMB librarian honored for international contributions
Steven Watkins, one of CSUMB's founding librarians, was awarded the first ever lifetime membership by a marine science library association for his contributions throughout the years. The International Association of Aquatic and Marine Science Libraries and Information Centers' executive board created the award specifically to honor Steve for his many years of service to the organization. Steve is currently the coordinator of technology development at CSUMB's library. He joined the faculty in 1995 and is a past chair of the CSUMB Academic Senate. He is a frequent presenter on technolgy-enabled library services and a longtime contributor to collaborative library programs in the Monterey Bay region. He holds a master of library science degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor of science degree in biology from Stanford University. Read more about Steven Watkins here.
TAT students honored at CSU Media Arts Festival
Igor Borovac and Megan Comstock were honored at the recent CSU Media Arts Festival held at CSU Channel Islands. During the festival, students also had the opportunity to attend seminars hosted by top entertainment industry professionals including writer and director Peter Tolan, whose credits include Just Like Heaven and Analyze This, and Thomas Mignone, music video director for bands including System of a Down and Megadeth. In the awards competition, more than 230 pieces were submitted by students in a variety of categories from 15 CSU campuses. Borovac, director of Turn Back South, and Comstock, who produced the film, took third place in the documentary category.
Flu shots available on campus
The Campus Health Center is offering flu shots to the campus community and general public for $25. Call 582-3965, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to schedule an appointment. Insurance cannot be billed. Payment must be made in cash, check, credit card or money order at the time of service.
Truths worth telling*Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg visits campus Nov. 28*The President's Speakers Series concludes this semester's presentations with a Nov. 28 visit by Dr. Daniel Ellsberg, the RANDCorp. analyst who, in 1971, leaked the classified Pentagon Papers to the New York Times. The documents revealed the U.S. government had engaged in a pattern of deceiving the public about the number of Vietnam War casualties and the nation's ability to win the war. And they instantly validated the antiwar protest movement. He'll be talking about his book, "Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers," copies of which will be available for sale. Reserve a seat here. Read more about Dr. Ellsberg here.
Txt Msgs Alert U*Cell phones transmit safety alerts at CSUMB***Cell phones - a convenient way to send greetings to friends and family via text messages - have been transformed into campus communications vehicles. At CSUMB, the service is called - what else? - OTTERalert. They blast out campus-wide security and emergency communication alarms - a service that has been getting a lot of attention since the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech.The campus community can rest assured that OTTERalert is for emergency alerts only; those who sign up will not receive spam. Privacy is protected, and only campus administrators and members of the University Police Department can originate the messages. Read more about OTTERalert here.
Wedneday, Nov. 14: "Faces of Homelessness," panel discussion featuring members of the Soledad Street community and service providers, 7-9 p.m., University Center living room.
Wednesday, Nov. 14: All Dead Turkeys Go to Heaven, a performance by CSUMB's improv comedy troupe, free, 8 pm., Meeting House
Thursday, Nov. 15: Warren Miller's Playground, 7 p.m., World Theater
Thursday, Nov. 15: Shantytown monologue performance on the main quad starting at 8 p.m. Part of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.
Upcoming: Sunday, Dec. 2: Winter Concert put on by the Music and Performing Arts Department, free, 3-5 p.m., World Theater
Saturday, Dec. 8: Volunteers are needed to plant natives in Natividad Creek Park from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Information: watershed.csumb.edu/ron
ONGOINGThrough Nov. 26: Works by students in VPA 347 Chicana/o Black Art taught by Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains and Professor Stephanie A. Johnson is ondisplay in the library. Based on the Spanish Castas paintings of the 17th and 18th centuries which categorized the mestizaje or "mixed race" people into socially stratified positions, the students' "remix" focuses upon narratives of familial legacy, ancestral exploration, and personal cross-cultural negotiation. Using the original paintings as a background with strategic alteration and addition of elements, these modern pieces counter the divisions, legal inequities, and fears promoted by the historical Castas paintings. The students developed their own narratives and reflections of hope in the new Castas images.
Students benefit from real-world experience
At CSUMB, much of the learning takes place in the real world. The university partners with organizations that provide students the opportunity to use the skills they've acquired in the classroom, make professional connections and build an impressive resume. One of those organizations is the Defense Manpower Data Center. DMDC and CSUMB have worked together since 1996, providing real-world opportunities for students.
The two organizations recently signed an agreement to continue working together. "This is a very exciting event for me, our campus, and most of all, our students," President Dianne F. Harrison said at the signing ceremony. "I talk about this a lot when I talk about partnerships and hands-on experiences for students."
A reminder: Fourth Avenue (the street behind the Alumni and Visitors Center) between Divarty Street and Inter-Garrison Road is ONE WAY southbound. There are no plans to make the street two-way, even during the construction work in the area. It's a safety issue - the street is too narrow to safely accommodate two-way traffic and parking.
Divarty Street is now open.
Inter-Garrison Road is closed from Sixth Avenue to the north entrance of parking lot 12. Fifth Avenue will be closed from Inter-Garrison to the entrance to parking lot 12. The VPA buildings are accessible via parking lot 71. Parking lot 12 is accessible from A Street and Divarty Street.
Our campus is under construction. Please be cautious around construction areas. We invite you to view this short slide show created with your safety in mind.
CSUMB heads to Santa Clara
It may have been eight months ago, but the time between the end of last season and the beginning of this one sure has seemed like an eternity for Cal State Monterey Bay men's basketball coach Pat Kosta. "We're finally about to compete in a real game," said Kosta, who is in his second year at the helm. . . "We're ready to play."- *Monterey Herald*, Nov. 9, 2007
'The Good Woman' a gutsy undertaking for CSUMB
It's a gutsy undertaking to stage Bertolt Brecht's "The Good Woman of Setzuan" as the inaugural theater offering for Cal State Monterey Bay's new Music and Performing Arts Department. . ."The Good Woman" is free of charge, a gift to the public from this new theater. (Professor Will) Shephard hs created an intriguing theater experience in the old church. See for yourself.- *Monterey Herald*, Nov. 8, 2007
Final two days to visit CSUMB exhibitions
There's just time to catch Guardians and Walking Through, two exhibitions of works by students at CSUMB. These exhibits provide a propitious glimpse of what is being created by the community's emerging artists. . . . These exhibitions were curated by students of CSUMB's museum studies program . . .- *Monterey County Weekly*, Nov. 8, 2007
Film explores transformation of Inland area
There's a rare chance today to see Enid Baxter Blader's "Local 909er," an experimental documentary that explores the rapid transformation of the Inland region from orchards and dairy farms to box stores and McMansions. . . Blader, assistant professor of digital cinema at Cal State Monterey Bay whose artworks have been shown at MOCA and the Smithsonian, is a filmmaker, painter, bluegrass singer and new mother with a family emergency that will keep her from attending. The theme came to Blader when she was living in Upland a few years ago and noticed the disparity between the historic downtown and the hoopla surrounding new developments. She began to wonder about the loss of identity of place.- *Riverside Press-Enterprise*, Nov. 7, 2007
For campus news, activities and events, please visit our news website.
Kinesiology professor Kent Adams was honored by the National Strength and Conditioning Association at its annual conference in July.
At the meeting in Orlando, Fla., Dr. Adams was given the editorial excellence award in recognition of his work on the group's publication, the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. He serves as associate editor of the publication, primarily reviewing articles.
The NSCA is a nonprofit educational association that serves a membership of 30,000 in 52 countries. Drawing on its network of members such as Dr. Adams, it develops and presents the most advanced information regarding strength training and conditioning practices, injury prevention and research findings. It provides a bridge between the scientist in the laboratory and the practitioner in the field.
Dr. Adams, who earned a Ph.D. at Oregon State University, came to CSUMB from the University of Louisville in 2005.
His research covers the lifespan – everything from childhood obesity to osteoporosis in the elderly.
California State University, Monterey Bay's Music and Performing Arts Department will present its annual winter concert on Dec. 2. This year's theme is Winter Solstice.
The university's gospel choir and small vocal ensemble Nuovo Plaisir - both directed by Professor Paulette Gissendanner - will perform. Also on the program is the CSUMB Brass Ensemble, a clarinet and piano duet, and the community choral group Voices by the Sea. They will be accompanid by Elena Volkova and Bobby Peoples.
The concert will start at 3 p.m. in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue. The event is free, and no tickets are necessary. For more information, call 582-3009. For directions and a map of campus, visit the web at csumb.edu.
WHAT: Winter ConcertWHEN: 3-5 p.m., Dec.2, 2007WHERE: World Theater, Sixth Avenue, CSUMB campusCOST: FreePARKING: Free in Lot 28INFORMATION/DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS: 582-3009
Steven Watkins, one of CSU Monterey Bay's founding librarians, was awarded the first ever lifetime membership by a marine science library association for his contributions throughout the years.
The International Association of Aquatic and Marine Science Libraries and Information Centers' executive board created the award specifically to honor Mr. Watkins and his many years of service to the organization.
"We expect senior librarians to influence the profession beyond their institution. In addition to the contributions he makes every day to CSUMB, our organization has benefited from Steve's background in technology and his interest in the use of open source software for library applications. He has clearly influenced the profession of marine and aquatic science librarianship on a global scale," said IAMSLIC's president Barbara Butler in presenting the award at the group's annual conference in Saratoga, Fla.
Mr. Watkins was instrumental in creating IAMSLIC's very successful international resource-sharing program. This pioneering project enables member libraries to locate and obtain scientific publications from other libraries around the world to support research being conducted at their institutions. As marine and aquatic research has become increasingly global in scope, this system enables students and researchers in CSUMB's Coastal and Watershed Science & Policy program, for instance, to gain access to important studies being conducted on coastal environments worldwide. During the past year alone, 110 IAMSLIC libraries in 44 countries obtained nearly 4,000 documents using this system. Five libraries in the Monterey Bay region are active contributors to the resource-sharing program, including CSUMB.
Mr. Watkins is currently the coordinator of technology development at CSUMB's library. He joined the faculty in 1995 and is a past chair of the CSUMB Academic Senate. He is a frequent presenter on technology-enabled library services and a longtime contributor to collaborative library programs in the Monterey Bay region. He holds a master of library science degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor's of science degree in biology from Stanford University.
Michael W. Mahan has joined California State University, Monterey Bay as executive director of development. He will oversee the university's fundraising efforts and alumni relations.
Mr. Mahan joins the campus from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, where he had been the chief fundraising executive since 1995. During his time at West Point, he designed and executed comprehensive fundraising programs with an emphasis on developing major and planned giving programs, as well as donor stewardship. Prior to that, Mr. Mahan served on the faculty as an associate professor.
He is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and holds a master's of science degree in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
A retired lieutenant colonel, Mr. Mahan served two tours of duty at Fort Ord, and has maintained a residence in Oak Hills.
Steven Watkins, one of CSUMB's founding librarians, was awarded the first ever lifetime membership by a marine science library association for his contributions throughout the years.
The International Association of Aquatic and Marine Science Libraries and Information Centers' executive board created the award specifically to honor Mr. Watkins and his many years of service to the organization.
"We expect senior librarians to influence the profession beyond their institution. In addition to the contributions he makes every day to CSUMB, our organization has benefited from Steve's background in technology and his interest in the use of open source software for library applications. He has clearly influenced the profession of marine and aquatic science librarianship on a global scale," said IAMSLIC's president Barbara Butler in presenting the award at the group's annual conference in Saratoga, Fla.
Mr. Watkins was instrumental in creating IAMSLIC's very successful international resource-sharing program. This pioneering project enables member libraries to locate and obtain scientific publications from other libraries around the world to support research being conducted at their institutions. As marine and aquatic research has become increasingly global in scope, this system enables students and researchers in CSUMB's Coastal and Watershed Science & Policy program, for instance, to gain access to important studies being conducted on coastal environments worldwide. During the past year alone, 110 IAMSLIC libraries in 44 countries obtained nearly 4,000 documents using this system. Five libraries in the Monterey Bay region are active contributors to the resource-sharing program, including CSUMB.
Mr. Watkins also created an online membership database that works in conjunction with the resource-sharing program and online voting system. According to Butler, "IAMSLIC has nearly 400 members who come from both developed and developing nations worldwide. Some of us work in small one-person libraries while others are from large academic institutions. Steve's work on behalf of IAMSLIC allows us all to share resources. The success of these open-source solutions to our technology needs is evident - members of other small organizations are attempting to emulate Steve's work."
While serving as IAMSLIC President in 2003-04, Watkins successfully negotiated formal cooperative agreements between IAMSLIC and the Fisheries Division of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and between IAMSLIC and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO. The lifetime award also recognizes his leadership in establishing these important inter-institutional relationships.
Mr. Watkins is currently the coordinator of technology development at CSUMB's library. He joined the faculty in 1995 and is a past chair of the CSUMB Academic Senate. He is a frequent presenter on technology-enabled library services and a longtime contributor to collaborative library programs in the Monterey Bay region. He holds a master of library science degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor of science degree in biology from Stanford University.
More information about IAMSLIC is available at http://www.iamslic.org
The Music and Performing Arts Department will present its annual winter concert on Dec. 2. The university's gospel choir and small vocal ensemble Nuovo Plaisir - both directed by Professor Paulette Gissendanner - will perform. Also on the program is the CSUMB Brass Ensemble, a clarinet and piano duet, and the community choral group Voices by the Sea. They will be accompanied by Elena Volkova and Bobby Peoples. The concert will start at 3 p.m. in the World Theater. The event is free, and no tickets are necessary. For more information, call 582-3009.
California State University, Monterey Bay and the Defense Manpower Data Center have worked together in a variety of ways since 1996. The two organizations recently agreed to continue the arrangement for several more years.
The data center, located in the former Silas B. Hays hospital building on the Seaside portion of Fort Ord, collects, archives, and maintains manpower and personnel data, as well as financial databases for the Department of Defense. In other words, it's the personnel and payroll office for the U.S. military.
Over the years, the data center has provided more than 140 job opportunities for CSUMB students from a variety of academic programs. These positions have supported students in their studies, provided professional experience and often resulted in career employment with the center. The university students have provided DMDC with valuable professional staff members.
In a memorandum of understanding signed recently, the data center and university officials agreed to continue to cooperate on educational, research and service goals, including the internship program. Student interns help the center with computer support and programming, data collection, transfer and storage, network analysis and security of DoD technology.
One project students have worked on involves "smart cards," Defense Department identification cards that contain microprocessor chips. One chip contains a DoD employee's secure digital credentials, serving as a paperless voucher. Millions of the "smart cards" have been issued.
The putting greens are a little bumpy, the "holes" stand five feet above ground and the fairways are far from manicured. But the greens fees are free and golf shoes aren't required. The disc golf courses at California State University, Monterey Bay won't remind anyone of Pebble Beach, but for disc golfers, the 36 holes of the Oaks and Cypress courses are magical.
The university's Disc Golf Club invites the public to attend the West Coast College Open on Saturday, Nov. 10, when the Otters take on a team from UC-Santa Cruz. The first disc flies at 9 a.m. on the Cypress Course. The afternoon round will be played on the Oaks Course starting at 1 p.m.
This will be only the second time on the West Coast that two universities have officially played each other in disc golf. CSUMB has hosted professional tournaments for the last nine years, but there has been only one other intercollegiate tournament.
The hope is eventually to have a regional league involving UC-Santa Cruz, San Jose State, Santa Clara, San Francisco State and CSUMB.
A schedule for Saturday's tournament, a map and parking directions are available at clubs.csumb.edu/discgolf.
Students at California State University, Monterey Bay have organized a week of events to commemorate National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, Nov. 13-19. The week's activities will give students and community members an opportunity to get involved as well as raise awareness around issues of hunger and homelessness.
From 7 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 14, a panel will be held in the University Center Living Room called "Faces of Homelessness." Members of the Soledad Street community and service providers will talk about issues relating to hunger and poverty in our area. An exhibit of photography depicting the people of Soledad Street will be on display.A "shantytown" will be set up in the university's Main Quad on Nov. 15 to illustrate living conditions and statistics relevant to homelessness, poverty and inadequate housing in Monterey County. That night, students will perform vignettes based on interviews with local homeless people. The vignettes will be followed by a student-led discussion on hunger, homelessness and poverty and strategies for addressing those issues.
Students have also organized a meal points collection drive. Meal-point dollars donated by CSUMB students will provide Thanksgiving dinners for 80 families in collaboration with the Alisal Healthy Start Family Resource Center and Sodexho, the university's food service provider. The Thanksgiving Meal Point Drive is in its seventh year and offers CSUMB students the opportunity to make a significant impact, contributing both time and money to prepare and assemble the food boxes. On Nov. 19, students, faculty and staff will sort the food, and pack and deliver the boxes.
For more information or to request disability accommodations, contact Jennafer Leveille at jennafer_leveille@csumb.edu or Deborah Burke at deborah_burke@csumb.edu or 582-3631
$1 million gift received from Packard Foundation--President Dianne Harrison has recognized the David and Lucile Packard Foundation for its gift of $1 million toward the cost of the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library. "This leadership gift is a major vote of confidence in the university," said Dr. Harrison. "It represents the Foundation's deep commitment toward student success, and it sends a strong message to our community about the importance of private support for the library."When it is completed next September, the library will be the academic and social heart of the campus, CSUMB's defining building and a regional landmark.
CSUMB alum featured on State Department website--CSUMB alum Merlyn Calderon is featured on the website of the U.S. State Department, as part of its salute to Hispanic Heritage History Month. She has been a Presidential Management Fellow in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Exchanges Budget Office, since 2005. Merlyn first entered the Department of State in 2001 as a Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities intern in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of International Visitors Program. Her fellowship assignments have included staffing the U.S. Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee; special assistant to the Public Affairs Minister at the U.S. Embassy in Paris; and a member of the Passport Task Force in New Orleans. Prior to joining the State Department, Merlyn was a senior legislative assistant in the California State Legislature for Assembly Appropriations Chair Judy Chu from 2002 to 2005, where she focused on public health policy issues. She was also awarded a State Executive Fellowship with the California Department of Consumer Affairs in 2001 and 2002. Merlyn holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of Southern California, and a B.A. in Global Studies from CSUMB. A native of Salinas, she speaks Italian and Spanish. She is the youngest in her family of six children and the first to attend college.
The woman behind Integrated Studies--Teacher, thespian, poet, environmentalist, lecturer, scholar - Dr. Barbara Mossberg is a living example of integrated studies and the potential for interdisciplinarity. Or, as she describes it, living purple. "Purple is the color of Integrated Studies," says Barbara (or "Dr. B," as her students call her), who directs the IS program at CSUMB. "Just as red and blue make purple, purple represents the creativity which is forged through the fusion of arts and sciences and the disciplines that make up our students' academic dream plans." Read more about Dr. Mossberg here. Read other faculty profiles.
Truths worth telling*Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg visits campus Nov. 28***--The President's Speakers Series concludes this semester's presentations with a Nov. 28 visit by Dr. Daniel Ellsberg, the RAND Corp. analyst who, in 1971, leaked the classified Pentagon Papers to the New York Times. The documents revealed the U.S. government had engaged in a pattern of deceiving the public about the number of Vietnam War casualties and the nation's ability to win the war. And they instantly validated the antiwar protest movement. He'll be talking about his book, "Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers," copies of which will be available for sale. Reserve a seat here. Read more about Dr. Ellsberg here.
Txt Msgs Alert U*Cell phones transmit safety alerts at CSUMB*--Cell phones - a convenient way to send greetings to friends and family via text messages - have been transformed into campus communications vehicles. At CSUMB, the service is called - what else? - OTTERalert. They blast out campus-wide security and emergency communication alarms - a service that has been getting a lot of attention since the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech.The campus community can rest assured that OTTERalert is for emergency alerts only; those who sign up will not receive spam. Privacy is protected, and only campus administrators and members of the University Police Department can originate the messages. Read more about OTTERalert here.
TAT student to screen film in Monterey--Estee Blancher will show her film, Heaven Come Down: Stories of the Lower Ninth Ward, about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, at the East Village Cafe on Monday, Nov. 12 from 6 to 9 p.m. The cafe is located at 498 Washington Street, Monterey. Screenings will be held every hour, followed by a discussion with the filmmaker on the current situation in the Gulf Coast region. Read more about Estee Blancher and her project.
-Wednesday, Nov. 7: Open house informational session for the Master of Public Policy program, 6-7:30 p.m., Alumni and Visitors Center.-Thursday, Nov. 8: Strategic planning town hall meeting, noon-2 p.m., University Center ballroom- Thursday, Nov. 8-Saturday, Nov. 10: The Good Woman, a play by Bertolt Brecht, presented by the Department of Music and Performing Arts, 8 p.m., in the Meeting House. Free.- Tuesday, Nov. 13: Ergonomics and Preventing Repetitive Stress Injuries, a presentation by the CSUMB Safety Team. Two sessions - 12:30 to 2 p.m. and 2 to 3:30 p.m., University Center conference rooms. Register at [https://cmsweb.csumb.edu/HMBPRD](https://cmsweb.csumb.edu/HMBPRD "https://cmsweb.csumb.edu/HMBPRD")- Tuesday, Nov. 13: Open house at the Reading Center, Bldg. 59, 3 to 6 p.m.- Tuesday, Nov. 13: Open house at the Visual and Public Art Department, 5 p.m.
ONGOING- Through Nov. 9: "Guardians," works by students in the painting and mural class, and "Walking Through," pieces by sculpture students, are on display in the Balfour/Brutzman Gallery in VPA Bldg. 71. In "Guardians," students created self-portraits to express their thoughts about what they might guard or protect. The pieces in "Walking Through" are made of wire; pliers were used to bend and shape the material into the form of shoes. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday noon to 3 p.m.- Through Nov. 26: Works by students in VPA 347 Chicana/o Black Art taught by Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains and Professor Stephanie A. Johnson is on display in the library. Based on the Spanish Castas paintings of the 17th and 18th centuries which categorized the mestizaje or "mixed race" people into socially stratified positions, the students' "remix" focuses upon narratives of familial legacy, ancestral exploration, and personal cross-cultural negotiation. Using the original paintings as a background with strategic alteration and addition of elements, these modern pieces counter the divisions, legal inequities, and fears promoted by the historical Castas paintings. The students developed their own narratives and reflections of hope in the new Castas images.
The November issue of Campus Connection is now online. Read about:
- Strategic planning process is under way- $4 million gift to fund scholarships- CSUMB's electronic nerve center- Meet Gigi Kiama- President Harrison takes to the skies . . . Sky Radio, that is
- A reminder: Fourth Avenue (the street behind the Alumni and Visitors Center) between Divarty Street and Inter-Garrison Road is ONE WAY southbound. There are no plans to make the street two-way, even during the construction work in the area. It's a safety issue - the street is too narrow to safely accommodate two-way traffic and parking.
- Third Avenue is closed to through traffic from Inter-Garrison Road to Divarty Street while five wooden structures along Third are coming down. Access to the Outdoor Recreation Center, the Child Development Center and parking lot 84 will be available only from Inter-Garrison. The work is expected to be completed in late October.
- Fifth Avenue is closed to traffic.
- Divarty Street between Fourth Avenue and Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard is open to westbound traffic only. Divarty remains closed from Fourth east to the site of the new library. Traffic traveling north on Engineer Lane will be able to access the Human Resources Building, and Parking Lots 21 and 23. Traffic can access the lots by turning off Gen. Jim Moore onto the small road just south of Divarty Street, adjacent to the Veterans Clinic. This road connects to Engineer Lane and to the entrance to Parking Lot 23. Parking Lot 21 will be accessed via a newly constructed entrance at the southwest corner of Parking Lot 23.
- Our campus is under construction. Please be cautious around construction areas. We invite you to view this short slide show created with your safety in mind.
Otters ready for playoff run
If you think the Cal State Monterey Bay men's soccer team's only goal was to make the playoffs, think again. Courtesy of a dramatic come-from-behind 2-2 tie against CSU-Los Angeles last Sunday, the Otters qualified for the California Collegiate Athletic Association's post-season tournament, which begins today in Carson.- *Monterey Herald*, Nov. 2, 2007
Dance for Dead - Mexican holiday fetes spirits
Surrounded by massive flower-adorned altars, to the beat of drums and the scent of burning sage, hundreds of people carried candles at Cal State Monterey Bay on a fog-drenched Thursday night to celebrate the memory of loved ones passed away. Produced by the school's Visual and Public Art Department, the event was part of the contemporary revival of the traditional Mexican Days of the Dead, in which deceased friends and family are remembered and honored on Nov. 1 and 2.- *Monterey Herald*, Nov. 2, 2007
Voice of the people at Author's Table
Through the devastation of the Southern California fires, Los Angeles Times columnist Al Martinez found himself doing what he does best - writing. . . Martinez will be one of 16 authors participating in the sixth annual Author's Table, co-sponsored by Cal State Monterey Bay and the National Steinbeck Center, Sunday and Monday.- *Monterey Herald*, Nov. 2, 2007
Family key element for CSUMB donors
Stephen Weldon, the director of Planned Giving for California State University, Monterey Bay, said his approach is a little different from that used by his peers at other academic institutions. "What we focus on is learning about the family history, its values, ethics and the challenges they have overcome," Weldon said.- *Salinas Californian*, Nov. 1, 2007
CSUMB gets $1M grant for doctoral students
College students interested in pursuing doctoral studies might get an extra boost as a result of a federal grant received this week at Cal State Monterey Bay. Officials at the college announced Tuesday it had received almost $1 million to help minority students pursue Ph.D.s. The grant from the U.S. Department of Education is part of the Robert E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program. "The fact that we will be adding to the preparation of students who will be McNair scholars means they have a much better chance in getting into very prestigious Ph.D. programs," said CSUMB president Dianne Harrison.- *Monterey Herald*, Nov. 1, 2007
Brecht tweak - Cal State Monterey Bay provides a modern backbeat to 'The Good Woman (of Setzuan)'Cal State Monterey Bay's production of Bertolt Brecht's "The Good Woman (of Setzuan)" contains a somewhat unique set of elements, which together seemingly provide the makings of an engrossing night of drama, one in which you can lose yourself in the action on stage.The tickets are free (cool). The "theater" is a converted army chapel referred to as "The Meeting House" (quaint). The audience is interspersed among the actors and action of the play, an intimate 65-70 seated per performance (cozy). The characters wear hand-made masks crafted by professor, director and mask-maker Will Shepherd (classy). But don't get too comfortable.- *Monterey Herald*, Nov. 1, 2007
Table Talk - The Author's Table revives the lost art of the literary salon. . . . Called the Author's Table, the event, now in its sixth year, combines the nourishment of a dinner party with the literary exchange of a salon. Literary salons - intimate and intellectual gatherings at the homes of distinguished people - once flourished throughout Europe. Most famous, perhaps, is that of Gertrude Stein where she hosted Picasso, Hemingway, Fitzgerald and others. Closer to home, Henry Miller hosted salons that attracted artists, writers and celebrities from all corners. The Steinbeck Center and CSU Monterey Bay collaborate on the Author's Table, which consists of a 200-person champagne reception/luncheon at CSU Monterey Bay's University Center paneled by six of the Author's Table authors; a VIP opening reception for all 15 authors at Pasadera Country Club; and Monday evening dinners at the homes of notable local hosts, each starting at 6pm, each attended by one author, all open to the public.- *Monterey County Weekly*, Nov. 1, 2007
Talking about Anime
INK writer Leslie Escobar sits down with members of the CSUMB Anime Club to find all the buzz in Japanese animationAlan Sprenkel has seen the effects of anime obsession up close. Sprenkel, 22, dressed up as a favorite anime - short for Japanese animation - character, Kakashi, a few years ago at a convention. "The first year I did a good one I had fan girls who liked this character getting 20-foot-long running starts and tackling me to the ground," said Sprenkel, who's a student at California State University, Monterey Bay. "Last year I got lucky because my girlfriend came with us and every time she saw someone coming, she literally got between us and went, 'No, it's mine,' because she is as big of a Kakashi girl as the girls who tackle me." Trevor Nagy, a CSUMB student and friend of Sprenkel's, smiled as the story was told as the two hung out at the Otter Bay Restaurant on campus. Nagy and Sprenkel are both members of the CSUMB Anime Club, which was formed about nine years ago. Throughout the years, both said they've noticed a surging interest in anime and manga, or Japanese comics. Today, the club has about 50 members.- *Salinas Californian*, Nov. 1, 2007
Police pedal CSUMB area - eight of 14 officers patrol Seaside campus on bicycles
If you've been on the California State University, Monterey Bay campus in the past couple of months, you may have noticed a few new bicyclists zipping around the Seaside campus. . . Police say patrolling on mountain bikes allows them easier access to quad areas and walking trails and makes them more approachable by students, faculty, staff and visitors on campus. "People seem to like it because you blend in more with the public," said Officer David Ham, adding that he enjoys biking so much he's been invited to join the campus bike club on weekend rides.- *Salinas Californian*, Nov. 1, 2007
At CSUMB, much of the learning takes place in the real world. The university partners with organizations that provide students the opportunity to use the skills they've acquired in the classroom, make professional connections and build an impressive resume.
One of those organizations is the Defense Manpower Data Center. DMDC and CSUMB have worked together since 1996, providing real-world opportunities for students.
The two organizations recently signed an agreement to continue working together.
"This is a very exciting event for me, our campus, and most of all, our students," President Dianne F. Harrison said at the signing ceremony. "I talk about this program a lot when I talk about partnerships and hands-on experiences for students."
The data center, located adjacent to campus in a former hospital building on the Seaside portion of Fort Ord, is the principal repository of personnel, military manpower, survey, testing, training and financial information for the Department of Defense. In other words, it's the personnel and payroll office for the U.S. military, among other things, and routinely handles large-scale information technology projects.
Over the past five years, about 145 CSUMB students have worked at DMDC as part of the Consortium Research Fellows Program. And 43 of them - 10 percent of the organization's workforce - have become permanent employees.
"The Department of Defense is doing business in a way that's multicultural and multilingual," said Mark Breckenridge, DMDC's acting deputy director. "CSUMB students are poised for this. That's why we hire so many of them."
The Consortium Research Fellows Program started in 1981, when universities in the Washington, D.C., area and the Army established an educational and research partnership. The goal was to provide a few students in the behavioral and social sciences a chance to work in a federal research setting. Since then, the program has expanded in size and mission and now includes research opportunities for faculty. And students are now placed in a variety of government agencies, including the data center.
What kinds of CSUMB students enter the program? They have been undergraduate and graduate students and have come from more than 24 academic programs. They enhance their education by working at DMDC, and their presence enriches the DMDC workforce.
The students are assigned to research teams and work up to 20 hours per week during the school year and full-time during the summer. They earn a salary, but, more importantly, they develop professionally under the mentorship of national experts in their fields and co-author publications and presentations. Many complete their capstone projects based on their DMDC work experience.
Five former CSUMB students who are full-time employees of the agency are now mentoring the next generation of Fellows. The progression from student to employee to mentor "illustrates the vibrant spirit of cooperation that exists among DMDC, CSUMB and the consortium fellows program," according to DMDC officials.
This year, 28 of the 30 participants are CSUMB students. According to Dr. Robert Ruskin, director of the consortium research program, that represents the largest group of fellows outside of the Washington, D.C., area.
Said Dr. Ruskin: "Establishing partnerships between academic and governmental worlds is extremely useful, and I'm glad that DMDC and CSUMB will be progressing toward an even greater working relationship."
One project CSUMB students worked on involves "smart cards," Defense Department identification cards that contain microprocessor chips. One chip contains a Defense Department employee's highly secured digital credentials. Millions of the smart cards have been issued.
"This is very exciting," concluded Dr. Harrison. "We're all about assessments and outcomes. That's what this program is about."
Teacher, thespian, poet, environmentalist, lecturer, scholar - Dr. Barbara Mossberg is a living example of integrated studies and the potential for interdisciplinary. Or, as she describes it, living purple.
"Purple is the color of Integrated Studies," says Dr. Mossberg (or "Dr. B," as her students call her), who directs the IS program at CSUMB. "Just as red and blue make purple, purple represents the creativity which is forged through the fusion of arts and sciences and the disciplines that make up our students' academic dream plans."
One example of Dr. B's purple lifestyle is her scholarship on the life of Sierra Club founder John Muir. In numerous articles, public presentations, and an upcoming book, she examines how Muir, a geologist, used language arts to influence environmental public policy.
"I have a particular interest in how humanities and arts express and shape values and ideas about our environment which become public policy and legislation."
Taking fusion one step further, she is tying this research in to a theatrical production: "I'm writing a musical which interweaves how the ways artists and writers have portrayed trees intersect with politics and public policy." Though at first that may seem like a stretch, Dr. B puts in simply: "Drama is a way to bring all the different disciplines together."
Drama has been a lifelong interest for her. As a young girl, she wrote and performed plays in her neighborhood. "I invited the neighbors to my little shoebox theater and then the front yard Little Theater and sold lemonade and cookies."
For the past 30 years, she has been performing a series of her own one-woman plays based on Emily Dickinson, the subject of Dr. B's award-winning book and much of her scholarship and international lecturing.
Another recent theater credit includes a starring role as Lettice in the Carl Cherry Center for the Arts production of Lettice and Lovage.
"This play is a tribute to education and to educators. Lettice takes it upon herself to educate everyone . . . she is a helpless educator. She cannot help using every moment as an opportunity to excite passion for what there is to know. She makes each moment a teaching moment."
Perhaps Lettice isn't so far from Dr. B herself. She began her academic career teaching drama and literature at the University of Oregon. Later, her teaching career expanded to include an international appointment as senior Fulbright distinguished lecturer at the University of Helsinki where she continued teaching American literature and drama as bicentennial chair of American studies.
Over the course of her career, she's won teaching awards from every university she's been associated with (including several more Fulbright's) and served as president of Goddard College, a title she retains as Emeriti.
The U.S. State Department recognized her educational leadership and appointed her U.S. Scholar in Residence to represent American higher education in the U.S. and around the world. She's lectured and consulted for countless educational, governmental, and nonprofit organizations, proving that she's willing to take on almost any subject in any setting and make it a teachable moment. After all, it just deepens her purple hue.
Dr. Mossberg's leadership role promoting ideas about an integrated education "for the whole person, the whole life, the whole world" led to her serving as senior fellow for the American Council on Education for college and university leaders, including for the Center for Institutional and International Initiatives, and the Office of Women.
Her educational vision of "treating with reverence each other and the earth" drew her immediately to CSUMB's Vision, and once on campus, she was drawn "like a moth to a flame" to the Integrated Studies program. Based on her educational philosophy and values, she seeks to empower students and faculty to embrace their various interests and curiosities and synthesize those ideas into meaningful educational plans.
"The students burst into my office with an ambitious agenda fueled by their own conscience and idealism and practical goals for how to make a difference in their world. I ask them, what experiences, abilities, skills, and knowledge do you need to play this role? We consider our whole CSUMB curriculum, faculty, and programs as the canvas on which to draw. We are a team that fosters the ability to be purple, so that they can be the full, whole, complex, coherent learners they are and that our society so needs.
"The Integrated Studies program," she says, "is the 'don't settle zone'. If a student is interested in art, digital design, marine mammal education, Japanese, and scuba, and wants to work on international aquarium-based public environmental education, this major says, 'you are not Cinderella's ugly stepsisters, trying to cut off your toes and heels from a perfectly splendid foot to fit a little glass slipper of some prince single major.' We have a program which accommodates your complexity." She adds, "For me, part of the pleasure is working with our interdisciplinary faculty, who make my purple mind feel so at home."
Her scholarly and lecture projects include works in progres on integral education of "ancient wisdom and emergent knowledge," the role of classics in multicultural education, American cultural studies, integral leadership, and her own poetry and photography. She gives poetry readings, and lectures locally and nationally in theaters and educational centers and Yosemite National Park (a recent environmental-rousing talk was in a barn with horses looking on!), including keynoting Phi Beta Kappa.
Wanting to support both arts and environmental education, Dr. Mossberg is on many local community boards, including serving as president of the Forest Theater Guild, and is devoted to Restore Hetch Hetchy.
"My life is definitely purple. I tell my mother, who worries at how busy I am, it's a beautiful life, because I love all the colors that make it up, every part of what I am doing."
By Liz MacDonald, senior writer/web editor
California Sea Grant has named Jasmine Ruvalcaba a 2007 John D. Isaacs Marine Undergraduate Scholar.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration funds the Isaacs Undergraduate Research Scholars Program; California Sea Grant selects six undergraduates who each receive $2,500 to work with a CSG researcher.
Jasmine will work with Dr. Michael Graham at Moss Landing Marine Labs, studying seaweed aquaculture.
The Isaacs Program was created in 2006 in memory of John Isaacs, a professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and an early advocate of helping undergraduates further their interest and participation in marine science. She spent her summer collecting species of red algae, feeding young abalone, and monitoring kelp greenlings.
She is a certified research diver and has worked for the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, the Monterey Abalone Company, and graduate research students from UC Santa Cruz and Moss Landing Marine Laboratory, part of the California State University system. Her goal is to continue developing research diving skills at the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO).
Jasmine attended South Hills High School in West Covina and is the daughter of Joyce Ruvalcaba and Norm Reynolds. She is scheduled to graduate from California State University, Monterey Bay in December and plans to attend graduate school.
San Jose Taiko will take the stage at California State University, Monterey Bay's World Theater on Dec. 6 as the performing arts series continues.The word "taiko" is Japanese for drum, and the art of drumming has been a staple of Japanese culture for centuries.The group was formed in 1973 by Japanese-Americans who were looking for a way to express themselves and explore their cultural heritage. Since then, the group has mesmerized audiences with its powerful and spellbinding music - music that expresses the beauty and harmony of the human spirit through the voice of the taiko.As a symbol, taiko holds much of the essence and spirit of Japan, replete with continued possibilities, renewal and transformation. Its origins were found in the daily life of the common people. Priests used taiko to dispel evil spirits and insects from the rice fields; Samurai used taiko to instill fear in the enemy and courage in themselves; and the peasants used taiko in their prayers for rain, in festivals, and in thanksgiving for bountiful harvests. The traditional practice and performance of taiko requires dedication, physical endurance, harmony and a collective spirit.San Jose Taiko has taken this essence and voice of the traditional taiko and infused it with the vitality and freshness of their American spirit, creating a new art form. The artists use the power and beauty of taiko to transcend cultural barriers and foster a greater understanding of the Japanese-American culture. Taiko is so deeply a part of the traditions of the Japanese and the Shinto and Buddhist religions that it is considered to be both the essence and the heartbeat of the Japanese spirit.By studying with masters of other traditions and cultures, San Jose Taiko musicians have broadened and embellished this historical art form. Their style joins the traditional rhythms of Japanese drumming with the beat of world rhythms, including African, Balinese, Brazilian, Latin and jazz percussion. The sound is contemporary, exciting, new and innovative, bridging many styles while still resonant of the Asian soul in America.Tickets range from $10 to $25 and can be purchased by calling the World Theater box office at (831) 582-4580; TTY/TDD 582-5066; or online at csumb.edu/worldtheater. For disability-related accommodations, please contact the World Theater box office no later than 10 days prior to the performance.
The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue on the CSUMB campus. Driving directions and a campus map are available at CSUMB.edu/map. For a short video clip of the performance, visit csumb.edu/worldtheater.
The CSUMB President's Speakers Series concludes this semester's presentations with a Nov. 28 visit by Dr. Daniel Ellsberg, the RAND Corp. analyst who, in 1971, leaked the classified Pentagon Papers to the New York Times.
The documents revealed the U.S. government had engaged in a pattern of deceiving the public about the number of Vietnam War casualties and the nation's ability to win the war. And they instantly validated the antiwar protest movement.
He'll be talking about his book, "Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers," copies of which will be available for sale.
The papers - over 7,000 pages - revealed that every administration from Harry Truman's had falsely painted what was a civil war in Vietnam as a cold-war struggle between the free nations of the world and those under communist rule.Dr. Ellsberg was arrested and put on trial, but the judge dismissed the charges against him due to improper governmental conduct that included evidence tampering and illegal wiretapping.
Since then, he has been a staunch opponent of nuclear weapons proliferation, an international advocate for peace and an early opponent of the Iraq War.
A question-and-answer session and book-signing will follow the talk.
Dr. Ellsberg's lecture will start at 7 p.m. in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue. It's free and open to the public; no tickets are necessary but reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made online at csumb.edu/speakers or by calling the World Theater box office at 582-4580 between noon and 4 p.m. To request disability accommodations, call 582-4189.
Driving directions and a campus map can be found at csumb.edu/map.
The President's Speakers Series will resume in February. Visit csumb.edu/speakers for updates.
CSUMB receives McNair Scholars grant - The U.S. Department of Education has awarded CSUMB nearly $1 million in grant money to help students from underrepresented backgrounds prepare for doctoral studies, President Dianne F. Harrison has announced. Funded through the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program, the grant will support 25 students each year for four years as they pursue research and other scholarly activities. The goal of the program, named for the African-American astronaut and scientist who died in the Challenger disaster in 1984, is to increase the number of underrepresented, low income and first-generation college students who earn doctoral degrees. Read more about McNair Scholars grant here.
DAY OF THE DEAD AT CSUMB - The School of World Languages and Cultures has transformed its classes and the lobby of Building 49 into Cultural Day of the Dead altars. The main altars are dedicated to four extraordinary artists: Michelangelo Antonioni (1912-2007), Alvin Batiste (1932-2007), Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007) and Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007). Friends and family members are also honored. The CSUMB community is invited to visit the exhibition, which has been prepared by Dr. Maria Zielina and students from the Spanish program. - VPA invites the campus to celebrate Day of the Dead from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1 at the University Center ballroom. The celebration will include a dance performance, colorful displays, live music, traditional snacks, reflection, and commemoration. Participants can gather at 5:30 p.m. at the Music Hall, then Aztec dancers and giants puppets will lead a candlelight procession to the University Center for the program. More information on Day of the Dead. - Also on Thursday, students in VPA 306/Digital Public Art will present INVOKE: A Project to Invite Memory and Forgiveness. The project features a series of site-specific art interventions responding to memory and forgiveness, which will result in the reservation and repurposing of public spaces throughout campus. Ephemeral altars will be created in parking spaces located on the VPA lot, the TAT lot and the University Center lot from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Truths worth telling *Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg visits campus Nov. 28*** - The President's Speakers Series concludes this semester's presentations with a Nov. 28 visit by Dr. Daniel Ellsberg, the RAND Corp. analyst who, in 1971, leaked the classified Pentagon Papers to the New York Times. The documents revealed the U.S. government had engaged in a pattern of deceiving the public about the number of Vietnam War casualties and the nation's ability to win the war. And they instantly validated the antiwar protest movement. He'll be talking about his book, "Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers," copies of which will be available for sale. Reserve a seat here. More information about Dr. Ellsberg here.
Revisiting Vietnam - A new book by Professor David Anderson - Over 30 years after the withdrawal of American forces from Southeast Asia, echoes from the Vietnam War still reverberate in 21st-century cultural and political discourse. As the United States increasingly entangles itself in conflicts abroad, policymakers and journalists hearken back to the lessons learned there, many promising that "This is not Vietnam" and others insisting that we are repeating the same mistakes three decades later. The memories of the Vietnam War still haunt the American consciousness and new analyses are essential to understanding and navigating contemporary political and military motives and maneuvers in Afghanistan and Iraq. The War That Never Ends: New Perspectives on the Vietnam War is a new collection of essays that sheds fresh light on the conflict. Editors David L. Anderson and John Ernst unite America's leading Vietnam War scholars to re-examine old interpretations and offer new insights on the motives, execution, and aftermath of the conflict. Contributors tackle the issues of the relationship between America and Vietnam, the military experiences of U.S. soldiers, the delineation of allies and enemies, and examine the war's influence on Congress, the media, and the nation as a whole. The book was released Oct. 12 in Lexington, Ky., as part of a conference on the Vietnam War. It's published by the University Press of Kentucky.
Txt Msgs Alert U Cell phones transmit safety alerts at CSUMB Cell phones - a convenient way to send greetings to friends and family via text messages - have been transformed into campus communications vehicles. At CSUMB, the service is called - what else? - OTTERalert. They blast out campus-wide security and emergency communication alarms - a service that has been getting a lot of attention since the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech. The campus community can rest assured that OTTERalert is for emergency alerts only; those who sign up will not receive spam. Privacy is protected, and only campus administrators and members of the University Police Department can originate the messages. Read more about OTTERalert here.
'BEACON' 2007 - Professor Johanna Poethig has completed another public art project. She and Brian Laczko of Oakland designed twin pillars for Gleason Park in Stockton, which feature glass-covered portals that enclose historic photos of original inhabitants of the city's Little Manila community. The pillars are painted with culturally symbolic plum red and are topped by gold flames in a traditionally stylized Filipino design. The gateway completes the park element of a larger redevelopment project for the neighborhood.
- Thursday, Nov. 1: Day of the Dead celebration, 6 p.m., in the University Center ballroom.- Thursday, Nov. 1-Saturday, Nov. 3: The Good Woman, a play by Bertolt Brecht, presented by the Department of Music and Performing Arts, 8 p.m., in the Meeting House. Free. - Friday, Nov. 2: Volleyball vs. CSU Stanislaus, 7 p.m., Otter Sports Center - Saturday, Nov. 3: Volleyball vs. Chico State, 7 p.m., Otter Sports Center- Saturday, Nov. 3: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute lecture by Dr. Rikk Kvitek, 10-11 a.m., Alumni & Visitors Center
UPCOMING -Wednesday, Nov. 7: Open house informational session for the Master of Public Policy program, 6-7:30 p.m., Alumni and Visitors Center - Thursday, Nov. 8: Strategic planning town hall meeting, noon-2 p.m., University Center ballroom - Thursday, Nov.8- Saturday, Nov.10: The Good Woman, a play by Bertolt Brecht, presented by the Department of Music and Performing Arts, 8 p.m., in the Meeting House. Free.
ONGOING- Through Nov. 9: 'Guardians,' works by students in the painting and mural class, and 'Walking Through,' pieces by sculpture students, are on display in the Balfour/Brutzman Gallery in Bldg. 71. In 'Guardians,' students created self-portraits to express their thoughts about what they might guard or protect. The pieces in 'Walking Through' are made of wire; pliers were used to bend and shape the material into the form of shoes. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday noon to 3 p.m. - Through Nov. 26: Works by students in VPA 347 Chicana/o Black Art taught by Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains and Professor Stephanie A. Johnson is on display in the library. Based on the Spanish Castas paintings of the 17th and 18th centuries which categorized the mestizaje or "mixed race" people into socially stratified positions, the students' "remix" focuses upon narratives of familial legacy, ancestral exploration, and personal cross-cultural negotiation. Using the original paintings as a background with strategic alteration and addition of elements, these modern pieces counter the divisions, legal inequities, and fears promoted by the historical Castas paintings. The students developed their own narratives and reflections of hope in the new Castas images.
Men's soccer team earns CSUMB's first-ever conference playoff spot - In their first year of full NCAA Division II eligibility, CSUMB has qualified for the California Collegiate Athletic Association men's soccer championship. The Otters clinched the university's first-ever CCAA post-season berth with a 2-2 tie at Cal State-Los Angeles last Sunday. The Otters, who enter the tournament as the No. 4 seed with a 6-5-3 conference record (9-7-3 overall) will face No. 2 seed Cal State-Dominguez Hills Friday night at Toro Stadium in Carson. In the other semifinal, top-seeded Sonoma State (17-2-1, 14-0 CCAA) will face No. 3 seed Cal State-L.A. The championship game will be played Sunday afternoon.
- A reminder: Fourth Avenue (the street behind the Alumni and Visitors Center) between Divarty Street and Inter-Garrison Road is ONE WAY southbound. There are no plans to make the street two-way, even during the construction work in the area. It's a safety issue - the street is too narrow to safely accommodate two-way traffic and parking. - Third Avenue is closed to through traffic from Inter-Garrison Road to Divarty Street while five wooden structures along Third are coming down. Access to the Outdoor Recreation Center, the Child Development Center and parking lot 84 will be available only from Inter-Garrison. The work is expected to be completed in late October. - Fifth Avenue is closed to traffic. - Divarty Street between Fourth Avenue and Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard is open to westbound traffic only. Divarty remains closed from Fourth east to the site of the new library. Traffic traveling north on Engineer Lane will be able to access the Human Resources Building, and Parking Lots 21 and 23. Traffic can access the lots by turning off Gen. Jim Moore onto the small road just south of Divarty Street, adjacent to the Veterans Clinic. This road connects to Engineer Lane and to the entrance to Parking Lot 23. Parking Lot 21 will be accessed via a newly constructed entrance at the southwest corner of Parking Lot 23. - Our campus is under construction. Please be cautious around construction areas. We invite you to view this short [slide show](http://cdo.csumb.edu/site/x4929.xml "Slide Show") created with your safety in mind.
Leading an Otter run to the playoffs - CSUMB captains lead Otters to best season Earlier this season, senior midfielder Kyle Satow became Cal State Monterey Bay's all-time career goal scorer in men's soccer. While obviously proud of the accomplishment, Satow said he would give it up in a heartbeat for a spot in the playoffs. Fellow senior Jake True rarely sees his name in the newspapers or the stat box. A defender, True has but one assist this season. Likewise, senior defender Steven Masters has only one assist. On paper, this trio only stands out because of Satow's stats. In reality, these three captains are the backbone of the team and the sole reason, says CSUMB coach Artie Cairel, why the Otters are one tie away from becoming the first CSUMB athletic program to qualify for the playoffs. - *Monterey Herald*, Oct. 26, 2007
Photographer chronicles race and gender For internationally celebrated photographer Carrie Mae Weems, art is truly a reflection of life. And that is what she hopes to teach students at Cal State Monterey Bay. . . . Weems spoke to a packed audience late Wednesday at the World Theater to open the school's African American Legacy Project. - *Monterey Herald*, Oct. 26, 2007
Garden of Hope - Effort brightens Salinas' Chinatown On a plastic mason's pan, builder Chris Axton pushes water and clay back and forth with a flat hoe. . . Axton is cooking up cob, a construction material similar to adobe that has been used for centuries around the world. It will be used to complete two straw benches at the Community Garden before its first anniversary celebration. On Saturday, Soledad Street will toast the first year of Chinatown's greenest spot . . . in the heart of a neighborhood known for illicit activities, the garden has become a focal point for the renewal of Chinatown. Cal State Monterey Bay . . . has teamed up with landowners and residents to revamp the area and improve its image. -- *Monterey Herald*, Oct. 24, 2007
For campus news, activities and events, please visit our [news](http://www.csumb.edu/news "news") website.
California State University, Monterey Bay has received a $2 million federal grant aimed at enrolling more migrant students in higher education.
CSUMB will be able to offer outreach and recruitment, financial assistance, academic and career services, cultural and social enrichment and health and counseling services through the College Assistance Migrant Program grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education.
The grant covers five years and will help with recruiting high school students for college, as well as providing support for the students once they are enrolled.
The grant will start in August and run through the summer of 2012. It will provide services and assistance for 60 migrant students from Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Santa Clara counties. CAMP scholarships, along with other sources of financial aid, will cover 100 percent of tuition and books and more than half of room and board costs for each student.
Services provided by the CAMP grant will include parent orientations, high school and community outreach events, admissions and financial aid application workshops, one-week summer orientation programs, tutoring and follow-up support services through graduation.
An estimated 160,000 farm workers reside in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, making the Central Coast home to the largest population of farm workers in California. In Monterey County, the average farm worker family has an annual income of $12,855; the figure is $15,006 for Santa Cruz County residents.
In the Central Coast region, nearly 80 percent of first-generation migrant youth between the ages of 16 and 24 are not in school, making programs such as CAMP essential.
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded CSUMB nearly $1 million in grant money to help students from underrepresented backgrounds prepare for doctoral studies, President Dianne F. Harrison has announced.
Funded through the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program, the grant will support 25 students each year for four years as they pursue research and other scholarly activities.
The goal of the program, named for the African-American astronaut and scientist who died in the Challenger disaster in 1984, is to increase the number of underrepresented, low income and first-generation college students who earn doctoral degrees.
"Receiving the McNair program award demonstrates that CSUMB has a proven track record of preparing underrepresented students for study at the doctoral level, and that we have the potential to do even more to achieve that goal," said Dr. Harrison. "This will be a wonderful opportunity for students interested in graduate study and research."
McNair Scholars will work with a faculty mentor on a research project, engage in a summer research internship, receive academic support services, and visit doctoral institutions. The students will also benefit from guest lecturers, workshops and a research methods seminar.
The CSUMB McNair grant was written by Dr. William Head of the Division of Science and Environmental Policy and Dr. Renee R. Curry, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. It will serve students in the sciences, humanities, and social sciences.
"McNair Scholars will have unparalleled opportunities to work with some of the highest qualified research faculty in the state and to present their research at professional conferences and in peer reviewed journals.~ These rich experiences create the currency students need to get accepted into top tier Ph.D. graduate programs," said Dr. Head.
The first group of McNair Scholars will be recruited this academic year. They must have a minimum grade-point average of 3.0, and sophomore, junior or senior standing. Participants will be selected based on academic potential and interest in pursing a doctoral degree.
"McNair Scholars come to understand the world of academia and to imagine themselves as active participants in it. They embrace themselves as intellectuals, cherish their intellectual curiosity, and establish a sense of scholarly discipline necessary to carry them through to the Ph.D," said Dr. Curry.
The President's Speakers Series concludes this semester's presentations with a Nov. 28 visit by Dr. Daniel Ellsberg, the RAND Corp. analyst who, in 1971, leaked the classified Pentagon Papers to the New York Times.
The documents revealed the U.S. government had engaged in a pattern of deceiving the public about the number of Vietnam War casualties and the nation's ability to win the war. And they instantly validated the antiwar protest movement.
He'll be talking about his book, "Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers," copies of which will be available for sale.
The papers - over 7,000 pages - revealed that every administration from Harry Truman's had falsely painted what was a civil war in Vietnam as a cold-war struggle between the free nations of the world and those under communist rule.
Dr. Ellsberg was arrested and put on trial for leaking the documents, but the judge dismissed the charges against him due to improper governmental conduct that included evidence tampering and illegal wiretapping.
Since then, he has been a staunch opponent of nuclear weapons proliferation, an international advocate for peace and an early opponent of the Iraq War.
A question-and-answer session will follow the talk.
Dr. Ellsberg's lecture will start at 7 p.m. in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue. It's free and open to the public; no tickets are necessary but reservations are encouraged and can be made online at csumb.edu/speakers. To request disability accommodations, call 582-4189 at least 10 working days prior to the event.
Driving directions and a campus map can be found at csumb.edu/map
The President's Speakers Series, which was inaugurated during the spring 2007 semester, is intended to enhance the intellectual life of the campus and the community.
"Not long after she arrived on campus, President Harrison asked the faculty what she could do for them. They asked for a speakers series that would stimulate thought and discussion," said Renee Curry, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. The speakers series is also a way to invite the community onto campus.
Suggestions for speakers came from the faculty. "We were looking for a variety of appeal, for people who had interdisciplinary ideas, and who could speak to a variety of audiences," said Dean Curry.
It came down to matching each speaker's availability with the campus schedule. Three names emerged: Dr. Philip Zimbardo, professor emeritus of psychology at Stanford University, who visited campus on Sept. 25; Mark Becker, a documentary filmmaker who showed his film Romántico on Oct. 23; and Dr. Ellsberg.
"The President selects the series title. 'Exploring People, Ethics and the Law' was chosen because all three speakers will address the intersection of ethics and law and how this intersection affects the lives of real people," said Dean Curry.
The series got off to a great start when Dr. Zimbardo drew a standing-room-only crowd to the World Theater.
One of the world's leading psychologists, he is best known for conducting the Stanford Prison Experiment. His 1971 experiment "showed how anonymity, conformity and boredom can be used to induce sadistic behavior in otherwise wholesome students," said The New York Times.
More recently, Dr. Zimbardo has investigated how policy decisions and individual choices led to abuse at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, a subject he examines in his new book, "The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil."
Mr. Becker"s presentation was also well received.
The documentary, shown at the Sundance Film Festival, started out as a 10-minute short but turned into a three-year journey to document the life of Carmelo Muniz Sánchez. The undocumented mariachi was working in San Francisco to support his family - a wife, two daughters and a very sick mother - who lived in Mexico. He struggles with the heart-wrenching choice of earning a living for his family without seeing them, or returning home to Mexico to live with them in poverty.
For anyone who has been entertained by the music of a mariachi band, without having given much thought to the lives of the musicians, Romántico is enlightening.
The President's Speakers Series will resume in February.
Visit csumb.edu/speakers for updates.
Prospective students interested in enrolling at California State University, Monterey Bay in fall 2008 are encouraged to submit their applications for admission by Nov. 30. Applicants can apply electronically by logging onto www.csumentor.edu.
CSUMentor is a web-based system that helps students plan and apply to the various CSU campuses online. The site is designed to help students and their families learn about the CSU system, select a campus, finance higher education and apply for admission.
The California State University is also one of the most affordable higher education institutions in the country. The annual state university and campus fees for a full-time undergraduate student at CSUMB this year is $3,055.
Students in need of assistance with their electronic applications may call for technical support at 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927). The service is open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
Txt Msgs Alert U*Cell phones transmit safety alerts at CSUMB *Cell phones -- a convenient way to send greetings to friends and family via text messages - have been transformed into campus communications vehicles. At CSUMB, the service is called -- what else? - OTTERalert. They blast out campus-wide security and emergency communication alarms - a service that has been getting a lot of attention since the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech. The campus community can rest assured that OTTERalert is for emergency alerts only; those who sign up will not receive spam. Privacy is protected, and only campus administrators and members of the University Police Department can originate the messages. Read more about OTTERalert here.
CSUMB student interning in Washington Christy Cozby is one of 24 interns from the Panetta Institute who is spending two and a half months working in Washington, D.C. As part of her internship, she will attend seminars on government policy, economics, foreign affairs and defense resources. Bright Idea CSUMB to give away energy-efficient light bulbs Oct. 25 CSUMB and Pacific Gas & Electric think you can change the world by changing a light bulb. And the public is invited to participate. The university and the company have partnered to join the Energy Star Change a Light, Change the World Campaign, a movement to encourage people to help make a difference one energy-saving step at a time. From noon to 6 p.m.on Oct. 25, students will join a representative from PG&E to distribute 1,000 compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) to the public. The student Environmental Committee, led by Associated Students Environmental Senator Mary Berube, is organizing the event. Read more about this energy-saving initiative.
Library displays student art Work by students in VPA 347 - Chicana/o Black Art, taught by Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains and Professor Stephanie A. Johnson, is on display in the CSUMB library. Based on the Spanish Castas paintings of the 17th and 18th centuries which categorized the mestizaje or "mixed race" people into socially stratified positions, the students' "remix" focuses on narratives of familial legacy, ancestral exploration and personal cross-cultural negotiation. Using the original paintings as a background with strategic alteration and addition of elements, these modern pieces counter the divisions, legal inequities, and fears promoted by the historical Castas paintings. The students developed their own narratives and reflections of hope in the new Castas images. The work will be on display through Nov. 26.
TAT alum's new film hits theaters David Kashevaroff' is back in the news with the release of "Golda's Balcony," a film on the life and conscience of Golda Meir, Israel's fourth prime minister. The film was adapted by William Gibson from his Broadway play of the same name. The film, edited by David, opened recently in New York and is currently playing in Los Angeles. Read the review in the Oct. 10 edition of the New York Times. A 2001 graduate, David was part of a team that won the Oscar for best documentary short for "A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin," a story about the historic radio program run by Corwin, a broadcaster and poet during World War II. Learn more about David Kashevaroff here.
CSUMB celebrates National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week NCAA Week is a national campaign promoted by the Boosting Alcohol Consciousness Concerning the Health of University Students (BACCHUS) Network. Its mission is to promote alcohol awareness on more than 900 college campuses across the United States. NCAAW strives to provide students with alternatives to alcohol and to educate them on the personal choice of responsible alcohol use. View the calendar of events at CSUMB.
New member of the Administration and Finance teamTony Boles has joined the campus as associate vice president for campus development and operations. He has a diverse background covering every aspect of planning and construction from acquisition to design, construction, operations and maintenance, and renewal and disposal of facilities and property. Tony has extensive experience working in a wide variety of public and private sectors, including the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps, finishing his career as the Base Close Manager for MCAS El Toro and Tustin. His experience also includes the management of county and state master plan and capital improvement programs at San Diego State, County of San Diego and the City of San Diego. He earned a master's in architecture at Cal Poly Pomono and a master's in public administration at San Diego State. He will oversee campus planning and space management, design and construction, and facilities services and operations.
Joe Cardinalli returns to World Theater Joe Cardinalli has been named interim director of the World Theater. He joins the World Theater team after a distinguished career with the City of San Jose in a variety of capacities. Joe is a designer, technical theater consultant, television field director and a musician. He currently is a faculty member at Gavilan College in Gilroy and is a board member of El Theatro Campesino in San Juan Bautista. And he's no stranger to CSUMB - he was a member of the faculty when the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department was formed. Joe is looking forward to bringing his administrative and managerial skills combined with his experience in theater to the ongoing integration of the World Theater and the academic programs involving the performing arts.
Eye of an artist, heart of an activist The Visiting Artist Series presents the internationally acclaimed artist Carrie Mae Weems in an evening of art, culture and politics on Oct. 24. Her presentation gets under way at 7 p.m. in the World Theater. Ms. Weems (pictured at left) is one of the most important artists working today. Her work in photography, video and installation examines the history of culture, gender and race within American society. She uses narrative elements in her photography to examine class and gender issues through the window of personal experience and African-American heritage. "Her work is foundational in the construction of identities; they're pivotal pieces in African-American life in the United States," says Dr. Amalie Mesa-Bains. My responsibility as an artist is to work, to sing for my supper, to make art, beautiful and powerful, that adds and reveals; to beautify the mess of a messy world, to heal the sick and feed the helpless; to shout bravely from the rooftops and storm barricaded doors and voice the specificity of our historical moment.. - Carrie Mae Weems
Wednesday, Oct. 24: Soccer vs. San Francisco State, women's match at 12:30 p.m., men's match at 3 p.m., Otter soccer field Wednesday, Oct. 24: The Visiting Artist series continues with A Photographer's Vision: An Evening with Carrie Mae Weems, 7 p.m., World Theater.Thursday, Oct. 25: Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) will be given away from noon to 6 p.m. on the quad.Tuesday, Oct. 30: Volleyball vs. Notre Dame de Namur, 7 p.m., Sports Center Thursday, Nov. 1: Day of the Dead celebration, 6 p.m., in the University Center ballroom.
A reminder: Fourth Avenue (the street behind the Alumni and Visitors Center) between Divarty Street and Inter-Garrison Road is ONE WAY southbound. There are no plans to make the street two-way, even during the construction work in the area. It's a safety issue ? the street is too narrow to safely accommodate two-way traffic and parking. Third Avenue is closed to through traffic from Inter-Garrison Road to Divarty Street while five wooden structures along Third are coming down. Access to the Outdoor Recreation Center, the Child Development Center and parking lot 84 will be available only from Inter-Garrison. The work is expected to be completed in late October. Fifth Avenue is closed to traffic.
Divarty Street between Fourth Avenue and Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard is open to westbound traffic only. Divarty remains closed from Fourth east to the site of the new library. Traffic traveling north on Engineer Lane will be able to access the Human Resources Building, and Parking Lots 21 and 23. Traffic can access the lots by turning off Gen. Jim Moore onto the small road just south of Divarty Street, adjacent to the Veterans Clinic. This road connects to Engineer Lane and to the entrance to Parking Lot 23. Parking Lot 21 will be accessed via a newly constructed entrance at the southwest corner of Parking Lot 23. Our campus is under construction. Please be cautious around construction areas. We invite you to view this short slide show created with your safety in mind.
Moss****Landing scientist surfaces with kelp forest discovery -- Students from CSUMB among research team Deep in the tropics, a Moss Landing scientist endured a seemingly endless string of mishaps - including broken equipment, a lost anchor and a cut-off water supply - but discovered a marine biologist's dream: a vast underwater forest, filled with creatures such as self-camouflaging snails and sea-faring iguanas. The forest, made of a kelp species thought to be headed for extinction, is at least twice as deep as California's kelp forests, said expedition co-leader Michael Graham, a marine biologist who works at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories. . . . Max Overstrom-Coleman, a CSUMB student who compared the trip to the disastrous Apollo 13 mission, was the first diver to see the kelp. "All the frustrations of the previous few days, the expensive equipment that's lost, the headache and the heartbreak immediately goes away as you realize you hit the jackpot," he said. - Salinas Californian, Oct. 22, 2007
Migrating to College -- farmworkers' kids trod new paths Yesenia Velasquez blends into the high school crowd with her low-key style and soft-spoken voice - her quiet manner and perfect posture accentuated by her dangling silver and blue earrings and curly brown hair tied neatly in a ponytail. . . . Her story is similar to 58 of her peers who attended a daylong workshop Friday at Cal State Monterey Bay, designed to help high school seniors of migrant parents learn about the online college application process.- Monterey Herald, Oct. 21, 2007
Legal boundaries, ethical quandaries - President's Speakers Series continues at CSUMB An award-winning documentary filmmaker and a high-profile political activist will visit the World Theater at California State University, Monterey Bay, as the President's Speakers Series continues. Inaugurated last spring, the series is intended to enhance the intellectual life of the campus and the community. This semester's series title is "Exploring People, Ethics and the Law." - Salinas Californian, Oct. 20, 2007
Men's soccer on playoff bubble Now or never. To many, that may not seem like an enviable situation to be in. Cal State Monterey Bay men's soccer coach Artie Cairel wouldn't have it any other way. With four games to go, the Otters find themselves three measly points out o a guaranteed spot in the NCAA playoffs. - Monterey Herald, Oct. 19, 2007
Documentary on Mexican musician is a rich character studyIt was supposed to be a short film about a Mexican musician trying to get by in San Francisco's Mission District. Instead, once director Mark Becker got into the life of his subject, Carmelo Muniz Sanchez, 63, he discovered a rich character study and story of the human effect of illegal immigration in reverse. The result was "Romantico," Becker's debut feature, which screens Tuesday night at the World Theater at Cal State Monterey Bay. - Monterey Herald, Oct. 18, 2007
Evidence Dance Co. premieres new work, brings back old friend Pittsburgh Courier photographer Charles "Teenie" Harris was just covering a beat. Sports, politics, funerals, a trip to the beauty parlor. Eleanor Roosevelt and Lena Horne and the guy down at the local bar and grill. In the end, what he captured was everyday life in Pittsburgh ? most particularly of the African American community there ? for almost 40 years. Choreographer Ronald K. Brown's new dance composition "One Shot," coming to the World Theater at Cal State Monterey Bay tonight, is interested in honoring Harris and in the idea of legacy - not only the one someone creates, but the influence of one inherited. - Monterey Herald, Oct. 18, 2007
Chinatown plan pleads its case - city wants to hear more specifics about the project A bright future is taking shape for one of Salinas' most blighted neighborhoods, according to plans presented at a city meeting attended by more than 60 people Tuesday evening. . . The Chinatown Renewal Project is a multi-year community planning effort led by California State University, Monterey Bay to clean up and revitalize about eight blocks north of downtown. - Salinas Californian, Oct. 17, 2007
Towersey has postseason plans for Otters In her first year on the job, Cal State Monterey Bay women's golf coach Marianne Towersey kept it simple. All she wanted was time to evaluate the team's strengths and weaknesses, and design a plan to build up the program. Year 2 has much loftier goals. "We're finally eligible for the postseason," said Towersey. "That's what we're going after." - Monterey Herald, Oct. 17, 2007
Author's Table gaining recognition Monterey County bibliophiles will get a chance to sit down and dine on some delectable food and conversation at this year's Author's Table. The sixth annual event, scheduled for Nov. 4 and 5, brings 16 authors to Monterey County, sponsored by the National Steinbeck Center and Cal State Monterey Bay. The event will raise money for each organization's reading and writing programs. - Monterey Herald, Oct. 15, 2007
Soccer teams at critical juncture Critical points. That's where both the Cal State Monterey Bay men's and women's soccer teams find themselves after passing the midpoint of their schedules. For the men, it's been a roller coaster ride so far, with many more valleys than peaks. The women's team is coming off a victory, and should benefit from playing its next three games at home. - Monterey Herald, Oct. 12, 2007
Otters' unsung hero When Jody Garry took over as head coach of the Cal State Monterey Bay volleyball team late last spring, she had some understanding of what she was getting into and the type of players she was inheriting. She knew, for example, that seven seniors were returning - four of them starters . . . - Monterey Herald, Oct. 12, 2007
CSU Monterey Bay Announces $4 Million Donation California State University, Monterey Bay has received $4 million to provide scholarships in journalism and communication studies, the largest gift from a single family in the school's history. The gift, from the estate of the late Marian Krause, was announced earlier this month by CSUMB President Dianne Harrison. Krause was a 35-year resident of Pacific Grove who died in 2006. - ABC-7 San Francisco, Oct. 8
For campus news, activities and events, please visit our news website.
QUEST takes to the high seas with researchers Dr. James Lindholm of CSU Monterey Bay, Dirk Rosen and their crew to study the underwater world off the California coast. In recent years, the state has established a network of marine protected areas to help fragile habitats and struggling fish populations bounce back. But are they working? – QUEST science program on KQED, Sept. 27, 2011
Una estudiante de la Universidad estatal de la bahia de Montery recibe una beca que le permitiracontinuar con su educacion superior. – KSMS (Univision), Sept. 27, 2011
A pair of grants from the U.S. Department of Education will help CSU Monterey Bay prepare students for graduate school and careers in science, technology, engineering and math. – American Association of State Colleges and Universities, Oct. 5, 2011
Arienne Arreola of Bakersfield, a sophomore biology major, is one of 23 students in the entire CSU system to earn a Hearst Scholarship. – The Salinas Californian, Oct. 1, 2011
Of all the sources of water, have you ever considered fog? It contains quite a lot of water, but how much exactly? Dr. Dan Fernandez, a professor of physics and a researcher at CSU Monterey Bay, has set out to measure it and in the process, studied the consequences of climate change. – KGO-TV (San Francisco), Oct. 10, 2011
. . . With the determination to redevelop Chinatown, Salinas organizations and students from California State University, Monterey Bay, who teach the homeless how to grow sustainable gardens, are slowly seeing a revival. . . .Their intention is to make this area a safe, livable, pedestrian-friendly mixed-use development with the old Republic Cafe at its heart, to become a museum where stories can be passed down in a continuum from old-timers to another generation. – Sacramento Bee, Oct. 16, 2011
The Dining Commons at CSU Monterey Bay is the university's second project to earn the U.S. Green Building Council's prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certification.
The renovation took place in 2009 and was finished on a tight schedule – 112 days between spring break and the start of the fall semester. It was the first significant improvement to the building since the campus opened in 1995.
The work focused on modernization through maximizing spaces, using natural and energy-efficient lighting and design elements geared to visual appeal and convenience.
The renovation of the 11,000-square-foot building cost $3.45 million. A new entryway was installed, the roof was replaced, structural steel framing was added, new serving-line areas were installed, serpentine quarry tile was added throughout the serving area, a conveyor dishwashing system was installed along with new heating and ventilation systems, and custom booth and banquette seating were added to create the look and feel of a restaurant.
In the LEED certification process, points are awarded within each of six environmental categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation in Design.
The Dining Commons scored well in the categories of water efficiency, materials and indoor quality. The renovated building uses 50 percent less water. Points were also awarded for reusing an existing building and saving as much of the interior non-structural surfaces as possible. When new materials were required, they were made from recycled content and locally sourced.
And, over 75 percent of the demolition debris was recycled and kept out of landfills.
The Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library, which opened in December 2008, was the first campus building to be awarded LEED silver certification.
The Big One – it’s not a matter of “if,” Californians have been told. It’s a matter of “when.” At 10:16 on the morning of Oct. 15, members of the CSU Monterey Bay community are invited to join millions of people in this year’s Great California ShakeOut drill to prepare for the inevitable by practicing the drop, cover and hold on move.
Drop, cover and hold on is a proven method for protecting yourself during an earthquake. Upon feeling the earth move it is recommended that you drop to the floor (preferably under a substantial piece of furniture); cover your head and neck with your hands, a coat, book or other protective item; and hold there until the ground stops moving. When possible, stay clear of windows, tall un-anchored furniture, or other items that present a hazard if they fall or break.
After practicing drop, cover and hold on, participants are asked to evacuate their buildings to their outside assembly area.
The University Police Department (UPD) will signal the start of the exercise with a test of CSUMB’s Otter Alert and other notification systems at approximately 10:15 a.m. At 10:21, an all-clear broadcast will signal the end of the exercise.
UPD encourages all community members to participate in the ShakeOut exercise. “As individuals, we’re all responsible for preparing ourselves for major incidents like an earthquake. If we’re prepared as individuals, we can be resources to help our community,” said Arianne Tucker, campus health and safety specialist. “If we’re caught unprepared, we’re more likely to be victims of the event.”
The university’s Emergency Management Office also encourages the campus community to participate in the ShakeOut by:
• Learning about earthquakes and the other hazards that threaten our communities.
• Making a plan for what to do in an emergency.
• Building a disaster survival kit.
• Getting involved in opportunities to support community preparedness.
Learn about emergency management at CSUMB
Find evacuation maps for each campus building
Learn more about the Great California ShakeOut
For the third consecutive year, CSU Monterey Bay has been named a “military-friendly school” by G.I. Jobs magazine.
The list honors the top 20 percent of colleges and universities that are doing the most to embrace America’s military members and veterans as students, according to the magazine’s publisher, Rich McCormack.
The magazine polled more than 8,000 schools nationwide in determining the results, examining criteria such as efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students.
Among CSUMB’s military-friendly practices are web pages with information specifically for veterans; a designated veterans services liaison and campus support team to help veterans make the transition from active duty service to successful educational pursuits; and a Student Veterans Organization that launched this fall. CSUMB has seen an increase in the number of queries and applications from veterans since the webpages went up and the veterans' contact was put in place. The number of veterans contacting the university for pre-admission counseling has increased, with queries coming from veterans and active-duty service members across the U.S. and around the world. This semester, CSUMB has 64 student receiving educational benefits from the Veterans Administration (GI Bill) to support their educational goals; 54 of them are receiving the new Post 9/11 GI Bill benefit, which helps pay tuition/fee costs as well as offering a monthly housing stipend and a book allowance during the semester.
Another 23 students are eligible for the Federal VA Dependents Educational Assistance program (DEA) as dependents of deceased or disabled veterans. The DEA program offers a monthly stipend to offset living expenses during the semester. The State of California also offers a state tuition waiver to dependents of deceased or disabled veterans through the California Department of Veterans Affairs. There are 87 students at CSUMB this semester who are using this program.
To learn more about federal veterans educational benefits, click here. Information about services for veterans at CSUMB is available here or by e-mailing veteran_services@csumb.edu. G.I. Jobs Magazine’s list of top veteran-friendly schools can be viewed here.
The public is invited to attend the Kinesiology Speaker Series at CSU Monterey Bay, sponsored by the Exercise Science Club and the Kinesiology Department.
The events will be held in Room 1188 of the Tanimura and Antle library (corner of Divarty Street and Fifth Avenue) on the CSUMB campus.
To reach Room 1188, attendees must use the library entrance closest to the parking lot. While the lectures are free, visitors must purchase a parking permit from dispensers located on the parking lot.
Oct. 28, 6 p.m., Dr. Jeanine Yip, physical therapist at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. October is national physical therapy month. Dr. Yip, an adjunct faculty member in CSUMB’s kinesiology department, will talk about the field, how to apply to graduate school and what the opportunities are.
Nov. 18, 6 p.m., a panel discussion on bridging the gap between health care and fitness. Panelists include CSUMB lecturer Bill Rothschild; Dr. Soteria Karahalios, cardiologist and medical director of PRIMA Heart; Karen Larson, operations manager of the Monterey Sports Center; and Terri Bilbro, cardiac wellness nurse at PRIMA Heart.
Dec. 2, 6 p.m., Olympic marathon coach Bob Sevene, who have decades of experience coaching elite athletes.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Student loan debt is on the rise, and, because of the lingering effects of the recession, fewer graduates are getting the kinds of jobs that allow them to pay back what they borrowed.
Members of the Class of 2009 owed an average of $24,000, up 6 percent from the year before. National Public Radio reported on Oct. 21 that 66 percent of students now graduate with debt, and some find their debt influencing major life decisions long after graduation.
If students cannot find a job quickly in order to be able to start paying back their loans, $24,000 can easily balloon to $100,000 or more.
"Default: The Student Loan Documentary" puts a human face on the student debt crisis, following several borrowers’ stories of struggling with the student lending industry. Because they were unable to start paying back their loans within nine months of graduation, their private loan interest rates spiraled upward, making a once manageable debt insurmountable.
The public is invited to view this 27-minute documentary at CSU Monterey Bay at 6:30 p.m., Nov. 8, in the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Building on Sixth Avenue at A Street.
Aurora Meneghello, the documentary’s director, will be on hand.
After the screening, Dr. George Caffentzis, professor of philosophy at the University of Southern Maine, will talk about student debt in the context of the economic crisis and the global student movement.
Amanda Armstrong, a graduate student at UC Berkeley, will present strategies being used by the growing movement against student debt, and members of CSU Students for Quality Education will facilitate a discussion of the issue. Driving directions and a campus map are available here. More information is available from Professor Caitlin Manning at cmanning@csumb.edu. Pretty much our intention from the start was to educate people on student loans: how they work, what happens when you cannot pay them back, and to open a dialogue about debt. – Aurora Meneghello This year, for the first time, the amount of student loans will surpass the $100 billion mark and the outstanding balance will exceed $1 trillion. That means the amount of credit card debt and student debt is about equal. – New York Federal Reserve The credit risk falls on young people who will start adult life deeper in debt, a burden that could place a drag on the economy in the future. – USA Today
La Universidad Estatal de la Bahia de Monterey recibió 2.5 millones de dólares para los próximos 5 años. Estos fondos serán utilizados para el Programa TRIO que consiste en otorgar incentivos a familias de bajos ingresos para que manden a sus hijos a buscar la educatión superior. – KSMS, Oct. 17, 2011
For the third consecutive year, CSU Monterey Bay has been named a "military-friendly school" by G.I. Jobs magazine. The list honors the top 20 percent of colleges and universities that are doing the most to embrace America's military members and veterans as students. – KION, Oct. 19, 2011
Cal State Monterey Bay archaeology students will display works portraying traditions around the world that honor departed family members in a monthlong exhibition at the National Steinbeck Center. – San Francisco Chronicle, Oct. 21, 2011
There's probably no Fountain of Youth, but Kent Adams, a CSU Monterey Bay professor whose workshop is an exercise physiology lab, is discovering that becoming frail and decrepit with age is largely the result of a choice we make to live a sedentary lifestyle. – Monterey Herald, Oct. 24, 2011
CSU Monterey Bay has joined a growing number of colleges and universities nationwide that have established a Student Veteran Organization.
“Given the strong military and veterans presence in the area, we decided the campus needed a group for student veterans,” said Rosalba Beltran, a senior kinesiology major and Navy veteran (pictured at left).
At the start of the school year, Beltran and several other former military members came together to get the new SVO off the ground. The organization became an official campus club in September with the election of officers. Beltran was elected vice president.
The SVO provides a communications and social network for veterans on campus. Making connections with fellow veterans helps them get the support and encouragement they need.
According to Beltran, a student veteran is not an average student.
“We see the world differently. We think differently and we approach situations differently. Having an organization for veterans on campus can help facilitate the transition between military and academic worlds,” she said.
Beltran grew up in the Salinas Valley town of Soledad and graduated from Gonzales High School. She joined the Navy several years later and served six years, all at stateside installations.
She earned an associate’s degree at Hartnell College, and then transferred to CSUMB to pursue a degree in kinesiology with concentrations in exercise science and human movement.
“My goal is to become a physical therapist,” she said. “I hope to work with and help veterans.”
The number of veterans enrolling in college is increasing: Approximately 800,000 returned veterans used GI Bill benefits last year, up 40 percent from 2009, according to USA Today.
Sean Collins of G.I. Jobs magazine, which surveys 7,000 universities annually to compile a "military friendly schools" list, says of the 250,000-400,000 veterans who are now separating from the military annually, 25 percent will be in college within two years.
The magazine recently named CSUMB one of those “military-friendly school.” The list honors the top 20 percent of colleges and universities that are doing the most to embrace America’s military members and veterans as students. Among CSUMB’s military-friendly practices are web pages with information specifically for veterans and a designated veterans services liaison and campus support team to help veterans make the transition from active duty service to successful educational pursuits.
This semester, 64 students are receiving educational benefits from the Veterans Administration (GI Bill) to support their educational goals; 54 of them are receiving the new Post 9/11 GI Bill benefit, which helps pay tuition/fee costs as well as offering a monthly housing stipend and a book allowance during the semester.
Information about resources for veterans at CSUMB is available here.
When Scott Toews completes his master’s degree in Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy this semester, he won’t have to worry about finding a job.
He’s already got one lined up, although he doesn’t yet know what he will be doing or where he will be living.
Toews has been selected as a California Sea Grant Fellow, a highly competitive fellowship for graduate students interested in marine resources and the policy decisions affecting those resources.
A dozen agencies serve as hosts for the fellows, who spend a year in a paid position with one of them.
He and the other fellows will travel to Sacramento on Nov. 8, where they will be matched with agencies. His assignment will start in January.
“I have several preferences – the Ocean Protection Council, Ocean Science Trust or the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary,” he said.
The native of Winkler, Manitoba, Canada, has been working in Dr. Corey Garza’s Marine Landscape Ecology Lab at CSUMB.
Before coming to California, he earned a bachelor of science in biology and environmental studies at the University of Victoria in British Columbia.
“I became aware of CSUMB through Dr. Garza, as we had worked together off and on in British Columbia when he was a post doc for a CSU Los Angeles researcher,” Toews said.
“When Corey came here, he asked if I was interested in working with him and the CWSP program.”
Since he was interested in a program that integrated policy and science, what CSUMB had to offer “synched well with what I was looking for.”
The program’s strong technological focus also appealed to him. “It let me expand my skill set and has challenged me,” he said.
Between lining up his agency placement and starting to work, he’ll defend his thesis. It links marine habitat complexity and composition to genetic structuring in populations of black surfperch.
“More simply – it attempts to describe the role that habitat plays in the health of this species. The thesis is multidisciplinary, using population genetics, landscape ecology and spatial techniques,” he said.
Once the academic work is out of the way, he’ll have to move, most likely to Sacramento, Oakland or Santa Barbara, while he spends his year as a fellow.
Then, he’ll probably have a number of options.
“An appointment as a California Sea Grant Fellow is a highly desirable position that can lead to a number of significant career opportunities,” Dr. Garza said.
Learn more about CSUMB's master's program in Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy here.
If you are having Harry Potter withdrawal, one local college has stepped in to fill the void now that the popular franchise is over. CSU Monterey Bay is holding a quidditch tournament Friday and Saturday. – KION, Oct. 27, 2011
Seven CSU campuses – including CSU Monterey Bay – will receive more than $35 million from the U.S. Department of Education over the next five years to expand and enhance their STEM programs. – Los Angeles Times, Oct. 30, 2011
No matter what you call it – experimental, off-beat, arty, eccentric – Brent Green’s film “Gravity Was Everywhere Back Then” has attracted a growing fan base since its debut in 2010. Locals will have the opportunity to see the film and hear from the director on Nov. 15 when the visiting artist series presented by the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department (TAT) at CSU Monterey Bay and the Monterey Bay Film Society continues.
Green and Donna K., who co-wrote the film and acts in it, will make two presentations, both free and open to the public, at noon and again at 7 p.m. Both will be held in the TAT studio on Sixth Avenue at A Street.
The film is based on the true story of a Kentucky hardware clerk, Leonard Wood, who obsessively built additions onto his house after his wife, Mary, was diagnosed with cancer. His desire was to construct a “healing machine” that would save her. She died, but in his grief he continued to build for 15 years. Shot entirely on the full-scale town Green built in his back yard, he combines animation, stop-motion and live-action in an ethereal opus to lovers and tinkerers everywhere.
Green is a self-taught animated filmmaker and artist who lives and works in the Appalachian hills of Pennsylvania. His films have been shown at the Sundance Film Festival, New York’s Museum of Modern Art, the Getty Center, the Warhol Museum and other museums and festivals around the world.
Said Mike Plante, programmer at Sundance: “The do-it-yourself ethics that Brent Green and Donna K. use to make films are inspiring and a great thing to show to students of any art form. They didn’t just make a film, they invented a way to make it, with sets, a type of storytelling and personal style. The film’s success is just as encouraging.”
Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map. While the event is free, visitors will have to purchase a parking pass from machines located on the parking lots.
“A tinkerer’s ode to a tinkerer, and a romantic’s tribute to a romantic.” – The New York Times
Faculty member Will Shephard has created this commedia dell'arte (comedy of craft) in which masked characters play on the foibles of human nature with minimal props and scenery. This original work is based around the Nez Perce War in which Nez Perce and Anglo-American cultures collide under the banner of Manifest Destiny. – Monterey County Weekly, Nov. 3, 2011
Community invited to share the season with students in the music program
CSU Monterey Bay’s Music and Performing Arts Department invites the community to attend its annual winter concert at 3 p.m., Dec. 4, in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue. The university’s gospel choir and small vocal ensemble, Nuovo Plaisir – both directed by Professor Paulette Gissendanner – will perform. Also on the program is the CSUMB concert band, directed by Theresa Hruby-Percell, and a jazz/blues ensemble directed by Professor Richard Bains, chair of the Music and Performing Arts Department.
The event is free; no tickets or reservations are required. Free parking is available in the lot adjacent to the theater. For more information or to request disability accommodations, call 582-3009. For driving directions and a campus map, click here.
To learn more about the Music and Performing Arts program, click here.
CSU Monterey Bay’s Laura Lee Lienk was honored with the GREEN Educator Award for her work in promoting environmental issues.
Earth Force, a Colorado-based nonprofit dedicated to engaging young people to be stewards of the environment, and the General Motors Foundation sponsor the award. It recognizes teachers, college professors and volunteers who integrate environmental education into school and community programs. GREEN stands for Global Rivers Environmental Education Network. “Laura Lee was selected from among thousands of educators to receive the inaugural GREEN Educator Award,” said Kristen Mueller of Earth Force. “She was nominated because she exemplifies the best of what educators are doing to teach young people to lead efforts to protect our environment. “Her work, day in and day out, has been an inspiration to all of us at Earth Force and the GM Foundation,” Mueller said. At the university, Lienk serves in a variety of roles. She’s co-director of the Watershed Institute, director of the institute’s Return of the Natives restoration education project and coordinator of Service Learning in Applied Science and Technology.
“Connecting environmental and social issues through community-based service learning benefits the environment but also human communities," Lienk said. As coordinator of Service Learning, she works with faculty members in biology, math, environmental studies and computer science to find partner organizations where hundreds of CSUMB students interact with communities beyond their classrooms each year. She is also coordinating a STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – academic learning community. Partners in that project include high school math and biology teachers, Natividad Hospital Auxiliary, Loaves, Fishes and Computers and the Agricultural and Land Based Training Association. Lienk has been with CSUMB since 1995. Honorees are featured on the Earth Force website, along with their teaching tools and ways they get students involved. To read about Laura, click here.
The GM Foundation and Earth Force will announce five winners each month until “we find 20 educators from across the nation who exemplify great GREEN teaching,” according to the website greeneducator.org.
To learn more about CSUMB's Watershed Institute, click here. To learn more about the Return of the Natives restoration education project, click here.
CSU Monterey Bay has joined a growing number of colleges and universities nationwide that have established a Student Veteran Organization. – CSU Leader, Nov. 10, 2011 (a publication of the CSU Chancellor's Office)
Teacher and students stood atop the high bank of Toro Creek one recent morning. "Measure everything we can about a cross-sectional view of the channel-floodplain system," Dr. Doug Smith said. Dr. Smith is co-director of the Watershed Institute at California State University, Monterey Bay. The students were in his Introduction to Geology and Hydrology class. – The Salinas Californian, Nov. 16, 2011
Krista Almanzan, news director of KAZU, has won two regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in electronic journalism. The awards are given by the Radio, Television, Digital News Association.
She took the top awards for:
• Hard news reporting for her story “Labor Shortage Hastens Push for Immigration Reform” that aired last July
• Use of sound for her story “Salinas Playground Designed to Bring Kids of All Abilities Together” that aired in September
Both stories advance to the national competition in May.
KAZU competes in the small market category against similar-size stations in California, Hawaii, Nevada and Guam. It has won Murrow Awards every year since 2010.
Almanzan started her journalism career in Iowa, where she covered the 2000 and 2004 presidential races and Iowa caucuses for local television stations. In 2005, she returned to her home state of California where she continued to work in television and simultaneously got her start in public radio as a freelance reporter for Capital Public Radio in Sacramento. In 2007, she joined the staff at KAZU, where she serves as news director as well as host of All Things Considered.
KAZU 90.3 FM – NPR for the Monterey Bay Area – is a community service of California State University, Monterey Bay.
Sixty students, staff and faculty members turned out to donate blood on a Wednesday in late November, despite the crush of work they needed to complete before leaving for the fall break.
A mobile donor unit from Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP) spent four hours at the Student Center, the first stop on its six-week holiday blood drive.
Fifty units were collected. Some potential donors had to be deferred for a variety of reasons – they’d recently traveled to an area where malaria is prevalent; they’ve had a tattoo recently; or they had a low blood count. “The number of units collected is 19 percent of our average mobile blood collection for a month,” said Nancy Shammas, CHOMP’s donor recruiter. “It’s significant to us – a big contribution.” It was also significant for the students who participated. “This is my third time giving blood with CHOMP, and each time has been a piece of cake,” said Zachary Johnson. “To me, giving blood is an easy way to help save lives and do my part. It’s inspiring to see all the campus organizations and clubs, like my fraternity, Kappa Sigma, come together to make a difference in the live of others.” The event was a joint effort by the campus Health Center, Associated Students and the Health and Wellness peer educators, 15 student volunteers who have been trained to do health education and outreach on campus. Officials at the hospital remind us that blood donation is an important way for healthy people to help their community. Blood cannot be manufactured; the only way to keep up with the demand is through regular blood donations from healthy volunteer donors. That message wasn’t lost on Alexandria Jones, a student who said she wasn’t a big fan of needles. “But saving a life seemed more important than my little fear,” she said. Anyone who missed the on-campus opportunity can visit the hospital's Monterey facility, at 576 Hartnell St., to give blood. Call 625-4814 to make an appointment. Photo: Brian Scott uses the time to work on his iPad
With help from the local community, CSU Monterey Bay collected more than 2,500 lbs. of food to help those in need this holiday season.
To earn a big discount off the ticket price for the Nov. 12 performances of the December People, those who attended the World Theater concerts were asked to bring cans of food for people and pets.
The drive was a collaboration between the World Theater and radio station HIPPO 104.3 FM. The donations – three-quarters of a ton – were given to the food banks of Monterey and San Benito counties and local animal shelters. This was the second year the group appeared at CSUMB. “Because of the fantastic audience response last year and the success of the food drive we launched, we brought December People back. The audiences were enthusiastic, and the food drive was a success once again,” said Joe Cardinalli, director of the World Theater.
The December People – Robert Berry, Gary Pihl, Dave Medd, Mike Vanderhule and Jack Foster – have been dubbed a “Christian contemporary Spinal Tap.” The group puts its own take on yuletide classics – think Led Zeppelin doing “Silent Night” or a Latin-fused Santana variation of “Deck the Halls.”
Meanwhile, students, faculty and staff, with sponsorship by Sodexo, contributed 1,040 lbs. of food to the Helping Hands Food Drive. It went to the Food Bank of Monterey County in time for Thanksgiving. The drive is an annual event on campus. Students donate meal plan blocks, which Campus Dining converts into bulk food items such as bags of rice, cake and brownie mix, canned milk and vegetables. More than $1,500 in meal plan blocks was contributed by students.
Avocet Hall was the winner of this year's competition among residence halls to see which could donate the most food at the annual Harvest Dinner.
Hunger remains a persistent reality in the area. According to the report “Hunger in America 2010,” an estimated 88,700 different people are served annually by the Food Bank for Monterey County – one-fifth of Monterey County’s population. Every week it serves approximately 10,800 people.
Coming off an immensely successful season, members of the Cal State University, Monterey Bay women's basketball team are the new cool kids in the neighborhood. – The Salinas Californian, Nov. 21, 2011
CSU Monterey Bay has been awarded a 2011 Public-Private Partnership “Green” Award by the Monterey County Business Council. The honor was announced at the annual Monterey Bay Regional Economic Forum on Oct. 28. The university was honored for the solar power generation facility that was completed on campus in 2010. CSUMB partnered with SunEdison, the nation’s largest solar energy service provider, on the project. The 6.4-acre solar panel array – consisting of approximately 3,900 panels – was installed at ground level on a vacant lot on the east side of Seventh Avenue, between Col. Durham Street and Butler Street. In addition to financing and building the system, SunEdison will operate and maintain it over the course of a 20-year contract. The university purchases the power at a pre-agreed price. The system generates almost 2 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year for CSUMB, enough to meet 16 percent of the university's current electricity needs. It reduces carbon dioxide emissions associated with electricity consumption by 713 metric tons per year, equivalent to the amount generated by 92 vehicles. This is the third public-private partnership to earn the university an award from the business council. In 2008, CSUMB and PG&E were honored for the Energy Efficiency Partnership that resulted in energy savings in numerous campus building and in 2009 an award was received for innovative outdoor lighting efficiency improvements.
Volunteers will be out at 7 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 17, looking for hawks, geese, ducks, wrens and a variety of other species at the Watershed Institute’s 10th annual winter bird count at Upper Carr Lake in Salinas.
Everyone is welcome to help during the three-hour count.
The lake, on East Laurel Drive between Constitution Boulevard and Sanborn Road, is a resting stop for migratory birds. In 2014, volunteers from CSU Monterey Bay’s Return of the Natives project identified more than 70 species, including American coots, yellow-rumped warblers, a few egrets and several varieties of hawks.
Participants will be provided with a data sheet on the birds of Monterey County, published by the Monterey Peninsula Audubon Society, and a pair of binoculars.
After the bird count, volunteers are invited to help clean up the lake from 10 a.m. to noon. Tools, water and snacks will be provided.
“We are happy to see that this growing environment fosters an accommodating habitat for birds – which emphasizes the purpose of the second half of the morning – to keep Upper Carr Lake clean and healthy to keep the birds coming back,” said Alyssa Schaan, volunteer coordinator with Return of the Natives Restoration Education Project.
The local bird survey is one of 2,100 similar counts over the last month. As many as 55,000 National Audubon Society volunteers from Guam to Labrador and from Alaska to Chile slog through the woods, find their way up mountains or look out their kitchen windows for the squawking, quacking and tweeting flocks.
Return of the Natives will submit the information it gathers to California eBird, the Audubon Society’s online database.
The Return of the Natives restoration project is the education and outreach branch of the Watershed Institute at CSUMB. RON's environmental goal is to protect the waters of the Monterey Bay through restoration of the waterways and the lands draining into the bay. RON's social goal is to bring people and nature together on its restoration and garden projects in the watersheds of the Monterey Bay.
For more information, call 582-3686.
Dec. 1 is World AIDS Day, a global initiative to encourage countries and communities to take a stand against HIV/AIDS.
CSUMB will commemorate the date with an event starting at 6 p.m. in front of the flagpole on the main quad, organized by the university’s Health & Wellness Services, campus chaplains, the Service Learning Institute, AmeriCorps and Central Coast HIV/AIDS.
The evening will include a discussion about the potential for a new spike in infections among college-age adults and a candlelight vigil.
Father Jon Perez of the university’s Campus Chaplaincy and the Personal Growth & Counseling Center will lead the program. Speakers will include Assemblyman Bill Monning, Dr. Adrian Strand of Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Katherine Thoeni of Central Coast HIV/AIDS Services, Collaborative Health & Human Services faculty member Joy Rubey and CSUMB alumnus and long-term AIDS survivor Steven Goings.
Attendees are urged to dress warmly as the event will take place outdoors. Hot chocolate and coffee will be served.
This year represents the 30th anniversary of the global pandemic. The United Nations program on HIV/AIDS has designated this year’s theme as “Getting to Zero.” Over the next 30 years, the goal of the U.N. program is to have “zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.”
For more information about CSUMB’s World AIDS Day observance or to request disability accommodations, please contact Gary Rodriguez, health promotion and prevention specialist, at 582-3969.
Remember that the fight against HIV/AIDS can be recognized not only on World AIDS Day, but every day of the year.
Cal State Monterey Bay students will put their creative and technical skills to work at HACK UCSC 2015.
Organizers at UC Santa Cruz have expanded the Jan. 9-11 hackathon from last year’s campus event to one that is open to high school and college students around Monterey Bay. More than 300 programmers, designers and tech enthusiasts are expected to compete for $10,000 in cash and prizes.
A hackathon is a coding marathon where teams comprised of developers, designers and entrepreneurs work together to create apps and programs. The themes for this event are technology, environmental stewardship and social justice.
CSUMB is one of the event sponsors. Information Technology and Communications Design students as well as business students are expected to enter since the hackathon involves writing code and developing a business case for each team’s project.
“We are excited to be a part of the regional effort to build entrepreneurial skills and interest through this event,” said Dr. Brad Barbeau, associate professor of economics and entrepreneurship at CSUMB. “This will benefit all of the students in the region.”
Judges will score projects based on technical difficulty, functional completeness, usefulness and business potential.
About 100 UCSC students competed in the first hackathon last April, developing apps to benefit local businesses. “When we surveyed the participants two weeks after the hackathon, we learned that over half had been made job offers,” Doug Erickson, founder of the Santa Cruz New Tech MeetUp said in a news release.
HACK UCSC
WHAT: Competition for $10,000 in cash and prizes; open to students throughout the Monterey Bay region
WHEN: Jan. 9-11, 2015
WHERE: UC Santa Cruz Crown Merrill Cultural Center
DETAILS: Starts at 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9; meals, mentors and a safe place to hack are provided. Judging begins Sunday afternoon, Jan. 11; dinner for the top teams that night. Winners will be announced at dinner.
COST: $20 per student prior to Nov. 22; $25 after that date
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at CSU Monterey Bay, also known as OLLI@CSUMB, has been awarded $1 million by the Bernard Osher Foundation. The foundation, which since 2006 has supported OLLI at CSUMB with annual grants, contributed both a permanent endowment of $950,000 and a $50,000 operating grant for the current fiscal year. Investment income from the endowment will help fund OLLI operations, though community involvement and support will remain vital to the program’s continued success. The Osher gift recognizes OLLI’s ability to sustain membership growth, include university faculty members among its course instructors, and remain strong in the future. OLLI now has a community of 500 members, up from 100 members at the end of its first year, in spring 2008.
"This generous support from the Osher Foundation will help us continue to fulfill an important part of our mission as a university," said CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison. "Adult education is one of the many important ways we contribute to the quality of life in the communities we serve."
OLLI invites local residents 50-and-better to join. The spring session will start on Jan. 17 and continue through May. Several membership options are available.?
Classes include a look at California’s role in the 2012 presidential primary, taught by Fred Keeley; a variety of writing classes; beginning nature photography taught by CSUMB biology professor Steve Moore; getting to know native plants, taught by staff members of the university’s Return of the Natives restoration education project; early Central Coast art, taught by museum studies professor Lila Staples; and several literature classes.
The complete spring lineup of classes is now available online.
To learn more about the program, click here or call 582-5500.
CSU Monterey Bay will close at noon on Dec. 23 and remain closed through Jan. 2 in observance of the holidays. The campus will reopen at 8 a.m. on Jan. 3. The spring semester will start Jan. 23.
. . . CSUMB Professor Ruben Mendoza's fascination with old buildings resulted in an archaeological career in Monterey County, where he has led projects that have unearthed layers of history. Most recently, his research helped produce a United States Postal Service stamp that honors 250 yers of California history with the image of Carmel Mission. – Monterey Herald, Jan. 5, 2012
The community is invited to a free concert of chamber music at CSU Monterey Bay on Dec. 6.
Since forming the Friction Quartet while they were students at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Doug Machiz, Kevin Rogers, Otis Harriel and Pei-Ling Lin have established a reputation for edgy programming and exhilarating performance of contemporary works.
Recent performances include La Belle Vie Concert Series at the Legion of Honor, San Francisco Friends of Chamber Music’s Chamber Music Day, and Garrett-Moulton Productions’ A Show of Hands for quartet and dancers.
At CSUMB, the quartet will premiere a piece composed by Dr. Lanier Sammons, a lecturer in the university’s Music and Performing Arts Department.
The performance will start at 8 p.m. in the Music Hall, located on Sixth Avenue between Col. Durham and Butler streets. Parking is available in front of the building.
While the concert is free, visitors must purchase a parking permit from a machine on the adjacent lot or by going online. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Earlier in the day, the group will work with student composers, offering feedback on their compositions.
For information or to request disability accommodations, call 582-3009.
“To watch the Friction Quartet is to see the utter embodiment of the music. They are so fully there – connected – exchanging glances as their bodies move, dip, sway, as if they are not four different people.” – Leslie Gossett, writing from the Creating Enlightened Society Festival
Photos courtesy of the Friction Quartet Top photo (left to right): Otis Harriel, Pei-Ling Lin, Doug Machiz, Kevin Rogers
Golf Pride and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) named Jason Owen of CSU Monterey Bay the NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year for 2011. The award was presented at the 2011 GCAA national convention in Southern Pines, N.C. – Golf Club Business website, Dec. 10, 2011
CSU Monterey Bay alumna Angela Louie Howard “models cultural awareness, humility and responsiveness by working across cultural, linguistic, ethnic and economic lines.”
That’s according to an Oakland nonprofit organization, Civic Pride, when it gave her its Civic Award for Distinguished Community Service. It was one of two awards Louie Howard received in 2011. The other was from PG&E.
In April of 2013, she received yet another honor when she was named a Jefferson Award winner by San Francisco-area media outlets KPIX television and KCBA radio.
All recognized her work as founder and executive director of Lotus Bloom Child & Family Resource Center in Oakland. Lotus Bloom provides critical early education and support programs for multicultural, low-income families with children under 5 years old.
Her programs use art, culture, music, literacy and wellness to help children learn.
"I have always loved children and working in early childhood and family support services really showed me how one can impact the entire family and thereby reach a community," Louie Howard said.
In 1999, she earned a degree in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Human Communication. She worked in the Service Learning Institute for three years, as a student assistant and as a University Service Advocate – the forerunner of the Service Learning Student Leadership program.
"My experience at CSUMB helped shape my values and bring to light the many injustices that occur in this world," she said. "It also empowered me to organize and create change and contribute to my community."
She went on to earn a master’s degree in public administration from Baruch College of the City University of New York in 2002.
Her background in education, community and political organizing all came together in founding Lotus Bloom, helped by her respect for and understanding of families and children from culturally and linguistically diverse experiences.
“I have always had a vision of people living together in harmony and trust across cultures and languages,” she said on Facebook.
At Lotus Bloom, Monday's playgroup takes place in Vietnamese and English, Tuesday's in Chinese and English and Wednesday's in Spanish and English, she told the San Francisco Chronicle. "When we're able to connect to people in their own language and culture, they feel more connected to this place," said Louie Howard, who opened the center in 2008 to help parents improve their children's readiness for elementary school. "You can't talk to people about deeper issues if you're not making them feel welcome and comfortable," she told the newspaper.
Lotus Bloom has blossomed into five Oakland centers serving more than 300 children. Funded largely by grants, it offers most parents free or low-cost tutiion. She said she’s proud that Lotus Bloom – “we chose the name because, like the lotus flower, we have a vision of growing and blossoming in tough and rough places” – has achieved recognition as an oasis for families. “We love the fact that families come back to us daily and access our services.” What advice would she give aspiring change makers?
“Do what is in your heart. Take concrete steps to follow your dreams and, before you know it, an army is behind you.”
Read a profile of Angela in the June 2012 San Francisco Bay Guardian
Image from PG&E
You're never too old to go to college. Those 50 and older are invited to take classes through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at CSUMB starting Jan. 17. That institute was just awarded $1 million by the Osher Foundation. – The Salinas Californian, Dec. 17, 2011
CSUMB capstone festival puts final projects in spotlight . . . Before a roomful of colleagues and professors, 22-year-old biology major Isael Rubio explained his research with the poise of a tongue-twister champion. . . . Rubio spoke at CSUMB's capstone festival, a two-day extravaganza where graduating students shohwcase their final projects. – Montery Herald, Dec. 16, 2011
School need not be all about papers, tests and long lectures. Those who attend the classes offered by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at California State University, Monterey Bay have discovered plenty of fascinating courses that don't involve slaving over a word processor. – Off 68, Jan. 6, 2012
The Migrant Junior Otter program based at CSU Monterey Bay has won another award, the second time it has been honored in its short history.
The program was recognized in 2010 at the National Migrant Education Conference as an outstanding example of a collaborative effort. This year, it was selected for a Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association.
Golden Bell Awards promote excellence in education by recognizing outstanding programs in school districts and county offices of education. They reflect the depth and breadth of education programs necessary to address students’ changing needs.
For a month each summer, 250 fourth through eighth graders get a taste of what it’s like to be a college student. They take classes on the CSUMB campus in language arts and math, performing arts and technology. And they are introduced to college life and learn what it takes to be a successful student.
The university partners with the Monterey County Office of Education and El Teatro Campesino – the San Juan Bautista theater group founded by Luis Valdez – to provide the program.
And it is proving to be a successful collaboration. At the 2011 session, Carl del Grande, administrator for Migrant Education Region XVI, said students who participated in 2010 showed a 25 percent increase in proficiency in English by the end of the program and a 33 percent increase in math.
Perry Angle, director of early outreach and support programs at CSUMB, as well as representatives from the MCOE and El Teatro will attend the awards ceremony in San Diego on Dec. 3.
Learn more about the Migrant Junior Otter program here.
Learn more about CSUMB's early outreach and support programs here.
Starbucks will soon be filling the cups of students, staff and faculty at CSU Monterey Bay from a location in the Student Center.
The coffee shop's official opening is scheduled for Jan. 23 to coincide with the start of the spring semester. It will provide students with a comfortable place to gather, and feature standard Starbucks beverages and some food.
“It will offer an assortment of hot breakfast items as well as yogurt parfaits and bistro boxes,” said Maria Garcia, director of operations for the University Corporation. It will also have assorted bakery items, including seasonal offerings such as pumpkin scones during the fall.
Campus Dining Services will work with the Food Committee to give students the opportunity to help pick some of the food offerings, Garcia said. Meal plans will be accepted as payment, along with OtterBucks, credit/debit cards and Starbucks gift cards. A variety of seating will be included – a community table, a computer bar, traditional café/lounge seating and patio seating.
Another attractive feature: the company’s commitment to environmental stewardship will be put into practice. That includes recycling and efforts to minimize energy consumption and water use. The decision to bring Starbucks to campus resulted from student feedback. Last semester, Dining Services surveyed students about their preferences for food options on campus. Focus groups and student interviews and surveys were conducted. “The results showed that Starbucks was the preferred brand in the coffee category,” Garcia said. The University Corporation is paying the renovation costs; Sodexo will be the licensee. Licensed stores, according to the Starbucks website, provide the “Starbucks Experience” in a variety of locations including grocery stores, hospitals, airports, department stores. They offer the same products and customer service as company-owned facilities. Starbucks at CSUMB will be open during the Student Center’s hours of operation.
Once again, CSUMB’s Return of the Natives restoration education project has been selected to participate in the Monterey County Weekly’s annual fund-raising campaign. Monterey County Gives selects dozens of local non-profit organizations each year to highlight, asking readers to support their favorites. Last year, the program raised more than $529,000 from readers, and an additional $100,000 of matching funds. Extra funding will go to the organization with the most donors and the one with the most donors under age 35. The drive runs from Thanksgiving through New Year’s, and includes 95 nonprofits.
Donations can be made online at www.mcgives.com. The website offers profiles of all participating agencies and shows a running tally of donations received. The newspaper highlights Return of the Natives’ new project for 2012 – habitat-restoration programs in Seaside. The program, Seaside Parks Go Native, will partner with Sustainable Seaside and neighborhood park associations to create native habitat gardens in five Seaside parks. To support RON’s work and help it earn matching funds, click here.
To learn more aboout Return of the Natives, click here. To learn more about Seaside Parks Go Native, click here.
CSU Monterey Bay's Laura Lee Lienk was honored with the GREEN Educator Award for her work in promoting environmental issues. Earth Force, a Colorado-based nonprofit that encourages young people to be stewards of the environment, and General Motors Foundation sponsor the award. – Marina Gazette, Nov. 21, 2011
Nathan Danforth revels in breathing life into the inanimate. The 25-year-old graduate of CSU Monterey Bay had a chance to do just that when he worked on "The Muppets," the latest film featuring everyone's favorite characters. – The Salinas Californian, Sept. 23, 2011
RON, the outreach arm of the CSU Monterey Bay Watershed Institute, gets local students of all ages involved in creating native habitats in their communities. It also works to clean up the waterways that drain into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. – Monterey County Weekly, Nov. 23, 2011
. . . Enid Baxter Blader has helped shape CSU Monterey Bay's Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department into a well-respected and unique environment for students. Her partnerships with community outreach organizations have also brought filmmaking workshops to community youth. Using her industry connections, she has hosted several respected and cutting-edge filmmakers on campus, raising the university's profile as a serious film school. – Monterey Herald, Jan. 20, 2012
A four-week summer program for migrant students has been honored with a Golden Bell Award for collaborative effort. The Junior Otters program, which brings migrant students from the 4th to 8th grade to Cal State Monterey Bay for intense math and English courses, has been recognized by the California School Board Association. Monterey County's Migrant Education Region XVI, CSUMB and El Teatro Campesino collaborate on the project. – Monterey Herald, Nov. 29, 2011
Cerca de 275 estudiantes del distrito escolar de Salinas participaron del programa promesa de la universidad en CSUMB, en donde muchos se motivaron para continuar con sus estudios para buscar cupo en una Universidad. – KSMS (Univision), Nov. 29, 2011
Members of the Residential Housing Association told the world why they love their home at CSU Monterey Bay, and won an award for their efforts.
Prior to attending the National Association of College and University Residence Halls Pacific Region conference in Pullman, Wash., the RHA created a banner that demonstrated what being home meant to them, and then submitted it for judging at the Nov. 4-6 event.
All 45 of the contest entries were displayed electronically on video screens placed throughout the conference venue. Designed around the theme Welcome Home, It’s Where You Live, CSUMB’s banner took top honors as the best spirit banner in the large-school division. The judges’ decision was based on creativity, originality, aesthetic value, relation to conference theme and visibility of school name. ? “Our school is considered a large school based on our residential population,” said Jenni Plueard, community director for residential learning and leadership programs. “We’re in the same category as UCLA (with over 10,000 residents), USC and UC Berkeley.” Plueard credited Bradley Schoch, a graduate student and RHA volunteer, with designing the banner. The banner is displayed in the RHA office in Willet Hall (but will soon move to the Teaching, Learning and Assessment building). “And we will make some printouts to use at our upcoming events,” Plueard said. She added that the group is discussing other ways to make use of the winning design. The RHA is a student-run organization dedicated to serving as a voice for the residents of campus housing, and “guiding them in a positive living experience,” Plueard said. “It addresses issues related to community life, offers a safe environment through on-campus activities and provides leadership opportunities to all residents.” RHA-sponsored events this year include Otter Days ice cream social and pool party, open mic nights, fireside chats, Harvest Dinner and Eggs After Dark. “We have reached over 4,000 residents, students, staff and faculty members through our programming efforts so far this year.” The National Association of College and University Residence Halls is a collection of hundreds of member schools in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia and Qatar. CSUMB is a member of the Pacific Affiliate, made up of student-run residence hall associations at colleges and universities in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Australia and parts of Canada.
First Night Monterey, the community New Year's Eve celebration, will offer the opportunity to catch the work of filmmakers who studied at CSU Monterey Bay's Teledramatic Arts and Technology program.
Amid family-friendly art workshops, music – classical to jazz, blues to rock, hip-hop to folk – and the pageantry and puppetry of the Twilight Procession parade, is the CSUMB First Night Film Fest. Starting at 3:30 p.m. in the Museum of Monterey – formerly the Maritime Museum – nine short films will be screened. They include documentaries, animation and narratives. A lising of the films to be screened can be found here.
More than 70 performances are scheduled at 20 venues and locales across the city from 3 p.m. to midnight. Admission buttons are required for all indoor events. Adult prices are $20 in advance and $25 on Dec. 31; youth prices are $12 and $15. Tickets are available at a variety of locations around town and on the First Night website.
First Night Monterey, now in its 19th year, is an alcohol-free New Year’s Eve community arts celebration designed for all ages. Musicians, dancers, singers, poets and other artisans transform the streets of the city into a festive setting. FNM is a nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to bring families together and unite the community in all its diversity through the visual and performing arts.
A complete schedule is available here.
The film fest isn't CSUMB's only contribution to First Night.
Artwork by senior Raissa Figueroa graces the marketing materials for the event – the result of a longstanding relationship between the university and the event’s organizers. This year’s theme is “A FantaSea of Art."
Members of Professor Bobbi Long’s Publications Design course have been designing the poster and button for First Night Monterey since 2003.
“These projects give students real-world experience of working with a client and progressing through various stages of the design process,” Professor Long said.
Publication Design is not an art class "where students just have a muse. We teach them the actual design process. In design, you have to listen to your client, who tells you their needs and their ideas, and you interpret that," she said.
"This program gives students a chance to show their talents, skills, and creativity, but it also teaches them how to listen and respond to what they hear, as well as how to manage a project."
Learn more about the Teledramatic Arts and Technology program here.
Learn more about the communication design program here.
The U.S. Postal Service will honor nearly 250 years of California history with the issuance of the Carmel Mission express mail stamp, and a CSU Monterey Bay professor played a role in it.
Archaeologist Ruben Mendoza served as an adviser and resource consultant on the stamp. He worked on the narrative that will accompany it, as well as details of the design.
“I was called upon to address questions ranging from the colors of features depicted in the stamp to the details and textures of pavements, architectural elevations, shadows, wall heights and roof pitch,” he said.
“Even the turquoise coloring of the bronze marker and the placement of the palm trees fronting the church façade were aspects of my inquiry.”
The work entailed visits to the mission to collect information and take photos – Dr. Mendoza is an award-winning photographer. He also provided historical images for the artists to use as reference.
Often described as one of the most beautiful mission churches in the state, Carmel Mission is known for its dome-shaped bell tower and elaborate star-shaped window.
Formally known as Mission San Carlos Borroméo del Río Carmelo, Carmel Mission was founded on June 3, 1770. It was the second in what would become a chain of 21 Spanish missions along the coast of California, each positioned about one day’s ride on horseback from the next. Father Junípero Serra (1713-1784), the founder of the California mission system, is buried there.
The research and artwork were done last spring, but the design wasn’t made public until December.
“I was quite honored to have been asked to serve as the consultant for this important addition to the philatelic heritage of the United States,” Dr. Mendoza said.
He's the right person for the job.
Dr. Mendoza has studied California’s missions for years and has done archaeological work at many of them, including those in Carmel, San Juan Bautista, Soledad and San Miguel. He is a charter board member of the California Missions Foundation and one of only a handful of mission archaeology and conservation specialists in California. Each spring, he teaches a class in mission archaeology. It fills quickly.
Asked to name the most significant work he’s done, he doesn’t hesitate.
“Discovering the Serra chapels at the Royal Presidio of Monterey,” he said. He’s referring to the discoveries in the summer of 2008 of the “first” and “second” chapels, each consisting of rectangular adobe buildings located directly in front of the present San Carlos Cathedral. The area marks the spot were, in 1770, Father Serra celebrated the earliest Mass in a formally constructed church on the California coast.
Digging into the missions’ past is more than an academic exercise or teaching tool for Dr. Mendoza. He believes that knowing what went on there helps us understand who we are today, and how California became what it is.
To read more about Dr. Mendoza, click here. To learn more about the archaeology program at CSUMB, click here. DID YOU KNOW? • The express mail stamp will cost $18.95. • It’s not the first time the Carmel Mission has been featured on a stamp. A depiction of the mission’s bells was featured on a first-class stamp in 1969, to commemorate the bicentennial of the settlement of California. The cost: six cents.
. . . Integramosun interés verdadero en las matemáticas por medio de estas actividades,' comentó Hongde Hu, el instructor de la academia. Hu, quien también funge como el director del Departamento de Matemáticas en la Universidad Estatal de la Bahia de Monterey agregó que la academia es un beneficio hijos ya que la mayoria de los estudiantes que participan en esta academia son latinos. – El Sol, Dec. 31, 2011.
To explain how a two-year nursing program will differ from a four-year degree, a very visual Tom McKay moves to the whiteboard and draws a two-square graphic. On the first square, the director of the nursing program at Cal State Monterey Bay writes skills typically obtained under an associate's degree: how to draw blood, how to give shots. On the second square, he writes the knowledge a student would get with a bachelor's: public health, information technology, policy. – Oakland Tribune, Jan. 4, 2012
Every time we click on a website, pay for something with a credit card or drive across a toll bridge using FastTrak, we leave a digital trail. Who’s paying attention to that trail? It's not just Big Brother Government; it's also Big Brother Google, Big Brother Target and Big Brother Facebook. It's called data mining and it happens because our digital data is valuable, especially when it's viewed demographically.
As our digital culture embraces the promises of cloud computing and doing almost everything online, is it possible for individuals to retain any sense of privacy? That’s the topic that will be discussed at the annual Ethics Forum sponsored by CSU Monterey Bay’s schools of Business and School of Computing and Design. The free event will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. on March 28 in the University Center on Sixth Avenue and B Street. Panelists include Lee Tien, senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation; Alec Arago from Congressman Sam Farr’s office; William Boogess (retired) from the Defense Manpower Data Center; Adam Swidler of Google; and Cheryl Washington, information security officer for the University of California system. Chip Lenno, CSUMB’s chief information officer, will moderate the panel. Illustration: Prospect Magazine
CSU Monterey will be honored for its contribution to the economic vitality, growth and preservation of the area at the annual anniversary gala of the Monterey County Business Council.
The event will be held on Feb. 4 at the InterContinental The Clement in Monterey. The university, one of six organizations to be honored in key industry clusters, is being recognized in the education and research category. CSU Monterey Bay leads the transformation of Fort Ord. The economy has delayed several projects on the former Army base, but the university has continued to move ahead – in enrollment, employment, facilities and housing. With a payroll of nearly 900, the university is one of the county’s 20 largest employers and a key player in its vital economic sector of higher education. Its annual financial impact of $270 million sustains an additional 1,400 jobs across the region and state. A third of CSUMB’s students come from Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties, and half of its 7,000 alumni remain in the tri-county area, working in business, science, education, technology and public service. Other ways the university impacts the area: • Last year, students contributed 65,000 hours of community service as part of its acclaimed service learning program. They completed internships in such fields as agribusiness, computer science, social work and communications. • Faculty members engage in applied research to address challenging policy issues in the region.
• The university’s Small Business Development Center has served hundreds of clients along the Highway 101 corridor since 2009, helping to create dozens of new jobs.
• The Institute for Innovation and Economic Development, a partnership with the Monterey County Business Council, will draw on university expertise to support local entrepreneurs. • Lectures, athletic events, performing arts, conferences and the OLLI lifelong education program enrich the area. • CSU Summer Arts will be located on campus for at least the next five years and will enhance the region’s vibrant arts scene.
CSU Monterey Bay beat the competition to win its division in the annual Rideshare Month event sponsored by the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments.
Otters – students, staff and faculty – bested the other campuses in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties to take top honors in the College Challenge division and earn $500.
According to Megan Tolbert, CSUMB’s transportation planner, 70 Otters participated in the contest. They traveled 21,048 miles in October without driving alone.
“That means they walked, biked, shuttled, bused, carpooled, skated and skipped,” she said.
Participants made healthy, economical, environmentally friendly choices about how they commuted and got around CSUMB, helping “to make our campus a healthier and friendlier place to be,” Tolbert said.
The trick was getting people to sign-up. Students from Heather Ward’s environmental science and policy class actively recruited participants; prize drawings were held; flyers were posted around campus; and members of the Sustainability Committee and residence hall leaders were encouraged to join the effort.
Once they signed up, participants logged each eligible trip they took during October. The total number of miles logged at the end of the month determined the winner.
Competition was held in six categories: employers, non-profits and colleges, as well as individuals in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties. The Monterey Bay Aquarium won the Employer Challenge; Ecology Action topped the non-profit competition.
The contest provided an opportunity for people to rethink their daily commute and discover ways to use transportation options. Those options include:
• The Otter Trolley shuttle, for getting around campus. They run every eight minutes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Monterey-Salinas Transit. Buses are free for everyone with an CSUMB username card. To check out the bus schedule, visit mst.org. The UPASS (unlimited transit pass) program that started last year has been a huge success – Otters are riding the buses more than ever, saving money and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• Carpooling. Visit the Otter Rideshare Board in the Student Center to match up with a ride, or go online to CommuteAlternatives.info to find carpool or vanpool matches.
• Biking. Rent a bike, helmet and lock at the Otter Cycle Center in the Student Center.
A solo commuter switching his or her commute to existing public transportation on a single day every week can reduce CO2 emissions by 20 pounds or more than 4,800 pounds in a year. . . – MST website, January 2010
Learn more about transportation options on campus and in the area.
Tolbert is looking for ideas about how to spend the $500 award. Suggestions include hiring a student to work on the bike garage project or TRIPwise outreach; buying a banner or sign for TRIPwise or a video camera; printing brochures about alternative transportation options; or supplementing the bike garage budget. Contact her at trip@csumb.edu with ideas.
Rideshare Month is the Monterey Bay Area's annual campaign designed to increase awareness about the benefits of using sustainable transportation. Commuters are asked to use a sustainable form of transportation at least one day during Rideshare Month in order to help relieve our congested streets and highways, improve air quality, and save energy resources and commute costs.
California State University, Monterey Bay has received a $15,000 grant from Wells Fargo to support its Small Business Development Center, a program that provides counseling and training to small businesses or people who are trying to start them.
“The Wells Fargo grant will support advisers who can assist aspiring and existing business owners to achieve their goals,” said Andrea Nield, the center’s associate director. “The grant allows the SBDC to maximize the efforts of the whole team.”
The center, which opened in the fall of 2009, is located in a storefront in Gonzales and has other offices in areas it serves along the Highway 101 corridor from Gilroy to King City. It provides critical services to small business owners, helping them create jobs and solidify the local economy. That aligns with Wells Fargo Foundation’s RISE – Rural Investment for Sustainable Economies – program, launched by the bank in 2011. “RISE is an effort to look at rural needs and target our resources – volunteer hours and grant funding – there,” said Sandy Cha, assistant vice president and community affairs representative for the bank, at an event at the university on Jan. 13. “This funding will help us extend our coverage and reach our whole service area,” said Marylou Shockley, chair of the School of Business at CSUMB. “It’s a hand-in-glove arrangement.” Working in partnership with community leaders, Wells Fargo’s local market leadership directs its giving through local grants that address community development, education and human service needs of communities served by the bank.
“Wells Fargo understands the importance of workforce development,” said Joe Mathai, president for Wells Fargo’s Valley Coastal Market. “As the largest lender to small businesses in the nation, we are proud to support the SBDC as they help to strengthen community economic efforts in rural communities. Our hope is to support organizations focused on helping people and families achieve self-sufficiency through employment or business start-up during this tough economic climate.”
About the Small Business Development Center: The SBDC helps people develop business plans, secure financing, set up bookkeeping systems, improve operations, plan for expansion, project cash flow, determine technology needs and provide a variety of other services helpful to small businesses. In addition to the free one-on-one consulting, the center offers a variety of workshops and seminars. For information in English or Spanish, click here.
Photo by Kevin Garcia, CSUMB Left to right: Diane Howerton, regional director, UC Merced SBDC regional network; Brian Simmons, dean of the College of Professional Studies; Debbie Howitt, leadership gift officer; Marylou Shockley, chair of the School of Business; Andrea Nield, associate director, CSUMB’s Small Business Development Center; Terrie Fuentes, vice president, Salinas Valley district manager for Wells Fargo; Sandy Cha, assistant vice president and community affairs representative for Wells Fargo; Patti Hiramoto, vice president for University Advancement
Stick figures have never looked as good as they do in Don Hertzfeldt’s films.
While most animators have tossed aside their pencils in favor of computers, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker still works by hand.
The public will get an opportunity to see Hertzfeldt’s work when he visits CSU Monterey Bay for two presentations on Jan. 30.
The free programs will start at 2 and 6 p.m. in the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Studio on Sixth Avenue. Both are open to the public.
The program will include a collection of Hertzfeldt’s short films as well as the regional premiere of his newest film, “It’s Such a Beautiful Day,” the third and final chapter in a trilogy about a mysterious man named Bill. The film was chosen for this year’s Sundance Film Festival. A question-and-answer session will follow.
Nearly two years in the making, the 23-minute “It's Such a Beautiful Day” is his longest, and most ambitious, piece to date. It blends traditional animation, experimental optical effects, trick photography and new digital hybrids printed out one frame at a time.
Among the cult animator’s best-known films are “Rejected,” “Everything will be OK,” and “I am so Proud of You.” Over his career, Hertzfeldt has remained fiercely independent by sticking to short format and challenging the boundaries of his craft. The work is enormously popular; his films are frequently referenced in pop culture.
Created with pen and paper and without the aid of computers, his work commonly features hand-drawn stick figures in odd stories infused with black humor, surrealism and tragicomedy.
Hertzfeldt's animated films have been featured in over a thousand film festivals around the world and have received over 150 awards including a Short Film Palm D'or nomination at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival, a 2001 Oscar nomination for Best Animated Short and the Sundance Film Festival's Jury Award in Short Filmmaking. His work is also featured on television, including MTV, Bravo and IFC.
In 2010, Hertzfeldt received the San Francisco International Film Festival's "Persistence of Vision" Lifetime Achievement Award at the age of 33.
The event is co-sponsored by the Monterey Bay Film Society, and is supported by the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program, in partnership with the Monterey County Office of Education.
Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map. For more information, call 582-3743.
Top photo from Wikipedia Bottom drawing (c) 2012 Don Hertzfeldt
CSU Monterey Bay’s website has earned even more recognition in the world of higher education web design.
In mid-January, it topped the list of best redesigned sites for 2011 compiled by Karine Joly on her blog, CollegeWebEditor.com. The list was based on Nick DeNardis’ reviews on his video blog, EduCheckup.
Other top sites, according to EDU Checkup: University of San Diego, Georgetown University, University of Melbourne, Vassar
Every week since 2008, DeNardis has selected a college or university site for comprehensive review. He looks at them from the point of view of a first-time visitor, while critiquing the design, information architecture and code of the sites. He issues each a grade.
In November, DeNardis looked at CSUMB.EDU and was impressed enough to give it an A+. He praised the site for its design, as well as its architecture and general functionality, awarding it a total of 292 points of a possible 300.
“It’s a great feeling to review a site that just works,” DeNardis said on his blog.
Check out his video review DeNardis is the associate director of web communications at Wayne State University and a staff writer at .eduGuru, a higher education marketing and web development blog
The redesigned website debuted on Oct. 25, 2010, after more than a year of work by members of the Strategic Communications and Information Technology departments and an outside contractor, White Whale Web Services of Oakland.
The redesigned site features work contributed by members of the campus community, including student-produced photos and videos. The site has also been geared for ease of use, with a blend of need-to-know information and room to click around and discover unexpected stories about the university, and its students and faculty.
See the CollegeWebEditor page
Zoë Carter of Los Olivos expected hard work and long hours as an intern at the White House, and that’s what she got. Despite the time commitment of the unpaid position, the 2010 CSU Monterey Bay graduate said her four-month-long stint at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is the best and most exhausting thing she’s ever done. – Santa Ynez Valley News, Jan. 19, 2012
Chuck D, one of the founders of the legendary rap group Public Enemy, will speak at CSU Monterey Bay on Feb. 7 as part of the university’s Black History Month celebration.
His topic: rap, race, reality and digital music. The 7 p.m. event will be held in the University Center on Sixth Avenue. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door. Chuck D is the author of two critically acclaimed books, a political activist, publisher, radio host and producer. He helped to redefine rap music and hip-hop culture with the release of Public Enemy’s debut album in 1987. Yo! Bum Rush The Show powerfully articulated the realities facing black people in the late 20th century. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine included Chuck D and Public Enemy as one of the "50 most important performers in rock & roll history." In 2007, Ebony Magazine named him one of the “100 Most Influential Black Americans.” He has been featured and/or interviewed in over 50 documentaries on music, technology, politics, and race and he has appeared in numerous public service announcements for the Partnership for a Drug Free America. He has been a national spokesperson for Rock the Vote, the National Urban League, Americans for the Arts Council and the National Alliance for African-American Athletes. In 2006, he hosted ESPN’s Ali Raps, about the poetry and politics of Muhammad Ali. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu. The event is co-sponsored by the Associated Students and the Otter Student Union. For information, call Tim Bills at 582-4645.
Photo credit: Walter Leaphart
Langston Hughes died nearly 45 years ago, but the words of the American poet, social activist, novelist and playwright still resonate.
“Langston Hughes is probably even more relevant today,” Dr. Ron McCurdy, professor of music at USC, told the San Antonio Express-News. “Like other great artists, people realized after his death just how important his work is.” On Feb. 13, the Ron McCurdy Quartet will perform “The Langston Hughes Project – Ask Your Mama: 12 Moods for Jazz” at 7:30 p.m. in the World Theater at CSU Monterey Bay. The multimedia performance is part of the university’s celebration of Black History Month. The poem, “Ask Your Mama,” was written in 1960, when the Civil Rights Movement was getting started and the Freedom Riders were heading to the South. It addresses those issues and is among Hughes’ most ambitious work. He planned to collaborate with Charles Mingus, and then Randy Weston, and he wrote musical cues in the margin of the poem. The scoring was designed to serve not as mere background but to forge a conversation and a commentary with the music. The collaborations never happened, but Hughes did record the piece without music. Dr. McCurdy and his collaborators have created music and added a video component to the performance. The images come from the Harlem Renaissance in the 1930s and ’40s. The words, sounds and images bridge the Harlem Renaissance, the post-World War II beat writers’ coffeehouse jazz poetry world and the looming Black Arts performance explosion of the 1960s. Dr. McCurdy told the Express-News that “the compositions we wrote support Hughes’ words. We don’t hit people over the head. We’ve been told by people that after they’ve heard the program, they want to go out and learn.” Tickets are $5 and can be purchased online at http://worldtheater.csumb.edu or by calling the World Theater box office 582-4580. The event is sponsored by Student Activities and Leadership Development, Associated Students, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the World Theater. For more information, call Tim Bills at 582-4645.
CSU Monterey Bay alumna Zoe Carter knew an internship in the nation's capital was a long shot, but she applied anyway.
Her first reaction to learning that she had been accepted was, “Take that, you Ivy League kids. This CSU kid is at the White House,” she told the Santa Ynez Valley Journal.
Her four-month unpaid stint at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue was better than anything she could have expected.
“Having the opportunity and privilege to work in the East Wing and meet and work with the people I did is something I will never forget,” she said. She worked in the office of First Lady Michelle Obama from late August through mid-December, on Mrs. Obama’s “Let’s Move” initiative to combat childhood obesity and her project that supports military families, "Joining Forces." And while she did not work directly with the First Lady, she did cross paths with President Obama on her first day at the White House. She met him while walking through the West Wing with a few other interns and a staff member. Carter, 24, graduated from CSUMB in 2010 with an Integrated Studies degree that combined journalism and global studies. While an Otter, she served as Associated Students president and as chair of the California State Student Association. She also studied in Spain and did an internship in London.
When her stint at the White House was over, she returned home to Los Olivos, where she gave talks to middle school students about her experience. She also passed on her tips for success: "Build relationships, keep in contact with potential mentors, don't be afraid to ask for help, dream big and try everything."
She has relocated to New York City, where she is hoping to land a job in government or public affairs. Her time at the White House is a valuable addition to her resume, and, she hopes, will help her achieve her career goals. “The hard work will pay off eventually,” she said.
Photo: Zoe and Bo, the first dog
A steady stream of customers lined up for lattes, cappuccinos, mochas and just plain coffee when Starbucks opened in the Student Center on Jan. 23. The newly redesigned space provides a comfortable place to gather, and offers the standard Starbucks beverage lineup and some food. Besides the traditional café seating, there’s a computer bar, and tables and chairs on a newly constructed patio. Meal plans are accepted as payment, along with OtterBucks, credit/debit cards and Starbucks gift cards.
The grand opening is scheduled for 10 a.m., Feb. 15.
The decision to bring Starbucks to campus resulted from student feedback. Last year, Dining Services surveyed students about their preferences for food options on campus. Focus groups and student interviews and surveys were conducted.??
“The results showed that Starbucks was the preferred brand in the coffee category,” said Maria Garcia, director of operations for the University Corporation.
The University Corporation covered the renovation costs; Sodexo, the university’s food-service provider, is the licensee. Licensed stores, according to the Starbucks website, provide the “Starbucks Experience” in a variety of locations including grocery stores, hospitals, airports, department stores. They offer the same products and customer service as company-owned facilities.??
Starbucks at CSUMB is open during the Student Center’s hours of operation: Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, noon-10 p.m.
*Photos by Kevin Garcia**Top: Students wait in line at the recently opened Starbucks, located in the CSUMB Student Center.*
Bottom: Aracely Garcia, Starbucks shift leader, takes an order from Gabby Rubio
The President’s Speaker Series at CSU Monterey Bay resumes on Feb. 22 when documentary filmmaker and human rights activist Barbara Martinez Jitner visits campus. Her topic: “Femicide at our Border: To be a Woman in Juarez is a Death Sentence.”
The talk will start at 7 p.m. at the World Theater, and will be followed by a question-and-answer session. Tickets are not required for this free event, but reservations are recommended and can be made online or by calling the World Theater box office at (831) 582-4580.
The border town of Juarez, Mexico, has been nicknamed the “capital of murdered women” because more than 400 women have been found raped, mutilated and murdered. Almost all of them worked in maquiladoras, American-owned factories that cropped up along the U.S.-Mexico border in the 1990s, following adoption of the NAFTA treaty.
Martinez Jitner posed as a factory worker to uncover a dark world of poverty, sexual abuse and murder. Her investigation led to the production of her critically acclaimed documentary “The Border,” and that, in turn, provided the inspiration for the feature film “Bordertown,” starring Jennifer Lopez and Antonio Banderas. Martinez Jitner served as executive producer of the film.
The public is invited to a free showing of "Bordertown" at 7 p.m., Feb. 21 in the World Theater.
The lecture will give a personal look at the crippling poverty and gender discrimination that has made NAFTA’s “expendable workforce” into expendable human beings.
Martinez Jitner is the first Latina to be nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Emmy, honors she earned for her work on “American Family,” the first Latino drama on prime time network television. She is currently adapting Victor Villasenor’s bestselling book, “Rain of Gold,” for an HBO miniseries. For more information on the lecture or the movie showing, contact the World Theater at (831) 582-3653 or go online.
Service learning experiences at CSU Monterey Bay ended up setting a direction in life for Lauren Goodwin.
“I worked at HIV-centered organizations,” she said. “I loved the people and felt fulfilled working with START in Seaside and John XXIII in Salinas.”
After graduating in 2006 with a degree in Human Communication, Goodwin was awarded a policy research internship at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. When that was completed, she left for a Peace Corps assignment in Botswana, where she did AIDS evidence-based planning and prevention education.
In 2010, she returned to Africa as part of Peace Corps Response Malawi, where she worked as an HIV technical adviser. Her job involved using GPS to map traditional birth attendants in an attempt to help curb new HIV infections.
Now back in the U.S., she is in her first year of the master’s of public health program at UCLA, where she’ll also earn a certificate in global health.
“For me, the purpose is figuring out how to get people the health services they need," she said. "There is great need domestically, but I’ll also work internationally.
“I love southern Africa.”
And she loves CSUMB, where she gained confidence to try things.
“Serving in the Peace Corps and getting into UCLA – I wouldn’t have imagined they were possible when I was a freshman.”
Read about Lauren’s experiences in Malawi.
Photo: Goodwin and Watipa at the beach in Malawi
Fans of the American West will take a step back in time and enjoy an authentic Old West experience on Feb. 29 when the World Theater Performing Arts Series presents “Don’t Fence Me In” at CSU Monterey Bay. The evening will feature five great acts in the newly renovated University Center.
Hearing the Quebe Sisters sing is nothing short of mesmerizing. – The Washington Post
Few places in the world capture the imagination like the American West. From the range, ranch, reservation and roadhouse, from the valley of the Rio Grande to the Bitteroot Mountains in Montana, "Don’t Fence Me In: Songs, Music and Poetry of the American West" explores the region’s celebrated musical and oral culture.
Cowboy songs and poetry, high plains yodeling, western swing fiddle and vocal harmonies, lively Tex-Mex polkas and rancheras, and Northern Plains pow-wow drum and song are performed by five exceptional artists – all working cowboys and other authentic representatives of today’s Western culture. These artists express the vitality and power of tradition.
Performers include: • Wylie & The Wild West: Five-thirty in the morning is not an hour generally claimed by musicians. Despite his successful career as one of America’s most popular Western entertainers, singer and yodeler Wylie Gustafson still gets up every day at 5:30 to tend his livestock – it’s what grounds him and is the backbone of his art, he says.
• Los Texmaniacs, Tex-Mex conjunto: A Grammy Award-winning group emerging from San Antonio’s vibrant Tejano music scene, Los Texamaniacs melds the classic conjunto sounds – rancheras, polkas, waltzes, cumbias and huapangos – with Texas rock, blues and R&B and is putting its own stamp on musical traditions that run deep in south Texas communities.
• The Quebe Sisters, western swing and Texas fiddling: The three siblings from Fort Worth, Texas, bring a fresh, youthful energy to the rich musical traditions of the Lone Star State. They not only fiddle but also sing in three-part harmony. They have appeared numerous times at the Grand Ole Opry, and at the 2010 Berkshire-Hathaway annual shareholders meeting, where ukulele player Warren Buffet couldn’t resist joining them on a song.
•? North Bear, Northern Plains pow-wow drum and song: North Bear’s members represent tribes from across the Great Plains. The group performs hand drum songs with youthful energy and style influenced by modern rhythm and blues and hip-hop.
• Paul Zarzyski, rodeo poet: Recipient of the Montana Governor's Award for Literature, Zarzyski spent 15 years on the rodeo circuit as a bareback bronc rider before deciding to concentrate solely on poetry. Nine collections of his poetry have been published.
The program is a presentation of the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA), a private, not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the presentation and documentation of folk and traditional arts in the United States. Founded in 1933, it is the oldest folk arts organization in the nation. ?
NCTA programs celebrate and honor arts that are deeply rooted cultural expressions – music, crafts, stories and dance passed down through time by families, communities, tribal, ethnic and occupational groups. Bring the entire family for this evening of fiddling, song, poetry and Native American drumming. Tickets are $50 for reserved table seats with beverage service; all other seats at first-come, first-seated and range from $35 for general admission to $10 for children. Senior citizens, military and student discounts are available. Tickets can be purchased by calling the World Theater box office at (831) 582-4580 or online. The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue on the CSUMB campus. Driving directions and a campus map are available here. IF YOU COME • WHAT: Don’t Fence Me In, Music and Poetry of the American West • WHERE: CSUMB’s University Center • WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Feb. 29 • TICKETS: $10 to $50; reserve online or by calling the box office at 582-4580 • INFORMATION: (831) 582-4580
Photos (from top) (1) Wylie Gustafson photo by Michael Stewart (2) The Quebe Sisters (3) Los Texmaniacs
The World Theater gets in the spirit of the political season when it hosts comedian Will Durst on March 8.
One of the premier political satirists in the country, Durst has patched together a comedy quilt of a career, weaving together columns, books, radio and television commentaries, acting and stand-up comedy.
Will Durst is a natural successor to Mort Sahl. – New York Post
His motto is “You can’t make stuff up like this." The New York Times calls him "possibly the best political comic in the country," while the Portland Oregonian hails him as a “hilarious stand-up journalist.”
The former radio talk show host currently writes a nationally syndicated humor column, and his pieces have appeared in Esquire, George, the San Francisco Chronicle, National Lampoon, The New York Times and dozens of other publications.
He is a five-time Emmy nominee; has been fired by PBS three times; told jokes in 14 countries; and earned seven nominations for Stand-Up of the Year. His 800 or so television appearances include The David Letterman Show, HBO, Showtime, CNN, all four broadcast networks and the BBC. Tickets are $40 premium, $29 general admission. Discounts are available for students, seniors and military members. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 582-4580. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
A modern-day Will Rogers. – Boston Globe
Local TV personality Hunter Finnell will help auction off dozens of items – including tickets to the Panetta Lecture Series, the Los Angeles and Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festivals, jewelry from Tiffany, lavish dinners and lots of wine – at the 14th annual Have a Heart for Students dinner and auction at California State University, Monterey Bay on Feb. 25. The goal is to raise money for student scholarships, a need that is more urgent than ever because of the financial crunch many families are experiencing. Dozens of faculty and staff volunteers take on the roles of waiters and wine stewards, all in an effort to raise money to help the 65 percent of CSUMB students who receive some form of financial aid. This year’s planning committee is co-chaired by Leslie Taylor and Shahin Anable. “Efforts like this are really community events,” Anable said. “They’re about our future – wherever we live.” Live and silent auctions will highlight the event, which will be held in the ballroom of the University Center on Sixth Avenue. A reception and silent auction will get under way at 5 p.m. Dinner will start at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $85 per person and can be reserved by calling 582-4141. For more information or to purchase tickets online here. Driving directions and a campus map here.
WHAT: Have a Heart for Students Dinner and Auction WHEN: 5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012 WHERE: University Center on Sixth Avenue near B Street, CSUMB campus COST: $85 per person. RESERVATIONS: 582-4141 or online
Nina Simon – called a “visionary” by Smithsonian Magazine – wants people to be excited about museums.
She told the Santa Cruz Sentinel: “To me, a great museum is like a great dinner party – somebody greets you at the door and says, ‘I’m so glad you’re here. Let me introduce you to everyone.’”
The executive director of the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History will bring that message to CSU Monterey Bay on Feb. 23 when she kicks off the Visiting Artist Lecture Series.
Her presentation will begin at 6 p.m. in the Alumni and Visitors Center on Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Inter-Garrison Road. The public is invited to this free event.
Until she accepted the position in Santa Cruz last spring, she was a consultant for museums all over the world, and one of the industry's most prominent outside-the-gallery thinkers. Her blog, "Museum 2.0," is one of the leading forces working to remake the museum experience. She published a book in 2010 titled "The Participatory Museum" that outlines the ideas of her blog.
The book is a practical guide to working with community members and visitors to make cultural institutions more dynamic, relevant, essential places.
Simon previously served as curator of the Tech Virtual exhibition at the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose and was the experience development specialist at the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. She has presented workshops worldwide on visitor participation, audience development and creative uses of technology.
Driving directions and a campus map.
Learn more about the Visual and Public Art Department here.
CSU Monterey Bay is expanding its use of virtualized storage to provide 24-hour access to academic and research data for students and faculty. – Campus Technology, Jan. 25, 2012
CSU Monterey Bay baseball coach Walt White is looking forward to the 2012 season with good reason. He and his players are about to see if their hard work of 2011 can fuel a great year in 2012. – The Salinas Californian, Jan. 30, 2012
Whether detailing a family history of mental problems or untangling a bloody mess of post-surgery stitching, filmmaker Don Hertzfeld has a remarkable knack for turning stick figures into empathetic characters. – Monterey Herald, Jan. 31, 2012
Chuck D's rap group Public Enemy, celebrating its 25th year with a new album and world tour, was once feared for its angry political messages. They've since been named one of the 50 greatest artists of all time by Rolling Stone . . . He comes to CSUMB on Feb. 7 to kick off the school's Black History Month events. – Monterey County Weekly, Feb. 2, 2012
A panel of experts will visit CSU Monterey Bay on Feb. 13 to give a presentation on funding for startups. The public is invited to attend.
The free event – billed as an Innovation Forum – will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Alumni and Visitors Center, on Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Inter-Garrison Road. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Panel members include:
• Terrie Fuentes, Salinas Valley District manager and vice president of Wells Fargo
• Wendy Franscioni, chief lending officer for California Coastal Rural Development Corp. in Salinas
• Chuck Erickson of CECO Innovation, a business consultant for start-up tech ventures in bio-science, bio-fuels and agriculture, among other areas
• Andrea Nield, associate director of the Small Business Development Center at CSUMB, part of a nationwide program that provides technical assistance to small businesses.
The presentation is sponsored by CSUMB’s School of Business, the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development and the Small Business Development Centers of Gonzales and the Central Coast.
California State University, Monterey Bay’s master’s degree in social work (MSW) program passed an extensive accreditation process recently, and is now nationally accredited.
Last fall, CSUMB played host to the fourth site visitor over the past four years from the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE). Each met with administrators, faculty, students, and community advisory board members on campus, poring over the school’s programs, reviewing benchmark documents, and making suggestions for program improvement. The program submitted its final three-volume, 1,000-page report on April 1.
The visit was the culmination of four years of preparatory work by CSUMB faculty and staff. Evaluators recently issued their report, granting initial accreditation through February, 2018.
“CSWE accreditation recognizes the professionalism, competence and quality work put forth by our faculty and staff, as well as the quality of our students’ experiences in the field with our community partner agencies,” said Dr. James Raines, interim MSW program director. “It shows that our faculty are well-qualified and experienced in their fields, that our community partners provide outstanding support for our students, and that our program does a great job preparing future social workers based upon national standards.”
To meet CSWE standards, universities must offer intellectually rigorous standards-based programs relevant to the needs of the community. To the students, it means that they are now eligible for national and state scholarship programs and federal loan forgiveness programs. To the public, accreditation means that the school underwent rigorous review by an external group of professionals, and that programs meet standards set by the field at large.
"National accreditation causes you to continually assess your programs and constantly seek to improve," Dr. Raines said of the process. The university will go through the process again in four years when formal accreditation expires, but the university will also submit reports to CSWE along the way.
The MSW program at CSUMB started in 2010. The three-year program offers evening classes for working adults. In addition to classes, students must complete 16 hours a week of field experience during the second and third years of study.
Learn more about the program here.
Three CSU Monterey Bay business students have been awarded scholarships by the San Jose-Silicon Valley Chapter of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA). The awards were presented Jan. 25 at the organization's Honorees Night in San Jose.
Benjamin Oppong-Bio, a senior, earned a prestigious at-large scholarship and a lifetime membership in CalCPA. “There were 70 students from 12 colleges and universities competing for two at-large scholarships,” said CSUMB Professor of Accounting Cathy Ku. “It’s quite an honor.” Jennifer Warner and Mihir Patel were selected as the organization’s outstanding senior and junior, respectively. As the outstanding senior, Warner's name will be engraved on the CalCPA scholarship recipient plaque on display in the office of CSUMB's School of Business. Both receive a one-year membership in CalCPA. The scholarships are based on recommendations from professors and individual achievements. Students from DeAnza, Evergreen, Foothill, Gavilan, Mission, Monterey Peninsula College, San Jose City and West Valley community colleges, as well as CSUMB, UC Santa Cruz, San Jose State and Santa Clara universities were eligible to enter the competition. The California Society of Certified Public Accountants is the nation’s largest statewide association of CPAs. Founded in 1909, CalCPA represents over 34,000 members. The organization’s Silicon Valley/San Jose chapter has awarded nearly $400,000 in scholarships over the last 13 years. At least one CSUMB student has earned a scholarship annually for the last seven years. The School of Business at CSUMB added a concentration in accounting in 2004, offering a full spectrum of classes to meet the CPA requirements. The program has grown steadily and is popular with community college transfer students. Photo courtesy of Cathy Ku (Left to right) Benjamin Oppong-Bio, Jennifer Warner, Dr. Marylou Shockley, Mihir Patel
Machine Project, a Los Angeles-based arts organization, will visit CSU Monterey Bay for two public events Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 15 and 16, sponsored by the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department and the Monterey Bay Film Society.
On Thursday at 6:30 p.m., writer Colin Dickey, artist Nicole Antebi and musician Chris Kallmyer will explore a bit of musical history and the controversy it has generated.
In overlapping performances, they will explore the difference between two rival pitches – 440 Hz and 432 Hz. Sound and music consist of vibrations; the more vibrations per second, the higher the pitch. The unit for measuring this is the Hertz, abbreviated Hz.
The natural “keynote” in the universe is 432 Hz; 440 Hz is the standard used today. Dickey will trace the history of the war for correct musical tuning, a debate that has raged for two centuries and has involved the French government, the British Broadcasting Corp., and Joseph Goebbels, among others.
Antebi will accompany the talk with a two-channel video “tinkering” with the shape of sound while Kallmyer creates pitch-altered recordings of Wagner, sine tones and live instruments.
On Wednesday at 7 p.m., Kallmyer will give a talk about Machine Project, its work and approach to sound programming.
Both presentations will be held in the TAT Studio on Sixth Avenue adjacent to the World Theater. Both are free, supported by the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program in partnership with the Monterey County Office of Education.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Photo of Chris Kallmyer by Alex Stephens
As publicity kicks in for the annual Together with Love 10K race, cheerful images focusing on a bright red heart are popping up around the local area.
The artwork was done by CSU Monterey Bay student Mark Johnson as part of a project in Professor Bobbi Long’s digital art and design class.
This is the second year the Monterey County Rape Crisis Center, sponsor of the annual race that is held near Valentine’s Day, has worked with CSUMB to develop the art that is used in marketing materials and on the T-shirt that goes to race participants.
Students in Professor Long’s foundation-level design class get experience working on a “real” project and the MCRCC gets high-caliber art that helps define its theme.
Nina Alcaraz, MCRCC’s associate director, made several visits to the class to introduce the project and work with the students. As the designs took final form, Clare Mounteer, the agency’s director, and Gwen Maria, a graphic artist who has done work for the agency, joined in to select six designs (from the class of 30) to be presented to the MCRCC’s board of directors.
The board chose Johnson’s work for this year’s logo.
For more than 25 years, the race has been the biggest annual fundraising event for the Rape Crisis Center, a nonprofit agency that serves adults and children who have been sexually abused. It also provides prevention education programs throughout Monterey County.??
The MCRCC isn’t the only community organization to benefit from the talents of Professor Long’s students.
??Members of her Publications Design course have been designing the poster and marketing materials for First Night Monterey since 2003.??
“These projects give students real-world experience of working with a client and progressing through various stages of the design process,” said Professor Long, who has an undergraduate degree from the University of Washington and a master's degree in fine arts from the Basel College of Design in Switzerland.??
Publication Design is not an art class "where students just have a muse. We teach them the actual design process. In design, you have to listen to your client, who tells you their needs and their ideas, and you interpret that," she told the Monterey Herald newspaper in an interview several years ago.??
"This program gives students a chance to show their talents, skills, and creativity, but it also teaches them how to listen and respond to what they hear, as well as how to manage a project."??
To learn more about the design program at CSUMB, click here.?
CSUMB reaches out to African American community Each February, Super Sunday sends California State University officials including Chancellor Charles B. Reed, trustees, and campus presidents to African American churches throughout California — where they preach the power of college preparation.
As part of the effort, CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison and Provost Kathy Cruz-Uribe will visit churches in Seaside.
On Feb. 19, President Harrison will address the congregation at Greater Victory Temple while Provost Cruz-Uribe will visit New Hope Baptist Church. Following the services, staff members from CSUMB and church education advisers will provide information on the application and admission process, including virtual tours through CSUMentor.edu, the website that provides the tools to plan and apply to a CSU campus. Copies of the How to Get to College poster – a practical guide about how to prepare for college – will be distributed. The guide, available in several languages, in print and electronic form, provides the list of classes that students need to take from sixth grade to 12th grade to qualify for admission to the CSU. It also provides tips for parents and mentors to help students succeed. Aimed at improving college access and graduation rates among African Americans, Super Sunday provides families with a wealth of information about how to get to college and the value and importance of a college degree. A recent report indicates that African American males who do well in college had parents that set high expectations for them and participated in programs that helped them make the transition to college. Family involvement and programs like Super Sunday contribute to college success in the African American community. Now in its seventh year, Super Sunday has expanded to include more than 100 churches throughout the state. Chancellor Reed kicked off the 2012 Super Sunday visits on Feb. 12 in Los Angeles. On Feb. 19, he’ll visit a church in Newark.
Photo by Richard Greene ?CSUMB President Dianne Harrison addresses the congregation at Greater Victory Temple during Super Sunday 2010. She will visit the church on Feb. 19, 2012, at 10:45 a.m. The church is located at 1620 Broadway Ave., Seaside.
CSU Monterey Bay is among more than 600 colleges and universities that kicked off participation in RecycleMania on Feb. 12 to see who rules at recycling.
The 10-week program challenges schools across the United States and Canada to reduce waste, increase recycling levels, and generally raise awareness of conservation efforts by competing to see who recycles the most on a per capita basis, produces the least amount of waste and recycles the largest percentage of their overall waste steam.
Progress can be tracked online.
Started in 2001 as a competition between collegiate sports rivals Ohio University and Miami University, the program has grown exponentially – 630 campuses in total participated in the event last year, collecting 91 million pounds of recyclables and organic materials. RecycleMania organizers say this helped prevent the release of over 127,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, an amount comparable to the emissions of 25,000 passenger cars or the electricity used to power 15,500 homes. This is the second year that CSUMB has participated. The competition involves the residence halls on the Main Quad as well as the three North Quad buildings. Photo courtesy of Duane Lindsay
The Otter Realm, CSU Monterey Bay’s student newspaper, was honored at the National College Journalism Convention held recently in Seattle.
The Associated Collegiate Press, the largest and oldest national organization for college student media in the U.S., sponsored the convention.
The Otter Realm competed in the Best of Show contest, which was judged on the basis of a single issue of the editor’s choice published this academic year. Competition was held for daily papers, weekly publications, and less-than-weekly papers – the Otter Realm’s category, where it earned a fourth-place award.
The entries were judged for general excellence, which included the quality of the reporting, writing, editing, design, photography and examples of special-project reporting and editorial page leadership.
The Observer from Fordham University in New York City took the top honor in the less-than-weekly category.
“This award is a representation of the dedicated team of reporters, editors, photographers and designers who work on the paper,” said Crystal Lopez, this year’s editor-in-chief.
The Otter Realm is published the first and third Thursday during the school year. It also operates a website where news stories are posted on a regular basis. Students in Human Communication 389, Otter Realm Workshop, produce both.
Professor Estella Porras is the faculty adviser.
Hundreds of college students did some speed dating with prospective employers at CSU Monterey Bay's career fair, where the possibilities ranged from full-time career opportunities to unpaid internships. – Monterey Herald, Oct. 4, 2012
CSU Monterey Bay is set to host three events as part of the 11th annual Reel Work May Day Labor Film Festival.
The festival features films that illuminate the lives and struggles of workers in the United States and around the world. Two of the campus showings will be accompanied by a speaker, the third will include a panel discussion.
Thursday, April 26, 7 p.m., University Center on Sixth Avenue and B Street: Rise Like Lions, a film about the Occupy Wall Street movement. A compilation of Internet and original footage, the film tells the story behind the movement. A five-minute film about Occupy Monterey will also be shown, and a panel discussion with local Occupy-ers will follow.
Monday, April 30, 7 p.m., University Center on Sixth Avenue and B Street: Brothers on the Line, a film that examines the lives and legay of the three Reuther brothers – Walter, Roy and Victor – militant auto workers turned union and civil rights champions. Filmmaker Sasha Reuther, grandson of Victor, will speak after the film.
Tuesday, May 1, 7 p.m., Tanimura & Antle Library, Room 1180, Divarty Street at Fifth Avenue: Dream to be a Worker. The film follows the path of Vietnamese women who face exploitation and harsh working conditions in foreign-owned factories, and their dream or a better life. Dr. Angie Tran, professor of political economy at CSUMB, will speak after the film.
Partners for the Advancement of Teaching at CSUMB will also sponsor a film showing at its Resource Depot, 880 Broadway Ave., Suite C-1, Seaside:
Wednesday, May 2, 7p.m.: American Teacher. Narrated by Matt Damon and based on a book by Dave Eggers, the film takes a look at the complexities of teaching in a severely underfunded public school system. Admission to all events is by voluntary donation; the $2 university parking fee must be paid. The California Faculty Association, student and community groups are sponsoring all events.
For a complete listing of this year’s films in Monterey, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties, click here. For more information on the CSUMB screenings, contact Jennifer Colby at 726-2006 or jcolby@csumb.edu.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
CSU Monterey Bay’s celebration of Black History Month continues on Feb. 28 with “My Eyes Have Seen: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Black Civil Rights Movement,” a presentation by photojournalist Bob Fitch.
The presentation will start at 7 p.m. in the University Center on Sixth Avenue near B Street. The public is invited to this free event.
Fitch – who served as Dr. King’s photographer at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference – will present famous and rarely seen images of the Civil Rights icon.
He trained to be an engineer, and then a Protestant minister. But, he says, “Photojournalism seduced me. It is a compelling combination of visual aesthetics, potent communication and story telling. It is a way to effectively support the organizing for social justice that is transforming our lives and future.” In 1966, he took what has become an iconic shot of Dr. King. The photograph served as the model for the Martin Luther King Monument in Washington, D.C. Taken in Atlanta, it captured Dr. King with his arms crossed, staring to his right. An illustration of Mahatma Gandhi hangs nearby.
Another Fitch photo served as the model for the Cesar Chavez commemorative postage stamp. His work has been featured in two Smithsonian traveling exhibits and been reproduced globally in print, film, and electronic media.
He has captured images of the farm worker movement, Dorothy Day and the Catholic Workers, and Joan Baez and the peace movement, as well as the Civil Rights movement. Visit his website to see some of his work.
He lives in Watsonville and stays active in local political empowerment campaigns and non-violent campaigns for peace and justice.
The event is sponsored by Student Activities & Leadership Development at CSUMB, as part of its cultural enrichment series.
For more information, contact Tim Bills at 582-4645.
The public is invited to join CSU Monterey Bay on March 6 for an evening with Winona LaDuke, an activist, writer and voice for American Indian economic and environmental concerns.
The free event will get under way at 7:30 p.m. in the University Center ballroom.
Her topic: Environmental Justice from an Indigenous Perspective.
LaDuke addressed the United Nations at 18, graduated from Harvard with a degree in native economic development, won human rights awards and ran for vice president – twice – on the Green Party ticket.
She has written extensively on Native American and environmental issues and is a leading voice on environmental action, sustainability, economic and social justice, indigenous rights, and the rights and empowerment of women.
In 1998, her work was recognized by Ms. Magazine, which named her Woman of the Year. Four years earlier she was nominated by Time Magazine as one of the country's 50 most promising leaders under the age of 40. This is the second appearance for LaDuke at CSUMB. She was the keynote speaker at the university's first Diversity Days celebration in 2001.
The event is sponsored by Associated Students Cultural Enrichment Committee and the Otter Cross Cultural Center.
For Women's History Month, CSUMB's library is featuring books on women and the environment.
Conceptual artist Michael Arcega likens the titles of his works to punch lines. There?s El Conquistadork, a 10?foot high Spanish galleon he made from manila folders, and Conquistadorks I & II, elaborate suits of armor also crafted with manila folders.
The titles speak to the artist?s quirky sense of humor and his obsession with wordplay, while using humor to delve into weighty issues. Born in Manila, the artist uses his puns to address his interest in Filipino history, imperialism and global, socio?political issues.
The local community will have the opportunity to learn about Arcega’s work when he visits CSU Monterey Bay on March 8. His free talk, part of the Visiting Artists Series, will start at 6 p.m. in the University Center living room. The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Driving directions and a campus map can be found at csumb.edu/map.
?I use manila folders to talk about trade and business and colonialism. Having paper armor, I think, shows the frailty of military strength,” he told an interviewer for KQED TV’s Spark program.
His other works comment on and satirize contemporary themes, like the United States? complicated relationship with oil production. In Gaud We Trust, a 12?foot?high gothic cathedral constructed with black petroleum?based plastic, features oil derricks as its spires and a cross that looks as if it is spitting out black gold.
Although many of his works are mixed?media sculptures, Arcega is a true interdisciplinary artist whose works range from paintings to installations, videos to drawings. He earned a B.F.A. in interdisciplinary studies at the San Francisco Art Institute in 1998 and an MFA from Stanford in 2009.
History tends to keep repeating, so I tend to mine history for content and try to apply it to current events. – Michael Arcega Learn more about CSUMB's Visual and Public Art Department here.
CSU Monterey Bay will be closed in observance of the holiday season beginning Wednesday, Dec. 24. The university will re-open for business operations on Friday, Jan. 2.
Spring semester classes will start on Jan. 20.
An update on the status of projects surrounding the campus will be held on March 28 in the Student Center’s west lounge. Members of the campus community are invited to attend.
From 3 to 5 p.m., representatives from the Fort Ord Reuse Authority and adjacent jurisdictions will make presentations on development of The Dunes, Seaside’s Main Gate project, the Eastside Parkway, the Veterans cemetery, East Garrison, MST/Whispering Oaks and Monterey Downs, among other topics. An overview of Fort Ord reuse will also be presented.
The presentation is co-sponsored by the Faculty Senate and Associated Students.
Photo shows Second Avenue, west of campus
“Sustainability and Social Justice” is the topic to be addressed on March 7 when CSU Monterey Bay’s annual Focus the Region teach-in and Social Justice Colloquium jointly present a program of speakers, films and panel discussions.
A complete schedule is available here
"We think of sustainability in terms of environmental issues, economic issues and social justice issues," said Dr. Dan Fernandez, chair of CSUMB's Division of Science and Environmental Policy. "The most neglected of these three pillars is social justice.
"Social justice needs to go hand-in-hand with environmental and economic issues," Dr. Fernandez said.
All events will take place in the University Center on Sixth Avenue. CSUMB President Dianne Harrison will open the program will brief remarks at 1 p.m. The day’s highlights include:
At 1:20 p.m.: Graciela Tiscareno-Sato, a graduate of the School of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley and a former military aviator, will talk on Latinnovating: How Creative Latino Culture is Sparking the Green Economy.
At 3:30: Frank Bardacke will speak on farm work and justice. His most recent book is the award-winning Trampling Out the Vintage: Cesar Chavez and the Two Souls of the United Farm Workers.
At 5:45: Showing of the Emmy-nominated film, A Village Called Versailles, about a Vietnamese American community near New Orleans and their efforts to rebuild their neighborhood after Katrina, and then their fight to overturn a government decision to put a toxic landfill near their homes.
At 6:45: For International Women’s Day, panels will examine women’s rights around land, work, health, culture and education. The day’s activities, including a vegetarian lunch (available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.), are free. Lunch guests are asked to RSVP. Exhibitors, including AMBAG, Applied Solar Energy, Hartnell College Sustainable Construction, Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency, MST and the U.S. Green Building Council will have displays set up starting at 11 a.m. Attendees are encouraged to bike, take public transportation (route information) or carpool to the event. There is a $2 campus parking fee. For more information, please contact Dr. Daniel Fernandez at (831) 582-3786 or sustainability@csumb.eduPhotos: Above left: Graciela Tiscareno-Sato Above right: Frank Bardacke
In recognition of Women’s History Month, Dolores Huerta will speak at CSU Monterey Bay on March 14. The public is invited to this free event, scheduled for 7 p.m. in the World Theater.
The most prominent Chicana labor leader in the United States, Huerta co-founded the United Farm Workers union with Cesar Chavez. She has been an organizer and advocate for workers’ rights, immigrants’ rights and women’s rights for more than 50 years.
Huerta was a founding member of the Stockton chapter of the Community Service Organization (CSO) in 1955. The CSO battled segregation and police brutality; led voter registration drives; pushed for improved public services; and fought to enact new legislation. Through the CSO she met Chavez, and the two realized the need to organize farm workers in California.
In 1962, Huerta and Chavez resigned from the CSO and formed the group that would eventually become the United Farm Workers. The group rose to prominence in the 1970s after it organized a national grape boycott to raise consumer awareness of the poor working conditions of immigrant farm workers. Their work resulted in union contracts, better working conditions and health care for field workers.
Huerta continues to work as the public face of the UFW. She has won numerous awards, including the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award in 1998, and was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1993.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here. For more information, contact Tim Bills at 582-4645.
Now is the time for prospective students to apply for the fall 2012 class of CSUMB's Master of Social Work program.
This fall marks the third class to enter the program.
If you would like to be considered for fall admission to the three-year program click here for information and application forms. Deadline to apply is April 30.
Young filmmakers eager to see their work on a screen bigger than YouTube will get the opportunity this fall, when CSU Monterey Bay holds its fourth annual Teen Film Festival.
The Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department is accepting applications for the festival, which will be held at CSUMB's World Theater on Sept. 29. The deadline to apply is April 27. Filmmakers between 13 and 19 years old are invited to submit films and videos up to five minutes in length. Entries may be in English or Spanish and there is no entry fee. Entries may be submitted online. TAT students will organize the event and handle the judging, according to Professor Enid Baxter Blader. "It's an educational experience for our students, who want to go out in the world and have their films screened in film festivals. A great way to understand that process is to curate a film festival," Blader said. CSUMB also hopes the festival will serve as a way to interest local teens who might not have considered going to college. By inviting them to campus and showing them what the university offers, they may consider enrolling. While local teenagers are encouraged to enter the competition, it's also open to teenagers from around the world. Last year's event drew more than 200 entries with films submitted from Afghanistan, South Africa, Venezuela, Salinas, Soledad and Los Angeles. Close to 400 people attended the festival, making it the most attended event in three years. Teen filmmakers and their families from all over California, as well as community members, came to enjoy the show. The Monterey Bay Film Festival will also feature three programs curated by Mike Plante. Plante is an associate programmer of the Sundance Film Festival, and curates many other festivals internationally. This will be his third year as the programmer of the Monterey Bay Film Festival.
Learn more about CSUMB's Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department here.
Steven Avila’s passion for politics and government took him to Washington, D.C., in 2010.
Now, it’s taken him back to work in the White House. The Palmdale native – a fall 2011 graduate with a degree in business administration – got his first taste of life in the nation’s capital through the Panetta Institute for Public Policy’s Congressional Internship program. “After completing my Panetta internship, I was inspired to come back to Washington and learn more about the system,” he said. “Now that I’m interning at the White House, I am able to see it through an exciting new perspective.” Avila, 22, readily concedes that he applied for the internship because he “wanted to seek out a unique opportunity” after graduation, but didn’t think he had much of a chance at landing one of the coveted spots. “But then I remembered an old saying, ‘You have no chance, unless you take one.’ And here I am,” he said. He started the four-month stint in January, working in the Office of Presidential Correspondence. The office handles official correspondence on behalf of the President, responding to the letters he receives. It also documents and catalogues gifts sent to the First Family. While he isn’t sure what’s in store for him next, he’s excited to be in Washington. “The city is filled with brilliant and interesting people,” he said. “There are also opportunities here that you can’t find back home. “After both internship experiences, it’s hard not to want to be a part of it in some capacity,” he said. Avila’s political resume includes serving in student government while in high school and helping with voter registration drives while a student at Antelope Valley College. His parents were politically minded, he said, and that served to inspire him as well. “My mother, an elementary school teacher, and my father, a Los Angeles police officer, always kept me involved in the world around me,” he said. “Someday I would love to run for office,” he said before leaving CSUMB for his Panetta internship in 2010. “When my third-grade teacher told the class that anyone could be President of the United States, it really resonated with me. I’m not saying I want to be president, but I believe that if you work hard and do the right thing, there is opportunity to be had.” While he’s excited about the opportunities to be had in Washington, he hasn’t forgotten California.
“I sometimes miss home (Palmdale), and that beautiful Monterey coastline.” According to the White House Office of Communications, the mission of the internship program is to make the White House accessible to future leaders and to prepare those devoted to public service for future leadership opportunities.
Additional information about the White House internship program is available here. The application for the Fall 2012 program is available on the website; deadline is April 1, 2012.
Zoe Carter, another CSUMB graduate, was a White House intern last fall. Read her story here.
They have no memories of the civil-rights milestones of the mid-1960s, but that hasn't prevented students at Cal State Monterey Bay from starting a campus chapter of the NAACP. – Marina Gazette, Oct. 1, 2012
California State University, Monterey Bay Provost Kathy Cruz-Uribe has announced the appointment of Dr. Ilene Feinman to the position of dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
Dr. Feinman, who has served as interim dean since October 2011, will continue to oversee the academic programs in the college, which are offered by the Division of Humanities and Communication; the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies; the School of World Languages and Cultures; the Music and Performing Arts Department; the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department; the Visual and Public Art Department; and the Integrated Studies Special Major program. Provost Cruz-Uribe expressed her thanks to the members of the dean’s search committee, which conducted a nationwide search. She praised Dr. Feinman’s support of student engagement and success. “Dr. Feinman is committed to supporting and enhancing the ability of the faculty and staff of the college to serve our students,” Dr. Cruz-Uribe said. Dr. Feinman said she has learned much about the vibrant life of the college that she had not seen from her vantage point as a faculty member in one division. “I am very excited to continue and extend the visioning conversation that we have started in the college and ever humbled and grateful for the encouragement I have received to serve,” she said. Dr. Feinman came to CSU Monterey Bay in 1996 and has served the campus in a variety of leadership capacities, including chair of the Division of Humanities and Communication and chair of the Academic Senate.
In recognition of her accomplishments, Dr. Feinman was awarded the CSUMB President’s Medal for faculty in 2011. An interdisciplinary scholar in the areas of gender and peace studies, she received her Ph.D. in History of Consciousness from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1997. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Integrated Studies from UC Santa Cruz in 1988.
Learn more about the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences here.
CSU Monterey Bay has been awarded a 10-year, $32 million NASA grant to continue research which includes wildfire monitoring, agricultural water management, flood forecasting and crop yield predictions.
The grant is part of a $137 million award to the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute of Sonoma, which will collaborate with CSUMB, UC Davis and the University of North Dakota.
The research being funded concerns critical areas such as basic climate processes and how they impact global ecosystems. Some of the work will involve satellites and unmanned drones.
CSUMB's share, awarded to the university's auxiliary, University Corporation at Monterey Bay, is $32.4 million. That's the largest grant ever received by the university. It will support 20 full-time research scientists and five to 10 student researchers each year. Most of the scientists will work at NASA’s Ames Research Center at Moffett Field in Mountain View. Collaborations with campus-based faculty members will be developed as part of the research.
Dr. Susan Alexander, professor in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy, heads the project for CSUMB.
"It's fantastic," Dr. Alexander said. "It's very exciting to have a 10-year commitment. Funding usually comes in one- to three-year cycles."
Scientists will study changes in ecosystems, climate and biodiversity, and will develop products to help land managers, agricultural producers and water managers throughout the U.S.
Projects include wildfire and natural disaster monitoring, flood forecasting, crop yield predictions and fog detection. Scientists will apply satellite data to study environmental conditions and ecological processes that affect agriculture, public health and vector borne disease.
Specific areas include daily or near real-time mapping of crop productivity and crop water demand in California; disease vectors and disease transmission risk across the U.S.; and coral reef health in the tropics.
Under the direction of Dr. Alexander, the university has collaborated with the NASA Ames Research Center since 1997. The two organizations conduct research in ecological and watershed systems with an emphasis on environmental problems and issues resulting from changing climatic and land-use patterns.
Graduate students in CSUMB's master's program in Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy and advanced undergraduates in the Environmental Science, Technology and Policy program will have the opportunity to work with researchers at NASA Ames. They will learn advanced geospatial technologies, conduct hands-on research activities in earth systems science, and participate in internship and career development programs at NASA.
Here a National Public Radio story about the grant
On a sunny Saturday in Seaside, the Cal State Monterey Bay women's water polo team made history with a 10-4 victory over Division I rival Santa Clara. It was the Otters' first in a rivalry that dates to program's inception in 2005. – The Salinas Californian, Feb. 6, 2012
Hundreds of feet beneath the ocean, but not far off the Laguna Beach coast, deep-water rockfish take shelter from the dark in the arms of a sea star. They're among thousands of images captured with the help of a robotic submarine as part of a survey of sea life up and down the California coast. James Lindholm, a fish ecologist and professor at CSU Monterey Bay, is leading the survey. – Orange County Register, Feb. 13, 2012
Submarines and submersibles provide their operators with some capacity to interact with the outside world. However, you run into problems when scientists want to add a new outside tool that they can operate while safely inside. The students of CSUMB professor Steve Moore's robotics class came up with a solution, and in so doing created "Squid Disco." – *Science and the CSU *blog, Feb. 17, 2012
CSU Monterey Bay professor and seafloor mapping expert Rikk Kvitek was part of a public-private-academic partnership that helped California map all the state's waters from the shoreline to the three-mile state limit. The project . . . made California the first state to map the territorial sea. – CSU website, Feb. 23, 2012
March Madness arrived a bit early for the CSU Monterey Bay women's basketball team. In their California Collegiate Athletic Association tournament opener and final home game of the season, the No. 2-seeded Otters held off No. 7 Cal State East Bay inside a raucous Kelp Bed. – Monterey Herald, Feb. 29, 2012
CSU Monterey Bay will use the largest grant it's ever received to study how climate change impacts ecosystem processes, and develop products to help agricultural producers and land managers deal with a changing environment. – Monterey County Weekly, March 10, 2012
Iranian-born visual artist Taraneh Hemami has two homes – and she also has none. When Hemami came to the United States in 1978 to attend the University of Oregon, she planned to return home after she finished school. Within a year, however, the Iranian Revolution had changed her homeland forever and prevented her from returning for more than a decade.
As an Iranian living in the United States, it's not surprising that Hemami's art would explore her complex relationship with the concept of home and her struggle to secure a sense of belonging from both her country of residence and her native country. In many ways, Hemami's art is her home. "There is a sense of satisfaction in placing myself within the walls that I create," Hemami told KQED’s Quest program in an interview several years ago.
The local community will have the opportunity to learn about Hemami’s work when she visits CSU Monterey Bay on April 5. Her free talk, part of the Visiting Artists Series, will start at 6 p.m. in the University Center ballroom. The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Driving directions and a campus map can be found here.
One of her public art projects is currently on display at San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. The installation, on display until August of 2013, is a neon sign with the word “free” – in English and Arabic – repeated in a circle, acting, Hemami said, as a prayer or chant. The English version, in blue, can be read from the interior of the building; the Arabic version, in yellow, can be read from outside.
Hemami told the San Francisco Chronicle that she surrounded the neon with the geometric patterns one finds on the dome of a mosque or bazaar. At the center of the pattern, in place of the dome’s peak, is the neon light calling for freedom.
Hemami’s visit concludes the Visiting Artist Series for this academic year.
Dr. Umi Vaughan, assistant professor of Africana Studies in CSUMB’s Division of Humanities and Communication, has co-authored a book with Carlos Aldama. In it, the master and student trace the history of batá drumming from Arica to Cuba to the United States.
Batá identifies both the two-headed, hourglass-shaped drum of the Yoruba people and the culture and style of drumming, singing and dancing associated with it. Aldama is one of the masters of the batá drum. The book, “Carlos Aldama’s Life in Batá: Cuba, Diaspora, and the Drum,” recounts his life story and traces the history of batá culture on its trek from Africa to Cuba and then to the United States.
For the enslaved Yoruba, batá rhythms helped sustain the religious and cultural practices of a people who had been torn from their roots. Aldama, as guardian of Afro-Cuban music and as a Santería priest, maintains the link with this tradition. By sharing his stories, Aldama and his student Dr. Vaughan bring to light the techniques and principles of batá in all its aspects, documenting the tensions of maintaining a tradition between generations and worlds, old and new.
The book includes rare photographs and access to downloadable audio tracks.
Aldama is omo Añá (sworn to the drum) and a priest of Changó in the Santería religion. Born in Havana, he was a founding member of Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba, studying under its original musical director, Jesus Pérez (Oba Ilu), and later serving as musical director himself. He has worked with the National Symphony of Cuba, playwright Roberto Blanco, and Karl Marx Theatre director Alex Valdez, and has performed with Adalberto Alvarez y su Son, Lazaro Ros and Olorún, and Gonzalo Rubalcaba.
Dr. Vaughan is also omo Añá and is a priest of Ochun in the Santería religion. He is an artist and anthropologist who explores dance, creates photographs and performances, and publishes about African Diaspora culture. He is the author of “Rebel Dance, Renegade Stance: Timba Music and Black Identity in Cuba.” Visit his website here.
Dr. Vaughan will lecture about his book at the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco at 2 p.m. on April 22. Read more here.
Photo of Dr. Vaughan courtesy of Indiana University Press
A coloring book is helping children in New Zealand learn about that country’s marine environment, thanks to the work of a graduate of CSU Monterey Bay’s Science Illustration program.
Corlis Schneider, who earned a certificate from the program in 2011, created illustrations for the book as part of an internship at the New Zealand Marine Studies Centre and Aquarium in Dunedin.
Schneider is among a small number of professional artists who make up the field of science illustrators, people who work at the confluence of art and science.
“When you’re younger, you don’t think there is a way to reconcile a love for art and science,” she said. “So you grow up focusing on science, like I did, or art.
While earning a bachelor’s degree in marine biology from UC Santa Cruz, she realized that her favorite classes were the labs where students had to illustrate their specimens.
“Dr. Mary Silver taught several classes that I took, and she recognized my passion for drawing. She invited me to start illustrating plankton for a website in her lab. That was my first real taste of science illustration,” Schneider said.
After graduation, she worked in several biology labs, and started thinking about graduate school. That’s when a friend reminded her about the program at CSUMB.
“I ended up procrastinating on my marine science application and spending every day after work putting together a portfolio for the science illustration program. It was clearly the right decision for me,” she said.
She landed in New Zealand when the Marine Studies Centre contacted the program looking for interns. New Zealand sounded “exotic,” Schneider said, and she knew she could focus on marine illustrations.
The centre wanted a coloring book, which was a “substantial project for a two-month period, but I really enjoyed the experience,” she said.
A second internship, at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, started soon after her return to the U.S. That one lasted three months and involved pen-and-ink drawings of snake eel specimens.
She’d recommend the program at CSUMB. “I learned more in the nine months on campus than I have from any other program or class I have taken,” she said. “I’m a much better illustrator and confident in my abilities now.”
The program was definitely boot camp, but “it was worth it for me. “I have been freelancing for about three months now in Los Angeles, and I am loving it.” Photo: Corlis Schneider at Yellowstone
Dr. Corey Garza of the Division of Science and Environmental Policy has received funding from the University of Southern California Sea Grant program as part of its urban ocean project. CSUMB is one of six California universities selected to take part in a research program aimed at making the state’s urban coastline more sustainable. “In urban regions with large populations living adjacent to our coasts, the challenge is to understand the problems and help to create approaches to sustain and improve the health of coastal ecosystems," said Sea Grant director Linda Duguay. All of the applications for funding were reviewed by outside experts for scientific merit and relevance to current marine issues – such as fish contamination, habitat diversity, urban runoff and the role of ocean water toxicity. The project led by CSUMB marine ecologist Garza will take a closer look at the importance of intertidal areas for lobsters and sheephead fish. The two species use these areas to eat and reproduce, but fishing and human disturbance have impacted the important role the intertidal play in their lifecycles. Dr. Garza plans to compare an intertidal area in unprotected urban water with a marine-protected area, where fishing is prohibited. “The study will compare a protected with an unprotected intertidal area, looking at factors like the species’ reproductive conditions,” Dr. Garza said. “The differences will help us gauge the communities’ importance to the animals.” Dr. Garza, who received $39,000 for the study and an additional $25,000 to fund a graduate student researcher, will initiate the research in June. He said he hopes this investigation will help to integrate intertidal habitats into the design of marine protected areas so these key economic species can maintain sustainable populations. “This habitat is critical to these species, but the species are also an important part of the coastal ecosystems,” he said. “The study will provide more evidence to support their conservation efforts.”
Learn more about the Division of Science and Environmental Policy.
Information from Science and the CSU blog
More than $50,000 in cash and services is being offered in the fourth Monterey Bay Regional Business Plan Competition, set for May 3. All start-ups that can show how they will create jobs in the tri-county area are eligible. Contestants must submit a one-page application by March 18. To help with the application process, a free 90-minute introductory workshop will be offered seven times. The workshops are scheduled for: • 6 p.m., Feb. 11, Sam Karas Room in the Monterey Peninsula College library • Noon, Feb.12, Cruzioworks, 877 Cedar St., Santa Cruz • 4 p.m., Feb. 13, Salinas Chamber of Commerce, 119 E. Alisal St. • Noon, Feb. 19, San Benito County Chamber of Commerce, 243 Sixth Street, Suite 100, Hollister • 6 p.m., Feb. 21, Sam Karas Room in the Monterey Peninsula College library • 3 p.m., Feb. 23, McGowan Room 320, Monterey Institute of International Studies • 4 p.m., March 5, Marina Technology Cluster? A $1,000 cash award will be given to the winning student team, $5,000 cash for the winning main street company (a local or regional business) and $50,000 in cash and professional services for the winning venture-play company. The first round of presentations – applicants have five minutes to present their business idea and answer questions from a panel of judges – will be held at CSU Monterey Bay on March 29. Semifinalists will be chosen to move on to the final competition May 3 at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Finalists will present their ideas and business plans to a panel of investors, successful entrepreneurs, regional CEOs and venture capitalists. More information is available at Monterey Regional Business Plan Competition.
The California State University Board of Trustees today named Dianne F. Harrison, president of California State University, Monterey Bay, as president of California State University, Northridge. Dr. Harrison has been CSUMB president since 2006.
“I am excited and honored to be selected as president of another fine institution within the California State University system, and look forward to working together with the entire campus community on the many opportunities for the future," said Dr. Harrison. Dr. Harrison will succeed retired President Jolene Koester, who served as CSUN president since 2000. She is expected to begin her new position as president sometime in June. CSUN Provost Harold Hellenbrand has been serving in an interim capacity as president since Koester's retirement in December 2011. “Dr. Harrison brings an outstanding portfolio of administrative experience, academic credentials and student-focused approach to her new position as president of Cal State Northridge", said CSU Trustee Bob Linscheid, who was chair of the presidential search committee. "She has an impressive record of accomplishments, a commitment to scholarship, and will provide strong leadership as the campus moves forward." Dr. Harrison came to Monterey Bay following a 30-year career at Florida State University where she served in various capacities starting as a faculty member, dean of social work, associate vice president for academic affairs, dean of graduate studies and vice president for academic quality and external programs. She holds a Ph.D. in social work from Washington University in St. Louis and a master's of social work and a bachelor's in American Studies, both from the University of Alabama. Her academic and research areas of expertise include HIV prevention among women and minority populations and higher education issues related to social work and university leadership. A prolific researcher and writer, Harrison has published dozens of articles and two books. She has served on the boards and committees of more than 60 national, state, and local organizations and community projects. Harrison currently serves as a board member of the American Association of Colleges and Universities, KQED Public Media for Northern California, NCAA Division II Presidents Council, MoreHealth of Monterey County, California Campus Compact, and the United Way of Monterey County. She co-chairs the Monterey Bay Educational Consortium and is a leader in education with the Monterey County Business Council. She was appointed by Governor Brown to the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education. She is the recipient of "A Tree of Life Award" from the Parent Institute of Quality Education for her contributions to the education of all children and was inducted into the Monterey Business Hall of Fame.
More than 40 computer science and business students from CSU Monterey Bay, Monterey Peninsula College, Hartnell College and the Monterey Institute for International Studies were joined by local software professionals for the "Ideas of March," a marathon Android app development competition March 15-17 at CSUMB.
During the course of the 54-hour event, students worked in eight teams – seven of which were mentored by software professionals – to develop mobile apps for local small business and non-profit organizations, including Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Community Television of Santa Cruz County, Oldtown Salinas Association and Monterey Regional Airport.
The event was a collaboration among CSUMB's computer science and information technology program, the Monterey County Business Council and the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development. The overall winner – with highest marks for technical merit, impact on society, potential success of commercialization and presentation quality – was a team that developed an app for Community Hospital’s Peninsula Wellness Center. The app will allow members to access information on classes, events, personal trainer times and updated alerts that get pushed to the mobile device by the organization.
Awards were also presented for Best Technical Merit, to the team that developed an app for Community Television of Santa Cruz to select and display three streaming video channels and its complete schedule listings, which can be easily searched; and for Highest Community Impact, to the team that developed an app for Destination Salinas to help users find historic sites of Salinas, offering descriptions and trivia about the sites like a virtual tour guide. Several of the community partners attended the presentations and awards reception. Overall, the Ideas of March drew more than 50 participants including students, software professionals, community partners, judges, and other volunteers. "Community members, software engineers, judges and most of all, the students, learned and enjoyed the experience very much," said Professor Eric Tao, chair of the School of School of Computing and Design and director of the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development. "It was inspiring to have the students and software engineers working together with an intense deadline and to see the outcomes on the final day," said Kim Wadsworth, director of technology for the Monterey County Business Council, who served as one of the judges for the event. "One student said it best during his presentation: He and his team members had no java knowledge or app development experience, and yet they were able to find code on Google from the open-source community in order to pull together a finished prototype in only 2.5 days. He learned that you can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it." View the KSBW news segment on the event (broadcast March 16), and see a slide show of the "Ideas of March" here.
Read the original story here. (Story courtesy of the Monterey County Business Council. It appeaed in the Friday Facts newsletter of March 23.)
Outstanding research by CSU Monterey Bay students on topics ranging from juvenile offenders to the distribution of mammals on former Fort Ord land will be presented at a system-wide competition next month.
Five student projects were selected by a committee of CSUMB’s Faculty Senate to represent the university at the 26th annual CSU Student Research Competition at Long Beach State May 4 and 5. In Long Beach, students will make 10-minute oral presentations before juries of professional experts from major corporations, foundations, public agencies, colleges and universities in California. The judges also review each student’s research paper. The purpose of the competition is to focus attention on the outstanding accomplishments of students engaged in significant research and creative activity in all academic disciplines across the 23-campus CSU system.
One graduate student and four undergraduates will present their work. Those students, their degree programs, research topics and their faculty advisers are:
Graduate student: • Bart Kowalski, Coastal and Watershed Science & Policy, “Effects of landscape covariates on the distribution of mammalian carnivores on Fort Ord," faculty adviser Dr. Fred Watson
Undergraduates: • Sara Banco, psychology, “Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors of Serious Juvenile Offenders from Parental Substance Using Homes," faculty adviser Dr. Jill Yamashita
• Melissa Powell, psychology, "Familistic and Individualistic Values of Emerging Adults Across Cultures," faculty adviser Dr. Jennifer Dyer-Seymour
• Emily Roncase, biology, "Directed mutagenisis for the identification of regulatory phosphate-binding sites on the auxin transport protein ABCB19 in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana," faculty adviser Dr. Henrik Kibak
• Sarah Whiteford, kinesiology, "Effects of Isometric Squats on Vertical Jump in Male Recreational Club Athletes," faculty adviser Dr. Kent Adams
Sincerely, 2012, a show by students in the Visual and Public Art Department, is on display in the Balfour/Brutzman Gallery on campus.
The show explores apocalyptic beliefs that have proven remarkably resilient over time.
The year 2012 is considered a pivotal date in human history. The media suggests that our way of life may be ending, the result of global warming, financial ruin and spreading plagues.
The exhibit was organized by a committee that invited students to submit works in any medium.
The works represent the artists’ exploration of apocalyptic beliefs and the end of time – system failure, faith, expectations, and psychological or emotional needs.
The gallery is located in the Visual and Public Art-East building. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The show will remain on display through April 20.
Featured artists include Xavier Bellante, Dillion West Costello, Stephanie Edwards, Bryan Lenorud, Laura Jane Oneto, Victor Rivas, Kelly Thomas, Anita Velasco and Stephanie Sumler.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Learn more about VPA here. Learn more about the Balfour/Brutzman Gallery here.
Above:* Battle Flag of the Unknown Artist *by Xavier Bellante.
Sword fights, improvisational comedy, animation, hip-hop: Summer school was never this much fun.
Several hundred students from throughout the California State University system and beyond will come to CSU Monterey Bay in July for the annual CSU Summer Arts program. High school and community college students and faculty, as well as local residents are also welcome to enroll in the 15 classes that will be offered.
“Summer Arts will benefit students and the local community by providing them with opportunities to study with premier artists from around the world,” said Professor Renee Curry, who led the effort to relocate the 28-year-old program to CSUMB.
“Bringing Summer Arts to campus clearly announces to our tri-county area that we have come of age as a provider of significant arts education to students and as a provider of extraordinary performances to the community.”
According to Joanne Sharp, assistant director of CSU Summer Arts, more than 35 public events will be held, including lectures, readings, concerts and theatrical productions.
In other words, the area’s summer arts scene has gotten a lot more interesting.
Summer Arts will be based at CSU Monterey Bay for at least five years. The university beat out Fresno State, which housed the program for more than a decade, San Francisco State and Chico State to be the host campus.
“We were selected because our facilities are multi-purpose and we were open to a wide variety of art forms,” Dr. Curry said. “And we have great support from local arts organizations.”
Students are immersed in rigorous training, 12 to 14 hours a day, every day during the two-week sessions. They earn three units of academic credit for each course. Master teachers and guest artists teach the classes. Each offers a public performance or culmination at the end of the session.
Dr. Umi Vaughan is one of those teachers. An assistant professor of Africana Studies at CSUMB, he will teach an Afro-Brazilian rhythm workshop. The course will bring together two of Brazil’s most famous musical organizations – Manguiera and Ile Aiye – for the first time ever.
Dr. Vaughan expects the class to be a “game-changer for anyone interested in performing Brazilian music.”
Stage combat is another one of the classes being offered. It gives participants an opportunity to channel their inner swashbuckler while learning to perform exciting, historically accurate and safe stage sword fights.
Preparing classrooms, assigning residence halls, working with course coordinators, arranging for meals and reaching out to community arts organizations are some of the ongoing activities to get CSUMB ready for Summer Arts.
The budget is $1.7 million, Sharp said, a welcome addition to the local economy. That doesn’t include money spent by the 250 to 400 students and instructors who are expected to attend.
Most public performances will be on campus, at the World Theater, Music Hall, Meeting House and Black Box Cabaret; a few will be held in the community. In mid-May, the schedule will be available at csusummerarts.org. Tickets can be ordered online or, after June 1, by calling (831) 582-3499 for tickets.
Rob Klevan is the community relations specialist for Summer Arts. He served as director of music and fine arts at Robert Louis Stevenson School for 27 years, is jazz education director emeritus for the Monterey Jazz Festival, director of bands at UC Santa Cruz, big band director at Monterey Peninsula College and jazz studies director at York School.
• Schedule, registration and scholarship information are available here. More than 70 percent of students receive scholarships.
• In mid-May, the schedule of public performances will be available online. Tickets can be ordered online or by phone starting June 1. Call (831) 582-3499.
Lower photo: Banners promoting Summer Arts will be posted around campus this summer
Tomatoes, carrots, squash and other vegetables are sprouting on college campuses across the country – ready for harvesting as part of a student movement to promote organic, sustainable gardening, environmental awareness and healthy eating.
And CSU Monterey Bay is part of the movement. The Eden Garden Club is creating a student-run garden located near the Watershed Institute, on the east side of campus.
“The club has 85 members on its mailing list, so there’s a great interest in it,” said Liz Lopez, one of the club’s co-presidents. “But the core group has between 10 and 15 members.” The garden occupies a 26- by 20-foot area that includes four raised beds, each six feet by four feet. A drip irrigation system will provide the water and showcase conservation practices. So far, the beds have been built, using donated lumber. Club members are negotiating prices for soil, seeds and the drip irrigation system. Then, the beds will be finished with gopher wire and filled with soil. Planting and mulching will follow.
“The plan is to start with easier and climate-specific crops such as carrots, radishes, lettuces, artichokes, strawberries, maybe some beans and cherry tomatoes, and lots of herbs,” said faculty member Rebecca Kersnar, the club’s adviser. At CSUMB, the garden is a natural extension of the campus-wide effort to go green. Those efforts include LEED-certified building construction and renovation, a strong academic emphasis on environmental issues being addressed across the curriculum, and locally sourced food served in the Dining Commons.
Students have high hopes for the garden. The growing should continue through the summer when volunteers will plant, water and weed, and harvest the first crop.
“Autumn and winter crops will be planted as well,” Lopez said. “The harvest will be shared among the club members.
“We’re also planning on hosting events with the campus food service provider. And holding seminars on subjects such as gardening at home and vermicomposting,” Lopez said. Lopez said she sees the garden as a great way to begin conversations on campus about organics and sustainability. “What could be more sustainable than an organic garden so students can be involved in the food growing process?,” she asked.
“This will empower students by letting them know that they can make a sustainable life for themselves, as well as build community on our campus,” Lopez added. And, it will give students an appreciation for farm workers and the process by which food makes its way from the fields to the grocery store.
To learn more, or to join the Eden Garden Club, contact co-presidents Liz Lopez (ellopez@csumb.edu) or Josh Ambrose (jambrose@csumb.edu).
Watch the video to learn more about sustainability at CSUMB
Dr. Alice Rivlin, a member of President Barack Obama's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, founding director of the Congressional Budget Office and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, will deliver the keynote address at CSU Monterey Bay’s commencement ceremony on May 19.
As part of the ceremony, Dr. Rivlin will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Dr. Rivlin served as the first director of the Congressional Budget Office from 1975 to 1983. During the Clinton administration, she was director of the Office of Management and Budget from 1994 to 1996, becoming the first woman to hold the Cabinet-level position. She served as governor and vice chairwoman of the Federal Reserve from 1996 to 1999. “CSU Monterey Bay is very pleased to have a commencement speaker of such national prominence,” President Dianne Harrison said. “She has played an important role in some of the most important economic decisions affecting our country," Dr. Harrison said. “Given the current economic conditions, I cannot imagine better timing for our students to hear from Dr. Rivlin. I am confident that our faculty and students will come away with a better understanding of the forces shaping our future economic outlook." Known for her effectiveness in working in a bipartisan manner, Dr. Rivlin is a key participant in the effort to curb the deficit and overhaul the tax code. In February, the Washington Post called her “the budget wonk's budget wonk.” She was appointed by President Obama to the Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, co-chaired by Democrat Erskine Bowles and Republican Alan Simpson. Two years ago, the commission recommended an overhaul of the U.S. tax code that would lower rates and raise net revenue in order the trim the deficit. Dr. Rivlin also co-chaired with former Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., the Bipartisan Policy Center's Task Force on Debt Reduction. From 1998 to 2001, she chaired the District of Columbia Financial Management Assistance Authority. A frequent contributor to newspapers and television news programs, Dr. Rivlin is a regular contributor to the "Nightly Business Report" on PBS. Her books include "Systematic Thinking for Social Action" (1971), "Reviving the American Dream" (1992) and "Beyond the Dot.coms" (2001). She is co-author of "Restoring Fiscal Sanity: How to Balance the Budget" (2004) and other books. Dr. Rivlin is a visiting professor at the Public Policy Institute of Georgetown University and a researcher at the Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institute (she led its Economic Studies Program from 1983 to 1987). She also has taught at Harvard, George Mason University and The New School universities. She has a bachelor's degree from Bryn Mawr College and a doctorate from Radcliffe College at Harvard University, both in economics.
Learn more about commencement here.
As they wrap up impressive undergraduate careers and receive their degrees on May 19, four science students are looking ahead with lofty goals of what they want to accomplish.
With a couple of years of research already completed, Isael Rubio of Salinas, Kevin Johnson of Hollister, Eric Ross of Los Osos and Alexandra Davis of Albuquerque, N.M., are poised to make contributions in their fields.
All four are headed to graduate school courtesy of National Science Foundation fellowships, which provide $90,000 plus tuition and fees, to support three years of graduate education.
All four participated in rigorous research and demonstrated an elite level of scholarship as participants in CSUMB’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center or UROC.
Rubio worked with Dr. Carolee Bull at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s research station in Salinas, investigating bacterial plant pathology. A biology major, he will attend the University of Wisconsin for his graduate studies in plant pathology.
Johnson, mentored by Dr. Aparna Sreenivasan, researched freshwater cyanobacterial algal blooms in the Monterey Bay area. A biology major, he will enter a Ph.D. program in ecology, evolution and marine biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Mentored by Dr. Susan Alexander, Ross conducted a number of projects, including mapping bird-nesting sites and investigating whether seabirds use smell to select mates. He is graduating with a degree in environmental science, technology and policy, and will attend the University of Wisconsin’s Department of Forestry and Wildlife Ecology.
Davis worked with Dr. Rikk Kvitek on mapping the California seafloor and conducted research on invasive species at the Perry Institute for Marine Science in the Bahamas. She will earn a degree in marine science at CSUMB and is deciding between Oregon State University and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science for graduate school.
The NSF graduate research fellowships went to 2,000 students across the country; 850 of them were awarded to undergraduates. With its four winners, CSUMB was the largest recipient in the California State University’s 23-campus system.
“These fellowships do more than recognize the fantastic achievements of our students,” said Dr. William Head, UROC director. “They validate the tremendous efforts of our faculty and campus to provide our students with world-class instruction, research opportunities and mentoring.”
According to the National Science Foundation, “The ranks of NSF Fellows include numerous individuals who have made transformative breakthroughs in science and engineering research, many who have become leaders in their fields, and some who have been honored as Nobel laureates.”
Learn more about UROC.
Photo: Alexandra Davis conducts research in the Florida Keys as part of a team of aquanauts working on Aquarius, the world's only underwater research station.
. . . new master's in social work program at CSU Monterey Bay, which will graduate its first class in 2013. The master's program is the only accredited social work program on the Central Coast. Nearly 60 students are on track to obtain MSW degrees, including 52 from the tri-county area. Many students plan to return to the communities in which they grew up. – Monterey Herald, March 11, 2012
Chaplain Clark Brown co-hosts a weekly drop-in conversation opportunity, called Chaplain Cafe, with Father Jon Perez, the Episcopal chaplain at CSUMB. They put a welcoming sign on a table at a coffee shop on campus; sometimes faculty members stop by and ask them to be guest speakers in their classes. More often students come to discuss problems in their lives: spiritual issues, financial pressures, relationship difficulties, family strife. – Morgan Hill Times, March 14, 2012
It's a catchphrase that business owners want to hear potential customers say about their own enterprises – "There's a an app for that." The "Ideas of March" – a 54-hour mobile app development camp and competition – kicks off Thursday at CSUMB, fueling hungry students and software developers with wish lists for mobile apps from the business community. – Monterey Herald, March 15, 2012
Next time there's a wildfire in California, consider the airplane mapping its perimeter could be part of a research project by CSU Monterey Bay scientists. The university was awarded a 10-year, $32 million NASA grant, the largest in the university's history, to continue research under way which includes wildfire monitoring, agricultural water management, flood forecasting and crop yield predictions. – Monterey Herald, March 16, 2012
The president of California State University, Monterey Bay, has been named the new chief of another campus in the system, the CSU Board of Trustees announced Thursday. President Dianne Harrison will be the new president at CSU Northridge starting in June. – The Salinas Californian, March 23, 2012
When Dianne Harrison arrived at CSU Monterey Bay, the university was struggling to meet its recruitment goals and retention was problematic. Soon, she laid out plans to remedy both situations. Now, as Harrison waves goodbye to the Central Coast after six years, she looks at changes made in enrollment and includes them among her most important achievements. – Monterey Herald, March 23, 2012
Four undergraduate students at CSU Monterey Bay learned Friday they are among a select group of nationwide applicants chosen to receive prestigious and lucrative pre-doctoral fellowships from the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program. – Monterey Herald, March 31, 2012
To help meet a growing demand for bachelor’s-prepared nurses, CSU Monterey Bay has added a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program, and the first class of students will start this summer.
The program is launching at a critical time, when the pace of change in nursing has rapidly accelerated.
The health care industry is coping with the “silver tsunami” of aging baby boomers combined with the impact of health care reform, and nurses will play a big role in meeting both challenges.
In a 2010 report, “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health,” the Institute of Medicine and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation examined future demands. The report recommended improving nursing education and suggested the proportion of nurses with bachelor’s degrees increase to 80 percent by 2020. Today, only 30 percent of California nurses have bachelor’s degrees.
“There is strong community support, and need, for baccalaureate-prepared nurses,” said Dr. Kathy Cruz-Uribe, provost at CSU Monterey Bay. “There is no four-year nursing program in the tri-county area.”
The university is collaborating with four local community colleges – Monterey Peninsula, Hartnell, Cabrillo and Gavilan – to avoid a costly duplication of classes, labs, equipment and faculty.
“This is an historic moment in nursing education,” said Dr. Tom McKay, director of CSUMB’s program. “This isn’t just another nursing program. This intense collaboration with community colleges is historic in the California State University system. This may be a model for a new way of doing nursing education.”
In a typical bachelor’s program, the curriculum focuses on the clinical aspect of the profession rather than its public policy implications. At CSUMB, Dr. McKay said, students will look at the broader picture. They will be educated to serve as health care navigators, helping patients manage multiple conditions such as hypertension and diabetes outside the hospital setting.
Students will begin the program in June and spend a calendar year in university classes, including courses in information technology and research methods. Then they will complete the standard two-year community college program before returning to the university for a final semester that includes classes in public health and a capstone or culminating project. The entire program can be completed in 37 months.
“In the final semester, it will all come together for students,” Dr. McKay said. “That’s when they’ll see the global picture.”
While news reports indicate that nurses have lost jobs during the current economic downturn, Dr. McKay said there is hidden demand.
“New graduates can’t find jobs because older nurses are working longer,” he said. “When the wave of retirements comes, a big demand will become apparent. It’s a crisis in the making.”
Learn more about the nursing program here.
Earth Day is really Earth Week at CSU Monterey Bay.
Since the first Earth Day in 1970, people around the world have sought to celebrate the planet through a variety of individual and community activities. But Earth Day is about more than observing the beauty and vitality of nature; it's also about renewing our commitment to saving our living planet. ? The Associated Students' Environmental Committee has a variety of activities planned for the week.
The week kicks off on Friday, April 13, with a bike ride and movie. Meet at the Student Center to take a guided mountain bike ride from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Otter Cycle Center will provide a free bike and helmet, leadership and instruction; pre-register with the Otter Cycle Center. A movie with an environmental theme will be shown in the Student Center starting at 3:30.
Saturday, April 14 is Campus Clean-Up Day. Volunteers will pick up litter and other debris around the campus from noon to 2. An Ecofest Dance will be held at the Black Box Cabaret starting at 9 p.m.
On Sunday, April 15, gardening will be featured on the Main Quad, 1 to 3 p.m.
Various environmental organizations will staff information tables set up on the Main Quad from noon to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, April 17.
On Wednesday, April 18, at noon in the Student Center, the campus community is invited to celebrate the second anniversary of the planting of CSUMB’s Peace Tree. From 4 to 6 p.m. in the Student Center, a panel will discuss various issues relating to sustainability.
Thursday, April 19 brings an opportunity to unclutter your life at a swap meet on the Main Quad from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bring unwanted items to swap or give away.
Also from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., shop at the Farmers Market on the Main Quad. End the day by enjoying a family-friendly movie, Happy Feet 2, at 7 p.m. at the World Theater. Or try the Reggae Fest from 9 p.m. to midnight at the Black Box Cabaret. ?? The week ends with a three-day student camping trip to Big Sur, April 20-22. The $20 cost covers two nights and three days of food, fun and nature. Register online by April 13.
Following on the heels of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues,” CSU Monterey Bay students continue their campaign to end sexual violence against women with two performances of “The MENding Monologues.”
Both a bookend and male response to Ensler’s play – which has been produced at CSUMB for 11 years – Derek Dujardin’s production borrows the monologue format, featuring stories of how men are affected when violence is waged against women.
Performances will be held at 8 p.m. on April 25 and 26 in the Black Box Cabaret. Tickets are $5 for students, $10 general.
“Men are stepping up to take part in ending sexual assault, an issue that many are beginning to recognize affects them as well,” said MENDing student producer Margo Flitcraft.
One of those men is student Mark Weddle, co-director of the play along with Destiny Mattson.
“I wanted to direct The MENding Monologues so I can have a more active role in ending sexual assault and violence against women,” Weddle said.
He thought it would be difficult to get men to audition, but that proved not to be the case. “We had 32 people audition and selected a cast of 24, 19 men and five women. The cast of this year’s Vagina Monologues proved immensely helpful in talking with the men in their lives and encouraging them to come out.”
The MENding Monologues is just one of a series of programs and events that have been organized at CSUMB to commemorate Sexual Assault Awareness Month, raise public awareness of the issue and educate communities and individuals on how to prevent it.
How pervasive is the problem?
The National Institute of Justice found that about 1 in 5 women and 6 percent of men are victims of sexual assault while in college. According to data collected under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Crime Statistics Act in 2009, college campuses reported nearly 3,300 forcible sex offenses. (Source: United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights))
At CSUMB, Health & Wellness Services took the lead in convening a committee of student clubs and organizations and campus departments to organize activities throughout the month. Some events are sponsored by student groups, others by Health and Wellness Services.
The first event was held April 2 on the Main Quad. The “Time to Stop Rape” flag display was intended to get the campus community talking about the issue.
Other events include:
• April 12, noon to 2 p.m., in front of the library: “It’s Time to Talk,” which will address sexual assault stereotypes and prevention
• April 17, 7 p.m., Cross Cultural Center: showing of “Boyhood Shadows,” a film about male victims of child sexual abuse, and panel discussion
• April 25, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Main Quad: Denim Day, when women are urged to wear jeans with a purpose, as a sign of protest against the myths surrounding sexual assault
• April 25 and 26, 8 p.m., Black Box Cabaret: "The MENding Monologues"
• April 27, 1 to 6 p.m., Student Center and Main Quad: “SlutWalk,” a worldwide protest prompted by remarks from a Toronto police officer that women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized
“Health and Wellness Services has been a leader in sexual assault prevention efforts at CSUMB because we realize that we must do more than increase students’ knowledge about the issue,” said Gary Rodriguez, health promotion and prevention specialist.
“We – students, staff and faculty – must work together to empower our campus community to take action to stop sexual assault,” Rodriguez said.
CSU Monterey Bay is looking for local professionals to help at a career expo on April 27.
Organized by faculty members from the statistics, math and technology departments, along with the university’s career services office, the expo is intended for students in math and computer science. The goal is to expose them to a wide range of career options and to help them prepare for those careers.
“We’re asking for volunteers from any organization that hires computer science or math students,” said Dr. Kate Lockwood, who teaches computer science. “Participants can be on a panel, network with students, or hold mock interviews.” Volunteers can come from government, education or industry.
The day will include panel discussions and networking in the morning and mock interviews in the afternoon. All will take place in the Student Center, located on Inter-Garrison Road between Fourth and Fifth avenues. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map. The career expo is part of STaMP – Statistics, Technology and Math Professionals – a new effort that supports students in those fields. Events leading up to the expo have included workshops on resume writing, business etiquette and interviewing.
Anyone interested in participating can contact Dr. Lockwood at klockwood@csumb.edu.
Members of the public are invited to audition for CSU Monterey Bay’s production of a new play, The Fisherman Ming Cho Yee and the Princess Under the Sea, written by Professor Will Shephard.
Auditions will be held at 7:30 p.m. on April 27, and at 1 p.m. on April 28, in the Meeting House, located on the corner of Divarty Street and Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard on the CSUMB campus. Driving directions and a campus map are available.
The play, partially based on Monterey and Pacific Grove history and partially based on a classic folk tale, will be performed next fall.
Prepared audition material is optional; auditions will involve script readings and movement exercises.
For further information, call Will Shephard at 236-7857.
“The Carmel River presents a remarkable test case for a messed-up river. Almost everything that can go wrong with a river system through human activity has happened," said hydrologist (and former CSU Monterey Bay faculty member) Robert Curry in 1981.
Journalist Ray March has made Dr. Curry’s quote the opening line of his new book, “River in Ruin: The Story of the Carmel River,” which portrays a river that has been dammed, diverted and leaned on for at least 130 years.
March will visit the campus of CSU Monterey Bay on May 10 to talk about his book and sign copies. The public is invited to this free lecture, which will be start at 6 p.m. in the OLLI Building at Inter-Garrison Road and Sixth Avenue. Reservations are suggested and can be made by calling 582-5500. The thin ribbon of the Carmel River is just 36 miles long and no wider in most places than a child can throw a stone. It is the primary water supply for the tourists, residents and businesses on the Monterey Peninsula; it is also one of the top 10 endangered rivers in North America, according to the nonprofit organization American Rivers.
March, who grew up in Carmel, remembers when the river flowed clean and its banks were free of concrete rubble, automobile tires and abandoned cars. The book is a very personal explanation and analysis of the forces that brought the river to its current state.
“River in Ruin” weaves water history – local and larger –with the natural, social and environmental narrative of the Carmel River. March traces the river’s misuse from 1879 and details how increasingly successful promotions of Monterey demanded more and more water. As a result, the river was disastrously depleted and inhospitable to the fish prized by visitors and residents alike.
March’s book is a cautionary tale about squandering precious water resources – about the ultimate cost of a ruined river and the slim but urgent hope of bringing it back to life. Books will be available for purchase at the event. What reviewers are saying:
Having hiked most of the river from its headwaters to its mouth, I believed that I knew the Carmel River well. So I was surprised to encounter “I didn’t know that!” moments on page after page of March’s book. It is the product of more than a decade of research and reporting, and his attention to telling detail shows. – San Francisco Chronicle
This succinct work combines (March’s) skills as a writer with his familiarity with Monterey geography to provide readers with a thorough understanding of how the Carmel River has slipped into ecological disaster…Water, especially in the West, is a commodity profoundly affected by population growth, weather, dams, forest fires, politics, and economics. March covers all these factors to provide the fullest possible picture of the river’s decline as his narrative moves from past to present and possible future. – Library Journal
Saturated with facts, March’s account of this threatened river forces readers to reconsider water as a commodity that requires protection. – *Kirkus Reviews***About the author**:
Ray A. March, author of several nonfiction books, is a career journalist and co-founder and editor of the Modoc Independent News. He is also the co-founder of Modoc Forum, a nonprofit perpetuating an awareness of rural life through literature and the arts.
The event is sponsored by CSUMB's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Learn more about OLLI here.
The Monterey Bay Film Society will show the 2011 Sundance-screened feature film, “Prairie Love,” on May 3 at Monterey’s Osio Theater.
The film was produced by Doug Mueller of Carmel Valley, a 2003 graduate of CSU Monterey Bay’s Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department. Mueller, a staff member of the Carmel Bach Festival, will speak at the event and will display more than 100 hand-drawn storyboards he created for the film.
At Sundance, “Prairie Love” was one of eight films selected to compete in the NEXT category, which highlights innovative work in low-budget – under $500,000 ¬– filmmaking. It was one of only 200 films selected from more than 10,0000 that were submitted to the festival that year.
According to Mueller, “The film is about three eccentric characters who are trying to find companionship in a desolate situation.” The story was filmed in and around Minot, N.D., where Mueller went to high school.
This will be the film’s only local showing. It will be accompanied by a short film on the Monterey Bay Film Society and how it achieves its mission.
"An unnervingly romantic, starkly humorous, and startlingly composed drama." – The Huffington Post
The 7 p.m. screening is a fundraiser for the film society's youth programs. Tickets are $100 and include a reception with wine and hors d’oeuvres starting at 5:30. Tickets may be purchased here.
The society is the Central Coast’s premiere organization for independent filmmaking, media art and community and is presented by the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department at California State University, Monterey Bay. Its mission is to promote the cinematic arts with year-round programs and works to develop and support the unique voice of the local communities.
It also provides free media workshops for at-risk and underserved youngsters throughout Monterey County.
CSUMB’s Enid Baxter Blader and Chris Carpenter are co-directors. Creative director is Mike Plante of the Sundance Film Festival. Plante will be in attendance at the May 3 event.
The Osio is located at 350 Alvarado Street, Monterey. For more information on the event, call CSUMB’s Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department at 582-3750.
Learn more about the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department here.
Photo of Doug Mueller by Dusty Bias
Christina Depweg sees the world as a series of logic puzzles to be solved.
“I love how numbers are so interconnected and full of relationships,” said the senior math major from Poway. “Math problems and proofs are like puzzles and mazes that we have to work out.” A Math for America Fellowship has worked out for her. The nonprofit organization wants to improve the quality of math teachers and provide them with the support they need to stay in the profession. It started in New York and now has chapters in Los Angeles, San Diego, Washington, D.C., Boston and Utah.
Depweg’s fellowship will cover all the costs for her master’s degree in math education and her teaching credential at USC and will provide an additional $100,000 over five years – one year while she’s in graduate school and four years while she’s teaching in a high school in Los Angeles. The accelerated program starts in June; she’ll graduate with her master's degree in May 2013. Depweg can’t wait to get in the classroom. “I have wanted to become a teacher since I was a little girl,” she said. “I used to teach math to my ‘pretend classroom’ at my house with a whiteboard and pointer stick and I’ve followed my passion since then.” That early dream was reinforced by an experience in high school, when she worked at an after-school program in an elementary school. “A fifth-grader was having trouble understanding three-digit multiplication and was crying because the other teacher could not help him,” she said. After calming him down, she related the troublesome exercise to one that he had already mastered. “The look of joy and accomplishment on his face was the moment that I knew I was meant to be a math teacher.” She’s quick to point out that she definitely doesn’t consider herself a math nerd – she didn’t do a lot of advanced placement classes in high school, and earned higher SAT scores in English than math. But then she starts to talk about math . . . “There’s just something about the abstract thinking that math requires that challenges you to see the world in a different way than you ever thought possible. It’s the challenge that inspires me to tackle whatever obstacle is presented in front of me and knowing that I can use my problem-solving skills to figure out anything.” She won’t have any problem finding a job once she’s finished her graduate program. Well-qualified math teachers are in short supply these days. Mathematicians have many opportunities in an increasingly technical economy – opportunities that are more lucrative and less demanding than teaching teenagers. Depweg is the university’s first Math for America Fellowship winner. "We are pleased and proud that Christina has been awarded a Math for America Fellowship," said Dr. Hongde Hu, chair of the Mathematics Department at CSUMB. “With her talent, energy, and dedication, and with the support of this highly selective program, Christina will help to meet the pressing need for strong high school mathematics teachers.”
Photo courtesy of Christina Depweg, who will graduate Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a minor in Human Development
Things that go bump in the night don’t seem to faze Joey Blackburn.
So, it's not surprising that the first film festival to accept his capstone, “A Fly in the Room,” is Elvira’s Horror Hunt. The indie genre festival is named for Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, the Los Angeles TV horror hostess played by actress Cassandra Peterson.
Blackburn (’12, TAT) describes his black-and-white film this way: “A writer is driven mad when he can’t get the buzzing sound of a fly out of his mind.”
Elvira’s Horror Hunt selected 13 features and seven shorts – Blackburn’s film is in the shorts category – to be screened Sept.7-9 in Indianapolis.
Three of the features and one short will be chosen for red carpet treatment in L.A. at Stan Lee’s Comikaze expo. But he’s not stopping there. “I’m still waiting to hear from 14 film festivals,” he said. Blackburn, a resident of Paso Robles, won this year’s Monterey County Film Commission scholarship and used the $2,000 grant to help with expenses for the film. He shot it on 16mm film, a more expensive option than video. “I wanted to shoot on film for the aesthetic feel in my movie and for the experience of doing so, knowing that most work opportunities will be in video,” he told the film commission. It wasn’t the first award for Blackburn. In 2011, his short film, “Pieces of War,” won first place and $1,000 in a contest sponsored by the George Eastman House Film Festival. Eastman contest judges described it as “a game of chess like you’ve never see it before.” Blackburn liked that description.
“I wanted to show how dignified the knight was in sacrificing himself,” he said. “. . . I have friends who are serving in the Army and when I was making the film, I felt as though I was making it for them.”
Learn more about the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department.
Published in 2013
A service-learning placement turned into a career for Adriana Melgoza (HCOM, ’10) and now she's earned an award of merit for her work.
When a representative of the Watsonville Law Center (WLC) visited one of her classes to talk about equal access to justice for low-income communities, “I knew I wanted to be a part of it,” Melgoza said. “My passion is to help people in need and to be involved in improving our community.”
Her placement started in 2009, and she excelled to the point that she earned the Human Communication Service Learning award the next year. Her work involved interviewing clients and working side-by-side with attorneys. “I became aware of so many issues that affect our communities,” she said.
After graduation, the WLC hired her. She manages the center's legal clinics and recruits, trains and supervises volunteers, including CSUMB service learners. Her duties also include community education around legal issues and staff training for community organizations.
She will be honored by the Legal Aid Association of California with an award of merit in the staff support category at the association's 30th anniversary celebration Jan. 31 in San Francisco.
“Having been a volunteer myself helps me understand the problems our community faces and how volunteers can help achieve WLC’s mission,” she said. “It was as a service learner that I learned the skills I now use every day.”
Her service learning days are behind her, but she continues to serve. “I work in social justice because I believe in recognizing the dignity of every person,” she said.
And she credits CSUMB with helping her identify her values and goals.
“CSUMB has shaped who I am in many ways. Professors helped me understand what I really wanted for my life. The classes motivated me to continue with my passions.”
She has also put her skills to use by organizing a parent support group – Unidos Por un Corazón Inocente – for families of children with disabilities.
“Our mission is to provide support, education and training to parents, caregivers and families; for agencies to work with parents and children; and to advocate for the services our families need,” she said.
“I learned how to do this at the university. I love CSUMB," she said.
She hopes to attend law school in a few years. "I want to continue to advocate for underserved populations, in a bigger capacity. I would like to provide services for the most vulnerable – people with disabilities.
"My plan is to continue to work in the nonprofit world, to give back to the communities that have given me so many great things."
Learn more about Service Learning at CSUMB.
Learn about CSUMB's Alumni Association.
To help meet a growing demand for nurses with bachelor’s degrees, CSU Monterey Bay started a nursing program in 2012, partnering with four local community colleges.
Starting in June, the program will add a tract for already-employed nurses with associate’s degrees who want to earn a bachelor’s while they continue to work.
Classes will be held in the late afternoons and evenings; some will be traditional face-to-face classes, some will be online.
The curriculum will include courses on research methods, evidence-based practice, health policy, informatics, genomics and chronic care management.
The plan is to enroll 35 students in the first class. Students will take classes in the summer, fall, spring and summer 2015 sessions and can graduate in 14 months – if they have completed all general education requirements before enrolling at CSUMB.
In addition to nurses who are currently employed, the program will admit recent community college nursing graduates. “The idea is for a seamless transition from community college to CSUMB,” said Dr. Marianne Hultgren, interim director of nursing.
In a 2010 report, “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health,” the Institute of Medicine and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation examined future demands. The report suggested that the proportion of nurses with bachelor’s degrees increase to 80 percent by 2020 in order to meet the demands of an evolving health care system and meet the changing needs of patients. Today, only 30 percent of California nurses have four-year degrees.
“We need to partner with health care organizations and be responsive to their needs,” Dr. Hultgren said.
A capacity crowd filled the University Center ballroom on April 20 for CSUMB’s eighth Honors Convocation. The annual celebration recognizes undergraduate students for their distinguished academic achievements.
During the event, 227 students who achieved a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher were honored by President Dianne Harrison, Provost Kathy Cruz-Uribe and the deans. Five students received special awards and 18 were honored for their Service Learning work.
The honors students will be among the 1,125 graduates receiving their diplomas at commencement on May 19.
After congratulating the members of the Class of 2012, President Harrison recognized the parents, spouses, friends and family members who supported the students.
“Undoubtedly, you have made many sacrifices throughout their university career, encouraging their hard work and supporting them when the light at the end of the tunnel seemed in the distance,” she said. “You are also to be congratulated.”
Following the president’s remarks, Deans Brian Simmons, Marsha Moroh and Ilene Feinman introduced the honors graduates and Service Learning award winners from their respective colleges.
Last to be introduced were winners of the five student awards. They were:
• President's Award for Exemplary Student Achievement, given to a well-rounded student who made notable contributions to a particular area of university life through depth of involvement and service as a student leader; participated actively to help foster innovation and improvement; demonstrated service to the campus community; and achieved a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher: Caliah Hill, Human Communication. • Provost's Award for Exemplary Academic Achievement, given to a student who has demonstrated exemplary achievement in his or her major; who stands out personally and academically; who has contributed to the learning community of CSUMB; and has achieved a grade-point average of at least 3.5: Leanna Jenkins, Japanese Language and Culture • Outstanding Senior Award for Social Justice, given to a student who has coordinated or participated in a project that promotes equity or justice and/or generates awareness of historically underserved populations: Liliana Castrellon, Human Communication • Alumni Vision Award, given to a first-generation college student who has provided leadership in a project or activity that extends our university’s Vision Statement into the lives of others: Isael Rubio, Biology • Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athlete Award, given to a student-athlete who has demonstrated exemplary academic achievement: Hayley Tharp, Kinesiology Service Learning awards were presented to one student in each academic major who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to service in the local community. Award winners and their majors:
• Biology – Kevin Johnson • Business Administration – Isaac Elias • Collaborative Health and Human Services – Emily Abrahams • Communication Design – Cenovio Zamora-Duarte? • Computer Science and Information Technology – Christian Huber-Lantz • Environmental Studies – Angelica Gonzalez • Environmental Science, Technology and Policy – Sara Kelly? • Global Studies – Talia Firpo • Human Communication – Marissa Contreras, Mary Flynn • Integrated Studies – Brooke Wilson • Japanese – Leanna Jenkins • Kinesiology – Kara Maddux • Liberal Studies – Maritza Lopez • Marine Science – Heather Kramp • Mathematics – Erin Frolli? • Teledramatic Arts and Technology – Chris Sakamoto • Visual and Public Art – Rodrigo Reyes
Photo by Eugene Cruz-Uribe
. . . Changing the culture of the CSU Monterey Bay baseball program for second-year coach Walter White meant erasing the past and providing a direction for the future that players would buy into. – Monterey Herald, April 7, 2012
There's film, there's theater, there's provocative speakers, there's just so much going on at CSUMB. In between all the events, students do have time to do research. Five student projects will represent the university at the 26th annual CSU Student Research Competition at Long Beach State May 4 and 5. – Monterey Herald, April 11, 2012
Isael Rubio estudiante de la Universidad Estatal de la Bahia de Monterey recibo una super beca por parte de la Fundacion de las Ciencias. – KSMS-67, April 13, 2012
. . . Not only did the Otters clinch a California Collegiate Athletic Association playoff spot with their seventh straight victory, they also set the school record for wins in a season with 37. – The Salinas Californian, April 16, 2012
. . . While there are quite a few medical and botanical illustration programs, the Science Illustration program at CSU Monterey Bay is one of just a handful that focuses on illustrating general science. – Society of Women Engineers magazine, Spring 2012
If your book is going to be removed from classrooms, being in the company of internationally acclaimed authors such as Martin Espada, James Baldwin and Sandra Cisneros is a good thing. That's how poet Diana Garcia, a professor of English at CSU Monterey Bay, feels about having her book, "When Living Was a Labor Camp," among 80 others now pulled from the classrooms of Tucson Unified School District in Arizona. – San Jose Mercury News, April 16, 2012
A newly reformed committee at CSU Monterey Bay is continuing to develop a Climate Action Plan that will eventually result in achieving the goal of zero carbon emissions.
The university works to promote sustainability with numerous classes incorporating environmentally focused skills and issues. The campus supports sustainable practices, including transportation programs to get people out of their cars, organic food in its dining halls, recycling efforts, a solar power farm, and projects that have substantially reduced electricity use on campus. The last two major campus construction projects – the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library and the renovation of the Dining Commons – earned LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver certification. Developing the Climate Action Plan will be undertaken by the Campus Sustainability Committee, whose members include students, faculty and staff. The plan fulfills the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment that President Dianne Harrison signed in 2007, and pledges the university to a path of climate neutrality.
The community is invited to celebrate Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month at CSU Monterey Bay, where a variety of events have been scheduled.
The Asian Pacific Islander Association, the Otter Cross Cultural Center, Associated Students and the Center for Student Success are sponsoring the events.
All are free. For more information or to arrange disability accommodations, contact Margaret Chou at mchou@csumb.edu or Jihan Ejan at jejan@csumb.edu.
• April 26: ?Dr. Darrell Y. Hamamoto, professor of Asian American Studies at the University of California, Davis, will present a critical examination of Asians on YouTube. Three Asian American comedians are among the 10 most viewed personalities on YouTube; his talk will explore how cynical marketing operations are exploiting the Asian American youth demographic. 7-8:30 p.m., Student Center, West Lounge
• April 30: Cultural Celebration Showcase featuring hula and bhangara dances by CSUMB students. Noon-2 p.m., Main Quad
• May 1: Faculty members will talk about their scholarly research that contributes to understanding Asian Pacific Islander issues, identities and experiences. 5-7 p.m., Student Center, West Lounge
• May 2: Poetry and open mic night includes monologues and vocals relating to various cultural heritages. 6-8 p.m., Student Center, West Lounge
• May 3: Luau party includes performances, music, dancing and food from the Islands. 5-8 p.m., Dining Commons
The gavel has been passed. Duane Lindsay was sworn in as the 2012-13 Associated Students president on April 30, along with 12 other newly elected student government officers. CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison administered the oath of office at a luncheon in the Alumni and Visitors Center attended by administrators, faculty and staff members and students. Dr. Harrison reminded the officers that they are the official voice of the students. “You have a tremendous responsibility,” she said. “Your work is hard. Students don’t agree, but as a representative, you have to reach out and get the pulse of the students you represent.” She went on to remind them that a large part of their job is to get other students involved. The new slate of officers has already made a start on that. They helped motivate 33 percent of students to cast votes – the second highest turnout among the 23-campus California State University system. Lindsay wasted no time laying out his agenda for the coming year. Among his goals: continue to improve campus spirit; complete a five-year plan for AS; work on retention and recruitment of student leadership; and help with implementation of the Otter Model, the new general education curriculum that will be implemented in the fall. Outgoing president Caliah Hill, a Human Communication major who will graduate in May, presented certificates of appreciation to the officers whose terms are ending, and announced three new awards: • Outstanding AS officer of the year, presented to Dalton Tucker • AS advocate of the year, presented to Travis Nelson • Outstanding chair of a committee or board, presented to Tawni Luczo “This has been a tremendous year,” Hill said. “We had peaks and valleys, but we found a way to come together and make progress for our campus. We faced all the challenges as a team.” Three “Golden Otters” – people who “stepped up to help us,” Hill said, were recognized: Tim Bills, director of student activities and leadership development; Dr. Christine Erickson, dean of students; and Andy Klingelhoefer, judicial affairs officer. Next year's officers: • President: Duane Lindsay • Vice President: Olivia Carnahan? • Chief Financial Officer: Ana Angeles? • Chief Communications Officer: Michelle Ferrari • Programming Chair: Jose Villalba • Cultural Enrichment Senator: Margaret Chou • Senators at Large: James Pickerrel, Purvi Shah • Chief Legislative Officer: Adam Napoletano? • College of University Studies and Programs: Kendra Haugh • College of Science Senator: R.J. Basram • Environmental Senator: Colleen Courtney • Athletics Senator: Courtney Ranger Photo (left to right): Incoming AS Vice President Olivia Carnahan, CSUMB President Dianne Harrison, incoming AS President Duane Lindsay
To coincide with National Children’s Book Week and Exceptional Children's Week, CSU Monterey Bay will celebrate the fifth anniversary of its Center for Reading Diagnosis and Instruction on May 10.
Author Luke Herzog and illustrator Pam Carroll will be on hand as the center commemorates five years of serving the tri-county community with an open house from 3 to 5 p.m.
At 11 years old, Luke is already a published author. The fifth grader’s novel, “Dragon Valley,” tells the story of five dragons scientifically spawned in a laboratory and is aimed at the pre-teen set.
Carroll, a Carmel artist, is a nationally known illustrator and painter; her work includes fanciful illustrations for children’s books published by Sleeping Bear Press.
The reading center is unique in the region. It works directly with youngsters from kindergarten to 12th grade who have reading difficulties, providing individualized instruction in reading and language arts.
It was made possible by a $2.5 million gift from an anonymous donor. Since it opened in 2007, more than 300 students have received instructional assistance. In addition, the center offers summer reading camps for youngsters and provides professional development opportunities for teachers.
The center is located at Seventh Avenue and A Street on the CSUMB campus. To RSVP for the open house, call 582-5259; for more information about the reading center, click here. For driving directions and a campus map, click here.
Artwork by Lily, age 7
Alexis wants to get off painkillers. Mariette jumps at loud noises. BriGette won't leave her home. Lashonna does not have one. Sue and Alicia served together and survived an IED explosion. A new documentary, “SERVICE: When Women Come Marching Home” by Marcia Rock and Patricia Lee Stotter, follows these women over a two-year period as they struggle to make the transition from active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan to civilian life.
In honor of Armed Forces Week, CSU Monterey Bay will hold a free community screening and a question-and-answer session with filmmaker Rock, at 7 p.m., May 22, at the World Theater on the university campus. The Arts Council for Monterey County is co-sponsoring the event.
Women make up 14 percent of today's military. That number is expected to double in 10 years. SERVICE portrays the courage of these women, the horrific traumas they face, the inadequate care they often receive on return, and the accomplishments – large and small – they work mightily to achieve. Through compelling portraits, the film shows them wrestling with prosthetics, homelessness, post-traumatic stress and its insidious catalyst, military sexual trauma.
The film is also about the resourcefulness of these women, and how they created a supportive network through social media. The nation has a new military force. The veterans shown in the film represent the first wave of mothers, daughters and sisters returning home. The power of the documentary is in the intimacy it establishes with them, speaking with them in their kitchens and bathrooms, back yards, classrooms, therapy sessions and super markets. The film aims to wake up a sleeping civilian population.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here. For disability accommodations, contact Arlene Krebs at 582-5025.
Without doubt, the most powerful film I’ve seen about women veterans. It tears you to pieces to watch it and restores your soul . . . all at the same time. It’s a documentary about hope. It’s the best film you haven’t seen yet. Tell everyone you know about it. – Wendi Goodman, 18-year Army veteran, author of One Weary Soldier blog
Reports frequently place U.S. students well below their international peers in math knowledge and performance.
The secret to improving those rankings is no secret at all, if you listen to Dr. Hongde Hu, chair of Cal State Monterey Bay’s math department. It comes down to enthusiasm (which he has in abundance) focus, confidence and simple hard work.
Dr. Hu, his colleagues and teaching assistants, and 52 Algebra I and Algebra II students from Watsonville, Soledad and Seaside high schools are proving that again this summer in his fourth annual Summer Math Academy, sponsored by the Imagine College and CSUMB’s Upward Bound program.
Participants in the three-week academy have had trouble completing their Algebra I or II requirements in high school. Now, they are working at various math activities six hours a day for three weeks. Those who succeed – and most do – receive a year’s high school math credit.
When Dr. Hu talks about his students, his narration is sprinkled with words like “amazing” and “beautiful.” He proudly points to the next day’s lesson plan, which shows two lessons being consolidated, as a sign of how quickly the students are progressing.
“In the first week, it is just amazing to see what they have accomplished,” he said. “So many people struggle with math, we need to find solutions. After one week, the students are doing real math. They find out ‘Math is much easier than I thought.’ ”
The students participate in a variety of individual and small group activities, receive personalized attention and speedy feedback on what they have done right and wrong.
“The whole point is not just to pass a high school class, but to go on to college success,” Dr. Hu said. “Students need to see what college looks like and to develop confidence that they can succeed.” Serving on the teaching staff along with Dr. Hu this summer is Monterey High School math teacher Chris Fowler.
“In high school, students are pulled in so many different directions. They have seven classes, they have social and extracurricular activities. They are not used to being really, really focused,” Fowler said.
Fowler said many students who have trouble in math have had a bad experience sometime during their school years that convinced them that math was not for them. He said he was extremely impressed with the way Dr. Hu gets the students to buy into the class from the beginning. He said students and teachers alike are tired out at the end of the first two days, but the students quickly become more confident of their ability to succeed in math.
Dr. Hu is pleased that this summer he will be expanding the Math Academy concept to a group of students from Harbor High in Santa Cruz. That session will run from July 23 through Aug. 17, with the class sessions being held both in Santa Cruz and at CSUMB.
To learn more about Dr. Hu, click here.
Reseach by a CSU Monterey Bay graduate student may prove helpful to managers of former Fort Ord lands. The work took a top honor for Bart Kowalski at the California State University Student Research Competition May 4 and 5 in Long Beach. More than 250 students from 21 CSU campuses were selected by their universities to enter the annual competition, which showcases excellence in scholarly research and creative activity. Kowalski’s research project took first place in the graduate student category of biological and agricultural sciences. The project involved determining the distribution of mammals such as coyotes, raccoons, striped skunks, bobcats and grey foxes that live on former Fort Ord lands. The research was done for his master’s thesis in Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy under the direction of Dr. Fred Watson. Kowalski’s study will provide land managers with information on the factors that impact the distribution of these mammals. “We've found a varied response by these animals to road/trail density and distance to urban edge, which means significant changes in these variables could disproportionally affect certain species,” Kowalski said.
“Grey foxes seem most sensitive to urban edge, while coyotes are quite ubiquitous. We also found that road/trail density seems to be an important predictor for the distribution of raccoons, striped skunks and grey foxes,” he said.
The research can project species distribution before and after hypothetical scenarios for change in trail management or land use, which can be incorporated into the decision-making process surrounding such changes.
According to Dr. James Lindholm of CSUMB’s Division of Science and Environmental Policy, “Bart’s project provides a clear linkage between research and management of the natural world.” Kowalski came to the United States in 1992 from his native Poland. After high school in Costa Mesa, he earned a bachelor’s degree at UC Santa Cruz. “I fell in love with the Central Coast, and after graduating, moved around between Santa Cruz and Point Reyes (Marin County),” he said. “When I decided to pursue a master’s degree, I wanted to stay in the area, so CSUMB was an attractive choice.” Kowalski is scheduled to defend his master’s thesis this summer. Once he graduates, he hopes to use his research, GIS, tracking and mentoring skills in the field of conservation biology.
“My perfect job would have just the right combination of field work, analysis and education,” he said. “I see myself managing a long-term monitoring program in order to get a better understanding of species’ distribution dependence on the seasons, availability of food and human activity.
“At the same time,” he said, “I’d like to get people involved in their local parks and open spaces. The only thing cooler than seeing a wild animal in its natural environment is seeing the excitement on people’s faces when they get to see one.”
(Learn about the Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy program here.)
In Long Beach, students made10-minute oral presentations before juries of professional experts from major corporations, foundations, public agencies, colleges and universities. The judges also reviewed each student’s research paper.?? In addition to Kowalski’s work, outstanding research by four undergraduates at CSUMB was presented at the competition. All were chosen by a campus selection committee. Those students, their degree programs, research topics and their faculty advisers are: • Sara Banco, psychology, “Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors of Serious Juvenile Offenders from Parental Substance Using Homes," faculty adviser Dr. Jill Yamashita • Melissa Powell, psychology, "Familistic and Individualistic Values of Emerging Adults Across Cultures," faculty adviser Dr. Jennifer Dyer-Seymour • Emily Roncase, biology, "Directed mutagenisis for the identification of regulatory phosphate-binding sites on the auxin transport protein ABCB19 in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana," faculty adviser Dr. Henrik Kibak • Sarah Whiteford, kinesiology, "Effects of Isometric Squats on Vertical Jump in Male Recreational Club Athletes," faculty adviser Dr. Kent Adams?
Read more about the competition here.
Some CSU Monterey Bay students were surprised at what they saw discarded during last year’s spring rush to clean out dorm rooms and move off campus for the summer.
“Students will leave all kinds of things,” said Max Lorenz, the student recycling coordinator. Spotted last year were video games, computers, television sets and refrigerators.
But more than electronics get tossed aside. Clothing and other useful items are thrown in trash bins when they could be donated to organizations that serve the community.
With that in mind, Lorenz helped to organize CSUMB’s zero waste move-out program, taking place May 16 through 18.
Between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on those days, students can follow the signs and sidewalk chalk markings to three sorting stations located between the residence halls on main campus and North Quad.
During last year’s end-of-school event, 1,800 students moving out of the residence halls diverted 17 tons of recyclable and reusable material from the landfill.
However, Lorenz pointed out, 16 tons of trash still found its way to the landfill – most of which was reusable or recyclable.
Hope Services, a local nonprofit organization that provides support services for developmentally disabled people, will be on hand to collect:
• E-waste: If it plugs in, working or not, it can be recycled • Reusable household items: Clothing, pots and pans, dishes, books, lamps, sporting goods, DVDs, clocks, luggage, picture frames
Other items will be sorted into:
• Furniture • Household hazardous waste: anything with “caution/warning/hazardous” on the label • Recyclables: Plastic, glass, paper/cardboard, cans
The only items that should be going into trash bins are Styrofoam, broken glass and ceramics, and anything that has been contaminated with food (such as pizza boxes).
Zero waste move-out is just one way students, staff and faculty members are working together to make CSUMB a more sustainable campus. To learn more about the university’s sustainability efforts, click here.
Joey Blackburn is this year’s recipient of the Monterey County Film Commission’s student scholarship.
Blackburn, who will graduate later this month from California State University, Monterey Bay with a degree in Teledramatic Arts and Technology, is from Paso Robles. He plans to use the $2,000 grant to help with expenses for his capstone project, a black-and-white horror film entitled, “A Fly in the Room.” Blackburn shot the film on 16mm film, a more expensive option than video.
“I wanted to shoot on film for the aesthetic feel that I wanted for my movie, and filming on 16mm was an experience I wanted to have at least one time, knowing that most work opportunities will be in video,” Blackburn told the film commission.
“It feels very good to know that all of my efforts studying filmmaking at CSUMB have been rewarded with this scholarship, and tells me that if I continue to work hard, good things will happen.”
Blackburn’s film will be screened with other capstones at 1 and 6 p.m. on May 18 at the World Theater on the CSUMB campus. Both programs are free and open to the public.
The Monterey County Film Commission scholarship program was created to provide financial aid and incentive to students of film and beginning filmmakers who reside in Monterey County or are enrolled in a college or university in the county. The fund was established as a permanent endowment with the Community Foundation for Monterey County.
It’s not the first award for Blackburn. Last year, his short film, “Pieces of War,” won first place and $1,000 in a contest sponsored by the George Eastman House Film Festival.
The scholarship was created in 2008 and has gone to CSUMB students each year. Estee Blancher and Veronica Calvillo shared the inaugural award. In 2009, Juan Ramirez – who now works in the TAT Department as a media specialist – was the winner. Rachel Asendorf received the award in 2010; Dominic Parisi was last year’s winner.
Learn more about the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department here.
Learn more about the TAT Capstone Festival here.
During April, CSU Monterey Bay residents showed that small changes can make a big difference when it comes to conserving energy.
From April 2 to 22, students in the 11 residence halls participated in the Campus Conservation Nationals, CSUMB’s first effort to change people’s energy use in a measurable way.
Pinnacles Suites was the runaway winner, conserving 1,500 kilowatt hours. Overall, the residence halls saved 2,500 kilowatt hours of power – about $300 worth of electricity.
Residents of Pinnacles also saved the most energy per person – more than seven kilowatt hours – during the contest.
The savings resulted from simple measures such as turning off lights and electronics when not in use; using natural daylight when possible; and taking the stairs rather than using the elevators.
For its efforts, Pinnacles was awarded sculptures created by art students Laura Oneto and Tamara Rodriguez. The plan is to display the sculptures in some fashion and for them to travel to the residence hall that wins the competition each year.
The competition, organized by the U.S. Green Building Council, the National Wildlife Federation, Lucid Design Group and the Alliance to Save Energy, involved more than 150 schools in the United States and Canada. Campuses were encouraged to provide students with feedback on how their actions reduced the overall energy footprint of their residence halls.
Thanks to the work of Mike Lerch, campus energy manager, and Kevin Miller, web programming specialist, students were able to access that information at csumb.edu/energy.
Dr. Daniel M. Fernandez, chair of the Division of Science and Environmental Policy and co-chair of the Campus Sustainability Committee, noted that this is the first time CSUMB has looked at how student behavior can affect energy use at this scale.
Dr. Fernandez envisions that such energy-saving activities will become more commonplace over time and that this competition will become at least an annual event.
“If a single hall could save $150 to $200 worth of electricity in two weeks, imagine what all 11 of our residence halls could save over the 30 weeks of the school year,” Dr. Fernandez said. “In addition to reducing the campus’ carbon footprint, savings could be in the tens of thousands of dollars, just as a result of behavioral change!
“In this time of fiscal challenge, this is welcome news,” Dr. Fernandez said.
The contest was just one way the university has been working to become a more sustainable campus since President Dianne Harrison signed the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment in 2007.
Learn more about sustainability on campus here. Photo: Tamara Rodriguez and her sculpture that will be presented to the winning residence hall. Also pictured, Dr. Dan Fernandez, co-chair of the campus Sustainability Committee.
Members of two campus organizations earned a trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium in recognition of their work during the Cesar Chavez Challenge at CSU Monterey Bay.
March 30 marked the start of the university’s second annual challenge, a 36-day community service drive – coordinated by the Purposeful Service Opportunities program – that started on Chavez’s birthday and ended on Cinco de Mayo. PSO is a joint project of the AmeriCorps VIP program and the Service Learning Institute.
The theme was “Creating a Culture of Service,” and involved friendly competition among student clubs, Greek organizations, athletic teams and residence halls to document their hours of service.
The Cesar Chavez Awards, presented on May 10, celebrated the achievements of these groups in the areas of leadership and purposeful service.
Omega Delta Phi logged 654 hours of community service, by far the most of any group. Kappa Sigma won the points competition with 4,317, for making the best use of Purposeful Service resources and infrastructure. Both earned a visit to the aquarium in appreciation for their contribution to building and enhancing a culture of service on campus.
The end of all education should surely be service to others.? – Cesar Chavez
Collectively, student organizations documented more than 3,408 hours of service during the challenge – a considerable increase over last year's total of 2,929. Each organization received a certificate of appreciation at the awards presentation.
In addition, three individuals were honored.
“While conceived of as a group competition, three students made such significant contributions that we decided to recognize them with the Cesar Chavez Award for Leadership in Purposeful Service,” said Steven Goings, AmeriCorps member and CSUMB’s service opportunities coordinator.
They are:
• Janet Jacquier, Associated Students community affairs representative and environmental senator, led Associated Students in documenting hundreds of hours of service and organized Earth Week activities on campus.
• Robyn Lance, Otter Christian Fellowship service coordinator, led OCF’s Service Saturdays by forging new relationships with Star Riders in Marina, the Monterey County Food Bank and a homeless ministry in El Estero Park. She also renewed connections with Ag Against Hunger, Return of the Natives and Dorothy’s Kitchen.
• Nicole Onuska, who parlayed her Service Learning placement with Community of Caring Monterey Peninsula into a capstone project, the PURSUIT Youth Expo. By developing partnerships on and off campus, she organized an event that brought 225 high school students to CSUMB for a day of activities and workshops on the values and rewards of service. She involved university students and community organizations as partners and mentors for the high school students.
The awards presentation also featured a short video on Chavez’s life and the contributions of the AmeriCorps workers who have supported and supervised Service Learning students at community sites throughout the year.
To learn more about Service Learning at CSUMB, click here.
Alyssa Huerta had some valuable insights while creating a portfolio of work around the theme of “youth and future.”
To fulfill a CSU Monterey Bay requirement that all seniors complete a capstone – a creative or research project – the Human Communication major, who presented her capstone last year, wrote three poems and five short stories.
"My poems and stories are about what shaped my life,” said Huerta, of Watsonville. “They show the progression of my life from adolescence to adulthood; from an age of innocence to a more troubled world.” Writing them required her to reflect on her family, her community, and her generation – the Millennials – in a deeper and more meaningful way than she had before registering for the capstone class. Her project fulfilled a requirement facing graduating seniors at colleges and universities across the country. By requiring a capstone project, the schools want undergraduates to pull together, synthesize and apply years of learning.?? At CSUMB, all students have been required to do capstone projects since the first graduating class in 1997. Some of those projects are archived in the campus library. (View the archive here.) ??During the Capstone Festival held at the end of each semester, the campus takes on the feel of an intellectual marketplace. At recent festivals, a biology major presented a study of human stem cell proliferation, a social and behavioral sciences major looked at women police officers in American society and a psychology student examined the socialization of sarcasm.?? Business students, working in teams, presented strategic business plans for local companies and organizations.?? A World Languages and Cultures student gave a 25-minute talk – entirely in Japanese – on the arguments for and against changing Article 9 of the Japanese constitution. A PowerPoint presentation running in the background provided the information in English. And a music major – with help from his friends – performed a three-movement piece he composed for a brass quartet.?? While the projects require a great deal of time and effort, they’re worth it.
"Increasingly, people want to know what students can do with their learning and how they can apply that learning across all the courses in their college," Carol Grear Schneider, president of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, told the Los Angeles Times. In addition, she told The Times, colleges want to do a better job of preparing graduates for the demands of the job market and graduate schools. The capstones, she said, help students "become people who can problem-solve and produce something of high quality."?? Research by the National Survey of Student Engagement shows a steady increase in those completing capstones. In 2009, 64 percent of students reported doing such a project compared to nine percent in 2000. ??Campus-wide requirements like the one at CSUMB are most common at small liberal arts colleges. At nearly 40 percent of universities, some individual departments require them. Examples include UCLA, the University of Utah and Keene State College in New Hampshire. And many schools offer them as options rather than requirements.?? The capstone festival is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, Dec. 19 and 20. The public is invited. For a schedule by academic department, click here.?? The Cinematic Arts and Technology capstone program will be held twice, starting at 1 and 6 p.m., Dec. 19, in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue. To see a list of projects that will be shown, click here.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
CSU Monterey Bay admissions counselor Louis Martin enjoys working with veterans.
“They’re the best students to work with because they realize the value of an education – more so than the average 17-year-old,” Martin said.
“They’re intelligent and have interesting backgrounds.”
Martin estimates that he works with two dozen prospective student-veterans each semester. Some just show up on campus, others are referred by the campus veterans services liaison, Giselle Young. Some he meets at veterans outreach events, others are referred by government agencies.
“Sometimes, they’re nervous because they’re worried about whether or not they’ll fit in with younger students,” said Martin, who works hard to put them at ease.
“I try to make them comfortable by letting them know there are a lot of re-entry students here – drawn by the family housing and the child care center on campus,” he said.
He also lets them know that they may be able to earn academic credit for the training and experience they bring from their military service.
“Once they realize that, they relax,” he said.
Martin and the other members of the campus veterans’ support team are part of the reason CSUMB has been named a “Military Friendly School” by G.I. Jobs magazine for four straight years.
The magazine honors the top 15 percent of colleges and universities that are doing the most to embrace America’s military members and veterans as students. It polled more than 12,000 schools.
Among CSUMB’s military-friendly practices are web pages with information specifically for veterans; a designated veterans services liaison; a Student Veterans Organization; and a campus support team to help veterans make the transition from active duty to an educational environment.
Young says her role is “to troubleshoot various campus services. Each office, such as housing and other support services, has a staff member who works with veterans – both prospective and continuing students.”
This semester, CSUMB has 96 students receiving educational benefits under the G.I. Bill, and 63 of them are receiving the new Post 9/11 G.I. Bill benefit, which helps pay tuition as well as a monthly housing stipend and book allowance.
Another 25 students are eligible for the Federal VA Dependents Educational Assistance program as dependents of deceased or disabled veterans. The state of California also offers a tuition waiver to dependents of deceased or disabled veterans; 112 students are currently using this program at CSUMB.
Learn more about veterans programs at CSUMB.
California State University, Monterey Bay will be closed in observance of Memorial Day on Monday, May 28.
Learn more about campus closure dates on the Academic Calendar.
President Dianne Harrison has announced that seven faculty members at California State University, Monterey Bay, have been granted tenure.
The newly tenured faculty members and their departments: • Mr. Kevin Cahill, School of School of Computing and Design • Dr. Rachel Esselstein, Mathematics and Statistics Department • Dr. Miguel Lopez, Liberal Studies Department • Dr. Bude Su, School of School of Computing and Design • Dr. Umi Vaughan, Division of Humanities and Communication • Dr. Maria Villaseñor, Division of Humanities and Communication • Dr. Fred Watson, Division of Science and Environmental Policy Along with to receiving tenure, all were promoted to associate professor.
In addition, Dr. Juan Jose Gutierrez, Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies; Dr. James Raines, Department of Health, Human Services and Public Policy; and Dr. Dan Shapiro, Division of Science and Environmental Policy, were promoted to full professor.
By Kevin Gilmore
Apparently, the 2012 season couldn't end until the California State University, Monterey Bay women's softball team broke new ground one last time. Once again, it is senior centerfielder Jamie Moon of Torrance doing the honors.
Moon became the first student-athlete in the history of the Cal State Monterey Bay athletics program to earn Academic All-America® honors by being named to the Capital One Academic All-America® Softball team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
The award is based on academic and athletic achievement, two areas in which Moon excelled as an Otter. In the classroom, the kinesiology major compiled a 3.57 grade point average and graduated with honors earlier this month. On the field, Moon hit .407 with a school-record 22 doubles, 51 runs and 50 RBI.
Moon was the only player from the CCAA or the NCAA Division II West Region to earn the distinction for 2012.
“When I think of the awards Jamie has received over the years, this is the pinnacle,” says CSUMB Coach Andrea Kenney. “She loved softball and took great pride in her academics. I am so happy she has been recognized for her commitment on the field and in the classroom. She is a true-athlete.”
The Academic All-American® award is the fifth major award for Moon this spring. Included among those accolades were selection to the All-CCAA first team in April and the All-America third team by the National Fastpicth Coaches Association.
“Playing collegiate softball has been an experience I will never forget,” Moon said. “To go out with an accolade such as this is incredible. I am extremely proud and hope to be as successful in nursing as I was in softball.”
Here is the text of remarks delivered by keynote speaker Dr. Alice Rivlin at CSU Monterey Bay's commencement on May 19, 2012. Dr. Rivlin is a member of President Barack Obama's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, founding director of the Congressional Budget Office and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
I am very proud to be receiving a degree from Cal State Monterey Bay in the company of this great looking group of graduates. And you should be very proud of yourselves. You have worked long and hard to be standing here in cap and gown. You have a lot more knowledge crammed into your brains than you did when you came here. You have acquired a lot of new skills—both inside and outside the classroom. Sometimes you wondered whether it was all worth it—staying up all night to finish that paper, struggling to understand something that didn’t make sense to you, wondering if you would ever actually need that complicated formula that was so hard to learn. But there were other moments when you suddenly thought, “Ah, now I get it!” or spent hours digging into a subject that wasn’t assigned, just because you were fascinated by it. Those are the great moments when the intellectual effort is its own reward — and there will be many more in your future.
You have done a lot of growing up here.You have met people very different from yourselves. You have tried to listen to them and figure out where they were coming from. You have worked together in a team or a group or a club to make good things happen on this campus—whether it was winning a game or raising money for a cause or volunteering or putting on a show. At least I hope you have, because those teamwork and cooperative skills are going to prove at least as useful as the facts and theories you crammed into your heads as you move into jobs and communities and raising your own families.
I stress teamwork, cooperation, and respect for each other, because I am deeply worried that our political system is moving rapidly — and dangerously – in the opposite direction. Political discourse is increasingly strident, argumentative, and polarized. We are not just imagining this because it is an election year. There is plenty of evidence that political parties are more homogeneous than they used to be — more uniformly conservative or liberal – and the middle ground is disappearing. This polarization is very clear in Congress. Republicans are more strictly conservative — consistently advocating less government action, lower spending (except for defense), and lower taxes, especially for the affluent, and less regulation. Democrats are consistent in advocating more government action, less willing to cut spending (except for defense), more inclined to regulation, especially of environmental pollution and financial institutions, and more willing to raise taxes, especially on the affluent.
Votes in Congress are far more partisan, even on foreign policy. Often they are not about policy —just about making the other side look bad. Moderates are disappearing — retiring or being defeated both in primary and general elections. Compromise is a dirty word, suggesting weakness and lack of principles. Members of congress who work across the aisle to hammer out bipartisan positions that a majority can support are now ostracized by their own party. It has become essential to hold to the party line and blame the other side for failure to solve the problem. If you listen to political rhetoric, you hear “blame, blame, blame” and impugning the other side’s motives — not much about working together to solve problems.
This good-bad, win-lose mentality is entertaining and exciting. It is great theatre. It is like a close football game among traditional rivals. It is fun to shout and cheer for your side. It adds to the excitement to pretend that the other team is a bunch of monsters or wimps, who don’t deserve to win. But in a game one side wins, the other loses, and it is over. All the winner has to do is celebrate—they don’t have to govern. But our nation’s future isn’t a game!
I am not saying we should not have hard fought elections—that is how democracy works. But we have to be prepared to work together across party lines when it is over. This did not happen after the elections of 2008 and 2010. We have to make sure that 2012 is different—no matter who wins. Extreme polarization undermines problem solving. The win-lose mentality is fine for sports, but a terrible way to run a country, especially this country right now. Under our constitution, polarization produces gridlock—no action at all—and we can’t afford gridlock. We face serious problems that will deteriorate rapidly if we do nothing: rising public debt, climate change, immigration, and increasing inequality—to mention four of the most important. These problems only get worse if we ignore them.
The framers of our Constitution worked hard to craft a political system that would protect us from authoritarian rule. They were reacting against a powerful king, but they were also afraid of winner take all democracy, which they called “mob rule.” They gave us an elaborate structure of checks and balances to slow down policy changes and protect the rights and views of minorities – a president with limited powers, two equal houses of Congress, a Supreme Court with life terms. Any one of these power centers can stop or slow action, and it is very unlikely that one party will control all of them at the same time, especially when the country is pretty evenly split down the middle as it is now. Getting things done in our system requires negotiation and compromise. Otherwise, we get policy paralysis—lots of shouting and blaming, each party painting the other as villains and scoundrels, but no action. We hear plenty of anger, but anger is not a strategy. It doesn’t solve problems.
The example of polarization in which I have been most involved with is our looming federal debt problem — the challenge of how to stabilize our rising debt without derailing the economy’s still fragile recovery. The problem is not is so much the current deficit, which reflects the still far from complete recovery from recession. The problem is that, as we look ahead, our country is on track to borrow more every year even as the wars in the Middle East wind down and the economy recovers. If we don’t change policies in a sensible way, our debt will continue to increase faster than our economy can possibly grow. This is like your credit card debt going up faster than your income month after month — it is not sustainable.
Now, if you listen to political speeches, you hear a lot of blaming. D’s blame George Bush — for cutting taxes, expanding Medicare benefits, starting two wars, and for allowing the financial crisis that threw the economy into recession. R’s blame Barack Obama — for spending more and cutting taxes to alleviate the recession. But none of this blaming is actually relevant to the reason why deficits are projected to keep rising even after the wars wind down and the recession is over. Reason for that is huge projected increase in older people — the baby boom generation retiring and living longer – and the fact that health costs are rising. Over the years both political parties have supported retirement benefits and health care for seniors—under Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Now the number of seniors is on track to double and health care costs are rising — partly because health care is more effective than it used to be and partly because of waste and inefficiency in our system. Those facts together, which are neither party’s fault, will drive spending up faster than the economy can grow. Revenues won’t grow that fast, so debt keeps rising. This isn’t a surprising problem and it isn’t unmanageable, we just have to figure out how to accommodate twice as many seniors and their health care without closing down the other things we want the government to do or bankrupting the country.
I served on two bipartisan commissions set up to deal with this looming debt problem that came to the same conclusion: we have to do two things at once. One is slow the growth of spending, especially the growth of health care spending. The second is reform our complex, loophole-ridden tax code so that we raise more revenue with less drag on economic growth. We don’t have a choice between slowing spending growth and increasing revenues. Stabilizing the debt requires that we do both. Moreover, we have to do both slowly and carefully, so that we don’t derail the recovery. Arithmetic, not ideology, drives the solution.
Most of the key players in Washington actually understand this imperative, but they can’t bring themselves to act on it. The last several years have seen one missed opportunity after another to get it done — Simpson-Bowles Commission, the Domenici-Rivlin Task Force, the Gang of Six, the Biden group, the negotiations between President Obama and Speaker Boehner, and most recently the so-called “Super-Committee,” set up after the debt ceiling debacle in 2011. All failed to do the job because Republicans were not willing to take the risk of agreeing to revenue increases and Democrats were not willing to risk agreeing to entitlement cuts. No one wanted to make the first move and they could not figure out how to jump together. The resulting gridlock is scary because every delay makes the long-run problem bigger and harder to resolve. Politicians unwilling to compromise and make difficult decisions are taking risks with your economic future and undermining confidence—both here and around the world — in the viability of our form of government. We send young men and women to fight and sometimes die for the idea of democracy, but we are not making our democracy function to solve our own challenges right here at home.
Stabilizing the debt is not the only big problem that requires a bipartisan solution and will get worse if we do nothing to change the course we are on. Climate change is probably the scariest example. A couple of years ago we were having debates about how to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and cut emissions of green house gases. Should we have a gradually rising tax on carbon or gradually tightening controls under a cap and trade system? Now we aren’t even having that debate because one party is denying there is even a problem. Immigration reform is another example. It will take bipartisan negotiation to forge a compromise that will include strict law enforcement and a path to citizenship for law abiding immigrants that are already a part of our communities. Meanwhile people suffer. Growing inequality is another problem that threatens our future unless we face it on a bipartisan basis. All of these challenges are manageable. But polarized politics and gridlock are preventing us from managing them.
So what can you do? I think you can do a lot. Changing the tone of political discourse has to start with public pressure on politicians to stop the blaming and demonizing and start solving problems. Now that you have your degree from Cal State Monterey Bay, you can be part of this pressure wherever you are. You don’t have to focus on national issues, although I hope you do. So much depends on not letting paralysis on these issues drag us down. There are plenty of similarly polarized issues right here in California, at both the state and local level.
In whatever situation you find yourself, you can make it your business to seek out people with views different from your own, express what you think, but listen to them; try to find some common ground. Resist thinking of those with different ideas as the bad guys and making them think the same of you. Go to political meetings and challenge candidates, who are ranting about the evil opposition. Ask them what they would actually do to solve a problem, how their solution would work, how they would pay for it, and how they would work with the other party to get it done. Question simplistic solutions — make clear you understand that unpopular steps may have to be taken, that you value politicians’ willingness to compromise if it moves the problem out of gridlock. Tell them you don’t like being pandered to, that you are willing to bear some costs if necessary to live in a country with a functioning problem-solving democracy that manages its challenges. Constructive civil discourse can start with you.
Congratulations and good fortune in whatever you do.
On a warm, sunny morning, Dr. Alice Rivlin urged the graduates of California State University, Monterey Bay to help end the partisan gridlock that is paralyzing the nation's political system.
Dr. Rivlin, an economist, member of President Obama's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, was the keynote speaker at the university’s May 19 commencement. With more than 1,120 students receiving bachelor’s and master’s degrees, it was the largest graduating class in school history. They received their diplomas before a capacity crowd of about 8,000 family members and friends. At a time when the political dialogue seems dominated by voices at the extremes of the debate, Dr. Rivlin has earned a reputation as a thoughtful problem-solver. She has worked with members of both political parties in attempts to craft economic solutions. In her remarks, she lamented the polarization that has beset Congress, explaining that it undermines problem solving. “Polarization produces gridlock . . . and we can’t afford gridlock,” she said. “We face serious problems that will deteriorate rapidly if we do nothing: rising public debt, climate change, immigration and increasing inequality – to mention just four of the most important. “All of these challenges are manageable. But polarized politics and gridlock are preventing us from managing them,” she said. She challenged the graduates to help solve the problem. “I think you can do a lot,” she said. “Changing the tone of political discourse has to start with public pressure on politicians and it has to start with you. “Now that you have your degree from Cal State Monterey Bay, you can be part of this pressure wherever you are. “Constructive civil discourse can start with you. Right now, today.” Before Dr. Rivlin’s remarks, President Dianne Harrison conferred on her an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. The commencement ceremony, the 16th in the university’s history, is the sixth and final one to be presided over by Dr. Harrison. In June, she will assume the presidency at CSU Northridge. The ceremony opened with the traditional welcome in Spanish, Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese, delivered by members of the faculty. In her remarks, President Harrison pointed out that the graduating class "boasts an amazing pool of talent. They arrive at this day with a diverse array of experiences, and from a wide range of backgrounds,” she said. She pointed out that among the graduating class are 15 veterans. “Located at the former site of Fort Ord, our campus is forever linked to our nation’s military heritage,” she said.
Dr. Harrison then introduced Caliah Hill, this year's winner of the President's Medal for Exemplary Student Achievement. Hill, a Human Communication major, was student government president during the just-completed academic year. Hill presented Dr. Harrison with the first senior class gift in the history of CSUMB, a Monterey cypress tree that will be planted on campus. Dr. Miguel Tirado of the Department of Health, Human Services and Public Policy was awarded emeriti faculty status, acknowledging his distinguished service to the university. To learn more about Dr. Rivlin, click here. To read her commencement address, click here. To see more photos, click here.
During President Dianne Harrison’s final days at California State University, Monterey Bay, she is packing boxes, reviewing tenure and promotion files, doing a final round of media interviews, and attending the usual meetings and conferences that fill a president’s calendar. Some of those events, however, have taken on a different tone as her time on campus winds down. For example, at a farewell reception held by the College of Professional Studies, she said, “I was teary-eyed. I was so touched by their gratitude and their comments.” Harrison will take over the presidency of California State University Northridge on June 11. CSUN has an enrollment of nearly 36,000 students and employs more than 4,000 faculty and staff. It is located on a 356-acre campus in the San Fernando Valley. She said the presidency of CSUN represents an excellent professional opportunity, leading a larger campus with a greater range of programs. Still, she makes the move with mixed emotions. “I’m certainly not going for the freeways,” she said. “I will miss the lovely neighborhood of Monterey County and the good colleagues on our campus who work so hard for the students.” In looking back over her six-year tenure at CSU Monterey Bay, she said she is proudest of that renewed emphasis on student success. “Building a campus culture where students are front and center has been a huge point of progress,” Harrison said. She said that more transparent graduation requirements and improvements in advising and student services have been critical in that effort. Statistics point to a number of areas of progress during Harrison’s administration. CSUMB enrollment has increased from 3,818 in the fall 2006 to 5,173 in fall 2011. Measures of retention have improved and the university has increased its academic offerings from 15 undergraduate and six graduate majors in 2006 to 22 undergraduate majors and eight graduate majors today. Grant and contract revenue has risen from $8.3 million in 2006 to $14.06 million in 2011. During Harrison’s presidency, CSUMB adopted a new 10-year strategic plan; was designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution; had its accreditation reaffirmed through 2019; and received the largest grant in its history, $32 million to study climate change. Harrison has also earned a reputation as a strong supporter of Otter athletic programs. During her tenure, the university was approved for full NCAA Division II membership, improved a number of its athletic facilities and won its first Division II national championship, in men’s golf, in 2011. Even with that progress on a number of fronts, Harrison said the campus could have moved ahead more quickly if it had not faced such a difficult economic environment. State support for the CSU has been cut by almost $1 billion or 35 percent over the past 18 months. Student tuition fee increases cover only half of these cuts. She said those cuts post “a different kind of challenge for a newer campus. You don’t want to lose your momentum. “The new leader will have to maintain the focus on improving retention and graduation rates. They will have to focus on financial aid for students. And, in this environment, that means looking for additional resources,” Harrison said. “A huge part of my responsibility (as president) is to be sure we have additional resources and fundraising is a huge part of that.” She said the new president will have to be very visible, as he or she tries to build even closer ties with the surrounding communities. “You just have to keep at it. That’s always a work in progress; that can never stop,” she said. “It is a matter of reminding this region that we are their asset and we need their support.” When asked about disappointments during her presidency, she focused on the shortage of resources that has pushed back construction of a new School of Business and Information Technology building and has delayed the removal of many former military buildings that remain on campus. She doesn’t see any simple answer to the problems that have resulted from state funding cutbacks for the CSU. However, she knows that, in her new job at CSUN, and for her successor at CSUMB, the search for innovative solutions will continue. “Trying to do business in the same old way is not going to be successful, because it is not a time for business as usual,” she said.
The Carmel Short Cinema Festival returns on June 10, sponsored by the Forest Theater Guild and CSUMB’s Monterey Bay Film Society.
Attendees will see the Orbit Film Series, a project that uses the art of cinema to inspire the art of science and education. A collaborative, 80-minute omnibus movie about the solar system, Orbit(film) is intended for all ages. Grade-schoolers will have their interest in art and science piqued, and older viewers will have their youthful love of space renewed.
In the series, every planet in the solar system is represented by a short film, each made by a different filmmaker, dealing with the science of outer space through creative and emotional storytelling and visual poetry. Some of the footage came from NASA, and was reinterpreted by each filmmaker to make a portrait of a planet. Films also cover the sun, moon and comets. Two of the shorts were premiered at Sundance.
Mike Plante, creative director of the Film Society and programmer at the Sundance Film Festival, is co-producer for the Orbit Film Series, along with Mark Rosenberg of Rooftop Films.
Brent Hoff, one of the participating filmmakers, will be on hand. His five-minute piece, Look at the Sun, is part of the series; it is a found-footage collage of the sun that pieces together NASA recordings to express the filmmaker's awe of this nearest star. (See trailer below.) Tickets are $7 and can be purchased at the door. The program is expected to start around 8:30 p.m. Spectators are advised to wear warm clothing and may want to bring a blanket. Concessions will be available. The Forest Theater is located at the corner of Mountain View and Santa Rita streets near downtown Carmel. For more information about the festival click here. The Monterey Bay Film Society is the Central Coast’s premiere organization for independent filmmaking, media art and community and is presented by the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department at CSUMB. Its mission is to promote the cinematic arts with year-round programs and works to develop and support the unique voice of the local communities.
It also provides free media workshops for at-risk and underserved youngsters throughout Monterey County.
Studying abroad can bring a variety of benefits: immersion in a new culture; the opportunity to master another language; and an enriching academic experience with career benefits. But it can also bring hefty expenses.
Thirteen CSU Monterey Bay students – a record number – will use financial aid from the Benjamin Gilman International Scholarship Program to help cover the costs of their overseas study starting in the fall.
Established in 2001, the program supports travel by students who have been traditionally underrepresented, including those with financial need, students with diverse ethnic backgrounds and those with disabilities. To qualify for the scholarship, students must be Pell Grant recipients. Applicants must be headed for countries other than Western Europe or Australia. Students from all fields of study are eligible. The competitive program offers grants of up to $8,000 to defray the costs of tuition, room and board, books, local transportation, insurance and airfare. Congressionally funded, the program awarded more than 2,300 scholarships for the 2011-12 academic year.
“It is a wonderful opportunity for these students,” said CSUMB’s international programs manager Holly White, who has seen the number of awards grow over the last few years. Last fall, seven CSUMB students received scholarships. “Many of these students would not be able to study abroad without the financial support this program provides.” The belief that international study better prepares American students to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world is central to the vision of CSUMB’s Office of International Programs. In the academic year just concluded, 81 students spent at least a semester studying abroad. For next academic year, 110 students will spent one or two semesters studying in another country. Most scholarships are worth $5,000. Tyler McGee received an additional $3,000 supplement awarded to exemplary students studying a language on the government’s strategic needs list. He will study business in China.
McGee also received a $4,000 Wang Scholarship awarded through the California State University system.
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship recipients for next academic year, their hometowns and their destinations:
• Erik Barbosa, Woodland – Germany • Stuti Desai, Monterey – United Kingdom • Jenna DeVries, Gilroy – Japan? • Akira Sugita-Vasquez, Fresno – Japan • Terry Tan, Salinas – Japan • Rachell Hester, Cambria – Japan • Carolina Liemola, Auburn – Spain? • Kyle Lipscombe, South Lake Tahoe – Japan • Rodney Harmon, Highland – Chile • Amanda Esswein, Cupertino – Japan • Tyler McGee, Fountain Valley – China • Jordan Sanchez, Hollister – Japan • Nereida Macias, Modesto – Italy
Learn more about the Gilman scholarship program here. Learn more about the international programs at CSUMB here.
Jane Kim’s artwork turns up in unusual places.
The graduate of CSU Monterey Bay’s science illustration program has displayed her art in restaurants, laboratories, the San Francisco dump, and along highways, as well as in the more traditional galleries and museums.
During June, her hand-painted 10-foot section of intricately detailed roses is on display at Rise Above Gallery in Oakland, part of an exhibit called “Roses are Red.” The exhibit explores botanical influences on human culture. Kim’s piece illustrates the flower’s evolution from wild to domesticated plants, which drive a multi-million dollar floral industry.
“For millennia, people have manipulated plants to suit our needs,” Kim told the Discovery Channel’s website. “With this show, we wanted to provide a experience for people to enjoy a natural resource that has evolved side by side with human culture.”
The L.A.-based science illustrator has three drawings now on display in the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale’s shark exhibit. And she’s completing the installation of two giant murals depicting the food chain of a tiger shark in Portland’s Bamboo Sushi, a certified sustainable sushi restaurant.
Her next project is a mural depicting the evolution of birds, a 60-by-20-foot wall that will include more than 300 species, for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. She expects that project will be finished in 2015. See a video about it below.
According to the Discovery Channel story, Kim’s focus changed after a four-month residency at the San Francisco dump. Her work there involved using construction scrap to investigate how walls, and how we adorn them, can lead to destructive environmental processes.
That experience led her to pursue a certificate in science illustration at CSUMB in 2010. After completing the classes, she did an internship at the Cornell lab where she worked on “The Handbook of Bird Biology.”
"The science illustration program was one of the most important decisions of my life," Kim said. "Through the program, I was able to define what sort of purpose art had for me.
"I learned new techniques, refined old ones and left the program feeling very prepared," she said.
Eventually, Kim would like to cross the U.S., Canada and Mexico with her Migrating Murals project, a collection of images painted along migration corridors of endangered species. Through the murals, the transient life of these animals can easily be seen and more importantly, appreciated.
“As an artist and science illustrator, I hope to connect people to animals that have kept our planet in balance for millions of years – the type of lasting connection that will help protect them from disappearing forever,” she says in a video on her website. Read more about the Migrating Murals project in Adventure Journal. Read a National Geographic interview here.
Read the Discovery Channel story here.
Learn about the science illustration program here.
*Roses from Discovery Channel website; photo by Jane Kim Portrait of Kim from National Geographic website*
The odds were stacked against Selene Mendez when she enrolled at CSU Monterey Bay in 2010. . . Mendez participated in a program that helps freshmen stay focused on their studies. Once a week throughout her first year at CSUMB, she spoke with a coach . . . "I was excited that there was someone who actually took the time to help me out and make sure I succeed," said Mendez. – Bloomberg Businessweek, April 19, 2012
. . . The Summer Arts program, which moves to CSUMB after a 13-year stint at Fresno State, brings in renowned, world-class artists, actors, musicians, filmmakers, writers and dancers, who will conduct intensive two-week workshops in their respective fields. – Carmel Magazine, spring/summer 2012
"Businesses are the laboratory for our students and their capstone projects are their last opportunity to work in real-time business environments before beginning their careers," said Dr. Marylou Shockley, chair of the School of Business. – Monterey Herald, May 8, 2012
Cori Reinhardt was named the NCAA Division II Regional Player of the Year in softball. The CSUMB freshman pitcher/second baseman was joined on the first team by outfielder Jamie Moon and first baseman Nina Villanueva. – Monterey Herald, May 10, 2012
Some CSUMB students were surprised at what they saw discarded during last year's spring rush to clean out dorm rooms and move off campus for the summer. . . With that in mind, Max Lorenz, the student recycling coordinator, organized the university's zero waste move-out program. Three sorting stations were set up near the residence halls. – Waste Management World, May 9, 2012
Joseph Blackburn won the 2012 Monterey County Film Commission's film student scholarship award. He will use the $2,000 award to cover production costs for his senior project, a black-and-white horror film. – Monterey Herald, May 11, 2012
. . . At the Reading Center on the edge of the CSUMB campus, students receive a free assessment in which the center's reading specialist determines what kind of assistance the child needs. His or her needs will determine what kind of program that tutors will use. – Monterey Herald, May 12, 2012
Science illustration began in a time when drawing was the only way to record the anatomy of a bird or the life stages of a flower. Is illustration still useful today, when it seems every cell phone has a camera with zoom, auto-focus and image stabilization? The science illustration program at CSUMB gives a resounding "yes," and the success of its graduates lends credence to that answer. – KQED.org, May 15, 2012
Christopher Sakamoto's film about teenagers in juvenile hall won him an award, but more importantly it gave him an insight about what a fraction of his hometown's youth go through every day. . . Today, Sakamoto joins 1,120 graduates at the 16th commencement ceremony at CSU Monterey Bay. – The Salinas Californian, May 19, 2012
On the same day renowned economist Alice Rivlin delivered a commencement speech that blended optimism and bleak realism, graduates of CSU Monterey Bay mostly exuded confidence that their educations will help them succeed as freshly minted members of the nation's workforce. – Monterey Herald, May 20, 2012
The 2012 edition of The Princeton Review's Guide to 322 Green Colleges has named CSU Monterey Bay as one of the most eco-friendly in the U.S. and Canada – and the guide didn't even mention the LEED-certified library, the highlight of the campus. The guide rates the "greenness" of colleges based on their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career prep. – Monterey County Weekly, May 24, 2012
. . . President Dianne Harrison will officially end her tenure at CSUMB on June 10, when she takes over the presidency of CSU Northridge, the largest school in the California State University system. . . . "We're all committed and passionate to make sure in this very difficult time that we keep the quality of student education front and center . . ." Dr. Harrison said. – Monterey Herald, May 24, 2012
Eduardo M. Ochoa, the assistant secretary for postsecondary education, who has served in the Obama administration since 2010, will be taking the position of interim president at California State University, Monterey Bay. Before working at the Department of Education, Mr. Ochoa served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Sonoma State University. – The Chronicle of Higher Education, May 29, 2012
El Doctor Eduardo M. Ochoa nativo de Argentina ha sido nombrado como el nuevo rector interno de CSUMB. Este cargo lo tomará a partir del 16 de Julio. – KSMS-67, May 29, 2012
. . . Some of the things he says he admires about CSU Monterey Bay include its marine biology department, its innovation and interdisciplinary approach, fidelity to sustainability, community outreach, and global and international "synergies," which touched on another topic central to California and Ochoa: diversity. – Monterey County Weekly, May 29, 2012
California State University, Monterey Bay has received $500,000 in scholarship endowment funds from the Bernard Osher Foundation of San Francisco. The gift is part of the foundation’s initiative for California community college students, launched in 2008. As part of that initiative, gifts are being made to support scholarships for students who transfer from two-year state community colleges to a CSU or UC campus. Starting in the 2013-14 school year, the endowment will provide CSUMB transfer students with funds they can use for tuition, books or living expenses. CSUMB has received previous donations from the Osher Foundation to fund the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute on campus. The foundation has funded a network of lifelong learning institutes across the country to provide innovative learning opportunities to serve the intellectual and cultural needs of older adults.
Kim Margosian landed an unusual internship for an aspiring teacher.
The math major at Cal State Monterey Bay is spending the summer at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base through the CSU’s Science Teacher and Researcher (STAR) program.
The STAR program selects teachers-to-be – upper division science, math and engineering majors and teaching credential students – as fellows. After an orientation, the fellows are sent for nine-week paid internships at national laboratories and other research centers to investigate technical questions along challenging lines of research while working with the labs’ engineers and scientists.
Margosian started to look for a research internship last fall “because I wanted to have an experience using my math skills doing something other than teaching or tutoring,” she said.
“When I heard about the STAR internship, I felt compelled to pursue the opportunity. Who wouldn’t be drawn to an opportunity to work for NASA?”
At Dryden, she will work on math-based modeling and simulation to better understand physical phenomena. “Modeling and simulation help us reduce cost and reduce risk by increasing our understanding of required tests,” she said.
She’ll use simulation data and flight data to correlate simulated predictions on aircraft configurations.
Margosian, who will graduate next spring, has wanted to be a math teacher since she was a seventh-grader in Elk Grove, near Sacramento. She had struggled with math in elementary school, but her pre-algebra teacher helped her turn that around. “Then, the teacher asked me to tutor my fellow students,” Margosian said.
“As I excelled in math, my performance in my other classes improved as well. From then on, all my math teachers pushed me to be better and work harder.”
At CSUMB, she works as an instructional student assistant, tutoring for various math classes. That experience will no doubt help her once she earns a teaching credential and is in the classroom.
“I plan to teach algebra at the high school level in Monterey County,” she said.
The STAR program is coordinated on behalf of the CSU system by the Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
In 2007, the first 16 STAR fellows were dispatched as paid interns to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Since then, the program has grown steadily; this year, 70 fellows were placed at 14 labs around the country.
Part of the CSU’s Mathematics and Science Teacher Initiative, STAR seeks to help address the need for 33,000 more math and science teachers in California over the next decade by improving teacher recruitment, education and professional development, and retention rates.
To learn about the math program at CSUMB, click here.
To learn about CSU's STAR program, click here.
"My STAR internship was fantastic," Kim Margosian said. Her project involved studying the aeroelastic behavior of a wing. "In other words, I analyzed data reflecting wingtip flutter of a wing," she said.
She met two astronauts during her time at Edwards Air Force Base. And she participated in weely professional development seminars on teaching practices that can be used to incorporate her research into her future classroom.
"It was truly a life-changing experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat," she said.
In November, Margosian was contacted by her summer mentor with good news – she will be a co-author on his paper to be published in 2013.
CSU Monterey Bay’s Upward Bound program will continue to soar for at least five more years – and better than ever.
The program – which guides low-income and first-generation students through the college application process – recently received two grants totaling $2.7 million from the U.S. Department of Education for its next five-year cycle. One grant will continue to fund the existing program; a second grant allows the program to serve two more schools.
The existing program has served students at Soledad and Watsonville high schools since 1999. The second grant will allow the program to expand to Pajaro and North Monterey County high schools.
About 60 students were being served each academic year; with the expansion to Pajaro and North County, that number will double.
The year-round program is divided into two parts. During the academic year, the students receive tutoring, academic advising, college and career exploration and financial aid mentoring from Upward Bound staff members during school visits.
During the six-week summer session, the students live in CSUMB residence halls and participate in academic, social, recreational and cultural activities.
In the past four years, 97 percent of Upward Bound participants graduated from high school and 95 percent continued their education.
“Upward Bound empowers students by giving them the skills to succeed not just in college, but in life,” said Perry Angle, CSUMB director of early outreach and support programs.
To read more about Upward Bound at CSUMB, click here.
Recent graduate Isael Rubio and Dr. Carolee Bull, his mentor at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s research station in Salinas, were honored by the Salinas City Council on June 12.
Ana Ibarra, a student at Hartnell College who is also mentored by Dr. Bull, was honored as well.
All three were named during the council’s “City of Champions” agenda item, a time when people are acknowledged for serving the community and for being role models.
Rubio earned a degree in biology from CSUMB in May. The Salinas native was awarded a $90,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) graduate research fellowship and will use it at the University of Wisconsin, where he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in plant pathology.
Dr. Bull was honored by CSUMB in May, when she was presented the inaugural Mentor Award by the university’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC).
Many of the students – high school, community college and university – she has mentored are now pursuing Ph.D. degrees.
“My experience with Carolee was invaluable,” Rubio said. “Working with her has brought out the true scientist in me, and has allowed me to discover my dormant abilities and aspirations.”
Dr. Bull serves on UROC’s advisory committee, is active in its mentor training workshops and is the regional liaison with the USDA’s agricultural research service, where she helps place students with her fellow researchers. That requires her to assess students’ knowledge, skills and abilities and then match their talents and learning needs to mission-driven research.
Working alongside USDA researchers, students expand their research skills and contribute to the department’s national research priorities.
Her commitment to training researchers goes beyond individual students. She has a vision that the Salinas Valley will be as well known for “growing scientists as it is for growing vegetables.” To learn more about the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center at CSUMB, click here.
Photo: Ana Ibarra of Hartnell College, Isael Rubio of CSUMB and Dr. Carolee Bull display the certificates they received from the Salinas City Council on June 12
Duane Lindsay, CSU Monterey Bay’s student body president, attended the 13th annual Student Leadership Seminar at the Panetta Institute for Public Policy. The program was held June 17-23 on the CSUMB campus.
Lindsay, a social and behavioral sciences major from Garden Valley, was elected Associated Students president in the spring of 2012 for the upcoming school year.
He has been involved with student government since his first semester on campus, when he was an active member of the Associated Students environmental affairs committee and member of the Finance Board. That led to being elected AS environmental senator for the following two years (2009-2011). He has also served as residential housing association president, as well as in other leadership roles on campus.
He joined 27 other student leaders from throughout the CSU system, Santa Clara University and Dominican University of California at the weeklong event.
The objectives of the seminar, called Education for Leadership in Public Service, are to teach leadership principles, strategies and practices; to send the students back to their campuses and communities as more effective leaders; and to encourage them to pursue lives of public service.
Following six days of seminars and exercises, the participants gave presentations on their personal perceptions of leadership and their plans to apply the lessons they learned to their academic, professional and political objectives.
"I entered with an open mind, ready to grasp and learn from individuals who have been leaders all of their lives," Lindsay said at the conclusion of the seminar. "The energy that surrounded and inspired us all was extraordinary. The bonds and connections we took away from the seminar will impact our leadership as presidents in many ways."
Institute director Sylvia Panetta explained why the seminar is important.
“Today’s young generation will one day lead our cities, states and our nation,” she said. “They will be responsible for the future of our communities and our economy. “To prepare them for this work, it is essential that they be provided with strong examples of leadership so that they can learn and develop the skills they require to be the strong leaders our democracy needs.
“The young people who attend this seminar have already demonstrated their ambition and desire to serve. The Panetta Institute’s Leadership Seminar is the next step on their path to becoming the future generation of leaders,” Mrs. Panetta said.
Photo: AS President Duane Lindsay with Panetta Institute for Publilc Policy director Sylvia Panetta
Whether at a field site or in a lab, the chance to conduct research is a game-changer when it comes to earning a degree. Staff members of CSU Monterey Bay’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center – or UROC – believe that passionately, and work to offer all students that chance.
Research, they say, can ignite a passion, build and reinforce confidence and keep students on track for graduation and success beyond commencement – in graduate school or the workplace.
UROC was established in 2009, and since then it has earned a national reputation for excellence, achievement and leadership.
As a result, Dr. Bill Head, UROC director, and Jessica Brown, assistant director, were invited to submit a chapter for the just published book, “Undergraduate Research Offices and Programs: Models and Practices,” published by the Council on Undergraduate Research.
The book features programs from a range of institutions – large research universities to community colleges. UROC was asked to contribute a chapter from the perspective of a primarily undergraduate institution.
“Writing the chapter and later comparing UROC to other offices featured in the book were exhilarating,” Dr. Head said. “We were particularly struck by how unique and comprehensive UROC is.”
UROC works across all academic disciplines, which, as the book points out, only a few schools do. And students receive a wide range of support – from seminars on graduate school and fellowship applications to coaching on how to present their work in public settings.
“Writing the chapter enabled us to think deeply about our short but robust history, our values and approaches, our benchmarks and where are going,” Dr. Head said.
About the book: “Undergraduate Research Offices and Programs: Models and Practices by Joyce Kinkead (Utah State University) and Linda Blockus (University of Missouri). Published by the Council on Undergraduate Research. Order it here.
Learn more about UROC at CSUMB here.
When it comes to spending state taxpayer dollars, many people think they can do better than the politicians elected to do the job. Students in Mary Jo Zenk’s Introduction to Nonprofit and Public Administration class got a chance to find out. During the spring semester, she invited a representative of Next 10, a nonpartisan, nonprofit policy organization based in San Francisco, to lead her class through an exercise involving budget priorities, called the California Budget Challenge.
The students had to decide how much to spend on education, prisons and healthcare, and then they decided whether to raise or lower taxes. As part of Next 10's public education efforts, the organization also sponsored a contest for students to weigh in on the budget – in a creative way. They could submit an essay, short story, poem, blog post, song lyric, video or comic strip explaining the choices they think the state should make to balance the budget. Zenk gave her students the option of entering the contest or submitting an assignment that required them to balance the budget. About half opted for the creative approach. Two of Zenk’s students were among the top finishers.
Emily Abrahams’ letter to the citizens of the state (from “Governess of California”) earned a runner-up award. It included this money-saving suggestion for balancing the budget: “Want to know an, um, interesting fact about this Golden State?,” she asked in her letter. “We spent waaaay more money on criminal justice than we do on education. Huh?, you may be asking. Are we a state of outlaws? No, that’s not it. We just need to prioritize who should actually be in prisons.” Betsaida Macias was also named a runner-up for her poem, “Sincerity from the Heart.”
Her poem included a plea from students:
“As a freshman, tuition was expensive. As a senior, it’s become a huge expense. Budget cuts in education continue to make no sense Let’s freeze tuition rates!”
The winning entry was submitted by a group of students from Presentation High School of San Francisco, who submitted an illustrated story, “California Budget Catastrophe.”
Zenk won a $100 gift card for classroom supplies awarded to the teacher with the most student entries.
She recommends that everyone try the budget challenge. “It’s an excellent tool to help people understand the process and the tradeoffs,” she said. “The most exciting part for me was afterward, when some of the students told me that the exercise has motivated them to vote.”
Read all the contest entries here. Photo: California State Capitol in Sacramento
April 18, 2008
Dr. James Lindholm told congressional staff members on April 14 that marine reserves are an appropriate way to protect sea life and offer benefits to the oceans' ecosystems.
His remarks were part of a pair of briefings on the science of marine reserves held in Washington, D.C.
Lindholm, a faculty member in California State University, Monterey Bay's Division of Science and Environmental Policy, was one of three researchers selected by the Communication Partnership for Science and the Sea (COMPASS) to brief House and Senate staff members.
Also in attendance were employees of the departments of State and Interior and other federal agencies, as well as representatives from non-governmental organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund and the Ocean Conservancy.
Marine reserves – protected areas of the sea where certain activities are prohibited – are a promising management tool designed to help protect marine ecosystems.
"Marine reserves can provide meaningful protection to a variety of fish," Lindholm told the audiences at both briefings. They can result in increases in the diversity, abundance, and size of fish.
The briefing were held for several reasons, said Chad English, director of science policy outreach for COMPASS. Foremost among them is the reauthorization of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act. Congress is considering what needs to be changed in the act as part of its reauthorization.
Also up for renewal are the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Coastal Zone Management Act. All of these pieces of legislation include use of marine reserves.
"Our motivation for holding these briefings is to make sure folks on Capitol Hill know about the progress in research on sanctuaries in the last five years," English said.
"Jim has experience doing research around several sanctuaries around the country," he said. "He participated in the Channel Islands symposium in Oxnard in February and talked about what research has shown in that area over the last five years.
"We thought this was very relevant research for what's going on now. That's one of the reasons he was asked to do these briefings."
Lindholm said Monday's presentations were well received.
"We were told they were among the best-attended briefings in some time on both the House and Senate sides," he said by phone from Washington. "We keep getting requests for more meetings.
"There's a lot of interest in the subject of marine reserves and not a lot of knowledge. This is a good opportunity to impart what we do know."
Dr. Lindholm, who directs CSUMB's Institute for Applied Marine Ecology, has done research in the Gulf of Maine, the Florida Keys and California.
On Monday afternoon, he visited with staff members at three congressional offices, including Rep. Sam Farr (D-Carmel).
"When our oceans make the news, it's too often for the wrong reasons," Farr said.
"We hear about salmon disappearing, red blooms expanding and oil spills threatening wildlife. So it's exciting to be able to recognize the priceless work of scientists like Dr. Lindholm and his colleagues."
COMPASS is a collaborative effort to advance marine conservation science and communicate scientific knowledge to policymakers, the public, and the media. Its mission is to accelerate the pace of solving important marine environmental problems.
Representatives from CSU’s Council on Ocean Affairs, Science and Technology (COAST) met with elected officials to discuss contributions that the CSU has made to marine science during Capitol Hill’s Ocean Week 2012 in Washington, D.C., in early June.
The theme for this year’s event was “One Nation, Shaped by the Sea.” Dr. James Lindholm, director of CSUMB’s Institute for Applied Marine Ecology, joined three other representatives of COAST in conveying to policy- and decision-makers the organization’s ability to tap CSU faculty and students’ scientific expertise to help address critical marine and coastal issues. “We are building on our successes at the state level in Sacramento and taking the COAST message to our elected representatives in Washington,” said Dr. Lindholm, chair of COAST’s executive committee and co-chair of the policy network. “We are encouraging representatives and senators, as well as their many staffers, to use COAST as a single point of contact for California’s marine science issues.” In collaboration with policy makers, business leaders and other academic institutions, CSU faculty and staff examined the ocean’s role in shaping the nation and discussed ways to become more economically and environmentally sustainable. Throughout the event, COAST met with the offices of two senators and six representatives to emphasize the group’s commitment to training the next generation of marine scientists, engineers and technicians. Dr. Lindholm is the James W. Rote Distinguished Professor of Marine Science and Policy. His research interests include the landscape ecology of fishes, the recovery of seafloor habitats following the cessation of fishing activity, and the design and efficacy of marine protected areas. Learn more about him here. Learn more about COAST here.
To read an earlier story on Dr. Lindholm in Washington, click here.
Source: CSU News and Notes blog
Dr. Miguel Lopez has been honored for the significant contributions he has made in service learning at CSU Monterey Bay, in the local community and beyond.
The International Center for Service-Learning in Teacher Education presented him with its Rahima Wade Award for Outstanding Contributions to the field. The award was presented at the organization’s annual meeting at Duke University in June.
Dr. Lopez, a faculty member in CSUMB’s Liberal Studies Department, earned national attention for his award-winning service learning collaboration, Increase the Peace, an intensive summer program designed to counter the perceptions that the East Salinas neighborhood of Alisal was merely a site of gang violence.
The program used literature, art and culture to strengthen Latino students’ sense of pride and cultural identify, better enabling them to reject harmful influences and get more involved with school.
As a result, there was a shift in perception at the school, from low expectations to a college-going culture.
“While there were many collaborators on this project, Dr. Lopez was its heart and soul,” said Dr. Seth Pollack, director of Service Learning at CSUMB. “Through his persistence and role modeling, he has helped to build meaningful connections to college for thousands of students.”
Dr. Lopez works directly with future teachers, directing them in their initial field experience courses. All of his classes are service-learning courses. As a result, each semester he provides guidance for more than 100 students who work in elementary and middle schools throughout the region. In turn, those students tutor and mentor over 1,000 underserved students in the region – every semester.
Said Dr. Pollack: “No single faculty member embodies a deep commitment to social justice and diversity, reciprocity, reflective practice and partnership-building more completely than Dr. Lopez.”
CSUMB is a national leader in the field of service learning. It is the only two-time recipient of the President’s Award for Community Service in Higher Education – one of those awards was for Increase the Peace – and has been included in U.S. News & World Report’s list of “outstanding service learning programs” since the list’s inception.
And it's the only public university in California, and one of the few nationally, where service learning is a requirement for all students. Each year, nearly 50 percent of CSUMB’s students enroll in service learning courses contributing more than 84,000 hours of service to more than 250 schools, non-profit organizations and government agencies in the tri-county area. And service learning is an academic department, where issues of service, diversity, social justice and social responsibility are linked to the core curriculum.
To learn more about Professor Lopez, click here.
Photo (left to right): Dr. Miguel Lopez received the Rahima Wade Award for Outstanding Contributions to Service Learning in Teacher Education in the United States. Dr. Loshini Naidoo of the University of Western Sydney was the international award winner.
It won't star George Clooney as a recent Los Angeles performance did, but Dustin Lance Black's play chronicling the trial challenging Proposition 8 will be performed at Hartnell College in Salinas, one of dozens of campuses that will present it this year.
And CSU Monterey Bay has a role in it.
The university’s Health and Wellness Services is one of the co-sponsors of the July 20 production at Hartnell’s Western Stage. And CSUMB alumna Melissa Woodrow (TAT, 2011), a staff member at the theater, is the show’s producer.
Black, who won an Academy Award for his screenplay for the film Milk, based '8' on the trial transcripts of the 2010 federal court battle that dealt with the legality of the ballot initiative that outlawed same-sex marriage in California. Judge Vaughn Walker overturned the proposition, ruling that it violated the U.S. Constitution.
The production involves a 20-member cast reading from scripts on a courtroom set. Black is a former resident of Fort Ord, a graduate of North Salinas High School, and an alumnus of The Western Stage. “In March, I posted the YouTube video from the L.A. performance of 8,” Woodrow said. “I tagged Dustin Lance Black, and he replied with a suggestion that we do a reading this summer.” She researched the show and discovered that the American Foundation for Equal Rights – the nonprofit group that spearheaded the court case – and activist group Broadway Impact, sponsors of '8,' have licensed the play for readings on college campuses and in community theaters free of charge. “The Western Stage went through the procedure of applying for a reading, and we got July 20. In April, we got word that Lance would be available for a visit,” Woodrow said. Following the performance, a question-and-answer session will be held with Black and community partners. CSUMB’s Health and Wellness Services joins Hartnell Pride, American Civil Liberties Union of Monterey County, Marriage Equality of the Monterey Peninsula, Monterey County Pride, TGIF Monterey, Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays of Monterey County, the Diversity Center of Santa Cruz and other groups in sponsoring the production. “As long as injustice exists, the health and wellness of everyone is in jeopardy. Society is lessened as a whole because not everyone has equal rights,” said Caroline Haskell, director of the university’s Health and Wellness Services. Admission is free. A limit of two tickets can be reserved by e-mailing 8theplaysalinas@gmail.com or by calling 755-6816.
*Learn about Health and Wellness Services at CSUMB here.*
Heather Hoskins (HCom ’05) turned her experiences as a student journalist into a career.
While her major didn’t include a concentration in public relations – the subject that most interested her – the professor in charge of journalism and media studies allowed her to plan the events surrounding the grand opening of the Otter Realm newsroom. She was also a staff writer and arts and entertainment editor of the student paper, and worked as a public relations intern for Youth Music Monterey.
“Among all these experiences, I got a good grasp of the industry I hoped to break into,” she said.
After graduating, she moved to Las Vegas to work as a product manager for an advertising company. She worked with corporate clients including Microsoft and MTV, and trained company employees in two offices in China.
Now a resident of Olympia, Wash., she works as director of search engine optimization and communications for Kitson Boards, a designer and manufacturer of paddle boards, wakeboards and surfboards, and for WineRackStore.com, an online seller of wine rack and wine cellars.
She oversees media relations for both companies. “Because of my news reporting experiences at CSUMB, I have been able to form good relationships with local and national media, which greatly benefits the businesses I work for.
“And the writing techniques I picked up as a student journalist helped give me an SEO advantage, as I battle it out with Google every month for top keyword rankings,” she said.
Because the Monterey area still holds a special place in her heart, and she returns once or twice a year. And she has fond memories of her time at the university.
“I sport my alumni license plate holder with pride, and I actually have an otter key chain from freshman orientation still attached to my car keys.
“I loved everything about my time at CSU Monterey Bay, and I definitely recommend it to others.” Learn more about CSUMB's Alumni Association here. Learn more about Human Communication here.
Another math major has earned recognition for his outstanding work in the classroom – the third student honored in the last few months.
Radoslav Vuchkov has been selected for the Mathematics Advanced Study Semesters (MASS) Program at Pennsylvania State University. He’ll spend the fall semester in State College, Pa.
The program consists of three core courses especially designed for MASS students, a weekly lecture by visiting and resident mathematicians, a weekly seminar, and individual projects, both theoretical and computer-related.
According to program director Sergei Tabachnikov, “It is in Penn State’s tradition to care about talented young mathematicians and to provide special conditions for their development.” He added that, for many students, the program serves as a springboard to graduate school in math.
Vuchkov, who will be a senior, received a fellowship that reduces tuition to the in-state level, a National Science Foundation award that covers room and board, a travel allowance and a $2,000 stipend.
It seems like quite a leap for a student who started in remedial math as a freshman. But, he quickly jumped to calculus, where he completed the series of three classes, and was on his way.
Dr. Hongde Hu, chair of CSUMB’s math department, says it’s not unusual to see students make such progress. “At this time,” he said, “about 30 percent of our math majors come from the remedial math classes.”
Two other math majors were recently honored for their accomplishments.
• Christina Depweg, who graduated in May, was awarded a Math for America fellowship to pay for graduate school at USC and to supplement her salary as a math teacher for the first four years of her career. The fellowship is worth $100,000, plus the cost of tuition.
• Kim Margosian is spending her summer at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base through the CSU’s Science Teacher and Researcher (STAR) program. The aspiring math teacher is working on math-based modeling and simulation to better understand physical phenomena.
Learn more about the Department of Mathematics at CSUMB.
For the fifth straight year, CSU Monterey Bay has received a grant from the outdoor recreation retailer REI for the university’s Return of the Natives (RON) project.
A $15,000 grant will support work with school children and local teachers, university students and community volunteers on habitat-restoration projects on Fort Ord public lands, the creeks of Salinas, Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District lands and Marina Dunes Preserve. The funds represent a stewardship grant that REI awards annually.
An additional $11,300 was donated, representing the proceeds from the Banff Mountain Film Festival screening REI sponsored in Monterey last March. “We’re trying to get people outdoors – like REI does,” said Laura Lee Lienk, RON director. “And we’re trying to get them to realize they can help the planet.” Ellie Kincade, outreach specialist at REI’s Marina outlet, commended Return of the Natives for its outreach efforts and collaborations with the local community. “When I came here five years ago,” she said, “everyone I met told me to partner with RON and Laura Lee.” The two organizations now partner regularly to support volunteer opportunities. Return of the Natives is dedicated to bringing people closer to nature and nature closer to people through hands-on experience in restoring habitats. REI encourages protection and restoration of the environment through its philanthropic activities. In 2011, the Kent, Washington-based company gave away $4.48 million to 330 local and national nonprofit organizations to support outdoor stewardship and connect children to nature.
Learn more about Return of the Natives at CSUMB.
Led by members of the women’s soccer team, seven CSUMB squads produced team grade-point averages of 3.0 or higher for the spring semester.
That’s in addition to producing two team titles, seven All-America selections, and a number of community service projects.
The women soccer players compiled a 3.32 GPA to lead the university’s 12 intercollegiate sports programs. The women's cross country and golf teams each compiled a 3.17.
Men’s soccer, women’s water polo and volleyball all earned GPAs of 3.06; women’s basketball came in at 3.04. “CSUMB student-athletes continue to be challenged – not only when they compete but also in the classroom,” said CSUMB Director of Athletics Vince Otoupal.
“And you know what? They are responding and they are responding well. Our GPA continues to improve.” Volleyball outside hitter Julia Ashen registered a perfect 4.0 while juggling a course load of 30 credits in her freshman year.
Four other student-athletes recorded 4.0s for the spring semester: volleyball player Molly Kennedy; soccer players Dylan Niven and Kendra Gillo; and baseball player Brian Haggett. “Student-athletes are winning awards,” Otoupal said. “We are bringing home championships. We graduated 28 student-athletes this year and we will graduate even more next year – with better GPAs. Our coaches are doing a great job teaching and coaching. Our student-athletes are doing their jobs – in the classroom and in competition.” Softball player Jamie Moon became the first CSUMB student-athlete to earn Academic All-America honors.
Learn more about CSUMB athletics.
A young scientist and college graduate from Salinas has an exciting summer to look forward to as he plans to attend a national conference for a second straight year. Isael Rubio attended a national science conference in Honolulu last year where he presented his work in plant pathology to a gathering of renowned scientists. – The Salinas Californian, June 9, 2012
In the First Tee program . . . education is emphasized – the kids can't go to the golf course or range until they've completed their homework. Through a partnership with Cal State Monterey Bay, tutors are always on hand. – Sports Illustrated, June 11, 2012
Researchers at CSU Monterey Bay and NASA are testing a new way to help California farmers decide exactly how much water to use on their crops. It's a tool that could eventually help growers anywhere save on a precious resource. – KAZU (NPR affiliate serving California's Central Coast), June 14, 2012
CSUMB senior Donny Medlinger signed a free-agent contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks and will report to Salt River Fields near Scottsdale for extended spring training. He becomes the first player to sign a pro contract in head coach Walt White's tenure at CSUMB. – Marina Gazette, June 18, 2012
High school students struggling with algebra are receiving help from CSUMB to boost their math skills and earn a year's worth of math credit this summer. – The Salinas Californian, June 23, 2012
Hands-on learning is effective for students, and schools, particularly elementary schools, are catching on. For example, students at one California school are the newest members of a program set up by CSU Monterey Bay and the Bureau of Land Management known as "The Return of the Natives." Students harvest and nurture seeds at Fort Ord, learning about nature as they do so. – Vermont State Parks e-newsletter, June 26, 2012
There's a flood of arts and culture coming to the Peninsula, and its headwaters are building up at CSU Monterey Bay. The California State University system's Summer Arts program is made up of 14 two-week-long workshops taught by luminaries from the worlds of art, music, new media, dance, theater, film, writing and animation. – Monterey County Weekly, June 28, 2012
. . . The idea to pair up fledgling teachers with straggling students was born when Roger Dahl, an instructor with the CalState TEACH program at CSU Monterey Bay, suggested it to Highland Principal Tafra Purnsley. – Monterey Herald, June 30, 2012
You could say that being called to active duty following the 9/11 terrorist attacks interrupted Ben Haberthur’s education at Cal State Monterey Bay. Or you might say that his active military service refocused it.
Either way, Haberthur’s work both as a restoration ecologist and a veterans’ advocate received a major boost recently when he was recognized with a TogetherGreen Fellowship Award from Toyota and the National Audubon Society.
Haberthur, who works for the Forest Preserve District of Kane County near Chicago, will use the $10,000 grant on an effort to encourage veterans dealing with the aftermath of their war experiences to work with nature.
Haberthur comes from a military family and, as a result, moved often during his childhood. “I think I always had a love of nature and the outdoors, from spending a lot of time outside growing up and moving around to a lot of beautiful places,” he said.
He came to the Monterey Peninsula when his stepfather was studying at the Naval Postgraduate School. He took classes at Monterey Peninsula College before enrolling at CSUMB in Earth Systems Science and Policy, now known as Environmental Science, Technology and Policy.
A Marine Corps reservist, Haberthur was called to active duty in February 2002 and eventually served a tour of nearly six months in Iraq during the early stages of the war. He said he was struck by the widespread environmental destruction promoted by the Saddam Hussein regime during the fighting.
“They ditched and drained thousands of acres of Iraq’s marshlands,” he told the Aurora Beacon News. Seeing those environmental costs up close, he said, made him more focused on his career goals.
“I hadn’t really been that strong of a student before, but I came back to school with a renewed sense of purpose,” Haberthur said.
Another important factor in his successful return to CSUMB were the relationships he had formed with several faculty members. “In making the transition back, it was good to have some familiar faces there to help,” he said, including Professors Swarup Wood and Suzy Worcester and Watershed Institute co-director Laura Lee Lienk.
“I know of no more deserving former student than Ben Haberthur for this fine honor,” Lienk said. “About a year after his return from Iraq, my program, Return of the Natives Restoration Education Project, hired Ben to be a ‘Weed Warrior,’ one of a few elite students involved in community-based habitat restoration, in his case through the removal of invasive weed species.
“Ben brought to every volunteer event a sense of fun and camaraderie. I like to think that his good work in the Chicago area may in some way have been affected by his experiences with us coordinating ‘Ice plant Pulling Olympics’ and ‘Weed Geocaching’ events in urban communities.”
Haberthur said the internships he found through the Watershed Institute and through the efforts of Bill Head of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center made it easier for him to find a job following his graduation in 2005. He looked in the Chicago region because his wife and fellow CSUMB graduate, Jennifer Diaz Haberthur, was from that area.
Haberthur has worked as a restoration technician, geographic information systems (GIS) specialist, and a restoration ecologist.
He said that his work with nature helped him recover from the stresses of his military service; he is now hoping to open up a similar experience to other veterans. Having received the grant, he is working on outreach with veterans’ and military organizations in his area to find participants in his proposed Veterans’ Conservation Corps.
“I think those veterans are a great untapped resource,” he said. “But it also is an activity that can really benefit the veterans, having that kind of contact with nature.”
The plan is to have the group work on restoration of a 1,131-acre forest preserve in Batavia, Ill., named in honor of World War II veteran Dick Young.
“I was inspired by the story of local hero Dick Young,” Haberthur told the TogetherGreen organization. “He was a World War II Marine veteran turned conservationist who was able to overcome all he saw on Iwo Jima to become a leader in the fight to save our region’s natural areas.
"He embodied the belief that a country worth protecting is worth preserving.”
A shot of the North Quad student housing complex has won Photo of the Day honors in the Monterey Herald’s CaptureMonterey contest.
Library circulation services manager Dennis Sun took the photo, Walking in a Fog, on the evening of July 5. The fog distorts the glow cast by outdoor lighting fixtures, giving the image an eerie feel.
“I captured this photo on a dark, foggy night during the summer break when there were no traffic distractions,” Sun said.
“The stillness and blur reminded me of a surreal vision, like we see in a dream.”
Sun is best known for his photos documenting the history of Fort Ord. Since 1996, he has taken thousands of images of the former Army base, and has exhibited them locally since 2002.
His passion for photography and history has motivated him to keep taking photographs of the area. Sun, who served in the Air Force and the Air National Guard, said his photos are his way of honoring the people who served in the military.
It's a happy day for local community college students: Gavilan just got a hefty chunk of free money that will help streamline the process of getting a four-year degree in nursing, computer science or digital media at California State University, Monterey Bay. – Morgan Hill Times, July 10, 2012
The International Center for Service-Learning in Teacher Education presented CSUMB Professor Miguel Lopez its Rahima Wade Award for Outstanding Contributions to the field. He was honored for his award-winning service learning collaboration, Increase the Peace, a summer program that used literature, art and culture to strengthen Latino students' sense of pride and cultural identity. – @aascu, newsletter of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, July 11, 2012
Summer Arts – a California State University program – made its debut at CSUMB this month.
Several hundred students are on campus, attending 14 classes in the visual and performing arts. A robust schedule of public performances accompanies the academic portion of the program. See the schedule of public performances.
Students are immersed in rigorous training 12 to 14 hours a day, every day during the two-week sessions. At the end of those sessions, they offer free performances, called “culminations,” open to the public.
The second set of culminations will be held starting on Thursday, July 26. Here’s the schedule:
Solo Performance, Part 1 July 26, 7 p.m. – University Center Ballroom
Clay as a Medium for Sculpture July 28, 10 a.m. – Visual and Public Art Building (No. 72)
Digital Cinematography Workshop July 28, 11 a.m. – Library, Room 1188 Understanding Your Character for Animation July 28, 1:30 p.m., Library, Room 1188
The Actors' Gang July 28, 3 p.m. – World Theater
Solo Performance, Part 2 4:30 p.m. – University Center Ballroom
Essence and Spirit of Hip-Hop with Rennie Harris Puremovement 7 p.m. – World Theater
More information on Summer Arts.
Driving directions and a campus map.
When students think of education exchange programs, they usually picture faraway and foreign locales.
Not places like the University of Minnesota, University of Arizona, Winthrop, Grambling State or Bridgewater State. Or CSU Monterey Bay. However, those schools and nearly 200 others in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico are part of the National Student Exchange, which allows students to pay tuition to their home institution and attend courses for a semester or a full school year at a partner school. Holly White, director of CSUMB’s Office of Extended Education, oversees both the university’s international exchange programs and the National Student Exchange. She said the NSE is “a bit of a hidden jewel” that is often overshadowed by overseas study opportunities. She said the program often attracts students who are interested in a specific academic area or courses that are not available at CSUMB. “We really do get the cream of the crop, students who have done research and know what they are looking for,” White said. Sometimes students have personal reasons for seeking an exchange, she said, such as living closer for a time to a particular relative or just wanting to live in a different part of the country. “We’ve had students who have never gone anywhere, who have never even been to an airport,” White said. “This can be a real equalizer for students, giving them an opportunity they have never had.” White said she expects around 40 NSE students to enroll at CSUMB in the upcoming academic year, with a similar number of CSUMB students going off to partner schools. The list of available schools includes major state universities and smaller ones as well. A complete list is available at the program’s website. Jillian Shweiki (pictured at left), a 2012 CSUMB graduate from Clovis, spent her sophomore year at Bridgewater State University, a 10,000-student institution about 30 miles south of Boston, through the NSE program. “It was an amazing experience, getting to spend time in a different part of the United States. I was really surprised by how different it felt, academically and socially,” Shweiki said. “We are so used to so much diversity in California, there was a different feel back there,” she said. “I couldn’t even find any good Mexican food.” She said it was eye-opening to learn that “there is no one America," and that the country is made up of many distinct places. She said she is now a strong advocate of the National Student Exchange when talking to friends. “I encourage everyone to consider the program. It is so important to get out of your comfort zone and college is a great time to do that," Shweiki said. One of the students who will be coming to CSUMB as part of National Student Exchange in the fall is Sarah Kusek from Montana State University. “I picked CSUMB because I have wanted to go to school in California for a long time but decided to stay closer to home for the first year. One of my friends did NSE to a different school and absolutely loved it so I thought it would be a great opportunity to see if I still wanted to be in California. "I picked Monterey Bay because it seemed like the best fit for a small-town Montana girl, with its small enrollment,” Kusek said. “I can't wait to get there and school to start, as crazy as that sounds!”
Christy Khoshaba has hit the big time – journalistically speaking.
The 2011 Human Communication major has gone from CSU Monterey Bay’s student newspaper, the Otter Realm, to The New York Times – and done so in just over a year. As part of her master’s program at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism, she enrolled in Digital TV and The World, a hands-on course where students learn the basics of video production.
“We learn about a diaspora community in the Bay Area as we learn video skills,” she said. “Then we visit the country of that community for a month.
“This year, it was the Chinese community in the Bay Area, and China in the summer.”
During the spring semester, Khoshaba produced six short videos on Chinese-Americans. In late May, she and three classmates traveled to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province. There, each student produced one video.
“Mine is called ‘The Exam.’ Before I left, my professor worked out an agreement with The New York Times video department” to use the work, she said.
“The Exam” tells the story of the high-stakes entrance test all Chinese students must take in order to attend college. Nine million students took the most recent exam; their college acceptance is based entirely on the results.
Once the video was completed, the Times’ Beijing correspondent, Edward Wong, wrote an accompanying story for the print and web editions of the paper.
“I gave him my notes and information about the people in my video and he used some of my reporting in his story. That’s how I became a ‘contributing reporter’,” she said.
Khoshaba’s video was displayed prominently on the Times website on June 30 and July 1. The accompanying article appeared in the print edition on July 1.
She returned to the U.S. in late June and is spending the rest of the summer in Los Angeles, interning in the fashion and entertainment section of Newsweek/The Daily Beast.
She’ll return to Berkeley in August to complete her master’s degree. Then . . . who knows.
“My career goal is to be a respected journalist who informs and educates.” And that could take her in many directions.
She wants to be an international reporter in the Middle East, perhaps writing for The Economist, Time or The New York Times. “I speak Arabic, so I think that will help tremendously,” she said.
“I’m also interested in fashion, so it would be great to write for magazines like *Marie Claire, Harper’s**Bazaar* or *Vogue*. And, I’m interested in hosting an entertainment program like Showbiz Tonight or E News.”
She credits her degree from CSUMB for giving her a solid foundation for the work she’s doing now. “My HCom major integrated topics such as journalism, gender studies, media studies, law, literature, philosophy and creative writing. I enjoyed my classes and the professors who taught them.
“HCom will always have a place in my heart.”
Learn about CSUMB's Human Communication major.
CSU Monterey Bay lecturer Barbara Sayad is about to make her first visit to China, courtesy of a human rights organization. The Aibai Education and Culture Center, a Chinese-based organization that works to educate and advocate on behalf of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people, has invited Dr. Sayad and her co-author and colleague, Dr. Bill Yarber of Indiana University, to visit the country Aug. 9 through 22. Sayad and Yarber authored the first university textbook on human sexuality to be published in China. After the seventh edition of their book, Human Sexuality: Diversity in Contemporary America, was published in 2010, the authors were approached by a UCLA professor and Chinese national about the possibility of having it translated into Chinese. Several issues surfaced immediately. Even though China decriminalized homosexuality in 1997, no laws bar discrimination based on sexual orientation. The lack of legal protection, plus the great weight of family and social pressures, keeps most Chinese gays solidly in the closet. Because it was known that the government would not approve the book for use in public universities, McGraw-Hill agreed to release the textbook as a trade publication to circumvent censorship issues. The Chinese professors who served as volunteer translators did their work in a way that was culturally sensitive and relevant to the needs and concerns of university students. The book is finally available. And while it won't be sold on campuses, it can be purchased in bookstores and will be promoted among professors via word of mouth. During their visit, the authors will be featured speakers at a national conference on sexuality at a university in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province. Educators, doctors, school policymakers and government officials are expected to attend their presentation on the status of sexuality education in the United States. Also at the conference, the Chinese-language version of the book will be presented; the authors will talk about its history, philosophy and content. In Beijing, Sayad and Yarber will meet with government officials, university professors and students. But it won’t be all work for Sayad. “Following the presentations and meetings, my husband and I will take a few days to tour the area outside of Beijing,” she said. “My trip to China helps to underscore not only the value of travel and collaboration but the knowledge, experience and resources that we have obtained and can share in this emerging field.
“I am honored to be a part of this collaboration.” At CSUMB, Dr. Sayad teaches in the Department of Health, Human Services and Public Policy. In the fall, she’ll be teaching a multicultural health education and promotion class.
Editor's Note:* The eighth edition of Human Sexuality: Diversity in Contemporary America by William Yarber and Barbara Sayad, will be released in September.*
Droughts are more than simply climate phenomena. They can have profound social, environmental and economic impacts and can also be a major threat to food production throughout the world. Though much progress has been made in monitoring droughts and understanding their causes, there is still a strong need for better forecasting and monitoring. CSU Monterey Bay researchers John Shupe, Vanessa Genovese and Cyrus Hiatt are joining a team of scientists from Arizona State University, in partnership with NASA Ames and a non-profit organization known as Planetary Skin Institute (PSI), to develop a more efficient drought monitoring system. The work is funded by a grant awarded by NASA's Earth Science Applications: Water Resources program. The goal is to provide water managers, irrigation districts, policymakers and scientists with information that will improve drought detection, awareness and decision-making and yield cost savings in areas of food production and hydropower generation. The system uses satellite detection of potential water shortages and an ecological model developed by NASA. This method offers a cheaper alternative to costly gauge and sensor networks.
The team from Arizona State will generate bi-weekly maps of an index that reflects potential water shortages. Initial applications will be the countries of Brazil and Mexico at 4 to 8 km resolution and then globally at 16 to 32 km resolution. The drought maps will be derived from satellite sensor on board the Earth Observing System Aqua and Terra satellites. Under the direction of the CSUMB team, the NASA model has been applied to many regions throughout the world, with particular focus on watersheds in California. On this project, the team will continue using this model to generate 1 km resolution maps of soil moisture, potential and actual evapotranspiration, volumetric water content, and runoff in Brazil and Mexico. The team has already completed global runs at 8 km. Additionally, stream flow will be modeled on selected basins within drought-prone regions in Brazil and Mexico. The data from both teams will be integrated into a web-based platform called Drought ALERTS (short for Automated Land change Evaluation, Reporting and Tracking System). This global visualization system will overlay standard maps with scientific datasets related to natural resources management for near-real-time detection of water stress.
These will be complemented with auxiliary data such as irrigation sectors, river basins, stream networks, reservoirs, political boundaries, temperature and precipitation, among others. Within the platform, users will be able to query, visualize, and plot metrics that explore the different dimensions of drought, including the precipitation and temperature forcing and the vegetation response. Summary statistics, such as drought duration and intensity, will be provided to help them gauge the level of the threat. For more information: NASA-CASA Project website ASU Hydrology Planetary Skin Institute
Title: Drought Monitoring #1 PSI ALERTS, a platform for visualizing natural resources and aiding decisions. Here, ALERTS shows vegetation disturbances derived from 1-km MODIS (gridded maps), the locations of identified disturbances (circles) and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) time series at a disturbance location. Courtesy of PSI CSU MONTEREY BAY SOURCE: John Shupe, John.W.Shupe@nasa.gov 650-604-0629 ASU CONTACT: Nicole Cassis, ncassis@asu.edu 602-710-7169
Story and photo courtesy of CSU Chancellor's Office
CSU’s Council on Ocean Affairs, Science & Technology (COAST) and CSU Monterey Bay’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center have launched a summer research program that pairs students with COAST faculty at campuses across the system.
CSUMB undergraduates studying science, technology and mathematics are working with professors at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CSU East Bay, San Diego State and San Francisco State. During their 10-week paid internships, students are researching topics such as the influence of temperatures on sea turtles, the sleeping patterns of sea slugs, development of non-toxic coating for boats and how organisms have adapted to changes in the environment. The pilot program, which is leveraging UROC’s Department of Education HSI STEM and Articulation grant and COAST’s financial contributions, allows students to engage in research outside of the Monterey Bay area, with costs for housing and research supplies covered. Students were able to travel to their host CSU campus and participate in hands-on research opportunities. Additionally, undergraduate interns are working with – and learning from – graduate students in the host labs alongside the COAST faculty members. “With COAST as a partner, students have been able to relocate for the summer to more distant locations,” said COAST Director Dr. Krista Kamer. “In fact, the student working with Dr. Jim Murray from CSU East Bay traveled to Washington this summer to work at the world-renowned Friday Harbor Labs.” To give each student a well-rounded experience, pairings were carefully chosen based on the students’ interest and future goals, and faculty’s experience and expertise.
Students, faculty mentors and research topics: • Mark Callaghan, senior; Dr. James Murray, CSU East Bay; Say, can you see a sea slug sleep if a sea slug could show sleep? • April Makukhov, sophomore; Dr. Rebecca Lewison, San Diego State University; Hot Tub Time Machine: Influence of Temperature on Habitat Use of East Pacific Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) in San Diego Bay • Lauren Tobosa, junior; Dr. Dean Wendt, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; Fishing and Sticking: The Impact of MPAs on nearshore rockfish and the development of environmentally benign marine coatings • Carley Turner, senior; Dr. Jonathon Stillman, San Francisco State University; The expression of temperature responsive genes across fine-scale habitat variation in the porcelain crab, Petrolisthes cinctipes COAST – a network of hundreds of CSU faculty members, scientists and students actively working to address the state’s critical marine and coastal issues – has made strides in research that are integral to the development of ocean, coast and coastal policy. In academic year 2011-12, COAST provided $181,000 in research support for CSU students. Scholars received the opportunity to work with CSU faculty on marine science projects; travel across the state, nation and world to present their findings; and participate in summer internships with organizations dedicated to conserving California’s ecosystems. By providing students with hands-on experience, personal mentorship and rich curriculum, COAST has distinguished itself as being a resource for helping teach future scientists the skills and knowledge they need to become assets to the community.
Learn more about UROC Learn more about COAST
Photo: CSUMB sophomore April Makukhov is working with San Diego State's Dr. Rebecca Lewison (in center of photo) on a project looking at the influence of temperature on habitat use of green sea turtles in San Diego Bay
Researchers at CSU Monterey Bay and NASA are testing a new way to use satellite technology to help California farmers decide exactly how much water to use on their crops. It's a tool that could eventually help growers anywhere save on a precious resource. – NPR's California Report, July 17, 2012
CSU Monterey Bay has received $500,000 in scholarship endowment funds from the Bernard Osher Foundation of San Francisco. The gift is part of the foundation's initiative for California community college students. As part of that initiative, gifts are being made to support scholarships for students who transfer from two-year community colleges to a CSU or UC campus. – The Salinas Californian, July 26, 2012
Cal State Monterey Bay student Jose Hernandez has received the 2012 William R. Hearst/CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement.
The Hearst award is among the highest forms of recognition for student achievement in the CSU. Scholars must demonstrate superior academic achievements, community service, financial need and the ability to overcome adversity. Many of the students have prevailed in the face of disability, language and cultural barriers, intense personal loss or homelessness.
Jose worked on a farm when he was 9 years old to help support his widowed mother and four siblings. Five years later, the family immigrated to the United States and settled in Salinas. His next challenge was learning English so that he could achieve his dream of attending college.
He has accomplished that – he’s in his junior year and is majoring in collaborative health and human services with an emphasis in social work and public health.
He tutors elementary school students at the Cesar Chavez Library and works with the Building Healthy Communities organization in East Salinas. Last February, he represented that organization at the launch party for Lady Gaga’s foundation, “Born This Way,” at Harvard.
Upon graduation, Jose plans to continue his education by enrolling in a master’s program in counseling at CSU Bakersfield so he can serve his community and provide a better life for his family.
“My family knows that I am serious about my education and that it is important for me to contribute to a culture of participation in higher education,” Jose said.
More than 427,000 students attend the campuses of the CSU system. Only 23 of those students are honored with Hearst scholarships. The William Randolph Hearst Foundation established an endowed scholarship fund in 1984 to honor the founder of the Hearst newspaper chain. In 1999, the foundation partnered with the CSU Board of Trustees to supplement the endowment with contributions from CSU Trustees and private donors.
Jose and the other recipients were recognized at the CSU Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach on Sept. 18.
Another recognition has come his way: On Sept. 25, Jose was named during the Salinas City Council's "City of Champions" agenda item, a time when people are acknowledged for serving the community and for being role models.
More information is available here.
CSU Monterey Bay graduates Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck began production on their first feature film – Forty Years From Yesterday – this week in King City. Their short film, *Charlie and the**Rabbit*, premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. – *Monterey Herald*, July 27, 2012
Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck are at work on their first feature film.
The graduates of CSU Monterey Bay’s Teledramatic Arts and Technology program began production this week in King City, an agricultural community in south Monterey County.
Their film, Forty Years From Yesterday, tells the story of a widower named Bruce, who is struggling to deal with the death of his wife.
Machoian (Class of 2007), who grew up in King City, said in a statement that he wrote the script from the imagined perspective of what it would be like to lose a member of his own family.
“This film will allow us to explore very personal subject matter, which nevertheless speaks to universal experiences,” Machoian was quoted as saying in the Monterey Herald.
“As we grow older, the thought of losing one of our parents or even our own partner becomes more pertinent.
“This film, through our exploration of how we might deal with such a tragedy ourselves, will bring the audience to reflect on the losses they have faced in the past and those they will have to face in the future,” Machoian told the Herald.
More information on the film is available here.
Charlie and the Rabbit, a short film by Machoian and Ojeda-Beck (Class of 2009), premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
Also in 2010, Filmmaker magazine, a quarterly publication and website devoted to independent film, named the pair to its annual list of “25 New Faces.” The list is the magazine's “bet on the individuals who will be shaping the independent film world of the future.” When they met as students in the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department, they had different styles but found a third when working together. The films they have made together display classic art house film style, according to the magazine.
Read more about Machoian and Ojeda-Beck:
TAT alums make ‘New Faces’ list Grads’ film to screen at Sundance
Photo: Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck screen their short, *Charlie and the Rabbit, on campus. At right is TAT department chair Enid Blader.*
View a photo blog of Summer Arts
Students from throughout the California State University system and beyond came to Cal State Monterey Bay in July for the annual Summer Arts program.
CSU Summer Arts kicked off the first year of a five-year run at the Seaside campus with more than three hundred students taking the opportunity to explore and master the arts in 13 for-credit classes. Another class was offered in Florence, Italy.
Workshops were taught by experts in theater, dance, film, music, art, animation, writing and new media.
“The first year was a huge success,” said Joanne Sharp, assistant director of Summer Arts. “The student evaluations were the best they have ever been. That’s the real measure of success.”
Classes were held in two-week sessions; each ended with a “culmination,” where students demonstrated what they had learned in an event open to the public.
“We got great attendance at the culminations,” Sharp said.
The area’s summer arts scene got a lot more interesting with the addition of public performances by the visiting artists held most nights throughout the month.
Attendance at the public events picked up over the last 10 days, according to Sharp, putting it "where we expected it to be,” she said.
Next summer’s schedule is available here.
Photos – top to bottom: • Culmination performance by students in The Actors Gang workshop • A student in the TypoGraphic Design class shows off his work • Essence and Spirit of Hip-Hop was a popular class • A guitar concert was one of many public performances presented as part of Summer Arts. This one was held at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas
Caroline Haskell, director of Health and Wellness Services at CSU Monterey Bay, has been named to the Monterey County Mental Health Commission. Fourth District Supervisor Jane Parker appointed Haskell to the position; her term will expire in May 2013. The commission reviews and evaluates the community’s mental health needs, services, facilities and special problems. Commissioners act as advocates for local mental health services, a task for which Haskell is well prepared. A staff member at the university since 1996, she is the founding director of the Personal Growth and Counseling Center and currently oversees all campus health and wellness services, including the PGCC, the campus chaplaincy, the campus Health Center, Health Promotion and Prevention and the office of Student Disability Resources. She provides counseling and psychological services for students, staff and faculty and is an adjunct faculty member. Haskell earned a master’s degree from Columbia University School of Social Work and a B.A. in comparative literature from UC Berkeley. She received an advanced graduate certificate in Contemplative Clinical Practice from Smith College School for Social Work. She is a licensed clinical social worker with the California Board of Behavioral Science Examiners and a board certified diplomate with the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work. In 2010, Haskell received the Jay Foss Clinical Services Award. The award is given annually to someone who, in the opinion of the commissioners, has provided outstanding mental health services in the local community. The award is named for the late Jay Foss, a former member of the commission.
In 2005, Haskell was awarded the CSUMB President’s Medal for exemplary service to the university and commitment to its vision. Her campus peers nominated her for the award.
Anyone interested in the Master of Social Work program at CSU Monterey Bay is invited to attend information sessions scheduled for Sept. 10.
Sessions will be held in the program’s offices in Beach Hall, located on Divarty Street between Fourth and Fifth avenues. The sessions will be held from noon to 1 p.m., and from 4 to 5 p.m.
Applications for fall 2013 may be submitted starting Oct. 1 and must be received by Jan. 31 for priority consideration.
The three-year program provides an opportunity for people who are interested in a career in social work, or who want to advance in their career, to earn an MSW degree in a way that is accessible and affordable.
Students specialize in Behavioral Health, or Children, Youth and Families, and prepare for a broad array of job opportunities within government and non-profits serving youth, the elderly, low-income families, veterans, those who face health challenges and others.
Classes are currently offered in the evenings. Students must also complete internships of 1,000 hours total, 250 hours per semester starting in the second year, at agencies in Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Santa Clara counties.
For more information, contact Vivienne Orgel at vorgel@csumb.edu or 831-582-5315. Admission requirements and application materials are available online.
Information sessions will follow monthly. Check the website for dates and times.
Gone are the days when water could be wasted. And while that applies to the entire region, it’s especially important on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay.
Across campus, faculty, students and staff members are working together to make CSUMB more sustainable. Their work has been recognized by organizations such as the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education and the U.S. Green Building Council.
The latest efforts involve two East Campus housing areas.
Alliance Residential Company, which manages the housing, has taken steps to reduce the amount of water used on the parks and ball fields that dot the Frederick Park and Schoonover Park neighborhoods.
By installing soil-moisture sensors and linking several areas together with a single communications cable and a central controller, the system now automatically knows when water is needed and then applies only the amount required for healthy turf.
“All of the pipe and controllers were replaced to distribute the water more efficiently,” said Jackie Feierman, general manager of East Campus housing.
The cost of the upgrade was covered by the University Corporation, with a small rebate from the Marina Coast Water District.
Over the years, the university has landscaped with drought-tolerant plants that require less water in order to thrive and has reduced water consumption by installing low-flow toilets and waterless urinals.
These small steps add up when it comes to conserving water and reducing the university’s carbon footprint.
Learn more about sustainability at CSUMB.
As Elizabeth Romanoff (WLC ’08) nears the end of her time in Washington, D.C., she is busy wrapping up her work with Save the Children, a non-governmental organization that works to improve the lives of children in need. In September, she’ll leave for the Slovak Republic where, through a Fulbright Scholarship, she’ll conduct research related to gender and women’s empowerment. After graduating from CSUMB, she earned a master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in international development management at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in 2011. From there, she moved to Washington, D.C., where she is currently employed as knowledge management and communications coordinator at Save the Children. Why the Slovak Republic? “I studied there as a high school senior,” she said. “It was my first experience living outside the country, and it pushed me to study World Languages and Cultures at CSUMB,” she said.
For those needing a geography refresher, the Slovak Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by the Czech Republic, Austria, Poland, Hungary and Ukraine. She’s convinced her work at CSUMB helped her land the Fulbright. “My capstone project was about the empowerment of Latina fieldworkers through their literature. It’s relevant to the Fulbright Scholarship because one of the methods I will use to study women’s empowerment in Slovakia is through women’s literature, so I wrote about my capstone in my Fulbright proposal,” she said. “I’m sure that made my application more competitive, as it showed I was capable of doing this type of research.” Administered by the U.S. Department of State since 1946, the U.S. Fulbright Program is the county's flagship international educational exchange program. A small number of awardees study, teach and conduct research in more than 155 countries each year. She’s quick to credit her degree from CSUMB for helping lay the groundwork for her success. “The university did an excellent job of preparing me for graduate school, my career, and in applying for the Fulbright,” she said. “At CSUMB, I increased my capacity to think critically and increased my understanding of different cultures. I studied Spanish and had the opportunity to live in Mexico and China while I was an undergraduate.” She added that the goal of the Fulbright – mutual understanding among cultures – is also one of the goals of CSUMB and MIIS, “so I felt very confident in my ability to be a Fulbright grantee. After learning about social justice, different cultures, countries and languages at CSUMB and then later at MIIS, I felt like I fit into that mold so well. “It really described who I had become.”
When the Fulbright ends in the spring of 2013, she hopes to find another position in the field of international development.
“I want to work to improve the lives and increase the opportunities of those living in poverty around the world,” she said.
Learn more about the School of World Languages and Cultures at CSUMB.
Photo by Maureen Daniel Fura
What do Ulysses, art in the adobes and the Chinese economy have in common?
They are among the classes that will be offered this semester through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – OLLI – at California State University, Monterey Bay.
OLLI resumes this fall for its sixth year with a diverse range of courses and speakers specifically for those 50 and better.
OLLI at CSU Monterey Bay, with support from the Bernard Osher Foundation, is part of a national network that recognizes learning and exploration have no age limits. Members are inspired to take a fresh look at themselves, their world, and the possibilities that await them.
Among the course offerings are a variety of writing classes; a look at Russian life and culture; the art of the short film; coral reefs and climate change; Elkhorn Slough: An Ecological Success Story; the Science and Art of the Monterey Peninsula; and the Whales of Monterey Bay.
New this year is a four-session Moss Landing Marine Science Series that will cover Hawaiian monk seals, ocean pollution, California leatherback turtles and local kelp research, all taught by graduate student researchers.
Former Assemblymember Fred Keeley is back with a four-session class, California Ballot: Death and Taxes, that will take a look at the state initiatives and analyze what the November election results mean for California.
Also offered are a free Friday lecture series that examines issues of our time and a free authors series that offers the story behind the story.
Individual class offerings can be purchased, or attendees can sign up for an annual membership – which includes tuition for six classes for $180, or four classes for $120. New this year is an all-inclusive membership for $210, which includes an unlimited number of courses. Memberships include discounts on campus and other benefits.
For more information or to register for classes, call 582-5500 or visit OLLI online.
Margo Mullen continues to attract attention – and commissions – with her robots.
The 2006 graduate of CSU Monterey Bay’s visual and public art program created a pair of robots for a public art project in Santa Cruz last summer. Her canvas: a square traffic controller box located on a street corner. The box houses the equipment that operates traffic signals.
Her tiny mural shows two robots, one red and the other yellow, holding hands. Their clasped hands form a heart.
At the time, Mullen told the Santa Cruz Sentinel that the robots were created – literally – in a moment of darkness, when the power went out in her studio. She had watercolor paper, ink and a headlamp; with those tools, she created a series of robots.
“They just happened,” she told the newspaper. Featured on her business cards, they travel with her everywhere. “They’ve become my little friends.”
Now, those “friends” will grace illustrations for a permanent exhibition at the Oakland Museum of California.
“I had a meeting last month, the museum people love the work and now, together, we will be creating an interactive piece in the Natural Science Gallery in the museum,” she said.
“The gallery will be telling the story of seven different regions in our environmentally diverse state of California,” Mullen said. “The robots and I will be representing the Oakland section of the gallery. “I am creating three backgrounds and 21 characters/props for the project.” The gallery is currently closed for remodeling and is set to re-open in 2013.
For another recent project, Mullen was commissioned to create artwork for Sacramento's annual Chalk It Up event, a fundraiser for children’s art education programs, held over Labor Day weekend. Her design, featuring – what else? – pink and orange bots and the words, Chalk It Up to Sacramento, will appear on T-shirts available at the event.
Her work – from buttons to magnets, cards to pillows – is available online.
At CSUMB, Mullen is best known as the artist behind the mural at the Aquatic Center. Read about that project here.
Read about the Visual and Public Art Department.
Images courtesy of Margo Mullen Top: Jet pack robot image for the Oakland Museum of California Bottom: Margo in her Santa Cruz studio
Gilbert Salazar was born to work with young people. He has spent years teaching, guiding and mentoring them in a variety of settings.
Now the former Service Learning Student Leader and 2008 graduate of CSU Monterey Bay’s integrated studies special major is headed to the University of Southern California to pursue a Master of Arts degree in applied theater arts. The program appeals to him because he believes theater can be used to address social issues.
Since graduating, Salazar has worked with at-risk youth at Sunrise House in Salinas in a program called Youth Alternatives to Violence; as a youth coordinator for the United Way; and at the Monterey County Rape Crisis Center, where he teaches MyStrengh classes.
MyStrength is a statewide program that targets young men between the ages of 14 and 18, empowering them to speak out against sexual violence.
Through his work with the Rape Crisis Center, he also visits middle and high schools, teaching about sexual harassment and assault in order to prevent sexual violence.
Skits and role-playing figure in his work, and he’s eager to learn how to better develop and facilitate those activities.
“It’s my intent with the applied theater arts program to move males away from harmful behaviors and activities and toward masculine identities that are less harmful, less violent,” he said.
He sees it as a continuation of the work he did for his capstone project at CSUMB, where he developed a curriculum to prevent adolescent male violence.
“I want to move forward with a curriculum to be included in the burgeoning fields of masculinity studies and gender studies,” he said.
“Last year, my work was recognized. I was interviewed by USC sociology professor Michael Messner for an anthology about men who work in the violence prevention movement.”
He’s quick to point out that applied theater arts is not about staging a production; it’s about education and creating change.
And that’s a challenge he’s eager to embrace.
CSU Monterey Bay faculty members will be among the 21 speakers and panelists participating in a women’s rights conference Sept. 7-9 at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas.
They will join other women advocates, artists, art historians, curators, and educators at the Honoring Women's Rights conference celebrating the Women's Caucus for Art (WCA) 40th anniversary.
Among the issues to be discussed are art education, suffrage, Title IX, female immigration, the sex trade, reproductive rights and women’s rights as human rights.
Enid Baxter Blader, chair of CSUMB’s Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department, and Linda Turner Bynoe, a lecturer in the university’s Liberal Studies Department, will speak during a panel on education and current events.
Ms. Blader will talk about women who create, or have created, art work that address environmental issues. Dr. Bynoe's topic is African American blues women’s contribution to womanist theories.
They will be joined on the panel by Sandra Fluke, the women's health advocate who caused a media storm earlier this year. In February, she testified before the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee on the need to provide access to contraception, and since then has spoken about this and other issues of concern to women and young people across news outlets including Ms. Magazine, The New York Times, Washington Post, TIME Magazine, CNN, MSNBC and network TV newscasts.
Judy Baca, a former member of the art faculty at CSUMB, will also make a presentation. Jennifer Colby, a lecturer in Liberal Studies, has created a time line for the conference exhibit honoring 40 years of the women's movement. Dr. Colby was formerly the national president of the Women's Caucus for Art.
More information on the conference is available here.
Photo: Sandra Fluke testifying before a House committee
. . . Now in its fourth year, the Junior Otter program – a collaboration among Monterey County's migrant education program, CSU Monterey Bay and theater group El Teatro Campesino – is both remedial and enriching: students who fall behind receive extra academic help, while the arts program gives them a jump on the upcoming school year. – Monterey Herald, Aug. 1, 2012
From the perspective of Eduardo Ochoa, incoming interim president of CSU Monterey Bay, the small campus has huge potential to become a national leader. The university was established in 1995, a time when measuring "learning outcomes" was becoming the norm in higher education. CSUMB developed the curriculum incorporating a way to measure knowledge acquired, a topic much talked about in higher education these days. – Long Beach Press-Telegram, Aug, 6, 2012
. . . More than 60 students are participating in the Algebra Bridge Academy taught by renowned CSU Monterey Bay math professor Hongde Hu, who has received several national awards for improving math scores of struggling students. –* Santa Cruz Sentinel*, Aug. 10, 2012
The Monterey Bay Film Festival is back for its fifth year and it’s bigger and better than ever.
Under the auspices of the Monterey Bay Film Society, the festival has grown to three days and a pair of locations.
This year’s festival will be held Sept. 7-9. It opens with a showing of Terence Nance’s “An Oversimplification of Her Beauty,” a love story that cleverly incorporates animated fragments into its experimental narrative. The film will be shown at 7:30 p.m., Sept. 7, in CSU Monterey Bay’s World Theater. A question-and-answer session with the director (pictured at left) will follow the screening. General admission tickets are $10; $5 for students and military. Tickets may be purchased online.
On Saturday, Sept. 8, young filmmakers will be in the spotlight as 15 short works – all under 5 minutes – will be shown starting at 1 p.m. in the World Theater. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. for this free event.
Nearly 300 films were submitted by 13- to 19-year-olds. Some came from local teenagers – including incarcerated youth in Salinas – others came were throughout California. One was submitted by a teen filmmaker in Kenya; another came from Ecuador.
On the evening of Sept. 8, the festival moves to the Museum of Monterey with a 7:30 p.m. showing of “Miss Bala,” followed by a question-and-answer session with the director, Gerardo Naranjo (pictured at right). General admission tickets are $10; $5 for students and military, and may be purchased online.
“Miss Bala" – bala means bullet – takes viewers to the front lines of Mexico's devastating, unending drug wars. It premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival to critical acclaim and was Mexico’s foreign language Oscar submission. The San Francisco Chronicle has called it “tense and propulsive.”
Sunday, Sept. 9, features a screening of selected short films from the Wholphin collection. Wholphin, a quarterly DVD magazine, discovers and promotes short films and makes them available by subscription. The screening will get under way at 3 p.m. at the Museum of Monterey. General admission tickets are $10; $5 for students and military. Buy tickets online.
The Monterey Bay Film Society is the Central Coast’s premiere organization for independent filmmaking, media art and community and is presented by the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department at CSU Monterey Bay. Its mission is to promote the cinematic arts with year-round programs and works to develop and support the unique voice of the local communities.
It also provides free media workshops for at-risk and underserved youngsters throughout Monterey County.
CSUMB’s Enid Baxter Blader and Chris Carpenter are co-directors. Creative director is Mike Plante of the Sundance Film Festival. Plante will be in attendance at the festival.
The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue near the intersection with A Street. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
For information on the festival, call Jennifer Benge at (831) 582-3743 or visit the web.
Learn more about CSUMB’s Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department.
Schedule:
Friday, Sept. 7 • 7:30 p.m. – Screening of “An Oversimplification of Her Beauty” followed by question-and-answer session with filmmaker Terence Nance. CSUMB’s World Theater, Sixth Avenue near A Street, $10 general admission, $5 for students/military. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling Brown Paper Tickets at 1-800-838-3006.
Saturday, Sept. 8 • 1 p.m. – Teen program featuring 15 short films and Q-and-A with the filmmakers. CSUMB’s World Theater, free
• 7:30 p.m. – Screening of “Miss Bala” followed by Q-and-A with filmmaker Gerardo Naranjo. Musuem of Monterey, 5 Custom Housse Plaza, $10 general admission, $5 students/military
Sunday, Sept. 9 • 3 p.m. – Screening of “Best of Wholphin Shorts,” followed by Q-and-A, Museum of Monterey, 5 Custom House Plaza, $10 general admission, $5 students/military
Photo of Gerardo Naranjo by Juan Carlos Polanco
CSU Monterey Bay students and faculty members have played a key role in an exhibit at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas.
Art Department chair Lila Staples co-curated an exhibit with the center’s Deborah Silguero that showcases the works of artists Belle Yang and her father, Joseph Yang.
Students in Professor Angelica Muro’s digital art class were involved in the design and fabrication of the exhibition.
The exhibit opened on Aug. 4 and will be on display through Oct. 28.
On Sept. 22, Dr. Staples (pictured at right) will present a slide lecture discussing the playful and profound aspects of the works in the show. Details are available on the Steinbeck Center website.
According to Silguero, curator of exhibitions and collections at the Steinbeck Center, Muro’s students designed a three-dimensional “viewer-participation gallery” based on Belle Yang’s artistic books and characters.
“Her characters come to life though projected and digital images, a children’s reading interactive area, kinetic art, and much more,” Silguero said. One installation features a koi pond with projections of fish moving around. A winged image of Belle Yang hangs from the ceiling, taken from one of her own visuals. The wings flap and move. The children’s reading area includes a metal installation with magnetized models of her animal characters.
For more information on the exhibit and the lecture by Dr. Staples, visit the Steinbeck Center online. Learn about CSUMB’s Visual and Public Art Department.
Hannah Plummer wants to work in a political organization or for an elected official. Washington, D.C., seems like the perfect place for her.
The senior business major will get a head start on her career aspirations as she takes part in the Congressional Internship Program sponsored by the Panetta Institute for Public Policy.
California State University campuses choose one student each year to participate in the program. Interns are selected based on an exemplary academic record as well as an interest in politics and public service. Plummer is this year’s representative from CSU Monterey Bay.
“Members of Congress are up for re-election this year, and some of the work that I do may help to change this nation’s future in a very small way,” Plummer said. “I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to spend three months in D.C. doing something that I’m passionate about.”
After two weeks of orientation at the Panetta Institute – located on the CSUMB campus – the interns travel to Washington, D.C., where they spend 11 weeks working in the office of a member of Congress from California.
The orientation, which started Aug. 13, includes classes on legislative and administrative structures of a Congressional office; House leadership and committee roles; rules and procedures of debate and lawmaking; budget and appropriations processes; White House relations with Congress; and the role of the press, giving the interns a strong foundation for their work.
While in D.C., they attend regular seminars with government leaders on various aspects of policy, including economics, the environment, foreign affairs and defense resources. Plummer, 21, will earn a semester’s worth of academic credits. She’s on schedule to graduate in May.
“I’m hoping to learn what life path I want to take, to learn about myself and my position as a citizen,” she said of her time in D.C. “I will learn as much as I can about American politics and why our nation is in the bind that it is in today.”
She’s been assigned to work in the office of Congressman Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), who represents California's 21st District.
Plummer has been politically active since coming to CSUMB in 2008. She’s been a volunteer in several local election campaigns, and been a member and chair of the Otter College Republicans, “with the hope of someday making it to Washington, D.C.,” she said.
That opportunity is in front of her, and her immediate goal is to take full advantage of it.
As for the future, “graduate school is an option sometime in the future, but I am more focused on a job right now. I’m open to any type of work, so I don’t have a specific path planned yet.”
Learn more about the Panetta Institute’s Congressional Internship Program.
Photo: Congressman Kevin McCarthy and Hannah Plummer
By the time school starts on Aug. 27, approximately 60 international students will have settled in to campus life at CSU Monterey Bay. Some plan to spend a year before returning home; others intend to earn a degree.
And another 20 students are on campus through the National Student Exchange, a kind of domestic exchange program that allows students from other universities to attend classes at CSUMB for a semester or a full year.
The first group of 27 arrived at San Francisco International Airport on Aug 22. Holly White, international programs manager, and several CSUMB students were on hand to meet them.
According to White, many international students come to CSUMB to study business and marine science. Biology and communications are also popular choices. Most come to improve their English and to develop an understanding of American culture.
“Our location is the big draw,” White said. “And our small class size is appealing.”
The exchange works in both directions – 88 CSUMB students are headed abroad this semester and another 20 will join them in the spring.
Learn more about international programs.
Read about the National Student Exchange.
Photo: A contingent of CSUMB students and staff members greeted a group of incoming students at San Francisco International Airport on Aug. 22. Left to right: Cesilie Hagan, Norway; Ambroisine Fleck, France; Simon Gustafsson, Sweden; Riley Zmadden, CSUMB student recently returned from studying in Sweden; Abdullah Al-Akram, Bahrain; Nicole Irigoyen, CSUMB student recently returned from studying in Taiwan; John Hwang, Stony Brook (N.Y.) University, a National Student Exchange student; Lastitia Zukgraf, France; Fabrice Ginisty, France.
Liz MacDonald, Dr. Dan Fernandez and Kevin Saunders were honored for their leadership and dedication to the CSU Monterey Bay Vision at the Day of Welcome gathering Aug. 23 in the World Theater. President Eduardo Ochoa welcomed the campus community back for the fall semester, delivered his State of the University address, and then introduced the President’s Medal recipients. Last spring, the university community was invited to make nominations. The nominees represented a cross-section of campus – some have a long history at the university, others joined more recently; some have direct contact with students, others have an operational focus. MacDonald, senior editor in University Communications, was the staff recipient of the President’s Medal. Her colleagues focused on her leadership, her in-depth knowledge of the university, and her ability to explain complex concepts in simple, straightforward language. One of the people who nominated her called MacDonald a “true Internet marketing and communication specialist. The university has never seen the type of leadership and experience she brings to extending the brand of our institution using social media and the web.” MacDonald developed the new on-line course catalog, administers the university’s Facebook and Twitter presence, works with departments across campus to enhance their web presence, and edits the university’s magazine. She has been instrumental in sharing the university news with the widest possible audience. Dr. Fernandez was awarded the faculty medal. He embodies the threefold faculty mission of teaching, research and service. According to the nominating committee, he has taken on leadership roles that can be “lightning rods for a growing campus, and he has responded with grace in effectively facilitating the important changes at issue.” He’s done this while continuing his work as an outstanding and valued teacher in science and environmental policy and has taken a leading role in advocating for campus sustainability. Saunders, vice president for administration and finance, earned the President’s Medal for administrators. His colleagues expressed their appreciation of his efforts to create an atmosphere of mutual respect. “He projects to everyone working under his management that every person is doing as important a job as he is doing.” Dr. Ochoa added that, “His leadership of the University Corporation and in the area of administration and finance has been vital in keeping the university as a whole on a sound financial footing in these difficult economic times.” As part of the program, employee service awards were presented to 76 people who have been with the university for five years; 10-year pins were awarded to 41 staff members; and 34 others were acknowledged for 15 years of service.
Also acknowledged were the faculty members who had been granted tenure and promoted to associate professor. They were: • Mr. Kevin Cahill, School of School of Computing and Design • Dr. Rachel Esselstein, Mathematics and Statistics Department ?• Dr. Miguel Lopez, Liberal Studies Department? • Dr. Bude Su, School of School of Computing and Design ?• Dr. Umi Vaughan, Division of Humanities and Communication ?• Dr. Maria Villaseñor, Division of Humanities and Communication? • Dr. Fred Watson, Division of Science and Environmental Policy ??In addition, Dr. Juan Jose Gutierrez, Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies; Dr. James Raines, Department of Health, Human Services and Public Policy; and Dr. Dan Shapiro, Division of Science and Environmental Policy, were promoted to full professor. Dr. Miguel Tirado was awarded emeritus status, a process that involved nomination and approval by faculty members, followed by administrative approvals. Dr. Tirado joined the university in 1994, served on the committee that did the initial planning for the university, and was the first faculty member to be hired.
Photo by Kevin Garcia Dr. Dan Fernandez and Liz MacDonald, two of the President's Medal winners, with President Eduardo Ochoa.
Hundreds of excited students carried, dragged and wheeled their belongings into the residence halls at CSU Monterey Bay on Aug. 24, the first day of the three-day move-in weekend.
By the time classes start on Aug. 27, the 2,800 students who live in residence halls on the main campus and in East Campus housing will be settled into the rooms and apartments that will be their home for the next year.
All the activity happened with the help of dozens of staff, faculty and students who had volunteered for the Otter Welcome Team. They directed traffic, answered questions, carried boxes and gave directions to the new students, most of whom had parents and siblings along to help.
President Eduardo Ochoa greeted students and their parents on the main quad for part of the day.
New students had a variety of reasons for choosing CSUMB, but several themes were apparent.
“I came because there’s a good program in my major, marine science,” said Carolyn Erickson. “And it’s a small school. It fit with what I was looking for.”
Erickson, who comes from Minnekonka, Minn., was amused by the response she’s gotten from her fellow students. “They’re saying to me, ‘You’re from MINNESOTA,’ like that’s a foreign country,” she said.
For Kyle Starling of Templeton, location was the attraction.
“I wanted to get away from home. CSUMB is not too far away – about six hours – but it’s not too close either. This is just right,” said the freshman who plans to major in biology.
Returning student Amelia Amador was eager to get to campus from her home in Merced. “It’s been 100 degrees there for the last two weeks, so I’m not complaining about the weather here,” she said. The sophomore is switching majors this year from biology to teledramatic arts and technology.
“I realized I’m more of a creative person than an analytical one,” she said.
The incoming class includes 885 freshmen and 643 new transfer students. Total enrollment is approximately 5,400.
Photos by Kevin Garcia Top: Family members help their student move into North Quad housing Bottom: President Eduardo Ochoa greets students on the campus quad
Cultures collide in the work of Julio Cesar Morales, a San Francisco-based conceptual and installation artist, educator and curator who grew up on the border of California and Mexico.
Inspired by the design, popular music and street life of his native Tijuana, Morales has taught and created art in a variety of settings, including probation offices, public schools, museums and galleries. His work explores issues of labor, memory, surveillance technologies and identity and has been shown extensively in California and internationally.
The local community will have the opportunity to learn about Morales’ work when he visits CSU Monterey Bay on Sept. 27. His free talk, part of the Visiting Artists Series, will start at 6 p.m. in the University Center living room. The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Driving directions and a campus map can be found at csumb.edu/map.
Morales founded the artist-run Mission District gallery Queen’s Nails Annex, teaches at the San Francisco Art Institute and is a curator at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. He has received awards from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Arts Council, and the San Francisco Arts Commission, among others.
To me the point is, these two cultures collide and . . . when you grow up in the borderlands, your experience is bi-cultural identity. – Julio Cesar Morales
Photo: Watercolor depicting a child being smuggled inside a piñata
Learn about the Visual and Public Art Department at CSUMB.
Learn about Professor Johanna Poethig and her work as a public artist
The Arts Council for Monterey County will honor Dr. Renee Curry at its annual Champions of the Arts gala on Jan. 19.
Dr. Curry, a professor of English who teaches literary and film studies, will be honored in the professional category for her work as an arts advocate who was instrumental in bringing the CSU Summer Arts program to the Monterey Bay area. "Hosting CSU Summer Arts here at CSUMB is something I worked toward for five years. I followed the events of Summer Arts at Fresno and became determined to bring this premier program to our campus," Dr. Curry said.
"I believe in Monterey as a hub for artists and envision CSUMB as a key participate in the arts. Summer Arts is a perfect match for our university and our community."
Other honorees are Tim Jackson, artistic director of the Monterey Jazz Festival (lifetime achievement award); Dr. Carl Christiansen (luminary); Henry Miller Memorial Library (nonprofit); John and Barbara Pekema (philanthropists); and Liz Sanchez and Hamish Tyler (volunteers).
According to the Arts Council, the event is a “tribute to the great work and inspiring spirit of our champions.
“We are proud to honor these exemplary leaders who have demonstrated such tremendous passion and commitment to the arts in Monterey County,” the council said.
Dr. Curry has been teaching and writing about literary and filmic arts for more than 25 years and is a recognized scholar in both fields. She is a full professor in the Division of Humanities and Communication and former dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
For the past three years, she has taught a popular class through the university’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute called “Tackling the Tough Ones Together.” The class – which fills up quickly – has covered works by William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Woolf, Samuel Beckett and, this semester, James Joyce’s Ulysses.
Her two most recent scholarly articles will be published in late 2012 and in 2013. One article addresses the role of whiteness in Woody Allen's films Manhattan, Match Point *and *Vicky Cristina Barcelona. The second article explores race and identity in Darren Aronofsky's Requiem for a Dream.
She is the fourth faculty member at CSUMB to be honored by the Arts Council, joining 2007 honoree Jennifer Colby, 2009 honoree Amalia Mesa-Bains, and last year’s honoree Enid Baxter Blader. Read more faculty news
Last year, CSU Monterey Bay’s World Theater brought Chinese acrobats to the area. This year, it’s the circus. On Sept. 18, the National Circus of the People’s Republic of China will kick off this year’s Performing Arts series. The company, founded in 1953, introduced the concept of a circus without animals, inspired the pioneers of Cirque du Soleil, and now puts a new spin on some of the greatest circus acts of our time. The whole family will enjoy the feats of balance, juggling, flying and contortion put on by the ensemble of 40 gymnasts, jugglers and dancers who bend and flex their bodies in ways that seem to defy human anatomy. Dazzling costumes and music add to the spectacle.
"We booked the Chinese circus to bring an art form to our audience that has been part of the Chinese culture for centuries," said Joe Cardinalli, executive director of University Performances.
"The circus performances were once reserved for emperors and their courts, and now we can be astounded by the performers right here on the Cal State Monterey Bay campus.
"Everything about the circus acts is extreme: extreme Kung fu exhibitions, Chinese yo-yos and multi-plate balancing. It’s how we celebrate all the world's arts here at the World Theater," Cardinalli said.
Tickets are $50 premium, $35 general. Discounts are available for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 582-4580.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
In early August, David Bennion (’12, Bio) took part in the “white coat ceremony” at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine in Michigan.
The traditional donning of the signature white garment marks a student’s official entrance into medical school. The first week of school was mainly orientation, but halfway through his second week, “lots of material is being thrown at us, and at times I have felt a bit overwhelmed,” he wrote in an email. "Everyone says it's like drinking water from a fire hose. Of course, I didn't fully understand this analogy until I was blasted in the face with the scope of material we must absorb."
He quickly learned the value of his CSU Monterey Bay education.
“I feel that, when compared to my colleagues, I am ahead of the game in several aspects," he said. His classes at CSUMB, especially molecular cell biology and biochemistry, prepared him for the challenges of graduate school.
"Often I see glazed eyes and confusion during instruction, but I feel my education at CSUMB has equipped me for the challenge. In particular, instruction and counseling from Dr. Aparna Sreenivasan and Dr. Henrik Kibak have been integral to my success.”
In his second week, Bennion was introduced to the anatomy lab. "Within a short period we were expected to find over 500 structures on our cadavers.
"I can't imagine not being exposed to anatomy before attending medical school," he added. “I took anatomy at CSUMB, so once again I feel like I’m ahead of the game. But the sheer volume of material to learn is intense.” Bennion came to CSUMB in 2008 after serving in the Marine Corps. He graduated in May, and then drove to Detroit, towing a 4,000-pound trailer behind his SUV. After putting his possessions in storage, he headed off to “my next challenge, Air Force officer training.”
Bennion was selected for a full-ride scholarship in medical school, sponsored by the Air Force. The five-week introductory officer training was held in Montgomery, Ala. “The weather was dreadful – hot and sticky,” he said.
“We learned quite a few leadership principles that I can see myself using in the future as a physician and team player.” And he managed to lose 25 pounds.
The day he finished the training, “I jumped in my car and started the 13-hour drive back to Michigan – never looking back to the sauna they call ‘Sweet Home Alabama.’ ”
He will serve as a physician in the Air Force once he completes his medical training.
Does he have any advice for pre-med students?
“Set goals, don't EVER give up, and take Biology 414.” Learn about the pre-med program at CSUMB
Learn about the biology program at CSUMB
Eduardo Ochoa . . . his history, his manner and his willingness to re-examine some of the core methodologies of teaching give rise to some real optimism. – Monterey Herald, Aug. 14, 2012
CSU Monterey Bay faculty members will be among the 21 speakers and panelists participating in a women's rights conference Sept. 7-9 at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. – Marina Gazette, Aug. 20, 2012
. . . Our campus has room for growth; our location makes us a magnet for students. We are close to a variety of ecosystems for our researchers and students to explore, and in the midst of vibrant communities in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties. – The Salinas Californian, Aug. 22, 2012 (op-ed by President Eduardo Ochoa)
CSU Monterey Bay Dining Services is teaming up with the campus Farm Club to bring a weekly farm stand to campus throughout the fall.
Operating near the library from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every Tuesday until late November, the farm stand is open to the campus community and the community-at-large. It’s part of a commitment to sustainability and healthy lifestyles. “The purpose of bringing a farm stand to campus is to provide students with the opportunity to purchase fresh local and organic produce,” said Tyler McBrian, retail manager for campus dining services. This year, campus dining handed over running the stand to the campus Farm Club. Each Tuesday, a student member of the Farm Club will purchase produce directly from local farmers; it will be delivered to campus for sale that day at the stand.?“We plan to pick different growers to feature at the stand, with their stories and recipes using produce that we’re selling,” said Stephanie Yee, a member of the Farm Club. Students can use their meal plan to pay for their produce by purchasing vouchers at Peet’s. Customers can also pay with cash. CSUMB joins a growing number of colleges that are finding that campus farmers markets are a great fit, tapping into students' interest in sustaining the planet and eating a healthy diet. Follow the Farm Club on Facebook Learn more about campus dining services
The upcoming baseball playoffs will have a Boss soundtrack, thanks to the work of Casey Richards (TAT, ’02).
Turner Broadcasting selected Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band – who recently played a two-night set at Boston’s famed Fenway Park – for the 2012 Major League Baseball postseason ad campaign.
Richards was the writer/producer of the two-minute music video, along with the accompanying "Legends Are Born in October" commercials that will be shown throughout September and October on TBS, ESPN, Fox, MBL Network, YouTube and screens inside every major league baseball stadium.
“It was an honor to work with a music and American icon like Mr. Springsteen,” Richards said in an email. "The campaign was a lot of fun but also a lot of work. I was buried inside a dark edit suite for months!"
The video features Springsteen performing “Land of Hope and Dreams” from his Wrecking Ball album, cut with highlights of the baseball season. View it here.
It’s not the first baseball video Richards has worked on. Earlier this year, he was the writer/producer behind MLB's opening day broadcast on TBS, collaborating with the band Imagine Dragons and their hit single, "It's Time." View it here.
Richards’ career has taken him across the country several times. After graduating in 2002, he worked for an advertising agency in Los Angeles, part of the in-house video editorial team. That was followed by a move to Atlanta, where he worked as an associate writer/producer for on-air promotions at Turner Broadcasting. A couple of years later, he moved to Fox Sports – but stayed in Atlanta. In 2008, an opportunity presented itself at E! Entertainment in Los Angeles, where he worked as a writer/producer of on-air promotions. Then another cross-country move – back to Turner where he is currently employed as a writer/producer in the Creative Services Sports Unit, the network’s in-house advertising operation for all the company's sports properties, including professional basketball, NASCAR, golf and college basketball. “I didn’t target sports out of school,” Richards said. “I fell into sports out of necessity when the network I was working for was taken over by Fox Sports. It's the same way I got into reality television when accepting a job at E! Regardless of the content, I've always adapted and all my jobs have been on the creative side of the industry.” But sports is not unfamiliar territory for him. He’s always been a baseball and basketball fan, he said. “I played baseball from T-ball through high school. When I got to CSUMB, there wasn’t a team, but I remained a sports fan while I studied television. Now it's fun to have a job that lets me enjoy both.” Despite the lack of a baseball team – the sport was added after he graduated – “I had a unique experience at CSUMB,” he said, referring to the fact that he was a student during the university’s early years.
"I owe a lot of my success to the hands-on training – with state-of-the-art technology – I received as a TAT major. It definitely gave me an advantage in the job market right out of college," Richards said.
"It was my emphasis on post-production that helped me break into a very competitive industry and set me on the path to where I am today."
Professor Bernardo Ca’amal Itzá, the United Nations representative for the Mayan People, will visit Cal State Monterey Bay on Oct. 6 as part of Hispanic Heritage Month.
“The Wisdom of Mayan Health Practices: Understanding the Mayan Cosmovision” is the topic for the 11:30 a.m. talk. The event will be held in the Music Hall, located on Sixth Avenue near Col. Durham Street.
Professor Itzá became interested in radio and other forms of communication in the early 1990s, while studying agriculture and plant sciences at Mexico’s University of Chapingo. He combined his interest in media and his knowledge of agriculture to create radio programs in the Mayan language. Those programs continue to emphasize sustainable farming practices and the benefits of traditional knowledge and provide daily market information, bulletins about regional agricultural trends and analysis of farming issues.
He won the 2003 George Atkins Communication Award, given to someone who demonstrates excellence in the use of radio to contribute to positive change in rural communities.
In the last decade, he has worked with local governments on sustainable rural development projects. He has also collaborated with non-governmental organizations on issues related to climate change, which is leading to an exodus of young people from rural areas to cities.
His lifelong goal has been to preserve the intangible knowledge of Mayan communities.
His lecture will be delivered in Spanish with simultaneous English translation.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here. While the talk is free, a parking permit must be purchased from a machine on the lot or online.
More information is available from Lynda Oswald at 582-3736.
The talk is sponsored by the College of Health Sciences and Human Services.
CSU Monterey Bay will host two events for community members to mark National Preparedness Month, an annual campaign that encourages people to prepare their families, schools, businesses and communities to deal with disasters.
This represents the ninth year the Federal Emergency Management Agency has observed NPM. This year’s theme is Resolve to be Ready.
“CSUMB wants to help everyone be better prepared for the emergencies that will inevitably impact our area,” said Dick Bower, the university’s emergency manager. “We’re working closely with our neighbors in Seaside, Marina and Monterey County to bring emergency preparedness to a high level in our area. We invite community members to join us.”
An emergency preparedness fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sept. 14, on the campus quad. Information booths will be staffed by emergency management organizations. Demonstrations will cover disaster and medical triage, how to use a fire extinguisher, and use of search dogs. Presentations will cover public health threats, individual and neighborhood preparedness and volunteer opportunities. Emergency vehicles will be on display.
Among the participating organizations are Presidio of Monterey Fire Department and emergency management office; Seaside fire and police departments; Monterey County’s Office of Emergency Services and Health Department; National Weather Service; and the American Red Cross.
CSUMB will kick off creation of its federally registered Community Emergency Response Team – CERT – with a training course Sept. 28-30 in the university’s Emergency Operations Center.
The CERT program trains community members to assist each other and first responders in emergencies. Subjects covered include disaster preparedness, fire safety, disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, disaster psychology and the CERT role in terrorism response. At the end of the training, a simulation will be held on campus.
To register for the CERT training or for more information, contact Bower at 582-3589.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here. Campus visitors must purchase a parking pass from machines located on the parking lots.
. . . . It is the second year that CSUMB students looking to enter the fierce world of Silicon Valley computing heard from experts long before they start handing out resumes. The networking event is designed for students to meet engineers, programmers and recruiters in an informal setting and get tips about landing a job in the high-tech hub. – *Monterey Herald*, Nov. 8, 2014
Dr. Christopher Kitts, professor of microbiology, chair of biological sciences and director of the Environmental Biotechnology Institute at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, will visit campus on Nov. 14 as the five-lecture Biology Seminar Series concludes for the fall semester.
The presentation will be held at 5 p.m. in Room 3145 of the Tanimura & Antle library. The talk is open to the public, free of charge. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
The series kicked off the fall semester on Sept. 12 with a presentation by Dr. Salvador Jorgensen, a research scientist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, who talked about the secret lives of Northeastern Pacific Great White Sharks.
Dr. Al Zahler, professor of molecular cell and developmental biology and department chair at UC Santa Cruz, followed on Sept. 26 with a presentation on ciliated protozoans. On Oct. 10, Dr. Trent Northen, staff scientist at the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley Lab, spoke on “ENIGMA: decoding microbial metabolism using metabolite profiling.”
Dr. Manny Ares, professor of molecular, cell and developmental biology at UC Santa Cruz, visited campus on Oct. 24.
The University Police Department is taking sign-ups for a four-session self-defense course for women. The course is open to students, faculty and staff members.
RAD — Rape Aggression Defense — teaches awareness and prevention techniques, as well as realistic self-defense tactics. Physical and non-physical options are presented as well as insight into the attacker’s mindset. It is not a martial arts program, and does not require a high level of fitness. More than 300,000 women throughout the U.S. and Canada have been trained through RAD since the program began in 1989. The course is taught by three university police officers and Dr. Christine Erickson, CSUMB’s dean of students. The upcoming series will be taught from 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 2, 4, 9 and 11. The first session will be held at the University Police Department; the location for the last three sessions has yet to be determined. The course is free, and participants will receive a manual to keep and use for reference. Participants must attend all four class sessions to earn a certificate. Space is limited. Reserve your space by contacting Corporal Carolyn McIntyre at 582-3410 or cmcintyre@csumb.edu. The course will be offered again in February. More information is available here.
Author Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston will visit Cal State Monterey Bay on Sept. 28 as part of a series of talks around the theme, “What does democracy mean to you?”
She will discuss her compelling memoir about her Japanese-American internment experience, “Farewell to Manzanar,” written with her husband James D. Houston, which provides her unique perspective on this chapter in American history. Themes running through the book include the dangers of racial stereotyping and prejudice, the difficulty of discovering your own identity and family relationships. Houston was 7 years old in 1942 when her family was uprooted from their home and fishing business in Long Beach, and relocated to Manzanar in the foothills of California’s Eastern Sierras, taking only the belongings they could carry. It was a time when anti-Japanese hysteria gripped the country. Her story is a lasting reminder of how civil rights are at risk during a national crisis. In her speeches, Mrs. Houston discusses what happened to her and the state of democracy in the United States and the world. Why does the 77-year-old Santa Cruz resident keep up the hectic pace of speeches across the state? She told the Long Beach Press-Telegram, "We must continue to educate people, especially young people. We can't let something like this happen again. Our country is made up of immigrants. We have a Constitution holding us together in the United States. We must use it to be better and to have more humanity."
The first 50 attendees will receive a free copy of Farewell to Manzanar. A book signing will follow the reading and discussion. The free talk will start at 6 p.m. in the University Center ballroom. The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue near B Street. Driving directions and a campus map are available here. The event is sponsored by the Monterey County Free Libraries and Cal Humanities.
Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 is Chicano/Latino Heritage Month. During the month, the cultures and tradition of those who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central and South America and the Caribbean are celebrated. CSU Monterey Bay is commemorating the month with a variety of activities and events.
Click here for the most recent activities.
See how CSUMB’s library is highlighting the month
A garden that has sprung up on an empty lot on the former Fort Ord is producing nutritious food and offering opportunities for job training.
The community is invited to visit the Shoreline Food Garden on Sept. 29. The garden is located at 249 Tenth Street in Marina, off Imjin Parkway.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day, tours of the 1.5-acre garden will be offered, along with information on organic gardening and landscaping with native plants.
More than 70 varieties of flowers, herbs and vegetables are growing in the garden, including tomatoes, basil, beans, sunflowers, artichokes, carrots, chard, fennel, sage, quinoa and lavendar.
The garden is part of the Salinas-Marina Community Food Project and is funded by a grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. It is designed to help local organizations fight hunger and to help people gain access to fresh, local organic produce.
At the garden, participants in Goodwill Industries’ Shoreline Workforce Development Service’s culinary job-training program learn about gardening and cooking with fresh produce.
Other community organizations involved with the project include:
• Hope Services, whose clients water, weed and harvest • Marina Tree and Garden Club • Peninsula Wellness Center, where it is part of the “Heart Healthy” program • Veterans Transition Center, whose clients work in the garden
The Community Food Project, which includes gardens in Salinas’ Chinatown neighborhood and at Pueblo del Mar transitional housing program in Marina, is an initiative of CSU Monterey Bay’s Service Learning Institute.
Learn more about the Community Food Project.
Learn more about the Service Learning Institute at CSUMB.
One voice. Two languages. Many traditions.
That’s what will be on display when Grammy nominated vocalist and composer Perla Batalla returns to California State University, Monterey Bay’s World Theater on Oct. 18 as the Performing Arts Series continues. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.
No newcomer to the area, Batalla performed on the Seaside campus in the past and is back by popular demand.
Batalla was born in Los Angeles, where her father, a musician, owned a popular Spanish-language record store. The music she heard there influenced her profoundly. She first gained international attention as a backup singer for Leonard Cohen. Some years later, Cohen encouraged her to embark on a solo career. She released her debut album in 1994. The critics loved it, calling her singing “sublime” and her talent “stunning.” “Mestiza” followed in 1998, and “Heaven and Earth” in 2000. The Spanish-language classics she heard growing up are featured on her fourth album, “Discoteca Batalla,” recorded in 2002 as a tribute to her parents’ record shop. Since its release, it has consistently appeared on “best of” lists throughout the country. In 2004, Batalla was invited by the Kennedy Center to perform songs from the album as artist in residence. A year later, her Grammy-nominated tribute to Cohen, “Bird on the Wire,” was praised by Sing Out magazine as “beautifully conceived and executed.” “ ‘Bird on the Wire’ was something I felt I had to do,” she told a newspaper in San Rafael. “I feel so connected to Leonard’s music. I feel it’s a part of me, a part that’s very deep.”
In 2005, she also released, “What I Did on My Summer Vacation,” an anthology of South American songs inspired by a trip to Buenos Aires to meet her Argentine family for the first time. The results are a great introduction to Argentine tango and some of South America’s greatest composers. As can be expected, Batalla has made them all her own.
In her 2012 release, "Lazy Afternoon," she returns to her jazz roots, breathing new life into classics from the great American songbook. She honors her roots and exposes young audiences to the beauty of music and the Spanish language through her outreach efforts in some of the poorest communities in the United States. In 2008, she received the U.N.- commissioned Earth Charter Award for extraordinary devotion to social and economic justice. That work makes her a good fit for the World Theater.
“Besides presenting an evening of memorable music and song, Perla Batalla’s performance follows our mission to educate and enlighten our campus and local communities through diverse entertainment and performances,” said Joe Cardinalli, executive director of University Performances and Special Events.
“We are so pleased to have Perla return to the World Theater stage. She’s the ultimate professional and a pleasure to work with.”
Tickets range from $25 to $40 and can be purchased by calling the World Theater box office at (831) 582-4580 or online. The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue between A and B streets on the CSUMB campus. Driving directions and a campus map are available at CSUMB.edu/map. “. . . Batalla’s music caresses . . . a born storyteller with a rambunctious sense of humor. " – Los Angeles Times
Most Californians are familiar with how struggles over water have shaped the modern American West.
Enid Baxter Blader will help to educate New Yorkers about that history on Sept. 28, when her video, “The West,” will be projected onto the Manhattan Bridge anchorage and archway.
“The West” is an animation that presents a history of water engineering in California, a history that has determined the colonization and contemporary conditions of the western United States. The version that will be shown in New York is drawn from a longer film that features a score by If Thousands, and is part of the Water, CA video and book project co-edited with Nicole Antebi. “I've never made such a labor-intensive series,” said Blader, chair of CSUMB’s Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department and associate professor of experimental film.
Blader’s work will be shown as part of Codex Dynamic, a large-scale video projection exhibition that’s part of the annual Dumbo Arts Festival in Brooklyn.
“Featuring video artworks by internationally renowned video artists, the Codex exhibition is epic-size eye candy that transforms space, time and our perceived reality,” said the Huffington Post.
Blader’s artworks have been shown at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C; the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles; Location One in New York; Sundance; and in Vienna, London, Glasgow and Mallorca, among other places. In March 2008, she was included in the Getty Museum’s retrospective California Video, 1960-present. Her 2009 animation, Olive’s Backyard Concert, screens on PBS stations in California. A collection of her works, A Film is A Burning Place, was released by Microcinema International in 2009. In 2011, she co-wrote an interpretive guide to the Crocker Art Museum’s collection of American painting based on the themes of water and the environment. Her work has been written about in the New York Times, Artforum, Artreviews, DVD Talk and many other books, journals and magazines. She earned a bachelor of fine arts from The Cooper Union (1996), was a fellow at Yale University and received her MFA with a fellowship from Claremont Graduate University (2000).
The Brooklyn event kicks off a very busy month for Blader that includes shows and appearances related to the water project.
Here’s what’s happening:
• On Oct. 5, she will give tours of The Huntington's European and American historical collections through an environmental and post-colonial lens. “I'll talk about what the paintings mean contextualized within the history of Anglo Americans’ relationships with the American West, its people and its landscapes,” Blader said.
• On Oct. 6, the Water, CA project will be featured in an exhibition at the Armory Center for Arts in Pasadena. “The West” will be projected and screened continuously in the museum's galleries.
Also on display will be the Water, CA website and two paintings created for the museum. One shows California without water engineering (prior to dams) and the second is California with contemporary water projects in place. (One of the paintings is displayed above.) • On Oct. 16, Blader will give part of a plenary address to several thousand scientists at the biennial Bay-Delta Science Conference.
• On Oct. 17, she will chair a panel at the conference on the topic, “Not Just a Pretty Picture: The Synergy between Art and Science.”
That evening, an exhibition featuring the work of six artists she curated for the conference as well as “The West” will open at the Sacramento Convention Center.
Forget the U.S. News list of top colleges and universities. Ditto for the Princeton Review's rankings. Cal State Monterey Bay has been named No. 1 in the country on another list.
The Wenger Blog – Wenger manufactures Swiss Army knives – recently named the university to its list of Best Colleges by Outdoor Activity. On the blog devoted to the outdoor life, writer Patrick Hutchison selected CSUMB as the best college for scuba diving.
Hutchison writes for Seattle Magazine, Sea Kayaker and Highline Magazine as well as the blog.
While he acknowledges that many factors need to be considered when choosing a college, proximity to great outdoor activities can figure into the decision.
The blog says:
“ . . . many would argue that Monterey is the best dive site in the country and one of the best in the world. It’s also got one of California’s best public universities a mile away from shore. That’s right, a mile. Attend Cal State Monterey Bay, and epic wall dives are probably closer to your classes than your apartment will be.”
Scuba diving is the ticket to an underwater world. At CSUMB, many students learn to dive for fun, but some do it as part of their academic program. Classes in recreational diving have been available through the Kinesiology Department for years. In 2010, a scientific diving program was added, where students learn how to do research underwater. The popular class fills up quickly each semester. Diving is just one of the recreational activities available to students. The office of Outdoor Recreation helps students explore the natural world. The office organizes camping, hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, stand-up paddle boarding, biking and skiing outings.
Learn more about the scientific diving program
Learn more about outdoor recreation at CSUMB
Photos:Top: Student Shelby Peters in the kelp tank at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Bottom: A class dives in Monterey Bay
Professor Ruben Mendoza and his archaeology students will take part in Monterey’s annual History Fest.
The fest, set for Oct. 13 and 14, offers a variety of programs for residents and visitors to learn about Monterey's cultural heritage and historic resources.
On Oct. 13, at 10:30 a.m., Dr. Mendoza (pictured at right), archaeologist for the Royal Presidio Chapel conservation project, will give a tour of the interior of the chapel followed by a walking tour of archaeological sites around the church. From 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., his students will demonstrate archaeological practices for finding artifacts.
Dr. Mendoza, a founding faculty member of CSU Monterey Bay, says that discovering the Serra chapels at the Royal Presidio of Monterey is among his most significant work. In the summer of 2008, he unearthed the “first” and “second” chapels, each consisting of rectangular adobe buildings located directly in front of the present San Carlos Cathedral (constructed in 1791-95). The area marks the spot where, in 1770, Father Junipero Serra celebrated the earliest Mass in a formally constructed church on the California coast. Students in CSUMB’s Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies can pursue a concentration in archaeology. Each year, 15 to 20 students do so, many of them attracted by the prospect of working with Dr. Mendoza. To learn more about the program, click here.
IF YOU GO: • More information on the Monterey History Fest and a schedule of events can be found here. • The Royal Presidio Chapel is located at 500 Church St., Monterey
Stephanie Johnson, associate professor in the Visual and Public Art Department, has been honored by her home town of Berkeley.
Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates has declared Oct. 30 Stephanie Anne Johnson Day in the city. The City Council will present her a certificate at its meeting that night.
She is being honored for her work on the Civic Arts Commission, where she chairs the education committee, and for her contributions as a visual artist and internationally known theatrical lighting designer.
Among the city projects she has worked on was a presentation for Berkeley's 2020 Vision Project on the arts as a tool for closing the achievement gap. She was also part of a team that worked on an application for the Kennedy Center's prestigious Any Given Child initiative.
"My work, the collaborations and my research projects point out the role of public policy in sustaining and enhancing arts practices," she said.
As an artist, Professor Johnson uses her installations and mixed media sculptures as a way to preserve and honor the history of Africans. Her work focuses on the use of two primary elements: light and archival materials, which include newspaper articles, photos and found relics. She uses large-scale slide projections in settings such as railroad stations, churches, cemeteries and galleries.
Professor Johnson has a B.F.A. from Emerson College, Boston, an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from San Francisco State University and an M.F.A. from the University of California, Berkeley. She has been the recipient of grants from the National Endowment For The Arts, New Langton Arts and The Money For Women Fund. Commissions include the Richmond Art Center, the city of Oakland and the Arts Festival of Atlanta.
She has exhibited at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco, the Berkeley Art Center, San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery, the Santa Cruz Art League, I.D.E.A. Artspace in Sacramento, and the Bayview Opera House among other galleries. She has been on the faculty at CSUMB since the university opened.
The proclamation reads:
IN HONOR OF STEPHANIE ANNE JOHNSON WHEREAS, Stephanie Anne Johnson has been an active member of the Civic Arts Commission and Chair of the Education Committee; and WHEREAS, she is one the five original faculty members who began the Visual and Public Art Department at California State University, Monterey Bay, in 1994; and WHEREAS, she has been a local, national, and international theater lighting designer for over thirty years, including her work with the late Nora Vaughn at the Black Repertory Theater in Berkeley; and WHEREAS, she is a visual artist with two solo exhibitions and numerous local and national shows; and WHEREAS, she continues to work in the community as a theater practitioner, artist, writer, and arts advocate; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT I, TOM BATES, Mayor of the City of Berkeley,
do hereby declare October 30, 2012, as
STEPHANIE ANNE JOHNSON DAY in the City of Berkeley in thanks for her many contributions to the city and the community.
Nationally acclaimed choreographer and performer Sheetal Gandhi will visit California State University, Monterey Bay’s World Theater on Oct. 9. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.
She will perform her one-woman show, “Bahu-Beti-Biwi” (Daughter-in-law, Daughter, Wife), which explores her cultural heritage as a 21st century Californian whose life is still shaped by age-old Indian traditions.
“Bahu-Beti-Biwi” wraps North Indian music and family characters into a contemporary exploration that moves between humorous portraiture and active resistance. Gandhi merges dance, singing and the text and subtext of centuries-old North Indian women’s songs to move from one portrayal to another. Her characters have conversations with each other across time and space, revealing complex tensions around freedom and compromise, desire and longing, duty and love.
The 50-minute performance is an evocative examination of the multiple roles of women that reflects Gandhi’s love for tradition with her equally urgent desire to break from it.
The original score for the work is the product of a collaboration with composer Joe Trapanese whose music for the stage has been described as “precise and evocative” by the New York Times.
Gandhi has a varied resume. She has toured with Cirque du Soleil, performed with the National Dance Ensemble of Ghana, and acted on Broadway; she’s a percussionist with a university degree in psychology and dance.
This event is free; no tickets or reservations are required. Attendees must purchase a parking pass for a nominal fee. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
The performance is sponsored by Student Activities and Leadership Development and the World Theater, with funding support from the New England Foundation for the Arts National Dance Project.
For more information, contact Tim Bills, director of Student Activities and Leadership Development, at 582-4645 or tbills@csumb.edu
Talking with Cal State Monterey Bay athletic director Vince Otoupal, you get the sense that "hardworking" doesn't begin to describe him. – The Salinas Californian, Sept. 3, 2012
Hundreds of excited students carried, dragged and wheeled their belongings into the residence halls at CSU Monterey Bay on Aug. 24, the first day of the three-day move-in weekend. – Marina Gazette, Sept. 3, 2012
It's SWOT time at CSU Monterey Bay. The exercise – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats – started Sept. 5. It's the first step toward updating the university's strategic plan and achieving Interim President Eduardo Ochoa's goal of identifying ways CSUMB can modify its curriculum to meet regional needs. – Monterey County Weekly, Sept. 6, 2012
In his first year as head coach of the CSU Monterey Bay men's soccer team, Rob Cummings guided the Otters to their best record in four years. – Monterey Herald, Sept. 7, 2012
Devin Nunes, member of Congress from Visalia, has a new staff member – Hannah Plummer, who has been assigned to his office as part of the Panetta Congressional Internship program. Hannah is a senior at Cal State Monterey Bay. – Riverside Press-Enterprise, Sept. 7, 2012
To say that Jose Hernandez is having a fabulous year is an understatement. First, he gets selected to go to Harvard and represent Salinas for the launch of Lady Gaga's Born This Way foundation. Now he gets selected as one of the 23 scholars in the California State University system. – Monterey Herald, Sept. 11, 2012
For the fourth consecutive year, CSU Monterey Bay has been named a "military-friendly school" by G.I. Jobs magazine. The list honors the top 15 percent of colleges and universities that are doing the most to embrace America's military members, beterans and their spouses as students. – The Salinas Californian, Sept. 20, 2012
El joven Jose Hernandez de 20 anos de edad, estudiante universitario recibio una beca para continuar con sus estudios por parte de la fundacion Hearst por su liderazgo y su participacion del programa Construyendo Familias Saludables y su labor de tutoria. – KSMS-67 (Univision), Sept. 25, 2012
. . . Brigette Cook, an 18-year-old from San Diego, took advantage of Rock the Vote at CSUMB's main quad, where students not only had a chance to join the voter rolls, but to learn about the hottest loal issues. – Monterey Herald, Sept. 26, 2012
While most people are waking up and getting ready for work, the CSU Monterey Bay cross country teams are wrapping up their morning run. . . The runners are gearing up for Saturday's Stanford Invitational. – Monterey Herald, Sept. 28, 2012
An astronaut who died in the 1986 Challenger disaster is inspiring college students to attend graduate school.
Cal State Monterey Bay has been awarded a five-year, $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to continue the Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program at the university. The federal program began in 1989 to provide financial support and academic guidance to encourage and prepare under-represented, first-generation juniors and seniors for graduate studies leading to a doctorate. It is named in honor of Dr. McNair, an African-American and a first-generation college student who went on to earn a doctorate in physics. CSUMB has had a McNair Scholars Program since 2007. To date, 44 McNair Scholars have graduated from the university. Approximately 60 percent of them have gone on to pursue graduate degrees. Each year, 25 juniors and seniors are enrolled in the program. They work with faculty mentors on research projects and summer internships, attend lectures, workshops and seminars and receive academic support services.
McNair Scholar Omar Davila Jr., a senior psychology major, spent his summer at Yale University.
"This past summer, I stood among the nation’s top scholars at Yale’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program. My experience at Yale galvanized my passion to become a research professor. This experience was only possible because of the McNair Scholars program," Davila said.
Psychology major Sara Banco, who is in the midst of applying to graduate programs, shares that sentiment.
"Preparing my graduate school applications has served to remind me how much I owe this program and the people who run it. I could never do what I am doing or go where I will go without the staggering amount of support I get from them and this program.”
Said Dr. William Head, director of the program at CSUMB: "The McNair Scholars program prepares our students for leadership roles in research, academia, and society.
“Our McNair Scholars have received prestigious national fellowships and gone on to Ph.D. programs at the UC Santa Cruz; UCLA; Oregon State University; Utah State University; University of Wisconsin, Madison; and many other top-tier universities across the United States.
“I'm thrilled to continue this legacy with our new five-year grant."
Learn more about the McNair program and other opportunities for undergraduate research at CSUMB here.
During the week of Oct. 15, students at Cal State Monterey Bay will join with their peers on more than 800 campuses across the country to promote National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week (NCAAW).
Students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of events, all designed to reinforce personal responsibility and respect for state laws and campus policies when it comes to the consumption of alcohol.
“NCAAW allows us to show our students here at CSUMB – particularly new students – that most of their peers are not abusing alcohol and most are making healthy and safe decisions,” said Gary Rodriguez, health promotion and prevention specialist with CSUMB’s campus health center.
The 2012 NCAAW #makeSMARTchoices campaign theme, developed by the BACCHUS Network, contains a message of student empowerment through decision-making that is safe and healthy. It encourages students to Set limits; Make a plan; Act to help others; Respect responsible choices; and Talk to a friend.
The message supports personal responsibility and practical safety tips about avoiding excessive drinking, not driving after drinking, and not riding with a driver who has been drinking.
“These are great messages for students because they focus on providing them with education and skill development. They allow students to make their own informed choices,” Rodriguez said.
This year's activities include:
• "Health Fest,” sponsored by the POWER Peer Education Program, highlighting campus and community organizations dedicated to helping students make safe and responsible choices. Main Quad, noon-2 p.m.
• “Meet the Greeks” student panel sponsored by the Multicultural Greek Council; students with different perspectives on and experiences with alcohol are encouraged to speak in an open discussion format. East Lounge of Student Center, 8:30 p.m.
• Gatorade Pong tournament, sponsored by the Student Athlete Advisory Council. Black Box Cabaret, 8 p.m.
• Keynote speaker Sarah Panzau, a standout athlete who made poor choices that nearly led to her death in a drunken-driving accident in 2003. Since then, she has told her story to thousands of young adults. University Center ballroom, 7 p.m.
• Fireside chat, sponsored by the Residential Housing Association, with information provided by representatives from community organization. Divarty Quad, 8:30 p.m. • CSUMB's fifth annual Jell-O wrestling tournament. North Quad, 8:30 p.m. • “Glow in the Dark Dance,” co-sponsored by the Otter Student Union; it highlights Dominic’s Designated Driver Program. Black Box Cabaret, 9 p.m.-midnight
• Open mic night, sponsored by the Residential Housing Association. Starbucks in Student Center, 7-9 p.m.
NCAAW has grown to become the largest single event in all of academia because students take ownership in designing and implementing the observance for their campus communities. The week also provides campuses the opportunity to showcase healthy lifestyles free from the abuse or illegal use of alcohol and to combat negative stereotypes associated with college drinking behavior.
University faculty and staff members also play a vital role in working with students to educate them about alcohol.
NCAAW at CSUMB is a collaborative effort ofHealth and Wellness Services, the POWER Peer Education Program, Student Housing & Residential Life, the Residential Housing Association, Athletics, the Student Athlete Advisory Council, Student Activities & Leadership Development, the Office of Judicial Affairs & Community Standards, University Police Department, Academic & Centralized Scheduling, Sigma Theta Psi sorority, Kappa Sigma fraternity, the Multicultural Greek Council, Associated Students, Otter Student Union, Sun Street Recovery Centers and the California Highway Patrol.
NCAAW isn’t the only way CSUMB works to educate students about drinking.
For the last three years, a program called AlcoholEdu has been required for all freshmen. During the summer before they start classes at CSUMB, they must complete a web-based course that deals with a variety of alcohol-related topics. The goal is to ensure that students have a base of information before they arrive on campus – when they are exposed to alcohol and behavior patterns get formed. Statistics indicate the program is having an impact.
In addition, staff members from CSUMB’s Health and Wellness Services conduct educational programs and campus outreach efforts throughout the year.
The first graduates of Cal State Monterey Bay’s Master of Social Work program will cross the stage at commencement in May 2013. They will represent the culmination of years of planning and community support.
The program started with 40 students in the fall of 2010.
One of those students, Petra Mansfield, has received an $18,500 stipend through the California Social Work Education Center program to help pay for her final year of school. The program is designed to support social work students who are pursuing a career in community mental health services.
Mansfield (at left) was born in Mexico and came to the U.S. as a teenager. After earning a bachelor’s degree in collaborative health and human services at CSUMB, she went to work for the Kinship Center as a case manager.
“I have discovered that there is a great need for mental health professionals in Monterey County, especially Spanish-speaking service providers,” she said.
“I have observed firsthand the devastating effects of mental illness on individuals as well as families. It’s the reason I became interested in pursuing a career as a social worker,” she said.
The scholarship is especially helpful since Mansfield travels 150 miles roundtrip from her home in San Ardo in southern Monterey County to campus.
In addition, Mansfield received a $5,000 award through the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA). Seven other students also received MHSA stipends; all were chosen by a committee of university and community members.
MHSA awardees are:
• Janet Barajas, a third-year student who works for Monterey County in Children’s School Based Services • Gina Billeci, a first-year student and CSUMB alumna • Katelyn Bryant, who earned a bachelor’s degree and teaching credential from CSUMB • M. Veronica Gonzalez, an employee of Monterey County Children’s Behavioral Health • Linda Rios, a CSUMB graduate who is serving an internship at Natividad Medical Center’s mental health unit • Casey Swank, a graduate of UC Irvine, who works for the Community Action Board of Santa Cruz • Sandra Valencia, a CSUMB graduate in her third year of the MSW program
Barajas, Swank and Brenda Quintero-Gonzales – all third-year students – also received $18,500 through the same program that funded Mansfield.
Three students received $10,164 per year until they graduate through a California Social Work Education Center program designed to prepare social workers for careers in child welfare services.
They are:
• Angela Gomez, who works as an adoption social worker for Monterey County’s Department of Social and Employment Services • Jennifer Mendoza, who is employed as a child welfare social worker for Monterey County • Becky Pimentel-Sherwood, who works for Family and Children's Services of Monterey County
There has long been a need for people with MSW degrees in the region, especially those who are bilingual and bicultural. Before the university even opened its doors in 1995, discussions were held about establishing a social work program. A number of obstacles intervened. But with the passage of Proposition 63 in 2004, funding became available. The Mental Health Services Act added a 1 percent tax on personal incomes over $1 million. The money is funneled to county mental health programs, and some is earmarked for workforce development. The Southern Bay Mental Health and Education Workforce Collaborative and the Monterey County Behavioral Health Division directed funds to support development of the university’s MSW program. The three-year program allows students to concentrate in Behavioral Health or Children, Youth and Families. Students must also complete an internship of 1,000 hours, 250 hours per semester starting in the second year. They will spend an academic year in each of their internship placements. Learn more about the MSW program.
UPDATE:*Rebel Dance, Renegade Stance: Timba Music and Black Identity in Cuba* is now available in paperback from the University of Michigan Press.
It’s been a productive year for CSUMB professor Umi Vaughan.
In April, his book, *Carlos Aldama's Life in Batá: Cuba, Diaspora, and the Drum*, was published.
On Oct. 28, the University of Michigan Press will publish his most recent work.
The book, *Rebel Dance, Renegade Stance: Timba Music and Black Identity in Cuba*, shows how community music-makers and dancers take in all that is around them socially and globally, and unfold their memories, sentiments, and raw responses within open spaces designated or commandeered for local popular dance. Dr. Vaughan, an anthropologist, musician, dancer and photographer who lived in Cuba, reveals a rarely discussed perspective on contemporary Cuban society during the 1990s, the peak decade of timba, as the Cuban leadership transferred from Fidel Castro to his brother. The book also reveals popular dance music in the context of a generation of fierce and creative performers. By looking at the experiences of black Cubans and exploring the notion of "Afro Cuba," *Rebel Dance, Renegade Stance* explains timba's evolution and significance in the larger context of Cuban culture.
Dr. Vaughan is an associate professor of Africana Studies at CSUMB, where he created an innovative course called Afro Cuba Hip Hop: Music and Dance in the Black Atlantic. It covers the social history and practice of music/dance styles from throughout the African Diaspora.
He has conducted extensive anthropological research in Cuba about Afro Cuban music and dance, and created numerous scholarly presentations, art exhibits and cultural events in the U.S. and abroad.
He holds a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from the University of Michigan.
Learn more about Dr. Vaughan on his website.
*This is an exciting and informative study of Cuban popular culture and a relevant contribution to assessments of the Revolution's social agenda, particularly with regard to dark-skinned Cubans. Its distinction is within its balanced anthropological perspective on the politics of Cuban dance music and its accompanying series of vivid photographs, which comment eloquently in dialogue with Umi Vaughan's compelling content. * ?— Yvonne Daniel, Smith College *Read more faculty news*.
Electric cars and plug-in hybrids were celebrated in dozens of cities around the country in late September at National Plug In Day.
One of those celebrations took place in Santa Cruz, sponsored by the Monterey Bay Electric Vehicle Alliance (MBEVA). It drew 600 participates, who were able to test drive electric cars and motorcycles and learn about the vehicles.
At the event, Cal State Monterey Bay received a certificate of recognition for its plans to install two electric vehicle-charging stations on campus later this year. Professor Dan Fernandez (photo below), co-chair of the Campus Sustainability Committee, accepted the certificate.
The project is an effort by Campus Planning and Development to reduce vehicle-related greenhouse gas emissions and promote transportation that is consistent with the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment.
The chargers are primarily funded by MBEVA, using grant money from the California Energy Commission. Approximately 40 chargers will be installed throughout the county.
The chargers – to be located at the Alumni and Visitors Center and the Student Center – will be able to accommodate modern plug-in vehicles and will also allow access to all other electric vehicles and motorcycles.
Any vehicle parked in the charging spaces will be required to have a valid parking permit. Use of the chargers will be free.
Due to increased public awareness, government subsidies and rising gas prices, the number of electric vehicles on American roads more than quadrupled between 2000 and 2010, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. When major auto companies began producing electric cars in 2010, the number of charging stations skyrocketed in response. Over the course of a year, the number of stations rose by 2,853, a 527 percent increase, according to the EIA.
Electric vehicles have been driven an estimated 200 million miles on U.S. roads, according to a study released recently by the Sierra Club, which, along with Plug-In America and the Electric Auto Association, organized National Plug In Day.
Learn more about sustainability at CSUMB.
Learn more about transportation options at CSUMB.
CSU Monterey Bay students will fan out across the county on Saturday, Oct. 27, to clean up the Chinatown area of Salinas, do environmental restoration work, and help in a myriad of other ways. Make a Difference Day is celebrated every year on the fourth Saturday of October. Millions of people across the country rally together to help change the world, making it the country’s largest day of volunteering. The goal of Make A Difference Day is to inspire and encourage local residents to participate in community service projects. Large or small, as individuals or in groups, one-day or ongoing – the nature of the service isn’t as important as simply giving time, effort, resources, skills or support to make a difference in the lives of people in the community. This year, CSUMB is partnering with the United Way Monterey County Volunteer Center to make this the biggest Make a Difference Day that Monterey County has ever seen. The goal is to get 500 students registered to participate by Oct. 20. Students can pledge to participate as individuals or as a group, club or class. Sign up here. Make a Difference Day volunteer opportunities can be found here or here. As of Oct. 8, approximately 100 students have signed up. They’re being encouraged to wear CSUMB attire while doing their volunteer work so the county can see the impact they are making. CSUMB’s Make a Difference Day is coordinated by Purposeful Service Opportunities, a project of the Service Learning Institute and AmeriCorps’ Volunteer Infrastructure Project. More information about service opportunities is available here or by contacting Steven Goings at sgoings@csumb.edu or at 582-4659.
Photo courtesy of Steven Goings CSUMB students help clean up the Chinatown neighborhood of Salinas last year on Make a Difference Day
John Wehrle specializes in public art, and his thought-provoking work is a familiar sight in the San Francisco Bay area, especially the East Bay.
But 47 years ago, when he was a just-commissioned lieutenant in the Army signal corps, his subject matter was altogether different – soldiers at war. Wehrle was a combat artist in Vietnam, the leader of the first group of Army artists sent to create a visual record of that war. His paintings and drawings are part of the Army’s permanent collection and were featured in the 2010 exhibition Art of the American Solider at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. After his Army service and graduate school at the Pratt Institute in New York, he found his way to San Francisco and has lived and worked in California ever since. The community is invited to attend a free presentation by Wehrle as the visiting artist series continues at California State University, Monterey Bay, at 6 p.m., Nov. 8, in the University Center. The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Wehrle has been creating really big art since 1975. He specializes in site-specific public artworks; his projects include mural-size paintings for interior and exterior walls as well as elaborate architectural installations that combine text, painting, ceramic tile and relief sculpture. “I always liked painting and being outdoors and somehow managed to combine the two into a viable career,” he told the DeYoung Museum. “Working in the studio can be a neurotic activity. When you are painting in public, it’s more of a performance, albeit a slow one.” Wehrle’s presentation is the final event in this semester’s visiting artist series. It opened in September with a presentation by installation artist Julio Cesar Morales and continues with a talk by Bay Area artist Mildred Howard on Oct. 25. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Learn about CSUMB's Visual and Public Art Department here.Top image: Landing Zone by John Wehrle, 1966, Vietnam Combat Artists Program
CSUMB will join universities and colleges across the nation on Oct. 24 in celebrating Campus Sustainability Day, an event that was created in 2003 to draw attention to the growing momentum of sustainability initiatives on campuses. Much as they do with Earth Day celebrations, the Associated Students’ Environmental Affairs Committee has lengthened the celebration to an entire week. “We are doing this to promote sustainable transportation and to inform students of various principles and practices they can do to reduce our carbon footprint,” said AS transportation and energy coordinator Shamika Lucas. “Our main objective is to raise student awareness and promote sustainability.” So far, these activities are on the schedule: • Monday, Oct. 22 – Meatless Monday During lunch and dinner in the Dining Commons, students can win prizes by answering sustainability-related trivia questions. Along with hundreds of colleges and universities, CSUMB highlights meatless options each Monday, to encourage students to think about the health benefits of eating less meat and because of the environmental benefits. Did you know that it takes 2,500 gallons of water to make one pound of beef? Learn more about Meatless Mondays at CSUMB.• Tuesday, Oct. 23 – Trolley Tuesday From 9:30 a.m. to noon, students can win free vouchers for use at the Farm Stand and a free semester-long bicycle rental courtesy of the Otter Cycle Center just by riding the trolley. Campus transportation planner Megan Tolbert will talk to students about sustainable transportation and why reducing greenhouse gases is important. The Otter Trolley runs every 12 minutes from 7:30 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. on the main campus. Learn more about campus transportation resources. • Wednesday, Oct. 24 – Sustain Under the Stars Starting at 7 p.m., students will camp out on the main quad. A scavenger hunt and other activities are planned. • Thursday, Oct. 25 – Campus Clean-Up Help make the campus a cleaner and more attractive place. Volunteers are asked to meet at the Dining Commons at 10 a.m. for a two-hour shift.
This is the first year CSUMB has observed Sustainability Week, but it’s not likely to be the last since sustainability is one of the university’s core ideals. “The week focuses on informing students about how to reduce their carbon footprint. It’s about reducing waste, decreasing gas emissions, recycling, composting . . . the list goes on,” Lucas said. And that’s something that should be celebrated for more than a week.
Related story:* Electric vehicle charging stations come to campus*
Luis Valdez, writer, director, actor and founding faculty member at CSU Monterey Bay, will give a talk on Oct. 8 as part of the university’s Chicano/Latino Heritage Month celebration.
Founder and artistic director of El Teatro Campesino, Valdez is widely regarded as the father of Chicano theater in the U.S. His best-known works are Zoot Suit, La Bamba and Corridos, winner of the George Peabody Award.
He will talk about his experiences with the United Farm Workers in the 1960s, when El Teatro toured migrant camps with actos or one-act plays that educated, informed and empowered farmworkers.
He will also reflect on the Chicano movement and using theater as a tool for activism and social change. A question-and-answer session will follow his presentation.
The talk will be held in the World Theater at 7 p.m. The theater is located on Sixth Avenue, between A and B streets.
The event is free to the public, but a parking permit must be purchased from a dispenser on the parking lot or online. No tickets or reservations are needed.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
The talk is sponsored by CSUMB’s Otter Cross Cultural Center and Student Activities and Leadership Development.
IF YOU GO What: Talk by Luis Valdez When: Tuesday, Oct. 8, 7 pm. Where: World Theater, Sixth Avenue between A and B streets, CSUMB campus Cost: Free, no tickets or reservations needed Information: rzhang@csumb.edu
“The Fisherman Ming Cho Yee and the Princess under the Sea,” a play written by Music and Performing Arts faculty member Will Shephard, will have its first public performances at CSU Monterey Bay’s University Center in November.
The play, partially based on Monterey and Pacific Grove history and partially on a classic folk tale, will be presented Nov. 9 and 10 at 7:30 p.m., and at a matinee performance Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street on the CSUMB campus.
The play begins in a Chinese village by the sea at Point Alones near Pacific Grove in the year 1894.
Persecuted socially, yet tolerated by the Anglo-European majority as a local curiosity, the Chinese fisherman are only permitted to fish for squid at night from their small fishing boats, lit by lanterns.
The lead character, a fisherman named Ming Cho Yee, saves a leatherback sea turtle from being abused by small boys on the beach. Later while Ming Cho Yee fishes for squid at night, the turtle returns, speaks to him, and invites him to Amovar, the palace under the sea, ruled by a benevolent Empress assisted by her beautiful daughter, the Princess.
There, Ming Cho Yee finds love and happiness, marrying the Princess in the magical realm of Amovar. But, after a short time, he feels he must return to Point Alones to see his parents.
The Princess gives him a magic box to help him return to her, and Ming Cho Yee finds himself on the beach at Point Alones again. However, everything has changed. He is in present-day Pacific Grove, during the Feast of Lanterns that celebrates the Chinese squid fishermen of long ago.
Though Ming Cho Yee doesn’t find the racism of the past, he finds tourists and townspeople happy with the Chinese cultural clichés being celebrated as fact, while a few protestors argue against racial stereotyping. Ming Cho Yee now longs for the undersea world and his love, the beautiful Princess. But in the world of the present will discrimination and racial stereotyping continue, or will we gradually come to respect and admire cultures and social customs different from our own?
Admission is free. The play is recommended for adults and children over 12. For further information, call Professor Shephard at (831) 582-4511.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Learn about the Music and Performing Arts Department.
*Photos:**Top: Leigh Chan as Ming Cho Yee and Brenda Soriano as the Princess Shu-Wei Bottom: Professor Will Shephard*
In May, 2005, Army Spec. Travis Fugate was seriously injured by a roadside bomb while on patrol in Iraq. It took out his right eye and damaged the retina of his left, bruised his brain and crushed the bones in his face.
Fugate had enlisted in the Kentucky National Guard in 2003 for the usual reasons: patriotism, adventure, money for college. Sixteen months later, his military service ended suddenly. A long period of rehabilitation followed, “learning to be blind – learning how to participate in society as a blind person,” he says.
While at the Hines Blind Center near Chicago – where veterans receive training in skills they need to regain their independence – he made a decision to “connect to education” and reached out to Sentinels of Freedom, an organization that provides opportunities for veterans who have suffered severe injuries.
“They made it happen for me,” Fugate says.
Sentinels of Freedom has a community in Monterey; through them, he learned about the area and the university, visited CSUMB in August 2009 and decided to make the move.
People from across campus came together to meet with him – including the veterans’ support team, a staff member from Student Disability Resources, an admissions counselor and faculty members from the computer science department, his intended major.
“They showed a willingness to work with me. And I didn’t find that at other schools,” Fugate said. “After that meeting, I felt confident that CSUMB had a staff that cared about my passion and about helping me to reach my goals. It was an easy decision to come here.”
After two years at Monterey Peninsula College, Fugate transferred to CSUMB this semester. His veterans’ benefits cover most of his expenses; Sentinels of Freedom covers whatever else he needs.
He’s an example of why the university has been named a “Veteran Friendly School” by G.I. Jobs magazine for four straight years.
The magazine honors the top 15 percent of colleges and universities that are doing the most to embrace America’s military members and veterans as students. It polled more than 12,000 schools.
Among CSUMB’s military-friendly practices are web pages with information specifically for veterans; a designated veterans services liaison, Giselle Young; a Student Veterans Organization; and a campus support team to help veterans make the transition from active duty to an educational environment.
Young says her role is “to troubleshoot various campus services. Each office, such as housing and other support services, has a staff member who works with veterans – both perspective and continuing students.”
This semester, CSUMB has 96 students receiving educational benefits under the G.I. Bill, and 63 of them are receiving the new Post 9/11 G.I. Bill benefit, which helps pay tuition as well as a monthly housing stipend and book allowance.
Another 25 students are eligible for the Federal VA Dependents Educational Assistance program as dependents of deceased or disabled veterans. The state of California also offers a tuition waiver to dependents of deceased or disabled veterans; 112 students are currently using this program at CSUMB.
Fugate lives in Monterey and takes the bus to school, accompanied by his service dog, Mr. Fess. “He’s got more friends on campus than I have,” Fugate says. “Students who miss their dogs back home are drawn to him.”
He’s chosen a particularly difficult course of study – computer science with an emphasis in software engineering.
“I was always interested in computers, but I was intimidated by it. But when I lost my vision, I realized there’s this whole community of blind and disabled people who are trying to access the same information that I used to access before I lost my vision. I’ve developed a passion to serve the blind community that I’m now a part of,” he says.
Before being asked, he volunteered that he uses a regular computer and iPhone with voice output features. “Everyone always wants to know that,” he says.
He’s planning to graduate in May 2014. And then, “I want to do what I can to help tech companies reach accessibility goals.”
He’s not the only one who wants to help.
Says Young: “I would like to do this 100 percent of the time. The people who do this work are passionate about it. It’s very satisfying.”
Learn more about services for veterans at CSUMB.
Read Travis's story in his own words at the CSU Voices & Views blog.
Story by Joan Weiner. Photo by Kevin Garcia: Travis Fugate and his service dog, Mr. Fess, at CSUMB
Dr. Lanier Sammons, a lecturer in the Music and Performing Arts Department, is the recipient of an ASCAP Plus Award in the concert music division.
The award is given by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and is based on the unique value of each composer’s catalog of original compositions as well as recent performances.
According to the organization, the grants support the growth and development of the nation’s musical future. The announcement was made in early October; the grant will be distributed in January.
Dr. Sammons, a composer and guitarist, teaches analogue mixing and digital editing as well as the MPA capstone class and master classes. His music explores ideas such as audience interactivity, improvisation, the intersection of popular and classical music, and the pairing of electronic and acoustic sound. As a performer, he explores multiple genres on electric guitar, classical guitar and other instruments.
He earned a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and a master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.
His research interests include composition and audience-interactive music, the relationship between play and composition, new music for the guitar, and the intersection and overlap between "popular" music and "art" music. This is his first semester at CSUMB. For more information, visit his website.
Learn more about the Music and Performing Arts program at CSUMB. R ead more faculty news
Student-athletes at CSU Monterey Bay hosted an evening of fun for their fellow students while celebrating National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week in mid-October.
The Student Athlete Advisory Council organized a night of Gatorade Pong that drew approximately 50 two-person teams to the Black Box Cabaret on Oct. 16.
The real winner: the Make-A-Wish Foundation, beneficiary of the $1,000 that was raised that night. It’s the most money raised in the four-year history of G-Pong at CSUMB.
In Gatorade Pong, participants attempt to land a ping pong ball in a cup partially full of the sports drink on the opposite end of a long table. If they succeed, their opponent’s team must drink the contents of the cup.
The SAAC first hosted G-Pong in 2009 as a way to show students that an evening of fun doesn’t have to involve alcohol. It has held the event at least once a year since then. The university’s sports medicine team supplied the Gatorade. Sodexo, the university’s food service provider, donated snacks.
Learn more about athletics at CSUMB.
Photo by Jessica Benedetti Freshman Alex Fertig teams with men's basketball coach Rob Bishop at G-Pong
Flute player Vince Redhouse will visit Cal State Monterey Bay as part of the university’s celebration of Native American Heritage Month.
Redhouse will be on campus on Nov. 8 for a full day of activities, including a workshop; a concert; and a panel discussion on contemporary American Indian identity.
At noon that day, Dr. Patti Jo King will present the day's keynote address, "Seeing Red in a Black and White World: Including Indians in Racial Discourse." The lecture will be held in the Media Learning Complex (Bldg. 18), Room 118. Redhouse's instrument of choice is the traditional Native American flute because of its connection to his Navajo culture, but, in his hands, it has anything but a traditional sound, whether he's playing jazz, Mozart or a Christian spiritual.
He took a long path to the native flute. He picked it up when he was in his 40s while working at the housing units at Fort Ord. By then, he'd learned to play a host of instruments, starting with a different sort of flute.
(He has a long history with the Army base: his father was stationed here and brought his wife from the Philippines to Seaside, where the family was raised.)
"I think I was 7 years old when I first started playing the little recorders that they give in elementary school, which leads to clarinet and then the saxophone," he told the Voice of America in a 2009 interview. "So I started playing clarinet. And then about a year after I started playing the clarinet, I was introduced to piano lessons and then the Beatles hit and I started playing guitar . . . ."
He still plays guitar as well as saxophone, which he uses on many songs. It gives his music a smooth jazz sound.
A native of Monterey, Redhouse remembers listening to Jimi Hendrix perform at the Monterey Pop Festival from the front yard of his parents’ home; later, he recalls listening to Steve Miller play at Monterey Peninsula College’s gymnasium – where he was not permitted inside because he was too young. Redhouse says he's on a mission for Native American music.
"This is an instrument that connects me with my culture," he told the Voice of America. "My culture's not known for being musical to the level of the world's standard. So what I've done is I've chosen that instrument to bring attention to the Native people and raise the level of musicianship to world class level."
King, an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, is director of the Native Media Center at the University of North Dakota. She holds an Extended Bachelor of Science and a Master’s Degree in American Indian History from Northern Arizona University, and a Ph.D, ABD from the University of Oklahoma.
A member of Native American Journalist’s Association, Professor King turned her attention to history after a long career as an activist, community organizer, and journalist. She has more than 40 years of experience working as a writer, editor, and publisher for both mainstream and the native press. In addition to her current teaching duties, she is a Northern Great Plains Correspondent, News and Lifestyle Feature writer, and Arts Reviewer with Indian Country Today News Media.
King’s historical research focuses on 19th and 20th century federal Indian policies, Native responses, and community-building. Activities on Nov. 8 and throughout the month were organized by members of the faculty in the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies with Student Activities and Leadership Development as co-sponsor.
Details: • Flute workshop: 9-11 a.m., Oaks Hall, Rooms 109-110.
• Keynote address: Noon-2 p.m., Media Learning Complex (Bldg. 18), Room 118. Dr. Patti Jo King will talk on "Seeing Red in a Black and White World: Including Indians in Racial Discourse." • Concert: 2-4 p.m., Tanimura and Antle libary, Room 1188 • Panel Discussion: 6-8 p.m., Alumni and Visitors Center The community is invited to attend the events. Reservations are requested and can be made by calling 582-3890. Driving directions and a campus map are available here. Learn more about the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies.
The approach of winter can mean only one thing – it’s time for another one of Warren Miller’s cinematic homages to high-adrenaline ski and snowboard action. Is there a better way to get stoked for the upcoming ski season?
Miller’s new film, Flow State, will be shown at Cal State Monterey Bay on Nov. 15, part of a 240-city tour of North America.
Flow State guides viewers to the top of the world’s most striking peaks, taking them on an exhilarating journey across the globe to Norway, Austria, California, Switzerland and beyond. The powder in Japan will send you scrambling to tune-up your gear, the gravity in Telluride will have you scheduling an avalanche refresher course, and the steeps in Alaska will drive you to push a little harder during your next preseason workout. Winter is right around the corner, and it is time to enter the Flow State . . . where the mountain meets the mind. The film will be shown at 7 p.m. in the Black Box Cabaret on Fourth Street near Inter-Garrison Boulevard. The show is free to CSUMB students, $5 for faculty and staff, and $10 for members of the public. Tickets are available at the door.
Sponsors include CSUMB Outdoor Recreation, Outdoor Adventure Club and the Otter Student Union.
Driving directions and a campus map.
Learn more about outdoor recreation at CSUMB.
The McNair Scholars program received $1.1 million in renewed funding for five years to help prepare undergraduate students for graduate school. – @aascu, Oct. 17, 2012
Students passing by Valley Hall at CSU Monterey Bay stop and stare as women throw air punches: right hammer fist, left shield. One kicks a bag with a thud and yells "No!" Another sends a push kick to a bag, yelling "Stay back!" The women drawing all the attention were participating in a Rape Aggression Defense program – called RAD – run by CSUMB police officers. – Monterey County Weekly, Oct. 18, 2012
Led by Dr. Bude Su, a team of alumni and students in the School of School of Computing and Design at CSUMB exemplified the role their discipline has in society beyond social media applications. . . . working with Natividad Medical Center in Salinas. – CSU's Center for Community Engagement website, October 2012
Led by Jered Stone's 67, No. 8 CSUMB shot 6-under 282 to knock off No. 2 Nova Southeastern and win the Otter Invitational at Bayonet Golf Course. – Monterey Herald, Oct. 24, 2012
Not many teams at CSU Monterey Bay have higher expectations than the women's basketball team. The Otters won more than 20 games in each of the past two seasons en route to the NCAA Division II tournament. But Coach Renee Jimenez wants to keep moving the team forward. – Monterey Herald, Oct. 26, 2012
The Cal State Monterey Bay women's soccer team had a season of firsts in 2012. The first sweep of a conference opponent (Chico State), the first upset of a ranked team (Chico State again), their first regional ranking. – The Salinas Californian, Oct. 29, 2012
You could say that being called to active duty following the 9/11 terrorist attacks interrupted Ben Haberthur's education at Cal State Monterey Bay. Or you might say that his active military service refocused it. Either way, his work as a restoration ecologist and a veterans advocate received a major boost recently when he was recognized with a TogetherGreen Fellowship Award from Toyota and the National Audubon Society. – CSU's Commitment to Sustainability website, Oct. 31, 2012
A film by CSU Monterey Bay student Ed Carapezza will be part of an exhibit this month at the De Young Museum in San Francisco. Carapezza's film, "Prepping for Frescomania," focuses on artist Javier Manrique, who is the November Artist in Residence at the museum. Carapezza filmed it as a companion piece for the artist's exhibit, "Frescomania." – Monterey Herald, Nov. 2, 2012
Native educator works to serve the needs of children Kathryn England-Aytes, a lecturer in psychology, has joined a newly created national organization that serves the needs of children. Dr. England-Aytes will serve as a consultant with the National Center on Adoption and Permanency, an organization that provides information, resources and services relating to adoption, foster care and child welfare. Her work with the center “fits into my own research interests on historical trauma and links with contemporary behavior, particularly in educational settings, in Indian Country,” she said. “As a Native educator, my goal is always to honor and integrate the cultures, values and traditions of Native students with learning opportunities for full participation in the larger community." – Jan. 13, 2015
S.F. art exhibit features work of CSUMB faculty A San Francisco art exhibit that invites spectators to take part by “dressing to transgress” features the work of CSU Monterey Bay faculty members.
“Glamorgeddon: The Spectacle,” curated by Visual and Public Art Department professors Johanna Poethig, Dio Mendoza and Angelica Muro, is on display through Feb. 4 at the SOMArts Cultural Center. In Poethig’s words, the exhibit “celebrates how we choose to be fabulous, even as we critique the excesses of our own endangered species.” – Jan. 8, 2015
National health conference has CSUMB flavor Dr. Britt Rios-Ellis, dean of the College of Health Sciences and Human Services, gave the keynote address at the National Conference on Health Disparities in Long Beach in early November. Her topic: Overcoming Challenges to Participation of Underrepresented Populations in Academia. – Nov. 6, 2014 Faculty art project captures the spirit of Fort Ord Fort Ord – once the largest military base in the American West – was a vital center during much of the 20th century. But that was two decades ago; now, many people know it only as a ghost town that surrounds CSU Monterey Bay. That otherworldly quality has inspired Enid Ryce, chair of the university's Cinematic Arts and Technology Department, to create Planet Ord, a project that explores the contemporary experience and historical echoes of the base. – Nov. 5, 2014
Globetrotting business professor in Croatia Dr. Murray Millson, professor of marketing and director of the the university's online E/MBA program, is attending the Global Business Conference in Croatia, where he will deliver a paper. Dr. Millson has lectured in Poland, Greece, Germany, Austria, England, Italy, Thailand, New Zealand, India and China. He has held teaching positions in Finland and Australia. – Sept. 25, 2014
Professor curates Oakland art exhibit Dr. Stephanie Anne Johnson, professor in the Visual and Public Art Department, curated the art show InterGen: Womyn Citizen Artists' Expression. Featuring inter-generational artists from local and international backgrounds, the show is on exhibition at Impact Hub Oakland's Omi gallery from September through October. – Sept. 25, 2014
Faculty member shares diversity strategies with national audience Professor Corey Garza has been successful in involving underserved students – minorities, low income and first-generation college students – in ocean sciences. On Sept. 24, he gave the keynote talk at the Consortium for Ocean Leadership's biennial educators retreat in Savannah, Ga., sharing his strategies for diversifying the student population in ocean sciences. – Sept. 24, 2014
Cine Arts department chair programs part of Days and Nights Festival Enid Baxter Ryce, chair of the Cinematic Arts and Technology Department, programmed the daytime portion of Philip Glass' Days and Nights Festival in Carmel, Big Sur and on campus. She assembled a lineup of films, an animation and puppetry workshop (by CSUMB faculty member Soyeon Kim), talks and a social event. – Sept. 18, 2014
Kinesiology professor publishes on carb loading Dr. Brian Cook contributed an article to Everything Track and Field outlining a runner's need for carbohydrates during training and competition. – Sept. 11, 2014 Faculty members honored at Arts and Culture celebration Dio Mendoza and Angelica Munro are among the artists who were honored at the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture's 25th anniversary celebration in Saratoga. Both are lecturers in the Visual and Public Art Department. – July 25, 2014 VPA professor performs one-woman show at S.F. arts festival After more than 35 years of experience behind the scenes as a lighting designer and visual artist, Stephanie Johnson will perform her first one-woman show on July 21, as part of the AfroSolo Arts Festival in San Francisco.
The performance – one of four that evening at the Marsh Theater in San Francisco – is a sneak preview of the festival’s Black Voices season. The works in progress will be shown as fully developed productions in late September. – July 14, 2014
Work by humanities professor to appear in literary quarterlyDiana Garcia, a professor in the Division of Humanities and Communication, has had two poems accepted for the winter issue of Prairie Schooner. The issue is tentatively titled, “Women and the Global Imagination.”
Prairie Schooner is a national literary quarterly published with the support of the English Department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Nebraska Press. – July 8, 2014
Faculty member at White House Summit CSU Monterey Bay faculty member Lisa Stewart is taking her research on work-family issues to a national stage. Dr. Stewart, who teaches in the master of social work program, will take part in the White House Summit on Working Families in Washington, D.C., on June 23.
?“I was invited because my research focuses on the challenges employees with disability-related caregiving face when they combine that with paid employment,” Dr. Stewart said. – June 19, 2014
Dr. Lindholm goes to Washington At Capitol Hill Ocean Week, held June 10-12, marine scientists and others interested in the state of the world’s oceans gathered in Washington, D.C. Among them was CSU Monterey Bay Professor James Lindholm, who was there on behalf of the CSU Council on Ocean Affairs, Science and Technology (COAST). He and several colleagues visited offices of elected officials and federal agencies to discuss contributions that the CSU has made to marine science. – June 13, 2014
Seafloor Mapping Lab helps with Point Lobos project Visitors to Point Lobos State Marine Reserve are now able to visualize what the undersea world looks like, thanks in part to work by students and staff members of the Seafloor Mapping Lab. Data collected by Dr. Rikk Kvitek’s lab was used to create a 3D model of the underwater park, which helps visitors understand what lies beneath the sea. Until now, only divers could experience the mysterious underwater seascape of Point Lobos, with its kelp forests, schools of fish and marine mammals. – May 20, 2014
Reichard contributes to GLBT history exhibit A new exhibit, “Queer Past Becomes Present,” opened May 15 at the GLBT History Museum in San Francisco. Dr. David Reichard, a professor in the Division of Humanities and Communication, worked on a section of the exhibit dealing with queer youth. It traces the activism of San Francisco Bay Area LGBTQQ youth 25 and under from the 1970s to the present. – May 8, 2014
Professor, grad student work to protect Big Sur River Doug Smith, professor in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy, and graduate student Sam Phillips are collaborating with federal and state resource agencies to develop the Big Sur River Watershed Management Plan. The plan details what residents and resource managers can do to sustain the steelhead population of this local waterway. – April 16, 2014
Professor creates Fort Ord exhibit Fort Ord – once the largest military base in the American West – was a vital center during much of the 20th century. Enid Ryce, chair of the Cinematic Arts and Technology Department, with help from other faculty members, alumni and students, has created an exhibit, Planet Ord, that will explore the contemporary experience and historical echoes of the base. The exhibit will be on display from April 4 through July 20 at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History. – March 19, 2014
Emeritus faculty member named to Hall of Fame John Ittelson, professor emeritus at CSUMB and technology faculty adviser in the CalStateTEACH program, received the U.S. Distance Learning Association’s Hall of Fame Award.
Dr. Ittelson was honored for his contributions to distance learning through leadership, technology, research and teaching. – March 6, 2014
Lecturer’s album earns award Students in Dr. Lanier Sammons’ advanced audio production class worked on an album recorded by Giacomo Fiore, a lecturer in music at CSUMB. Dr. Fiore’s project has been awarded a grant by New Music USA to fund its completion. The album features four contemporary pieces for electric guitar. Dr. Sammons is co-producer. – Feb. 26, 2014
Professor honored for lifetime achievement Professor Yoshiko Saito-Abbott has been honored by her peers with a lifetime achievement award.
At its annual meeting in March, the California Language Teachers Association will present her with its Hal Wingard Award. It recognizes an individual’s dedication and commitment to the language teaching profession over an extended period of time. Dr. Saito-Abbott came to CSU Monterey Bay in 1996 as an associate professor of Japanese. She is currently chair of the School of World Languages and Cultures and site director for the Monterey Bay Foreign Language Project. – Feb. 12, 2014
Psychology faculty members present research At the upcoming biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Adolescence, Ranu Sinha and Vickie Nam will present their work on letter writing as a tool for teaching in psychology courses.
Their roundtable at the Austin, Texas, meeting will explore letters (epistolaries) as an innovative pedagogical tool for teaching courses on adolescent development.
The reading, writing and sharing of letters offers a non-threatening approach that encourages students to discover and express identities and perspectives that might otherwise be silenced. – Feb. 5, 2014
Faculty artwork on display at Museum of Monterey Humans have always told fish stories. Ten of these fascinating stories are told in an exhibit on display at the Museum of Monterey during February.
Jennifer Colby, a faculty member in CSUMB’s Liberal Studies Department, is the guest curator for this exhibit and three others to follow. All deal with the theme Fishing 2014. The current exhibit, "Fish Stories," features her own artwork and the illustrations of Amadeo Bachar, who teaches in CSUMB’s science Illustration program. – Feb. 3, 2014
Professor, alum keynote teaching seminar Professor Yoshiko Saito-Abbott and CSUMB alumnus Yo Azama will be the keynote speakers at the California Association of Japanese Language Schools annual teaching seminar Feb. 15 in Norwalk.
Dr. Saito-Abbott is the chair of the School of World Languages and Cultures. Azama, a teacher at North Salinas High School, is a graduate of the program and earned a single subject teaching credential at CSUMB. In 2012, the Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language named him National Language Teacher of the Year. They will demonstrate effective teaching strategies using only Japanese and will share reading activities that promote language proficiency. – Jan. 24, 2014
More honors for archaeology professor Professor Ruben Mendoza has been selected to deliver the keynote address at the annual meeting of the California Mission Studies Association (CMSA). The meeting will be held Feb. 14-16 at Mission San Antonio de Padua and Paso Robles.
An expert on many aspects of mission and California history, Dr. Mendoza will speak to the conference theme of "Ranchos y Vaqueros: Missions and Mission Land After Secularization." His presentation will address the transformation of the missions and mission lands through the course of the 19th century.
In other news, the city of Monterey has produced a video that highlights the work of Dr. Mendoza and his students.
The video, “America’s Oldest Cathedral – the Cathedral of San Carlos Borromeo,” documents his work and the studies undertaken by the conservation team of which he was a part. – Jan. 2, 2014
Garza publishes work on Long Island Sound Dr. Corey Garza, a professor in CSU Monterey Bay’s Division of Science and Environmental Policy, is one of the editors of a new book that sums up decades of research about Long Island Sound.
“Long Island Sound: Prospects for the Urban Sea” was written by scientists, resource managers and historians who gathered nearly 1,500 research papers to summarize what is known about the historic and recent trends of the health of Long Island Sound.
In addition to his work as an editor of the volume, Dr. Garza contributed a chapter that offers guidance to planners, environmental managers and policymakers on how to manage coastal waters such as the sound.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provided funding for the book.
Long Island Sound is an estuary that provides economic and recreational benefits to millions of people, while also providing habitat for more than 1,200 invertebrates, 170 species of fish and dozens of species of migratory birds. – Dec. 23, 2013
Composers society honors CSUMB lecturer For the second consecutive year, Dr. Lanier Sammons, a lecturer in the Music and Performing Arts Department, has won the ASCAP Plus Award – Concert Music Division.
The ASCAP Awards are made by the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers to honor the past catalog and recent performances of member composers. With the cash award, ASCAP supports the careers and fosters the continuing development of American composers in various genres.
Dr. Sammons, a composer and guitarist, teaches analogue mixing and digital editing as well as the MPA capstone class and master classes. – Nov. 19, 2013
What will the future look like? CSUMB lecturer helps answer that question What will the future look like? It's a question that writers, philosophers and scientists have been pondering for millennia. But the future that once existed solely in the human imagination . . . has arrived.
That's the introduction to FutureScape, a six-part television series hosted by actor James Woods. The series will premiere at 10 p.m., Nov. 19, on the Science Channel.
Linda Glenn, a lecturer in Humanities and Communication, appears in all six episodes – her “15 minutes of fame,” she says – as a bioethicist, lawyer and futurist. – Nov. 14, 2013
Another publication for Humanities professor Renee Curry, a professor in the Division of Humanities and Communication, has published an article in the latest issue of Imaginations: the Journal of Cross-Cultural Image Studies.
Her article appears in the Scandals of Horror issue and is titled “Beautiful Junkies, Images of Degradation in Requiem for a Dream,” in reference to Darren Aronofsky’s 2000 film based on Hubert Selby Jr., 1978 novel. – Nov. 12, 2013
Can coral reefs adjust to global climate change? A study by scientists at Cal State Monterey Bay, the University of British Columbia and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides evidence that coral reefs may be able to adapt to moderate climate warming, improving their chance of surviving through the end of this century.
Results suggest corals have already adapted to part of the warming that has already occurred.
“While earlier modeling work suggested that coral reefs would be gone by the middle of this century, our study shows that if corals can adapt to warming over the past 40-60 years some coral reefs may persist through the end of this century,” said study lead author Cheryl Logan, an assistant professor in CSUMB’s Department of Science and Environmental Policy.
The study is published online in the journal Global Change Biology. – Oct. 28, 2013
Art professor raises money for outreach programs Professor Stephanie Anne Johnson performed her piece, "Every Twenty-One Days: Cancer, Yoga, and Me" at Niroga Yoga in Berkeley. Her standing-room-only performances raised over $700 for The Niroga Yoga Institute’s outreach programs to youth, the incarcerated, and underserved populations. – Oct. 23, 2013
Scientists generate closer look at future climate conditions Global models are the foundation for many important climate studies, but they typically show climate changes at very large geographic scales – on the order of 100 to 250 kilometers.
Using previously published large-scale climate model projections, a team of scientists from NASA; the Climate Analytics Group, a non-profit that provides climate data services; and California State University, Monterey Bay has produced climate projections for the U.S at a scale of one-half mile – approximately the size of a neighborhood.
To generate these high-resolution projections, researchers used an innovative scientific collaboration platform called the NASA Earth Exchange (NEX) at NASA’s Ames Research Center at Moffett Field.
The CSUMB scientists – Forrest Melton, Andy Michaelis and Weile Wang – contributed to all stages of the work, including the analysis, preparation of the dataset and documentation. – Oct. 14, 2013
Mesa-Bains creates exhibit at UCLA museum The Fowler Museum at UCLA will honor its 50th anniversary with special exhibitions starting this fall, and a former CSU Monterey Bay professor is part of the celebration.
Amalia Mesa-Bains, former chair of the Visual and Public Art Department and professor emeritus, will work with the Fowler collections to create "New World Wunderkammer," which will include three Cabinets of Curiosity focused on the Americas, Africa, and the Colonial works of the New World. – Sept. 29, 2013
Faculty filmmakers highlighed at Days and Nights Festival Work by CSU Monterey Bay faculty members Soyeon Kim and Luis Camara will be part of the program of locally made films when their work screens as part of the Philip Glass Center for the Arts, Science and Environment’s annual Days and Nights Festival Oct. 2-6.
Both films explore primary connections between parents and children in relation to specific landscapes. – Sept. 25, 2013
News from Humanities faculty members • Humanities Division faculty members Aimee Suzara and Debra Busman have had a panel proposal accepted for the Association of Writers and Writing Programs 2014 conference. The conference will be held Feb. 26-March 3 in Seattle.
• Suzara's first full-length book of poetry, Souvenir, has been accepted for publication by Word Tech Editions. The book should be available in early 2014.
• "A New Approach to Developmental Education: Fostering Habits of Mind in Today's Students," by Dr. Jennifer Fletcher, has been accepted for publication by Stylus Publishing. A number of CSUMB faculty members contributed to the text. • Frances Adler and Kenneth Leatham were finalists for the Montreal International Poetry Prize. Professor Adler's poem "Supreme" and Professor Leatham's "Breakup" were selected from among 2,000 poems from 70 countries of the English-speaking world; 50 were named finalists. The poems will be included in a global anthology, due out at the end of this month.
Leatham's poems "Hiser Beach" and "Song" appeared in the Autumn 2013 edition of the Monterey Poetry Review. His poem "Rosie" was translated and published in the October 2013 Turkish literary journal Gard.
• Frank Bardacke's article, "The UFW and the Undocumented," was published in the spring 2013 edition of the journal International Labor and Working-Class History. – Sept. 5, 2013
Dean, faculty member collaborate on journal article Dr. Brian Simmons, dean of the College of Professional Studies, collaborated with Dr. John Berteaux, chair of the Division of Humanities and Communication, on an article published in the autumn issue of the Journal of Social Era Knowledge. "Additing Relational Accountability to Issues Concerning the Ethics of Care" is the co-authored article. – Sept. 5, 2013
Professor, alumna publish on California missions Professor Ruben Mendoza and his former student Jennifer Lucido – currently in graduate school at Sonoma State – have contributed articles to the November 2013 edition of the California Mission Studies Association Boletín.
Dr. Mendoza pointed out that "the subject matter is a direct byproduct of work undertaken by the students of the Social, Behavioral and Global Studies program in local community service learning venues." – Sept. 3, 2013
Johnson honored for lighting design work Stephanie Anne Johnson, professor in the Visual and Public Art Department, has received an award for her work as a lighting designer.
The Lighting Artists in Dance Award provides funds to support artistic collaborations with choreographers and dance companies. Those collaborations will result in dance performances presented in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Johnson is working with Anne Bluethenthal & Dancers as the visual designer for Skywatchers, a multi-disciplinary performance project that will take place in the Tenderloin neighborhood. – Sept. 3, 2013
New book by professor of Japanese Dr. Yoshiko Saito-Abbott is a co-editor of the recently released book, Japanese Language Education: Current Issues and Future Agenda, a collection of peer-reviewed papers.
She edited the section dealing with pedagogy; other sections cover linguistics, literature and second language acquisition. The book is published by the National Foreign Language Resource Center at the University of Hawaii.
Dr. Saito-Abbott is chair of the School of World Languages and Cultures and professor of Japanese at CSUMB, and director of the Monterey Bay Foreign Language Project. – Aug. 26, 2013 Iconic San Francisco mural gets facelift Johanna Poethig has been making public art in San Francisco since the 1980s. This summer, the professor in CSUMB's Visual and Public Art Department is "re-making" a mural she created in 1992, and employing students in the effort.
Staff members from the San Francisco Human Services Agency contacted her about restoring her mural, “To Cause to Remember,” better known as the Statue of Liberty mural. It’s located on the side of a homeless shelter in the city’s South of Market district. – Aug. 19, 2013
Business professor to chair ag foundation board Marylou Shockley, a professor in the College of Business at CSU Monterey Bay, has been elected chair of the Grower-Shipper Association Foundation board. She will serve a one-year term.??
The foundation is the non-profit arm of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California. It works to educate the community about the agricultural industry.
??Its programs include AgKnowledge, an executive leadership program, and A Greater Vision, a series of forums on agriculture-related issues important to the community.? – Aug. 12, 2013
Professor to join hospitality association board John Avella has been elected to the Monterey County Hospitality Association’s board of directors.
Dr. Avella, assistant professor of hospitality management and hotel/resort management in CSU Monterey Bay's School of Business, will join the board in January. He’ll serve on the association’s education committee. – Aug. 12, 2013
Professor continues work on African diaspora Professor Umi Vaughan continues to explore the African diaspora with his work on a dance festival and symposium to be held in San Francisco in August. Dr. Vaughan, a faculty member in the Division of Humanities and Communication, is one of the curators and a panel moderator for Performing Diaspora at the CounterPULSE theater.
The festival features dance, music, theater, media and interdisciplinary artists who use traditional forms as a basis for experimentation and innovation.
The symposium, set for Aug. 10, will kick off the three weekends of events. Performances will follow Aug. 15-18 and Aug. 22-25.
The symposium will feature a discussion of the complexities of African dance, practice, production and teaching in the Bay Area and explore how artists address injustice and violence through their performances. Dr. Vaughan will moderate a panel titled “Spirit Moves: Sacred Dance Onstage.” – Aug. 5, 2013
Faculty member honored by composers group It’s been a productive year for CSU Monterey Bay music lecturer Lanier Sammons. During the last 12 months, he’s won awards from two national organizations and been chosen an artist-in-residence by a Santa Cruz museum.
His composition, D.C. Home, won a top honor in the Young Composers Competition sponsored by the National Association of Composers/U.S.A.
The idea for the percussion quartet originated on a train trip from New York to Charlottesville, Va. With nothing else to do, he stared out the window, “and was rewarded with a striking scene,” he said. – July 8, 2013
Grant funds development of oral history walking tour For six years, Professor Rina Benmayor’s students at CSU Monterey Bay have worked to preserve memories of the Chinatown area of Salinas.
In partnership with the non-profit Asian Cultural Experience, students in her Oral History and Community Memory service learning classes have designed, conducted and archived oral histories focused on life stories and Chinatown memories of members of the Chinese, Japanese, Filipino and Latino communities.
Those memories will be the basis for “Imagine Salinas Chinatown: An Oral History Walking Tour,” thanks to a $10,000 grant from Cal Humanities. – July 8, 2013
ART for CHANGE Art can be a powerful tool for change, disseminating ideas and inspiring people to act.
Sea Change, an exhibit at the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center, is doing just that — with the aim of bringing together art and concern for climate change.
Enid Baxter Blader, chair of the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department at CSU Monterey Bay, served as guest curator for the exhibit. It includes a diverse collection of contemporary projects by artists, architects and scientists who explore the shifting interactions of land and sea – specifically, the rising sea level in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. – June 24, 2013
Conservation award presented to faculty member CSU Monterey Bay faculty member Suzanne Worcester has received a Garden Club of America Club Conservation Commendation for her work with students and the community.
The award is given to a person who has made significant contributions to conservation in her or his community. The Carmel-by-the-Sea Garden Club nominated her for the award. – June 11, 2013
Archaeologist presents on colonial missions at ASU Dr. Ruben Mendoza continues to win accolades for his work on missions in California and the Southwest.
An archaeologist and founding faculty member at CSU Monterey Bay, Dr. Mendoza has been invited to do a weeklong residency at Arizona State University in June. He will deliver two presentations as part of a program on research and digital preservation of colonial missions. His topics: “Canticle of the Sun: Archaeoastronomy and Solar Eucharistic Workshop in the Millennial New World,” and “The Cross and the Blade: Discovery of the Serra Chapel and the Archaeology of the Royal Presidio of Monterey." – June 1, 2013
Computer science professor honored for teaching, community service Kate Lockwood, assistant professor of computer science and information technology, has been honored with the Allen Griffin Award for excellence in teaching at the post-secondary level. The award is sponsored by the Community Foundation for Monterey County. – May 28, 2013
Humanities professors collaborate on book "Dialogue and Deliberation," a new book by Professors Debian Marty and Josina Makau, was recently published by Waveland Press.
It explores the root of what the authors see as the communication crisis caused by the current argument culture and offers a realistic means to reconnect, to build community, and to make just and wise decisions together. – May 2, 2013
Psychology lecturer's work featured in textbook Kathryn England-Aytes, a lecturer in psychology at CSUMB, has contributed to a book that’s the first of its kind for educational publishing.
“Teaching Truly: A Curriculum to Indigenize Mainstream Education,” published by Peter Lang Publishers, was written by American Indian rights activist Four Arrows. It provides guidance on incorporating indigenous perspectives into classrooms from kindergarten through college. – May 1, 2013
Professor contributes to Woody Allen book Dr. Renee Curry has published another article on one of her long-time research interests, director Woody Allen.
Her latest piece, “Woody Allen’s Grand Scheme: The Whitening of Manhattan, London and Barcelona,” appears in the recently published book, “A Companion to Woody Allen,” one of the Wiley-Blackwell Companions to Film Directors series. – April 28, 2013
San Francisco public art project unveiled Professor Johanna Poethig, whose “Celebrate Ability” project was unveiled at the Hamilton Recreation Center in April of 2013, has been making public art in San Francisco and around the world since the 1980s. The six mosaic medallions that make up the project play with words and images of California native species to highlight shared abilities. The goal was to come up with designs that would appeal to the broad range of community members who use the center. The Hamilton Rec Center is just one of many sites in San Francisco where she has created public art. Others include the Civic Center post office, the I-Hotel, several buildings in the Tenderloin, the Juvenile Justice Center, Rochambeau Park and the South of Market area. – April 1, 2013
Film by Cin Arts professor takes film festival award Filmmaker and Cinematic Arts and Technology professor Luis Camara won the best cinematography award at the Queens Film Festival in New York City for his feature film Silencio. The film was also nominated for best director and best actor (his 10-year-old son, Dexter) awards. – March 13, 2013
Vaughan lectures at San Francisco museum CSU Monterey Bay professor Umi Vaughan will lecture at the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco on Feb. 10 as part of the museum's authors in conversation series.
Dr. Vaughan will talk about contemporary dance music in Cuba, based on his most recent book, Rebel Dance, Renegade Stance: Timba Music and Black Identity in Cuba. A question-and-answer session and salsa/timba dancing will follow. The program is set for 3 to 5 p.m. – Feb. 1, 2013
Pollack honored for service-learning achievements In recognition of his work to promote service learning and community-campus partnerships throughout the Monterey Bay and Salinas Valley, Seth Pollack has been named winner of the 2013 Richard E. Cone Award by California Campus Compact.
For more than 15 years, Dr. Pollack has been director of CSU Monterey Bay’s Service Learning Institute. He has helped the university become a national leader in service learning and civic engagement.
“Service learning and partnerships are part of the very fiber of our being as a campus, and that is due in large part to the continued leadership on the part of Dr. Pollack,” said CSUMB Provost Kathy Cruz-Uribe. – Jan. 20, 2013
Lecturer’s work include in MexiCali Biennial Juan Luna-Avin, a lecturer in Visual and Public Art, has a work included in the MexiCali Biennial, opening Jan. 19, at the Vincent Price Art Museum on the campus of East Los Angeles College.
"Cannibalism in the New World" is the theme of the exhibit. It features works by 33 artists from Mexico and California. While the title might conjure visions of Donner Party performance art, co-curator Ed Gomez told the L.A. Weekly the word "cannibal" has larger cultural implications, especially for Mexican society. "In colonial times during the conquest of Mexico, they believed that these heathens were worshipping pagan idols and practicing human sacrifice and forms of cannibalism," he says of how the Spanish viewed the natives. "That became the justification and rationalization of the complete eradication and genocide of these indigenous people."
The exhibit continues through April 13. – Jan. 16, 2013
Lockwood honored for 'innovative instruction with technology' The CSU and Sony Electronics, in partnership with Intel, presented the Sony Electronics Faculty Award for Innovative Instruction with Technology to Kate Lockwood.
Lockwood, assistant professor in School of Computing and Design, is helping students develop more advanced skills by "flipping the classroom" – allowing students to familiarize themselves with subjects through technology, followed by practical skills application in class. She is one of four early-career faculty members from throughout the CSU to earn the award, which acknowledges innovative use of technology in delivering quality and affordable education to students and encourages continued achievements in teaching.
She received a laptop computer, tablet, camera and accessories. – Nov. 20, 2012
Vaughan presents at conference in Brazil It’s been a busy year for CSUMB professor Umi Vaughan.
In April, his book, Carlos Aldama's Life in Batá: Cuba, Diaspora, and the Drum, was published.
??In October, the University of Michigan Press published his most recent work, Rebel Dance, Renegade Stance: Timba Music and Black Identity in Cuba.??
In November, Dr. Vaughan was invited by the Secretary of Culture in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, to participate in an event called the Encounter of Black Cultures, where he presented his work on the African Diaspora. He learned as much as he taught. – Nov. 20, 2012
Mendoza, students land grant to teach about missions A $177,000 grant has been awarded to CSUMB by the National Endowment for the Humanities for a program to train K-12 teachers from around the country about the history of California's missions.
Archaeology professor Ruben Mendoza and two students wrote the grant for NEH's "Landmarks of American History and Culture" program. The program supports one-week workshops at historic sites to address themes related to American history, government and the arts. – Nov. 20, 2012
Pollack attends FAR Fellows Institute Dr. Seth Pollack recently attended an event at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis for faculty athletics representatives. He was one of two dozen faculty members from 300 Division II schools selected to attend the annual event.
The Faculty Athletics Representatives Institute brings together a small group of FARs from Division II conferences for advanced training and professional development.
Dr. Pollack, a professor of Service Learning and Director of the Service Learning Institute at CSUMB, is in his sixth year as the FAR for CSUMB athletics. – Oct. 29, 2012
VPA professor participates in international art exhibition Johanna Poethig, associate professor of painting in the Visual and Public Art Department and a nationally known muralist, was invited to participate in an international contemporary art exhibition in Tbilisi, Georgia.
The event, Artisterium 2012, included a series of public art events over 10 days in October. This year’s theme was “The Protest that Never Ends.”
Poethig gave a lecture/workshop on contemporary public art practices and community-based methodologies at the Tbilisi State Art Academy, and created a series of collaborative “tire totems” with students and passersby in a public market. – Oct. 23, 2012
MPA lecturer honored by composers group Dr. Lanier Sammons, a lecturer in the Music and Performing Arts Department, is the recipient of an ASCAP Plus Award in the concert music division.
The award is given by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and is based on the unique value of each composer’s catalog of original compositions as well as recent performances. – Oct. 12, 2012
Math professors win national award A paper by Judith Canner and Jon Detka has won the Dex Whittinghill Award for best contributed paper from the Mathematical Association of America’s special interest group for statistics education. The award will be presented at a conference in San Diego in January.
Their paper is entitled, “Using R in an Undergraduate Statistics Course."
“Since the fall of 2000, Judith and Jon have been redesigning and co-teaching Applied Statistics, by using R, an open resource for statistics,” said math department chair Dr. Hongde Hu. “The class is well received by the students, and the university’s statistics minor has been steadily growing since Judith joined CSUMB.” – Oct. 10, 2012
Filmmaker takes story of water to New York, Southern California audiences Most Californians are familiar with how struggles over water have shaped the modern American West.
Enid Baxter Blader will help to educate New Yorkers about that history on Sept. 28, when her video, “The West,” will be projected onto the Manhattan Bridge anchorage and archway. “The West” is an animation that presents a history of water engineering in California, a history that has determined the colonization and contemporary conditions of the western United States.
On Oct. 6, Blader’s Water, CA project will be featured in an exhibition at the Armory Center for Arts in Pasadena. “The West” will be projected and screened continuously in the museum's galleries. Also on display will be the Water, CA website and two paintings created for the museum. One shows California without water engineering (prior to dams) and the second is California with contemporary water projects in place. – Sept. 18, 2012
Professor named ‘Champion of the Arts’ The Arts Council for Monterey County will honor Dr. Renee Curry at its annual Champions of the Arts gala on Jan. 19.
Dr. Curry, a professor of English who teaches literary and film studies, will be honored in the professional category for her work as an arts advocate who was instrumental in bringing the CSU Summer Arts program to the Monterey Bay area. – Aug. 27, 2012
Representatives from the Food Bank for Monterey County loaded hundreds of pounds of canned goods into a delivery truck parked at Cal State Monterey Bay's World Theater on Nov. 15.
The haul – part of 1,400 pounds of people and pet food – was collected a few days earlier when the December People performed at the theater. To earn a discount off the ticket price for the Nov. 10 performance, the capacity crowd was asked to bring cans of food for people and pets.
The drive was a collaboration between the World Theater and radio station HIPPO 104.3 FM. The donations were given to the food bank, the local SPCA and the Santa Cruz animal shelter. Everything from canned vegetables and soup to pasta and grains to canned and dried dog food was collected in barrels in the lobby. The World Theater staff separated the donations and got them ready for pick up. The December People – Robert Berry, Gary Pihl, Dave Medd, Mike Vanderhule and Jack Foster – have been dubbed a “Christian contemporary Spinal Tap.” The group puts its own take on yuletide classics – think Led Zeppelin doing “Silent Night” or a Latin-fused Santana variation of “Deck the Halls.” This was the third year the group appeared at CSUMB. “Because of the fantastic audience response the last two years and the success of the food drive we launched, we brought December People back. The audience had an enthusiastic response to the performance and the special effects lighting show, and the food drive was a success once again,” said Joe Cardinalli, artistic and executive director, University Performances and Special Events. Hunger remains a persistent reality in the area. According to a 2010 study of hunger in Monterey County, approximately 88,700 different people are served annually by the Food Bank for Monterey County – one-fifth of the county’s population. Every week it serves approximately 10,800 people.
Learn more about the World Theater.
World AIDS Day, a global initiative to encourage countries and communities to take a stand against HIV/AIDS, will be commemorated on Dec. 1.
At CSU Monterey Bay, the observance has been expanded to a week of activities around the theme of "Getting to zero: We are our brothers' and sisters' keeper" – a reference to both the World Health Organization's theme and that of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. The theme was chosen to highlight the fact that the highest rates of new infections in the U.S. are in the African American community.
Events include:
• Nov. 26-28, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Free HIV testing available at the Campus Health Center. Results are avaailable in 30 minutes; counselors are available.
• Nov. 28, noon-2 p.m.: Showing of “Endgame – AIDS in Black America.” The film features personal stories from people with HIV including basketball legend Magic Johnson, and interviews with civil rights pioneer Julian Bond, health workers, activists and black pastors around the United States. Media Learning Complex, Room 118
• Nov. 28, 6-7:30 p.m.: Personal journeys with AIDS, featuring a conversation with speakers whose lives have been touched by the disease. University Center conference room
"With 33.3 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, the disease has become more than an illness. It’s a human rights issue." – Dr. Margaret Chan, director-general, World Health Organization
• Nov. 29, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Testing at the Village Project, 1069 Broadway, Seaside • Nov. 29, 7-9 p.m.: Open mic night: AIDS and the Spoken Word. Poets, rappers and spoken word artists are invited to bring their words – and their hearts – to the subject of HIV/AIDS. Service Learning Building (former Advising Building, Bldg. 44)
• Nov. 30, 2-3 p.m.: AIDS and social justice rally. Rally will include review of statistics and timeline, along with a facilitated discussion about AIDS and social justice and the reading of pledges and promises of how we can be our brother's keeper and get to zero; zero new infections, zero deaths. Student Center, West Lounge
• Nov. 30, 3:30-5 p.m.: AIDS Warrior Mobilization and Awareness. After the rally, volunteers will conduct an awareness campaign at locations in Salinas, Marina, Seaside and Monterey
• Nov 30, 6-8 p.m.: Showing of “And the Band Played On,” which tells the story of the discovery of the AIDS epidemic and the political infighting in the scientific community that hampered the early fight against it. University Center living room
•** Dec. 1**, 5-6 p.m.: Candlelight vigil, hosted by Out and About. Campus quad.
Events are sponsored by the university’s Health and Wellness Services, the Service Learning Institute, Campus Dining Services and AmeriCorps; presented by Black Students United, NAACP@CSUMB and Out and About; and supported by community partners Central Coast HIV/AIDS, African American HIV/Wellness and the Village Project.
For more information, to volunteer or to request disability accommodations, please contact Steven Goings, service opportunities coordinator, at 582-4659.
CSU Monterey Bay’s Visual and Public Art Department has collaborated with Marina High School to produce a second mural based on the school’s motto, Navigate the Future.
Last year, students from Professor Johanna Poethig’s painting and mural class exchanged ideas and drawings with the Marina High students. The result: a mural that featured a lighthouse and a yellow brick road with ancient footprints that lead to a universe of endless possibilities. The mural adorns a wall on the Marina campus.
This year, a high school student suggested that loggerhead turtles be incorporated into a second mural. The student pointed out that the turtles have an internal navigation system that allows them to use the earth’s magnetic field to find their way.
The mural includes four large turtles that were painted on non-woven media, attached to the wall with acrylic gel and painted into the scene.
The official unveiling took place on Dec. 11. Students and administrators from both schools were in attendance, along with alumni John Elliott and Roxana Keland.
Dr. Lanier Sammons, a lecturer in the Music and Performing Arts Department, will premiere some of his compositions on Dec. 5 at a free concert in the Music Hall. The performance will get under way at 8 p.m. “I have an ensemble of great musicians and they’ll be performing pieces I wrote for my dissertation” while a graduate student at the University of Virginia, he said. The performers, all active chamber musicians based in San Francisco, are Michael Straus (saxophone), Dana Jessen (bassoon), Kyle Bruckmann (oboe) and Giacomo Fiore (guitar). All the pieces are audience-interactive. “The audience is in some way vital to the performance of each piece. The pieces literally can’t be performed without the audience because they’re given a specific role to play,” he explained. That role varies. In a few pieces, the audience members improvise along with the ensemble. In one, the audience becomes the score for the ensemble. In another, a bank of sensors translates data about the audience and the performance environment into electronic sound. Dr. Sammons, a guitarist as well as a composer, teaches analogue mixing and digital editing, the MPA capstone class and organizes the MPA master class and lecture series.?? His music explores the intersection of popular and classical music and the pairing of electronic and acoustic sound, among other ideas. As a performer, he explores multiple genres on electric guitar, classical guitar and other instruments. Recently, Dr. Sammons was the recipient of an ASCAP Plus Award in the concert music division. The award is given by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and is based on the unique value of each composer’s catalog of original compositions as well as recent performances. According to the organization, the grants support the growth and development of the nation’s musical future.??This is his first semester at CSUMB. For more information, visit his website. Photo courtesy of Dr. Sammons
It’s been a busy year for CSUMB professor Umi Vaughan.
In April, his book, Carlos Aldama's Life in Batá: Cuba, Diaspora, and the Drum, was published. In October, the University of Michigan Press published his most recent work, Rebel Dance, Renegade Stance: Timba Music and Black Identity in Cuba. This month, Dr. Vaughan was invited by the Secretary of Culture in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, to participate in an event called the Encounter of Black Cultures, where he presented his work on the African Diaspora. He learned as much as he taught.
"I exchanged ideas with scholars and artists from Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela and Trinidad, to name a few countries," Dr. Vaughan said. "The Candombe drums from Uruguay were a revelation to me, another little known, very beautiful aspect of African Diaspora culture."
He also observed samba gatherings throughout the city of Salvador da Bahia and developed ideas to extend his research on collective action through music and dance.
"My friends handed me a bell and I played music in an Afro Brazilian drumming ceremony," he said. "And I met and learned from the famous Brazilian musician Carlinhos Brown.
“It was a great experience,” Dr. Vaughan said, “and may produce projects that involve collaboration between CSUMB and other international educational and cultural institutions.”
An anthropologist, musician, dancer and photographer, Dr. Vaughan is associate professor of Africana Studies at CSUMB, where he created an innovative course called Afro Cuba Hip Hop: Music and Dance in the Black Atlantic. It covers the social history and practice of music/dance styles from throughout the African Diaspora. He has conducted extensive anthropological research in Cuba about Afro Cuban music and dance, and has created numerous scholarly presentations, art exhibits and cultural events in the U.S. and abroad. He holds a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from the University of Michigan. Learn more about Dr. Vaughan on his website.
Learn more about Africana Studies at CSUMB. Read more faculty news.
Cal State Monterey Bay archeology professor Ruben Mendoza teamed with two students to land a National Endowment for the Humanities grant to teach educators from around the country about the history of California's missions.
Jewel-Sean Gentry and Jennifer Lucido helped Dr. Mendoza write the successful grant request for $177,000 to fund two workshops that will bring teachers to the Central Coast next summer.
“This was an amazing opportunity for us as students,” said Gentry, a Riverside native who is the president of the university’s Archaeology Club. “We worked a lot of long nights on this over the winter break.”
Visit the workshop website here.
Lucido, a Seaside native who graduated from CSUMB and now attends graduate school at Sonoma State, said, “As a student, particularly as an undergraduate, the opportunity to write and to assist in the organization of a grant is highly applicable to my field of study. That in itself was a fantastic learning experience. “However, to actually be awarded the grant is phenomenal. It not only adds to my professional experience and my credibility, but is an opportunity to promote the history of California at a significantly broader level.” Gentry, a returning student who had worked as a director in a vocational school in San Diego before enrolling at CSUMB to pursue an interest in archaeology, said the organizational skills he learned on the job served him well in helping bring the grant proposal together. “I think returning students are a great resource for the university. They bring different skill sets and experiences,” said Gentry, who said his decision to return to college was about “rebooting myself.” Dr. Mendoza, a founding faculty member at CSUMB, said the grant application was a team effort. He said Lucido and Gentry were very much co-authors of the grant as they helped bring together the many details of the proposal. The grant, through the NEH’s "Landmarks of American History and Culture" program, was one of only three awarded in California and 22 awarded nationwide. Dr. Mendoza (pictured at right) said the grant program was so competitive that he was worried all the work that the students had put in might end in disappointment. “When Sen. Boxer’s office called (to notify them of the grant approval), I couldn’t believe it. The fact that they were undergraduates who had played such an important role made it that much more exciting.” The workshop is entitled "The Fourteenth Colony: Native Californians, Missions, Presidios and Colonists on the Spanish Frontier, 1769-1848." Two separate week-long sessions, each serving 40 teachers, will be held at the Asilomar Conference Grounds next summer. Participants will visit Central Coast mission sites and the sessions will feature some of the most prominent Native California and California mission studies scholars in the country.
As word of the program has spread, Dr. Mendoza has received inquiries from teachers around the country who are interested in participating. The goal is to help the teachers incorporate the missions’ history into the lessons they teach their students. A supplemental grant awarded to Dr. Mendoza will make that easier. The extra money will be used to develop a website that will provide electronic resources for teachers. UPDATE: Visit the website here. Meanwhile, Gentry and Lucido are continuing their academic collaboration. They attended the recent American Anthropological Association meeting in San Francisco and presented their first conference paper together, “Children of St. Francis: New Perspectives In California Mission Studies.” *Photo: Dr. Ruben Mendoza*Read more faculty news
Ever wonder what it takes to be an entrepreneur???CSU Monterey Bay will be a great place to find out when the university hosts Startup Weekend Monterey Bay Jan. 25-27. Startup Weekend will connect local entrepreneurs, developers, designers and startup enthusiasts with mentors and resources. Throughout the course of this 54-hour event, attendees will share ideas, form teams and launch startups. ? “Startup Weekend is a great, safe experience to try being an entrepreneur,” said organizer Mary Jo Zenk. “This event will foster an innovating environment for entrepreneurs to share, vet and launch their ideas. “It’s like six months of entrepreneurship training in a weekend – and there’s no risk,” Zenk said. Here’s how it works: The weekend opens with open mic pitches on Friday, where attendees are encouraged to bring their best ideas and inspire others to join their team. You don't have to have an idea to attend. Teams organically form around the top ideas (as deemed by popular vote) and then it’s a 54-hour frenzy of business model creation, coding, designing and market validation.
On Sunday evening, teams demonstrate their prototypes in front of local entrepreneurial leaders with another opportunity for critical feedback.
Startup veterans and mentors – including faculty members and local entrepreneurs – will be on hand throughout the weekend to provide expertise and give talks on their experiences. The Institute for Innovation and Economic Development housed at CSUMB is organizing the event. Sponsors include the Business and Entrepreneurship Center at Cabrillo College, the Youth Entrepreneurship Program, the Monterey County Business Council and the Small Business Development Center. Participants must purchase a ticket prior to the event. Before Dec. 21, tickets are $75 or $39 for college students and include meals, snacks and parking. Register here.
For more information, contact Program Manager Mary Jo Zenk at (831) 582-3230 or mzenk@csumb.edu or their website.
*The Institute for Innovation and Economic Development (iiED) works with the Monterey County Business Council to continue expanding economic development services. iiED engages economic development organizations in project-based approaches that address the growing needs of Monterey Bay region and CSU Monterey Bay, to provide research and support to growing businesses. For more information on the Institute, visit innovation.csumb.edu.*
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When Inter-Garrison Road opens through to Reservation Road, CSUMB anticipates significant increases in non-campus commuter traffic. In order to address safety concerns, traffic calming measures were implemented during winter break.
Work is scheduled to start the week of Jan. 2.
These measures will serve to reduce vehicle speeds on main campus, improve bike and pedestrian safety and dissuade non-CSUMB commuters from using main campus roads for short cuts.
The measures to be installed include:
• Elevated crosswalks with painted markings, primarily on Inter-Garrison Road and Divarty Street. Includes added reflective signage for pedestrian crossings.
• Speed lumps on main campus roads, with grooves for bicycle traffic and emergency vehicle access.
• Speed humps in parking lot 201.
• Removal of six east-westbound stop signs on main campus on Inter-Garrison Road and Divarty Street. • Addition of flashing, solar-powered stop signs in the East Campus area, at Inter-Garrison/Abrams, Inter-Garrison/Schoonover, and Bunker Hill/Abrams intersections. • Radar speed signs with data collection capability along main, high-speed campus entry areas. • Bike and Pedestrian Safety Zone signage. • Non-CSUMB "through traffic" directional routing signage.
La Universidad Estatal de la Bahia de Monterey ha programado una serie de sesiones informativas para educar a los padres de familia sobre las actividades de sus hijos en la maxima casa de estudios de la Peninsula de Monterey. – KSMS (Univision), Nov. 13, 2012
The passage of Proposition 30 is good news for California because it averts cuts that would have crippled an educational system still reeling from earlier reductions. But even more important, it shows that Californians have come to recognize that continued investment in public education – including higher education – is critical to the future health and prosperity of our state. (op-ed by President Eduardo Ochoa) – The Salinas Californian, Nov. 16, 2012
Sarah Hollingsworth was lucky to land a good person to interview. As part of an ongoing oral history project CSU Monterey Bay is conducting in the Chinatown area of Salinas, Hollingsworth was assigned to talk to Dorothy Wallace, a 91-year-old resident of Italian and Swiss heritage. . . The interview is one of 27 that will be featured in an upcoming screening at the National Steinbeck Center. – Monterey Herald, Nov. 27, 2012
“By teaching, we touch the lives of other people.”
That simple statement explains why Javier Martinez-Cabrera decided to be a teacher.
It’s a sentiment shared by Cindy Fowles, who decided on her career path while still in high school. “My math teachers were amazing and I wanted to share that same passion with other students,” she said.
Martinez-Cabrera and Fowles are among five CSU Monterey Bay math majors to be awarded Robert Noyce Scholarships. Kim Margosian, Amanda Roggow and Brenda Valencia also received the awards. All but Roggow are seniors.
Funded by the National Science Foundation, the Noyce program awards scholarships to outstanding students who are committed to teach math once they earn a credential.
Martinez-Cabrera transferred to CSUMB from Cabrillo College in Aptos, where he has worked as a math tutor for seven years.
“I have been part of a wonderful team where I discovered that I wanted to be a teacher. I have been inspired by teachers at Cabrillo and at CSUMB,” he said before naming a long list of them.
“Math is a serious and challenging subject, and I want to be part of the success of the people who face this challenge in order to accomplish their dreams,” he said.
CSUMB awards five scholarships per year. Math majors starting in their junior year are eligible, as well as students in the math credential program. Recipients – who are chosen based on academic record and commitment to teaching – receive $10,000 per year for a maximum of three years. In exchange, they agree to teach for two years in a high-need school for every year of support they receive.
Congress passed the Robert Noyce National Math and Science Teachers Corps Act in 1990 as a tribute to the late Robert N. Noyce, co-inventor of the computer chip and founder of Intel. Learn more about the math program at CSUMB
The World Theater stage on the campus of CSU Monterey Bay will host a stellar selection of student films at this year’s Fall Capstone Festival, scheduled for two public screenings on Dec. 20 in the World Theater. The matinee showing will begin at 1 p.m.; the program repeats at 6 o’clock. Admission is free.
The Capstone Festival event will feature 13 professional-quality film productions spanning genres, including documentary, narrative and experimental works produced by students of CSUMB’s Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department.
The program includes Mattieu Mauthes’ THE TOME, a comedic romp through the daily life of a terminally-underemployed paranormal investigator, and Renee Infelise’s A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT, a short documentary featuring award-winning writer Dustin Lance Black speaking passionately about his politically-charged play “8.”
J. Beau Sandoval’s AGAINST THE ODDS is a compelling drama exploring the tensions between a father and daughter over her right to love whom she chooses, and Matthew DiPietro’s THE PEOPLE WATCHER is a short suburban thriller about a man whose park visits are interrupted by an ominous stranger.
Garrett Collins’ 20 MINUTES offers an unsettling glimpse into a dystopian future where population control occurs by lottery.
Leslie Juarez’s A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS offers an intimate portrait of a local breast cancer assistance group and Safeer Bhombal’s YELLOW PANTHERS documents the little-known history of the Asian American presence in the Black Panther Movement.
Seleena Tesfazgi’s HOW FAR IS HAVEN traces the perilous journey of a young girl’s flight across East African borders en route to the United States, and Carolyn Janis’ gripping drama WEDNESDAY follows another journey in which a mother’s desperate choices on one violent night lead her to escape with her young daughter into an unknown and uncertain future.
Kirsten Clapp’s SKINNY ON THE INSIDE is a serio-comic and poignant tale of female body dysmorphia and courage, and Austin Gavin’s AT EASE, SOLDIER lovingly portrays one of our community’s last family-owned and operated local bars for veterans and those who support them.
Lindsey Wallraff’s documentary GIVEN AWAY FOR LOVE is a powerful and poetic tale of self-discovery told through the voice of an adopted young woman, and Kevin Protz’s animated comedy NIGHT OF THE LIVING FOOD devilishly depicts a world of genetically “enhanced” fruits and vegetables running amuck in the streets.
Please note that some films in the program contain mature language or violence.
The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue, near the intersection with A Street. Parking is free on the adjacent lot.
For more information, contact Professor Karen Davis of the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department at kdavis@csumb.edu or 831-582-4396. For disability accommodations, e-mail jbenge@csumb.edu.
The event is co-sponsored by the Monterey Bay Film Society. View a photo gallery of stills from the films. View the campuswide Capstone Festival schedule. Learn more about Teledramatic Arts and Technology at CSUMB.
Image from Kevin Protz's animated comedy Night of the Living Food
So you have an idea better than Velcro but don't know how to make it stick. Maybe you need an entrepreneurial kick in the butt. That's where Startup Weekend comes in. This week, CSU Monterey Bay is hosting Startup Weekend Google boot camp, sponsored by the tech giant, to gear up for the big show happening at the university in January. – Monterey County Weekly, Nov. 29, 2012
Cientos de estudiantes de varias escuelas de Salinas recibieron la promesa de que habra un cupo para elios en la Universidad Estatal de la Bahia de Monterey si es que cumplen con los requisitos academicos de rigor. – KSMS-67, Nov. 29, 2012
The Monterey County Health Department and the Visiting Nurse Association will hold a free flu vaccine clinic on Dec. 12 at CSUMB’s library.
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., shots will be given in the classroom corridor on the west side of the library. No appointment is necessary.
The service is available for students, staff, faculty and the community.
Learn about flu symptoms and treatment Download a guide to flu prevention
Student-athletes at CSU Monterey Bay got into the holiday spirit by making cards for military members serving overseas.
“I think anytime we can find a way to thank our service men and women, we should jump at the opportunity,” said Angelina Orozco, an outfielder on the softball team and secretary of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
“These holiday cards were a small but personal and fun way for our SAAC reps to show that Otter Athletics supports our troops.” The cards will be sent to Soldiers’ Angels, a Pasadena-based nonprofit organization that supports members of the military.
Soldiers' Angels began when military mom Patti Patton-Bader discovered that her son's fellow soldiers were not receiving the home-front support they needed. It quickly spread from a mom and her circle of friends supporting one Army unit with care packages, to a worldwide organization with hundreds of thousand of volunteers supporting American service members of every branch in a myriad of ways. For more information on Soldiers Angels', visit soldiersangels.org.
Learn more about the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at CSUMB.
Photo at right: Soccer players Andrea Davis and Regan Porteous show off the cards they made
Carrie Drouin (HCOM ’03) has joined the Washington office of the Navajo Nation, where she serves as a government and legislative affairs associate.
She works on issues around health, housing, taxation and social services.
After earning a law degree at Golden Gate University, she was employed by DNA-People’s Legal Services, a nonprofit that provides free legal help in civil matters to low-income people in three Southwestern states and seven Native American nations.
DNA is an acronym for the Navajo phrase Dinébe’iiná Náhii?na be Agha’diit’ahii, which means “attorneys who work for the economic revitalization of The People.”
Drouin has certainly done that. During her time with the nonprofit, she traveled throughout the Southwest, making appearances on behalf of clients in tribal, state and federal courts. She assisted clients with problems relating to consumer issues, taxation, family, elder and employment law, and frequently made presentations to community groups on legal issues.
She led a team of attorneys in drafting the Model Tribal Consumer Code for the First Nations Development Institute.
She is licensed to practice law in the Navajo Nation, California, New Mexico and in U.S. Tax Court.
Originally from Lodi, Drouin first visited Fort Ord long before CSUMB existed.
“My dad was a Marine,” she said in an interview while still a student at CSUMB, “and we stayed in base housing when I was in sixth grade. We visited because my dad raced cars at Laguna Seca. I just really liked the area.”
After a rocky start, she came to love the university. “I got hooked,” she said. “The relationships with all the people I met, and in HCOM you get to know your professors. For students, there are so many opportunities to get involved, and I got involved.”
Did she ever: she was captain of the women’s rugby club, a member of the multicultural club, an orientation leader, student government judicial director and statewide affairs representative, and winner of the President’s Award for Exemplary Student Achievement the year is graduated.
She's no stranger to the nation's capital – while a student at CSUMB, she spent a semester in Washington, D.C., as a Panetta Congressional intern. Learn about the Alumni Association at CSUMB.
(Some information courtesy of the Navajo Nation Washington office)
Robert Danziger will be the keynote speaker at CSU Monterey Bay's 17th commencement ceremony, to be held May 18.
The Carmel resident received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from CSUMB in September 2011, in recognition of his accomplishments as a musician, inventor and sustainable energy pioneer.
Mr. Danziger worked at the California Institute of Technology’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he had a close-up look at one of the space age’s most ambitious projects, the Voyager exploration into deep space.
While still in his 20s, he founded Sunlaw Energy Corp. His goal was to research, develop, demonstrate and commercialize new energy and environmental technology.
He has been issued 10 patents, including one for a “walking chair,” which he uses to help overcome his own mobility issues.
And he’s a law school graduate, an artist and musician. His current project: rewriting Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, “coming at it from a jazz point of view,” he said.
The ceremony will be held at Freeman Stadium on the CSUMB campus. Approximately 1,300 students will receive bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Learn more about commencement. Photo: Mr. Danziger addresses the audience after receiving an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from CSUMB in September 2011
A pair of short films made on an iPhone have put a graduate of the Teledramatic Arts and Technology program at CSU Monterey Bay on the stage of the most prestigious film festival in the United States.
Robert Machoian will have two entries screened as part of the narrative short films program at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, Jan. 17-27.
The two are from a series Machoian calls Movies Made from Home.
He turned to his iPhone in part because it’s easier to use and in part because he thought there would be less pressure with the smaller format.
“The cameras are expensive and the production itself is a big ordeal to put together,” he said, describing the work he and his collaborator Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck have done over the last four years.
“I wanted to make a series of films that were free from expectations and magnitude. I would just make them because I love making films.”
When he shared them with a few people, “they seemed to really respond to them, so that motivated me to submit to Sundance. And – amazingly – they responded as well.”
But he’s not committed to the iPhone format. “Big productions are great and I hope to continue to work on big films. But it isn’t the size of the production that makes a film great or not great. It truly has to do with the story, the pacing, and that can be done in any format.”
"Kudos to a '25 New Face’ from 2010, Robert Machoian, who has two shorts playing in the short film program." – Filmmaker Magazine
According to a festival news release, 65 short films were selected from more than 8,000 submissions. “The short film section of the 2013 festival is comprised of bold works by adventurous filmmakers who have mastered creative ways to embody their unique perspectives in the short form onscreen,” said Trevor Groth, director of programming for the festival.
“The selections represent the immensely varied and dynamic approaches to storytelling that will inspire audiences with their huge accomplishments within a limited time frame.”
Machoian, a native of King City, graduated from CSUMB in 2007, went on to earn a master of fine arts degree from UC Davis and is now a lecturer at Sacramento State and at UC Davis. He lives in Davis.
It’s the third time in four years that CSUMB graduates have had films shown at Sundance. In 2010, “Charlie and the Rabbit,” by Machoian and fellow alum Ojeda-Beck, was selected for the short film program. In 2011, “Prairie Love,” produced by 2003 graduate Doug Mueller, was screened in the NEXT category, for innovative and original work on a budget of less than $500,000.
“I learned a lot from my first trip to Sundance,” Machoian said. “One is that it’s extremely addicting. Once you get into Sundance, you’re just gonna want to get in all the time.”
And since Sundance attracts the top filmmakers, it’s important “to introduce yourself and find others with the same sensibilities because in time we may be working on projects together or in search of someone to do a project with.
“And the people you meet at Sundance are the people you should seriously consider working with,” he said.
For more information, visit the festival website.
Learn more about the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department at CSUMB.
California State University, Monterey Bay’s fall Capstone Festival will be held Dec. 20 and 21 at locations around campus. The public is invited. In order to graduate from CSUMB, all students are required to do capstones – research or creative projects. The projects require students to pull together, synthesize and apply years of learning. As part of the process, students must publicly present their work. During the Capstone Festival, the campus takes on the feel of an intellectual marketplace. In various locations, students in all academic disciplines present their work. For example, biology and kinesiology students make poster presentations; teams of business students present strategic plans for local companies and organizations; music students give mini recitals; and students majoring in Teledramatic Arts and Technology screen their projects. The film students will show their work at 1 and again at 6 p.m. on Dec. 20 in the World Theater. For a schedule of times and locations, visit csumb.edu/capstone. Driving directions and a campus map can be found here. Visitors must purchase a parking permit from dispensers located on the parking lots.
CSU Monterey Bay will close at 5 p.m. on Dec. 21 and remain closed through Jan. 1 in observance of the holidays. The campus will reopen at 8 a.m. on Jan. 2. ??
Spring semester move-in day for Main Campus residence halls is Jan. 18. Classes will start on Jan. 22.
For the record, the Mayans never predicted an apocalypse for Dec. 21, 2012, according to CSU Monterey Bay professor Ruben Mendoza, an anthropologist and archaeologist. Mendoza taught the course "Ancient Mayan Civilizations" this fall. – Monterey Herald, Dec. 14, 2012
Un nuevo grado academico conjunto que anunciaron el jueves pasado promete permitir que los estudiantes se conviertan en cientificos de informatica en tan solo 36 meses. – El Sol, Dec. 15, 2012
Barbara Sayad, a lecturer in the Health, Human Services and Public Policy Department at CSUMB, took sixth gradrs at Carmel Middle School on a virtual tour of Nepal, when she shared her experiences from a trip she took to the Asian country. – Monterey Herald, Dec. 18, 2012
What do Gabriel Garcia Marquez, submarine canyons and the Chinese economy have in common?
They are among the classes that will be offered this semester through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – OLLI – at California State University, Monterey Bay.
OLLI continues its sixth year with a diverse range of courses and speakers specifically geared for those 50 and better.
OLLI at CSU Monterey Bay, with support from the Bernard Osher Foundation, is part of a national network that recognizes learning and exploration have no age limits. Members are inspired to take a fresh look at themselves, their world and the possibilities that await them.
A highlight of this semester’s offerings is a five-session class on “Joseph Campbell: Nature, Myth and Art,” taught by Susan Shillinglaw, a professor of English at San Jose State University and scholar in residence at the National Steinbeck Center.
Among the course offerings are several writing classes; the “Good Reads” book club; a look at human health and environmental chemicals; the journals and art of Jo Mora; political conflict in cinema (taught at the Carl Cherry Center in Carmel); and gender in American culture.
Continuing this semester is a two-session Marine Science Series that will cover the deep mystery of submarine canyons and the evolution of the marine mammals of Central California. Both will be taught by Dr. Ed Clifton, a geologist who spent his career with the U.S. Geologial Survey.
Former Assemblymember Fred Keeley is back with a two-session class, The New California: Is Real Change In Our Future? The class will take a look at the reforms voters sought and the changes those reforms have brought about.
The lineup also includes the three-session OLLI Author Series: The Story Behind the Story, and a Friday lecture series examining issues of our time. Both are free.
Individual class offerings can be purchased, or attendees can sign up for an annual membership – which includes tuition for six classes for $180, or four classes for $120. An all-inclusive membership is available for $210, which includes an unlimited number of courses. Memberships include discounts on campus events and other benefits.
For more information or to register for classes, call 582-5500 or visit OLLI online.
Standing in front of 50 middle school students, CSU Monterey Bay Professor Hongde Hu demonstrated the solution to a math problem as though he were decoding the collective wisdom of the universe. The class was part of the annual Algebra Academy sponsored by Graniterock, which took place over the students’ winter break. Youngsters from Aromas and Rolling Hills middle schools volunteered to attend. Four days of classes were held at the company’s corporate headquarters in Watsonville. The fifth day, a Friday, saw the students visit CSUMB, where they spent time in a math classroom playing a game called “Survivor: Math Camp” that called on the skills they learned earlier in the week. They also got a tour of campus, had lunch in the dining hall and learned what they have to do to prepare for college. The academy concluded on Jan. 5 back in Watsonville with a graduation ceremony and awards presentation to the top 10 students. Watsonville Mayor Lowell Hurst attended. For the third year, Graniterock provided the class materials, stipends for the teaching assistants and snacks for the students. CSUMB provided the instructors, four teaching assistants and the curriculum. Dr. Hu supplied the energy and enthusiasm to captivate the middle schoolers.
?After Friday’s session, he proudly pointed out how quickly the students absorbed the lessons, covering review material in two days, and then going on to new material. “It was a great group of students,” he said. “They got it from the first day.” That allowed him to present material he called a “stretch,” high school-level concepts he introduced to give them an idea of the fun that’s in store if they stick with the subject.
“It gives them momentum for when they go back to their regular classroom,” he said.
Rolling Hills math teacher Nicholas Bugayong, who has helped with the academy for the last three years, has seen a noticeable difference in his students when they return to his class.
“They can go a lot faster,” he said. “They have something to pull from.” A comparison of pre-course and post-course assessment tests confirmed that; student scores improved 25.8 percent.
Dr. Hu said his job is to inspire students, to show them they can crack the mysteries of math. He’s quick to add that he’s not just teaching math. “We are teaching habits of mind,” he said. “I want to make these students good citizens as well as good students.
New research examining 24,000 students in two dozen California school districts finds that students already doing well in math in the seventh grade are more likely to take advanced math courses in high school and meet college entrance requirements. But for many students who struggle with math in grade seven, there is no clear path to learning and achievement. Dr. Hu uses math games, engaging presentations and curriculum he has been refining for years to reach those youngsters. Students who fail algebra and repeat the course are likely to fail again, a vicious cycle that wastes learning time and resources. That’s according to a study that was commissioned by the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning at WestEd and released in November. The Sacramento nonprofit focuses on policies and practices to improve teaching. (Read the WestEd report here.) And that reinforces a point Dr. Hu makes every chance he gets. Algebra is “the gateway” to studies in college, he says. “Without it, there’s no way students continue.”
Learn more about the math program at CSUMB.
CSU Monterey Bay can claim to be one of the best places to work in the county – for the third time in five years.
That’s according to the Monterey County Business Council’s "Best Places to Work" study. The purpose of the program is to provide vital information to local companies about the practices they use to attract and retain talented employees. CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa accepted the award at a luncheon on Aug. 23 at the Beach Resort Monterey.
Personal Dynamics Consulting of Florida designed a 40-question survey used to identify the top employers. Turnover rates, spending on employee development, insurance packages and retirement plans were among the 37 measurements used to determine the area's "Best Places to Work." Six employers were honored. In addition to CSUMB, Whitson Engineers, Kennedy Archer and Giffen, Allterra Solar, Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority and the Hyatt Regency Monterey were honored.
CSUMB was named a Best Place to Work in 2008 and 2010.
CSU Monterey Bay students will observe Martin Luther King’s birthday on Jan. 21 by participating in a march in Seaside and helping with a food and clothing drive in Marina.
??That day will also mark the start of the university's King/Chavez Semester of Service Challenge, a 70-day community service drive that will run through Cesar Chavez Day, March 31.
The Purposeful Service Opportunities program, a joint project of the AmeriCorps VIP program and CSUMB's Service Learning Institute, will coordinate the drive. Students can select from a list of volunteer opportunities or come up with their own. The theme for this year’s challenge is “What Are You Doing for Others?,” and involves a friendly competition among student clubs, Greek organizations, athletic teams and residence halls to document 5,000 hours of service. An awards presentation and celebration will be held on April 26, Global Youth Service Day. This year, extra points will be awarded for uploading photos to a Facebook page that show volunteers in CSUMB attire or colors at work. Extra points will also be awarded for philanthropic efforts, such as fundraisers and food drives, and for civic engagement, such as participation in student government and attendance at city council meetings. Registration, contest rules and point system can be found here. Learn more about CSUMB's Service Learning Institute.
Briana Cagle was one of the lucky ones.
Unlike some of her classmates, Cagle didn’t have to get up at 4 a.m. to find her laptop and log on to join a conversation with seven students from the Middle East, Europe and the U.S. Her sessions started at the relatively late hour of 8:30.
Using video conferencing technology and the resources of the nonprofit organization Soliya, the junior Global Studies major talked with other university students about issues that sometimes divide the West from the Arab and Muslim world.
The weekly two-hour sessions throughout the fall 2012 semester covered a wide variety of “touchy” topics, Cagle said. “It turned out to be a safe place to talk about difficult issues.
“Talking about women’s rights in the Middle East compared to the West was a topic that interested me,” Cagle said. “And focusing on 9/11 and the true motive of this event. It was amazing to hear what people from Egypt and Pakistan had to say.”
Cagle was one of 14 students in Dr. Naseem Badiey’s class, Global Studies 349: The West/Arab/Muslim World, who participated in Soliya’s Connect Program, the third time it has been offered at CSU Monterey Bay.
Dr. Badiey’s class examined the history and contemporary politics of the Middle East/Arab/Islamic world and relations with the West. Most students signed up for the class in part because they knew they could participate in the Soliya program.
Keith Williams, a junior Global Studies major, was drawn to the class because of the experience of a friend who lives in Cairo. “She loves it. Her experience with Arabs is a stark difference from the depictions of Arabs by the U.S. media,” he said.
Williams said most of his group’s discussions centered on geopolitical issues; the topic that resonated with him the most was Israel.
“When we decided to talk about Israel, I was thinking about the displaced Palestinians,” Williams said. “Our Arab participants were thinking about the fear of Israeli invasion and military force.”
Other students said their conversations included issues that provoked strong feelings. Some weeks the topic was American foreign policy. The presidential election came in for much comment.
Discussions were civil, because “everyone was extremely open-minded. There were some disagreements . . . but everyone seemed to respect the opposing view and tried to understand it instead of arguing with the person,” Cagle said. “It was a great space to be open and honest.”
Soliya was founded in 2003. The name comes from sol, the Latin word for sun, and iyaa’, Arabic for beam of light. It works to bridge cultural divides by helping students increase their knowledge of other countries and cultures and by motivating them to examine their own assumptions and question their own beliefs.
Soliya’s Connect Program, according to its website, helps students develop 21st century skills such as critical thinking, cross-cultural communication and media literacy. Since it started, it has linked students from more than 100 universities in 27 countries in the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, Europe and North America. Soliya trains facilitators, who are recruited from former student participants, to moderate the discussions.
In addition to the weekly video session, Dr. Badiey’s class met for two hours to talk among themselves about what they had discussed during their video chats. At one of the Monday afternoon meetings, Thomas Hughes related how one member of his group from Egypt talked about how, at his university, tuition had been raised. That led to protests – and was a topic the CSUMB students could relate to.
Each semester concludes with a hands-on media project in which students use stock news footage and simple video-editing software to produce short news segments. The video project teaches practical media production and media literacy skills, while encouraging students to consider the impact of media bias on cross-cultural relations.
Now that the class is over, Cagle said she has a different frame of reference for how she looks at people from the Middle East.
“Talking with people in the Middle East has opened up my mind to levels unimaginable,” she said. “It’s so cool to say that I have friends in Egypt and Pakistan, real friends I could actually visit and have been encouraged to.
“I see them as people instead of someone so different.”
Williams has a different take on the experience.
“My fellow participants in Soliya turned out exactly as I expected,” he said. “Take my friend from Pakistan, for example. He wakes up, goes to class, studies at the library, grabs a bite to eat, does some homework, goes to work, watches TV, goes to sleep and starts over in the morning.
“Sounds a lot like our lives, don’t you think?,” Williams asked.
He added, “I talked to real people who lived real lives just like mine. I’ve never felt more connected to mankind and I can’t wait to travel to the countries of my new friends.”
Learn about the Global Studies program at CSUMB.
Tariq Abdul-Wahad, better known as Olivier Saint-Jean, is rapturous in his praise of his former coach Doc Rivers. His enthusiasm for Rivers is matched only by his devotion to CSUMB women's coach Renee Jimenez, who he worked for at CSUMB. "She's better than some of the NBA coaches I had," he said. – San Jose Mercury News, Jan. 12, 2013
Speaking in quick, short sentences, Katherine Canul strikes you as a determined and focused young woman. Canul, 21, a biology major at CSU Monterey Bay who has been accepted to the University of California, San Francisco medical school, confirms she is, but it wasn't always that way. – Monterey Herald, Jan. 8, 2013
The days usually reserved for relaxation and chores will be used for serious innovation in two weeks at CSU Monterey Bay. – Monterey Herald, Jan. 12, 2013
CSUMB will offer two graduate programs fully online, with the first one starting in May. The online program makes classes more accessible to students no matter where those students are located. – KSBW, Jan. 14
Deborah Miranda, a member of the Ohlone Costanoan Esselen Nation, will give a presentation at CSU Monterey Bay on Jan. 24. The public is invited to the free event.
Dr. Miranda will read from her new book, “Bad Indians: A Tribal Memoir.” The book, part tribal history, part lyric, part intimate memoir – should be required reading for anyone interested in California Indian history. She tells stories of her family as well as the experience of other California Indians through oral histories, newspaper clippings, recordings, personal reflections and poems.
The result is a work of literary art that is wise, angry and playful all at once.
In the book, she says: “If we allow the pieces of our culture to lie scattered in the dust of history, trampled on by racism and grief, then yes, we are irreparably damaged. But if we pick up the pieces and use them in new ways that honor their integrity, their colors, textures, stories—then we do those pieces justice, no matter how sharp they are, no matter how much handling them slices our fingers and makes us bleed.” A California native, Dr. Miranda is an associate professor of English at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va., where she teaches creative writing, Native American literatures, poetry and composition.
She is the author of two poetry collections, Indian Cartography and The Zen of La Llorona. Her collection of essays, The Hidden Stories of Isabel Meadows and Other California Indian Lacunae, will be published by the University of Nebraska Press.
The presentation will be held at 6 p.m. in Room 120 of the Student Center, located on Inter-Garrison Road near Fifth Avenue. A book signing will follow the presentation. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map. While the event is free, attendees must purchase a $2 parking permit.
The Otter Cross Cultural Center is the event sponsor. For more information or to make disability-related accommodations, call Tim Bills at 582-4645 or e-mail tbills@csumb.edu
A searing indictment of the ravages of the past and a hopeful look at the courage to confront and overcome them. — Kirkus Reviews
Six CSUMB marine science students have earned awards from the CSU for their research projects. The Council on Ocean Affairs, Science and Technology – COAST – awards $3,000 to CSU graduate students and $1,500 to undergraduates to stimulate interest in marine-science careers, help them develop the skills needed to work in those fields and support faculty research.
COAST is the CSU-wide group for marine and coastal-related activities. It promotes multi-campus collaborations with the goal of advancing knowledge of California’s coastal and marine resources and supporting related research. Will Fennie, a CSUMB graduate student at Moss Landing Marine Labs, said he applied for the award to fund his research and to practice applying for grants. “It’s a very important skill to learn for both students and scientists,” said Fennie, who is studying the impact of climate change on rockfish. The COAST award is also funding research in the ichthyology lab at Moss Landing being done by CSUMB student Jenny Bigman. Bigman is studying the dietary habits of North Pacific spiny dogfish – a spotted shark found cruising around rocky reefs and sandy bottoms of the North Pacific. She said her research can help develop plans to manage how the shark is fished. “The awards are intended to alleviate some of the financial burden our students face as they pursue their degrees,” said COAST director Krista Kramer. “If we can provide them with some relief and allow them to focus more wholly on their research, that’s a success.” Awards winners: Twenty-eight undergraduate proposals were submitted; seven were selected for funding. Three of the seven came from CSUMB. They are: • Emily Aiken, Advisor: Dr. James Lindholm? Native crab, Cancer gracilis, may affect the spread of the invasive bryozoan Watersipora subtorquata • Alexandria Blackwell, Advisor: Dr. Cheryl Logan ?Assessment of thermal tolerance and adaptive ability of Mytilus californianus • Carley Turner, Advisor: Dr. Jonathon Stillman, SFSU? Thermal sensitivity of heat shock protein gene expression in newly settled porcelain crabs Three of the 10 graduate student winners also came from CSUMB. They are: • Jennifer Bigman, Advisor: Dr. David Ebert (MLML) ?Food web of Monterey Bay: insights through stable isotope analysis • Hamilton Fennie, Advisor: Dr. Scott Hamilton (MLML) Tthe effects of ocean acidification on juvenile rockfish olfactory abilities and their detection of predators • Mary McCormick, Advisor: Dr. Corey Garza ?The value of habitat diversity in marine reserves: spiny lobster and sheephead use of the intertidal zone at the Santa Catalina Island Marine Protected Area
CSUMB offers a master of science degree in marine science through Moss Landing Marine Labs and is the closest of the seven CSU consortium campuses affiliated with MLML.
Learn about the undergraduate marine science program at CSUMB.
Photo: Will Fennie collecting juvenile rockfish (photo by Scott Hamilton, courtesy of Moss Landing Marine Labs)
Some information for this story came from Jacque Orvis, science communications intern at Moss Landing Marine Labs
California State University campuses throughout the state are holding candle-lighting events this month to send a message of support, understanding and comfort to those who have been impacted by suicide or other mental health-related challenges.
The community is invited to attend Cal State Monterey Bay’s event from 7 to 9 p.m., Oct. 14, on the campus quad. It will be an opportunity to light a candle, write a message, pick up information and help to create a thousand lights for all of us.
Why light a candle? Can a candle really say something or change anything?
Yes.
“This candle will be your voice in the darkness for those who feel misunderstood, alone, ashamed, guilty, sad or hopeless,” said Gary Rodriguez, health promotion and prevention specialist at CSUMB. “It will say, ‘You matter to me. I may not know exactly what to say or what to do, but here is what my heart wants to say.’ ”
Rodriguez points out that the pain, isolation, suffering and other effects of mental health problems will be most effectively reduced by a caring, informed and connected community. “We are creating a strong, unified statement through the thousands of lights,” he said.
For more information, contact Rodriguez at 582-4437.
The Marina Skate Park is now adorned with a bright new mural, courtesy of Matt Floriani and his capstone project.
Marina Youth Arts, a non-profit organization that offers after-school arts programs for children, provided funding for materials. Floriani worked with students from the Marina Teen Center and the nearby Los Arboles Middle School.
He is one of 31 capstone students in this year’s graduating class of Visual and Public Art majors.
View a video of three VPA students talking about their capstone projects.
Find a schedule for this year's Capstone Festival.
In recognition of his work to promote service learning and community-campus partnerships throughout the Monterey Bay and Salinas Valley, Seth Pollack has been named winner of the 2013 Richard E. Cone Award by California Campus Compact.
For more than 15 years, Dr. Pollack has been director of CSU Monterey Bay’s Service Learning Institute. He has helped the university become a national leader in service learning and civic engagement.
“Service learning and partnerships are part of the very fiber of our being as a campus, and that is due in large part to the continued leadership on the part of Dr. Pollack,” said CSUMB Provost Kathy Cruz-Uribe.
CSUMB is the only two-time recipient of the White House President’s Award for Community Service in Higher Education (2006 and 2011), given each year to the six top programs in the nation by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
The university has earned recognition for embedding service learning in the core curriculum as an academic requirement. As a result, nearly 50 percent of CSUMB students perform service learning each year, working in partnership with 500 local schools, government agencies and nonprofit organizations in the region. Last school year, more than 2,200 CSUMB students provided approximately 68,000 hours of service to 180 organizations.
One example of Dr. Pollack’s leadership in community-university partnerships is CSUMB’s involvement in the Salinas Chinatown Renewal Project. Since 2006, more than 1,200 students and 20 faculty members have participated in this community-based effort to revitalize the Chinatown neighborhood of Salinas.
Working with the cultural communities of Chinatown and homeless-serving agencies, CSUMB has offered job training and computer literacy classes at the Soledad Street Community Learning Center; created a 30,000 square foot community garden; and collected more than 100 oral histories of the Chinese, Japanese and Filipino families who previously resided in the neighborhood, along with hundreds of historic photos and artifacts. The oral histories and artifacts will form the basis of the new Chinatown Community Center and Museum, currently being established in the newly renovated Republic Café on Soledad Street.
“In addition to being a passionate and skillful community leader and an expert in his field, he has worked tirelessly to promote service learning and community engaged scholarship to administrators, faculty, students and community partners, with impressive results,” said Elaine Ikeda, executive director of California Campus Compact.
Dr. Pollack holds a Ph.D. in international development education and a master’s in organizational sociology from Stanford University, and a B.A. in international affairs from the University of Colorado.
"I am really proud to receive this award, as it honors the exceptional work we are doing at CSUMB. It is such a benefit to be working at an institution that has embraced civic engagement as a core component of the academic program,” Dr. Pollack said.
“I can see the difference that it makes on our students, as they begin to discover that they can be a positive impact on people's lives. Slowly, that will transform our entire region!"
Richard E. Cone directed the Joint Educational Project at the University of Southern California for 25 years before his retirement in 2002. He has been an influential voice in the national dialogue on civic engagement and service learning since the 1970s. California Campus Compact presented Dick Cone the first Richard E. Cone Award for Excellence and Leadership in Cultivating Community Partnerships in Higher Education in 1999. Since then, the award has been given annually to a person who has made significant contributions to the development of partnerships between institutions of higher learning and communities – partnerships through which student learning and the quality of life in communities are simultaneously improved.
Learn about CSUMB's Service Learning Institute
Learn more about the Chinatown Renewal Project
California State University, Monterey Bay will be among the first CSU campuses to offer degrees through the new Cal State Online, an initiative intended to expand access to fully online bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Programs offered through CSUMB include:
• Master of Science in Instructional Science and Technology (MIST)
The MIST program is a 36-unit program intended for classroom teachers, corporate trainers and e-learning developers who want to learn how to enhance learning with advanced technology. The interdisciplinary program integrates information technology, instructional design and learning sciences and is designed for those working in the areas of teaching, instructional design and training. Classes start Sept. 2. Two courses will be offered during each eight-week session over the 16 months of study. Find more information here.
• Master of Science in Management and Information Technology (MSMIT)
The MSMIT program prepares leaders and managers in technology-focused business units, corporations, organizations and entrepreneurial ventures. The interdisciplinary program integrates information technology with business management. It is designed to cultivate the next generation of leaders in technology management such as chief technology officers and high-tech entrepreneurs. Classes start Sept. 2. One course will be offered during each eight-week session over the 20 months of study. Find more information here.
Applications are now being accepted for both programs. Students can apply to these and a variety of other bachelor’s and master’s program online.
Cal State Online offers students the ability to learn on their time, from anywhere, without having to put their career or family life on hold. It offers one-on-one attention from faculty and staff members in a supportive learning environment.
Programs will initially operate on a self-supporting basis, with tuition set at competitive market levels. Financial aid is available.
For more information, visit the website or call 1-800-247-5268 to speak with a Cal State Online coach.
The university has offered an online MBA program since 2008.
The community is invited to celebrate Black History Month with Step Afrika when the group visits CSU Monterey Bay on Feb. 21.
Stepping is a unique dance tradition created by African American college students. The body is used as an instrument to create intricate rhythms and sounds through a combination of footsteps, claps and spoken word.
The tradition grew out of the song and dance rituals practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities in the early 1900s. Moviegoers got their first glimpse of stepping in Spike Lee's 1988 film "School Daze.”
According to Jacqui Malone, a professor of dance at the City University of New York, stepping is a rising art form and an important part of America’s artistic and cultural heritage. In her book, “Steppin’ on the Blues,” she says stepping is “one of the most exciting dance forms to evolve in the 20th century.”
As the first professional company devoted to stepping, Washington, D.C.-based Step Afrika brings high-energy performance to the stage: a feast for both the eyes and the ears.
The performance will start at 7 p.m. in CSUMB’s World Theater, located on Sixth Avenue near A Street. Tickets are $15 and are available by calling the box office at 582-4580 or onli ne. Seating is general admission.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here. The event is sponsored by the Otter Student Union, Associated Students and the Otter Cross Cultural Center.
*Stepping is tap dance without tap shoes, James Brown without the music of the JBs, Cab Calloway sans piano, a marching band without John Philip Sousa. It is jazz, funk, rhythm and blues, and rap without instruments. Stepping is lean and mean. The music comes from the synchronized interplay of hands and feet, from chants and hollers. It is a way to make music using the body as instrument. * – Jill Nelson, The Washington Post
CSUMB picks up big win over defending conference champs UC San Diego Renee Jimenez's mentor when she got into coaching was Stanford Hall of Fame coach Tara VanDerveer. – Monterey Herald, Jan. 19, 2013
What started as a community garden in the Chinatown neighborhood of Salinas has blossomed into the Salinas-Marina Community Food Project. . . The Chinatown Community Garden sprouted first, created by California State University, Monterey Bay's Service Learning Institute as part of a more holistic community plan for addressing homelessness and urban revitalization. – The Lakeland (Fla.) Ledger, Jan. 22, 2013
Jessica Watson, a December graduate of CSU Monterey Bay’s Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy masters program, has been selected as a California Sea Grant State Fellow. The State Fellows Program provides an opportunity for graduate students who are interested in marine resources and in the policy decisions affecting those resources to get real-world experience. The program matches students with hosts in California state agencies for up to a year.
Watson’s assignment takes her to Oakland, where she’ll work with the California Coastal Conservancy on efforts to help the state prepare for climate change.
“I will be researching the most urgent management challenges, and the needs for funding or technical assistance to support climate change adaption,” Watson said.
Each of this year’s 13 State Fellows will receive a stipend of $3,300 per month.
"Jessica has been with us since her undergraduate years," said Dr. James Lindholm, director of CSUMB's Institute for Applied Marine Ecology. "She has been working at the interface of science and policy as a scientist. The Sea Grant Fellowship will offer her an exceptional opportunity to view the process from the other side. We are very excited for her."
In addition to the Coastal Conservancy, this year's host agencies include the California Natural Resources Agency, the Delta Science Program, NOAA's Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, the state Coastal Commission and the State Water Resources Control Board, among others.
This year’s fellows come from the disciplines of marine biology, physical oceanography, paleogeology, fish physiology, environmental toxicology and marine resource management It is the largest class since the fellowship program began in 1987.
Learn about the Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy program here.
For years, Professor Rina Benmayor’s students at CSU Monterey Bay have worked to preserve memories of the residents of Salinas.
Students in her Oral History and Community Memory service learning classes have designed, conducted and archived oral histories focused on life stories and Chinatown memories of members of the Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, and Latino communities. They have also recorded memories of Salinas residents during key moments of 20th century history.
The work continued this semester with two projects that will be screened for the public, free of charge.
At 2 p.m., Dec. 9, interviews with homeless people and service providers who work with them will be screened at the Republic Cafe. They talked about the future of Chinatown and about the café as a cultural center and museum. At 2 p.m., Dec. 11, excerpts of seven video interviews will be screened at the National Steinbeck Center. The interviews are intended to document and preserve residents’ memories of coming to Salinas and the impact of World War II on individuals and the community. The stories deal with native culture, the Alisal, the USO and Main Street. Reservations are requested and can be made by contacting Elizabeth Welden-Smith at Elizabeth@steinbeck.org or 775-4728. The center is located at One Main St., Salinas.
View a photo essay from Super Sunday L isten to an NPR report here
Super Sunday encourages more students to enroll
CSU Monterey Bay President Eduardo Ochoa and Provost Kathy Cruz-Uribe will be featured speakers at predominantly black churches to spread the word about the importance of going to college.
On Feb. 17, President Ochoa will address the congregation at Greater Victory Temple at 11:05 a.m. The previous day, Dr. Ronnie Higgs, vice president for Student Affairs, will visit the Seaside Community Seventh-Day Adventist church for a 10:50 a.m. presentation.
They will discuss the importance of getting a college degree for today’s competitive job market, when to start planning for college, programs offered at CSUMB, financial aid and parent involvement.
Following the services, staff members from CSUMB and church education advisers will provide information on the application and admission process, including virtual tours through CSUmentor, the website that helps students apply for college.
One of the publications to be distributed during the visits is the “How to Get to College” poster, which provides middle and high school students and their parents with step-by-step information on the path to college. Members of each congregation also will hear about the CSU’s Early Assessment Program, a program enabling 11th graders to gauge their college readiness in English and math long before applying to the CSU.
As the CSU system's outreach has grown, CSU staff members and church education liaisons have continued meeting to further develop ways to communicate with the African American community. Financial aid workshops, distribution of college materials to sixth through 12th-grade students and their parents, and the development of a how-to-guide for church educational advisers who work directly with families are among the programs that have been implemented.
CSU Chancellor Timothy White will participate in this year’s Super Sunday events when he visits a church in Bakersfield on Feb. 17. His visit is one of 100 Super Sunday visits organized by the CSU at predominantly African American churches all over the state.
Now in its seventh year, Super Sunday is part of an educational outreach led by the CSU African American Initiative – a partnership with churches – to increase college preparation, student enrollment and graduation rates among African American students.
For more information, contact CSUMB’s Office of Admissions at 582-3738.
Starting this semester, six mental health clinicians at the Cal State Monterey Bay counseling center are participating in a five-year study on implementing evidence-based treatment to help students with depression and eating disorders.
CSUMB is one of 24 universities nationwide that are participating in the study, which is funded through a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health. Stewart Agras, a professor of psychiatry at Stanford University’s School of Medicine and a leading researcher in the field of eating disorders, is overseeing the study.
The purpose of the research study, “Implementation of Evidence-Based Treatments for On-Campus Eating Disorders,” is to determine whether high-intensity implementation methods will prove superior to low-intensity approaches in improving patient outcomes.
“What this will allow our therapists to do is to receive training in this specific therapy model and to determine if it helps our students,” said Caroline Haskell, the founding director of the Personal Growth and Counseling Center (PGCC). Haskell currently oversees all of Health and Wellness Services at Cal State Monterey Bay. Approximately 36-50 students at CSUMB with an eating disorder or depression will be assigned to therapists following the clinical protocol currently in practice at the PGCC. Therapists will then receive training in the implementation of Interpersonal Psychotherapy and utilize this treatment method with their students. During the course of the study, analysis of these different clinical approaches will help determine which is more effective. Haskell said that the opportunity for six CSUMB clinicians to be trained at no cost in this treatment method is a major benefit of participating in the study. Depression and eating disorders both rank among the top five mental health issues seen by clinicians at the counseling center. “In the early years, eating disorders were almost exclusively a female problem,” Haskell said. “But in recent years, we have seen a considerably larger percentage of males who present with disordered eating.” Haskell said the university has also received a grant from the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA), which is funded by Proposition 63. The grant will support curriculum development and training, peer-to-peer support programs and suicide prevention. The CSU applied for and received a $6.9 million grant which was allocated across the 23 campuses. This three-year grant will assist in the integration of campus police, student services and community resources to help identify students with potential mental health issues and offer early intervention. The Personal Growth and Counseling Center, located in the Health and Wellness Services building at the corner of General Jim Moore and Inter-Garrison Road, offers a variety of services, including individual and group counseling, workshops and classes. Its website also includes links to information for parents, faculty and staff on mental health care, student referrals and available services.
Cal State Monterey Bay alum Ben Mayberry arrived in New Orleans almost a week before his San Francisco 49er colleagues Colin Kaepernick, Michael Crabtree and Patrick Willis. As a graphic designer and member of the 49ers marketing team, Mayberry is the artist behind the Quest for Six graphics that have been building excitement for a Niners Super Bowl run.
“It’s crazy being here for the Super Bowl,” says Mayberry. “It’s unbelievable. And it’s Mardi Gras.”
The Niners’ marketing team began preparing for a Super Bowl bid back when the team was still at the NFC Championship stage in order to have everything ready to go as soon as the team won. The sole graphic designer for the franchise, Mayberry has contributed to everything from the team-building posters on the walls of the players’ hotel rooms to the design of the rally towels. He’s responsible for presenting a consistent team image, but admits that when the team wins, “it just takes over.”
“My goal is to be more creative than just a ‘designer’ ” says Mayberry. With the 49ers, he’s had the opportunity to contribute ideas to the team’s overall campaign in numerous ways. “We’re a small group. We have one person for every job, and then all our jobs overlap, too. We work well as a marketing team and continue to gel as the pressure builds.”
For instance, he’s worked alongside the team’s videographers, providing graphics and developing his art directing skills by suggesting different ways to set up shots and encouraging them to implement new technologies such as Go Pro cameras.
Mayberry joined the 49ers two years ago, but it wasn’t his first foray into sports marketing. After graduating from CSUMB with a self-designed major focused on communication design in 2008, he spent over 2 years working for the university’s athletic department, developing the Otters’ distinctive graphic style and the Otterritory campaigns.
Mayberry describes his experiences with the Otters and the 49ers as similar. In both organizations, he’s had the freedom to experiment with marketing campaigns across new technologies and social media channels. “I’ve had the opportunity to work on anything and everything, which is one of the reasons I’ve been successful,” says Mayberry. “Knowing the technologies and how everything works together is inspirational.”
This knowledge and inspiration has also fed into a side business Mayberry runs with his brother, Die Hard apparel, which they started while he was still working at CSUMB. The company produces and sells clothing for Bay Area sports fans, and the fact that the teams are winning has been a boon for the company’s sales. “It’s a great time for Bay Area sports,” Mayberry says. “The Giants won the World Series, the Forty-Niners are in the Super Bowl, and even the Sharks are starting the season 5-0.”
President’s Speaker Series focuses on innovation in education
The President’s Speaker Series at California State University, Monterey Bay continues March 27 when Sebastian Thrun of Stanford University visits campus.
With the theme of “Disruptive Innovation in Higher Education,” the series will focus on the challenges facing higher education in an era of increased demand, changing demographics and declining state support.
Globalization and accelerating technological change require that our nation raise the educational level of its citizens. To do so, colleges and universities will need to adopt new educational approaches and technologies to serve more students without increased resources while maintaining quality.
The speaker series will bring nationally recognized leaders in education theory, innovation and policy to campus to discuss these issues.
Dr. Thrun is a professor of computer science and electrical engineering at Stanford, where he also serves as the director of the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Lab. His research focuses on robotics and artificial intelligence.
He is the co-founder of Udacity.com, which is using the rapid increase in the availability of high-bandwidth Internet service to experiment with the delivery of high quality university-level education at a low cost.
His talk will start at 3:30 p.m. in the World Theater, followed by a question-and-answer session. The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue near A Street. Driving directions and a campus map.
The community is invited to this free event. No tickets are necessary, but reservations are requested. Please RSVP by March 22 by calling Jeannie Lopez at 582-3530, emailing jealopez@csumb.edu or going online at csumb.edu/pssRSVP.
The series continues on April 25, when Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO of the Lumina Foundation, visits campus.
The speaker series is in keeping with Cal State Monterey Bay’s role as a community resource, providing forums for thoughtful and provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community and our nation.
Feb. 23 is National TRiO Day, a day set aside to celebrate the positive impact of federal programs that help low-income and first-generation students enter college and earn a degree.
At CSU Monterey Bay, it’s also a day of service to the community. Sponsored by TRiO Student Support Services, students are collecting toiletries throughout the month of February for Dorothy's Place in Salinas, a provider of services to the homeless. "It's always good to give back to the community and what better way of doing it than to gather up everyday necessities for those in need,” said student and peer mentor Stephanie Solorio, who has played a key role in planning this year's National TRiO Day at CSUMB. “TRiO programs do their best to reach out to those in need and to encourage the school community to be involved and contribute," she said. Items that are needed include toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, combs, hairbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, soap, deodorant, razors and shaving cream, tissues and toilet paper. From Feb. 8 through 22, donations can be deposited in bins located in the Alumni and Visitors Center, the Health Center, the Student Services Building, the Student Center, the Dining Commons, and at the library café. On Feb. 23, volunteers will deliver the items to Dorothy's Place. Community members are also invited to participate in the drive. Anyone who would like to contribute can contact Chloe English of CSUMB’s TRiO Student Support Services at 582-4451. Students in two other CSUMB-based TRiO programs are also involved in service projects. At Watsonville and Soledad high schools – served through the CSUMB-based Upward Bound program – students are collecting toiletries to be distributed in their communities. And high school students served by the Educational Talent Search program are organizing a bone marrow drive on Feb. 23 at Holy Trinity Church, 803 Elm St., in Greenfield. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., people can drop by for a cheek swab to determine if they are suitable donors. TRiO began with the Upward Bound program, started in 1964 as part of President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty. Educational Talent Search was added the next year, and a third program, Student Support Services, was added three years later. By the late 1960s, the term "TRiO" was coined to describe these federal programs.? Over the years, the TRiO programs have been expanded and improved to provide a wider range of services and to reach more students. All are federally funded. Learn more about TRiO programs at CSUMB. For more information about National TRiO Day, please contact Chloe English at 582-4451.
Photo: Some of the toiletries collected during last year's drive
“Africa in the House,” an evening of music and dance by the African Show Boyz, will be held at CSU Monterey Bay on Feb. 7.
The free program will get under way at 7 p.m. in the Music Hall.
Born and raised in Binaba, a small village in northeast Ghana, brothers Napoleon, Joseph, Isaac, Francis and JJ Sabbah have performed for enthusiastic audiences in the U.S. and Africa, and have collaborated with musicians including Stevie Wonder.
The group specializes in traditional dance and drum rhythms, using the kone, siyak, binbill, and the bintitat, all instruments made in their village. They sing about peace, happiness and togetherness.
The audience will have an opportunity to ask the artists about Ghanaian culture, historical and contemporary ties between West Africa and the wider African Diaspora and other topics in a question-and-answer session following the performance.
The performance is free, but a parking permit must be purchased. The Music Hall is located on Sixth Avenue, between Butler Street and Col. Durham Road.
Professor Umi Vaughan will host the event.
A bit of encouragement from Mariah Carey helped Cal State Monterey Bay student Stevie Rae Stephens land a ticket to Hollywood.
Stephens, a 21-year-old senior from Livermore, auditioned for the prime-time hit program “American Idol” last summer in Long Beach, one of eight sites across the country where singers tried to earn a coveted “golden ticket” to the next round of competition.
“Mariah ended up giving me a thumbs up offstage before my audition and that took some of the nerves away,” Stephens said.
Idol’s “Hollywood Week” episodes will air Feb. 6 and 7.
Stephens has been singing since she was a child. Her parents inspired her to be a performer, she said. “It’s like it’s genetic.”
The Idol audition wasn’t really something she’d planned for. “I auditioned because a friend invited me to do it with them,” she said. “When I learned I got a gold ticket, my first reaction was shock.”
Her favorite “American Idol” contestant is Kelly Clarkson, winner of the first competition in 2002. “She is literally my idol,” Stephens said. “She’s such an inspiration, I love her music. I love her story.”
Stevens plans to pursue her education – she’ll graduate in May with a degree in music recording technology and hopes to pursue a master’s degree – and a performing career at the same time.
According to Dr. Lanier Sammons, an instructor in the recording technology program, Stephens has an advantage over her competitors.
He told the Monterey Herald: “She understands the process of recording from the inside. In her studies, she focuses on microphones,” he said. “I don’t think many “American Idol” contestants will know how a mic works the way she knows it,” he said.
She’s happy to represent her school and is appreciative of all the support she’s gotten.
On the CSUMB Facebook page, 1,083 people have “liked” the story about her success. She responded with a message of appreciation.
“OK, seriously. Over 1,000 likes. You guys have no idea how much support I feel right now,” she wrote. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you.” Learn about the music program at CSUMB.
CSU Monterey Bay will soon begin offering online graduate degrees. The school is among the first of the CSU campuses to begin using Cal State online, which is intended to expand access to fully online bachelor's and master's degrees. – Monterey County Weekly, Jan. 23, 2013
Cal State University, Monterey Bay became one of the first affiliates. The university placed automated external defibrillators (AED) in the Otter Sports Center, the library and the student center. – Health Matters (Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula's magazine), February, 2013
Brad Schoch wasted no time after graduation to start his business career. Schoch and his team won the competition with a website called Want2Learn, which connects teachers of any subject with people who want to learn. "It's like a Craigslist for tutors, musicians and coaches," Schoch said. – Monterey Herald, Jan. 29, 2013
CSUMB has earned an Award of Excellence from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) for its branding campaign launched in the fall of 2012. – Monterey Herald, Feb. 1, 2013
CSU Monterey Bay student Stevie Rae Stephens auditioned for "American Idol" on FOX and will go to Hollywood for competition. – Monterey Herald, Feb. 1, 2013
. . . Combining the accessibility of street art with meticulous scientific detail – a style she honed while earning a certificate in science illustration at California State University, Monterey Bay – Jane Kim plans to paint a series of eye-catching large-scale murals in public places along the migration routes of endangered species. . . – O, The Oprah Magazine, February, 2013
In recognition of his work to promote service learning and community-campus partnerships throughout the Monterey Bay and Salinas Valley, Seth Pollack has been named winner of the 2013 Richard E Cone Award by California Campus Compact. – Marina Gazette, Feb. 4, 2013
You may know that the annual Together with Love Run/Walk is taking place today. What you may not know is that a CSUMB student designed the logo. – Monterey Herald, Feb. 10, 2013
The baseball team used its home opener to show that last year's record season wasn't an anomaly. – The Salinas Californian, Feb. 11, 2013
In celebration of Black History Month, NuBiAh, a Broadway-caliber musical, will be staged at CSU Monterey Bay’s World Theater on Feb. 28 at 7 p.m.
NuBiAh is a spoken-word musical that dramatizes the history of African kings and queens, with an emphasis on the strong principles and character traits that made them legendary. The play is based on a bedtime story and a coloring book written by Tommy Jones. Jones is executive producer and artistic director of the stage play. His impetus for writing the musical was a desire to give African American children and young adults a keener sense of identity and self-worth. The play features original choreography, music, dance, and spoken-word poetry. The play aims to inspire the audience members to find their passion and follow their dream. The event is sponsored by CSUMB’s Otter Cross Cultural Center and Associated Students. The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue. While the performance is free, visitors must purchase a parking permit for $2. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
More information is available from Cross Cultural Center coordinator rita zhang at 831-582-4676.
CSU Monterey Bay will host a regional meeting of the California Suicide Prevention Network on March 5. Staff members and volunteers in schools, colleges and universities; workplaces; youth, ethnic and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and questioning community groups; religious organizations and first responders are invited to attend. Mental health and primary care service providers, the military and Veterans Administration staff members are also welcome to attend, as well as mental health and suicide prevention advocates. The most recent information on reducing suicide and connecting with resources will be presented. Eight discussion groups will focus on topics including veterans, the elderly and higher education. Agenda, list of discussion groups and online registration. Campus map and driving directions. The meeting is co-hosted by the Bay Area Suicide and Crisis Intervention Alliance (BASCIA) and co-sponsored by the university’s Health and Wellness Services/Personal Growth and Counseling Center; Suicide Prevention Service of the Central Coast; and Monterey County Health Department’s Behavioral Health Division. The statewide Suicide Prevention Network is supported by a grant from the California Mental Health Services Authority – CalMHSA. Among the CalMHSA programs are a set of prevention and early intervention initiatives, including the Suicide Prevention Initiative. The CalMHSA Suicide Prevention Initiative uses a full range of strategies from prevention to early intervention to prevent suicide across all ages and backgrounds
Anyone interested in the Master of Social Work program at CSU Monterey Bay is encouraged to visit the program’s website and consider applying in time to be considered in March. The general application period is March 1 through April 30.
The three-year program provides an opportunity for people who are interested in a career in social work, or who want to advance in their career, to earn an MSW degree in a way that is accessible and affordable.?? Students specialize in Behavioral Health, or Children, Youth and Families, and prepare for a broad array of job opportunities within government and non-profits serving youth, the elderly, low-income families, veterans, those who face health challenges and others. ?Classes are currently offered in the evenings. Students must also complete internships of 1,000 hours total, 250 hours per semester starting in the second year, at agencies in Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Santa Clara counties.
??For more information, contact Vivienne Orgel at vorgel@csumb.edu or 831-582-5315. Admission requirements and application materials are available online.??
Anyone interested in preparing for a career in the fields of modern education and training is invited to learn about the Master’s in Instructional Science and Technology program at Cal State Monterey Bay.
The MIST program is suited for working professionals and traditional students who are looking for new approaches to instructional challenges. The program integrates a few on-campus seminars with primarily online classes and enables graduates to advance in their careers and to assume leadership roles in education and training.
Applications are now being accepted for the 16-month program that begins this fall.
An information meeting will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m., March 5, in the Alumni and Visitors Center, corner of Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Inter-Garrison Road. Driving directions and a campus map.
For more information, call 582-4790 or go online. What: Master's in Instructional Science and Technology – information meeting When: 4:30 to 6 p.m., March 5 Where: CSUMB campus, Alumni and Visitors Center Cost: Free. Parking permit must be purchased from dispenser on the lot Information: Call 582-4790 or online
The Eisenhower Dance Ensemble will bring its trademark moves – playful, gymnastic and elegant – to California State University, Monterey Bay’s World Theater on March 9 as the Performing Arts Series resumes. Showtime is 8 p.m.
The Detroit-based contemporary ensemble will present NewDANCEfest, a collection of pieces by choreographers including the company’s artistic director Laurie Eisenhower, Michael Foley, Harrison McEldowney, Stephanie Pizzo, and Paul Christiano. What results is an evening of non-stop connections, re-connections, impetus and force. On the program: • No Angels in my Kamikaze Heaven, a work that showcases the strength and grace of the ensemble’s dancers, by Michael Foley
• Dance Sport, a witty satire on competitive sports and professional dance, by Harrison McEldowney
•* Love, Love, Love*, a dance that deals with the subject of diminishing love, by Laurie Eisenhower
• Threads, a passionate work for eight dancers, by Eisenhower
• Virgo, a beautiful and haunting duet set to the “Ava Maria,” by Paul Christiano
• Unconditional, a work about unconditional love, by Stephanie Pizzo
The company, founded 22 years ago, has received support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Kresge Foundation, and was recently awarded a prestigious Touring Award from the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project. “No-nonsense moves from the Midwest. . . would be a pleasure to see them again.” – The New York Times “Danced with panache . . . succeeds from beginning to end.” – Dance Magazine Tickets range from $10 to $40 and can be purchased by calling the World Theater box office at (831) 582-4580 or online. The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue near the intersection with A Street on the CSUMB campus. Driving directions and a campus map are available. AT A GLANCE • WHAT: Eisenhower Dance Ensemble • WHERE: CSUMB’s World Theater, Sixth Avenue, near the intersection with A Street • WHEN: 8 p.m., March 9 • TICKETS: From $10 to $40; buy online or call the box office at 582-4580 • INFORMATION: 582-4580
Photo by Scot Lipiec Alicia Cutaia and Andrew Cribbett of the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble
The community is invited to attend a lecture on March 13 by an FBI agent who works as a profiler in the bureau’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, which deals with crimes against children.
Supervisory Special Agent Mike Yoder will visit California State University, Monterey Bay for a talk on “Child Molesters in Their Words: What Can We Learn?,” about his work in the area of forensic psychology and sex offenders. A question-and-answer session will follow.
Yoder has worked for the FBI for 16 years; currently, he provides guidance on areas of online sexual exploitation of children, missing/abducted children, child pornography and cyberbullying.
In addition to conducting case consultations on active and cold cases for law enforcement agencies throughout the United States, he also provides training and conducts research in those areas to gain a deeper understanding of the behavior of offenders who commit crimes against child victims.
Prior to his current assignment, he led the FBI’s Safe Child Task Force in Atlanta, and was the coordinator of a group of agents and local police officers dedicated to investigating online child sex offenders and those engaged in child pornography.
The 6 p.m. talk will be held in the University Center, located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. It’s free, but attendees are asked to RSVP to Heather Wilde at 831-582-4332.
A parking permit must be purchased from a machine in the parking lot. Driving directions and a campus map
C.H. Robinson and FoodSource recently showed their support of CSU Monterey Bay with a donation to the university’s School of Business.
FoodSource general manager Ray Griffin presented a check for $10,000 to Dr. Marylou Shockley, head of the business program, and other university officials at a ceremony on Feb. 13 in the university’s Alumni and Visitors Center. The money will be used for scholarships for students studying agribusiness, marketing and management.
“We’re very pleased to be here to present this check,” said Ray Griffin, general manager of FoodSource, a C.H. Robinson company.
Griffin told the group that FoodSource – which was started in Monterey 15 years ago – has 136 employees. Fifteen of them are from CSUMB.
“CSUMB graduates bring an entrepreneurial spirit,” Griffin said. “The talents students bring are just what we’re looking for.”
Said Dr. Shockley, “I want to thank C.H. Robinson for hiring our students. Jobs are so critical now . . . we want to be one of your sources of employees,” she told the company representatives in attendance.
She shared her recollection of a student who was “gangly and running around in a T-shirt” who wanted to start a business club. That student, Wyatt Meiggs – now a member of the Alumni Association board – is employed by FoodSource and was in attendance. He and fellow alumnus Coy Williams were instrumental in securing the donation.
Also in attendance were members of the School of Business Advisory Council.
Robinson, a Minnesota-based international transportation firm that matches shippers with cargo carriers, is one of the world's largest third-party logistics companies. It has an office in Monterey.
FoodSource is a leading produce supply chain expert, providing services and flexible solutions to retail, wholesale and foodservice operators.
Through the company and its foundation, C.H. Robinson and its employees contribute millions of dollars annually to a variety of organizations.
Photo by George Machun Left to right: Marylou Shockley, chair of the School of Business; Kathy Kobata, chair of the Business Advisory Council; Brian Simmons, dean of the College of Professional Studies; Wyatt Meiggs, account manager at FoodSource and CSUMB alumnus; Laura Grossman, sales and marketing manager at FoodSource; Ray Griffin, FoodSource general manager; Janie Fanoe, assistant marketing manager at FoodSource; Margaret Hill, district manager for C.H. Robinson Co.; Barbara Zappas, assistant vice president for university development
For more than 18 years, Eliza Barrios, Jenifer Wofford and Reanne Estrada have worked collaboratively as the arts collective Mail Order Brides/M.O.B. Through humor, the group explores gender, race and cultural stereotypes of Filipinas in work that has included karaoke videos, museum makeovers, photographic psychodramas, installations and posters. The name is a play on the controversial practice of arranged marriages through international introduction agencies. Barrios and Wofford will visit CSU Monterey Bay on March 14 as part of the university’s Visiting Artist series. Their free presentation will get under way at 6 p.m. in the Alumni and Visitors Center.
They will talk about their individual work and then discuss M.O.B.’s work currently on view in the exhibition, “New Stories from the Edge of Asia,” at the San Jose Museum of Art. In the exhibit, artists take on identity issues – Asian identity in particular – via video, film, multimedia works, photography and performance art.
M.O.B.’s work has been seen at the De Young Museum, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and the Chinatown Cultural Center in San Francisco; the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara; and Green Papaya Art Projects in Manila, the Philippines. The Alumni and Visitors Center is located on the corner of Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Inter-Garrison Road on the CSUMB campus. Driving directions and a campus map.
The Visiting Artist Series is presented by the university's Visual and Public Art Department.
Photo courtesy of M.O.B. Always A Bridesmaid, Never A Bride (Posies), 2005
It’s innovative, intense and for those who thrive on creative competition, a shot at fame and fortune.
It’s the “Ideas of March,” a three-day Android development competition open to college students with basic programming skills, software engineers and programming professionals from the tri-county area who are interested in producing mobile apps.
Small businesses, non-profits and government agencies are encouraged to submit ideas for apps that would benefit their organizations.
The event, which kicks off on March 15, is sponsored by the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development at CSU Monterey Bay, the university’s Computer Science and Information Technology program and the Monterey County Business Council.
Teams will build their applications throughout the weekend, and then present their work – real, working prototype apps – on the evening of March17, with winners chosen in several categories.
There is no cost to participate, but prospective participants must apply by March 8. Food and beverages will be provided during event hours.
The event will be held in the Media Learning Center on the CSUMB campus. Driving directions and a campus map.
To enter the competition or to submit an idea for an app, visit the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development. For information, call the institute at 582-3230 or e-mail Professor Kate Lockwood at klockwood@csumb.edu.
Prospective competitors should note that all code created during the competition will be open source and will be posted on the web.? View a TV news story from last year's competition.
UPDATE:
The overall winner was an app created for Cedar Street Times, a weekly newspaper in Pacific Grove. The app allows the paper to both share its news from its own website and also provide an avenue for community members to post news and events.
Team members: Calland Glass, Luke Pederson, Pablo Frenandez, Nicklas Zarzosa. Mentor: Keith Grudger
Mark Verbonich of Pebble Beach Co., and Jill Allen, on behalf of Franciscan Workers and Dorothy’s Place, will be honored at CSU Monterey Bay’s School of Business Showcase.
The event will be held April 23 in the University Center starting with a reception and strolling dinner at 6 p.m. The program will follow at 7:30 p.m.
The showcase is intended to play a part in developing a strong relationship between the local business community and the university's School of Business. Proceeds benefit the school’s program fund. Mr. Verbonich is this year’s recipient of the business leadership award. Recognized by many as the public face of the Pebble Beach Co., he joined the company in 1975 as manager of the Del Monte Shopping Center. In 1988, he assumed his current position of vice president of community affairs. In that role, he manages the company’s corporate donations program, serves on the AT&T Pebble Beach Charities grants committee, and as vice-president of Pebble Beach Co. Foundation. A community leader, Mr. Verbonich serves on a long list of boards of directors and/or committees, including Community Foundation for Monterey County, Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Monterey County Hospitality Association, Monterey Peninsula Foundation, Natividad Medical Foundation, United Way of Monterey County Campaign Cabinet, and World Affairs Council.
Ms. Allen will be honored for community leadership. Her career spans more than 20 years in the not-for-profit sector. She is currently the development director for Franciscan Workers of Junipero Serra, whose programs include Dorothy’s Place Hospitality Center. The service organization provides meals, emergency shelter and medical care to the community’s most marginalized residents.
The leadership awards were inaugurated in 2009 to recognize community leaders who have shown a commitment to CSU Monterey Bay and the mission of the university.
Attendees will have the opportunity to meet faculty members, graduating seniors and successful alumni, and to learn more about how the School of Business is educating students to be ethical and effective leaders.
Student awards, including one for the school’s outstanding senior, will also be given out at the showcase.
Tickets are $100 each or $1,000 for a table of eight plus two students. For more information or to make reservations, call Callie Chastain at 582-5222 by April 9.
Learn more about the School of Business.
The University Police Department is taking sign-ups for a four-session self-defense course for women. The course is open to students, faculty and staff members.
RAD — Rape Aggression Defense — teaches awareness and prevention techniques, as well as realistic self-defense tactics. Physical and non-physical options are presented as well as insight into the attacker’s mindset. It is not a martial arts program, and does not require a high level of fitness.
Numbers reveal a disturbing need: According to RAD, 90,000 rapes are reported each year in the United States – which means one every seven minutes – but 90 percent of rapes are unreported. One in three women is sexually assaulted in her lifetime. The course is taught by three university police officers and Christine Erickson, assistant vice president for student affairs.
The upcoming series will be taught from 6 to 9 p.m. on March 5, 7, 12 and 14. The first session will be held at the University Police Department, Valley Hall, Suite F; the location for the last three sessions has yet to be determined.
The course is free, and participants will receive a manual to keep and use for reference. Participants must attend all four class sessions to earn a certificate.
Space is limited. Reserve your space by contacting Corporal Carolyn McIntyre at 582-3410 or cmcintyre@csumb.edu.
The course will be offered again in the fall.
More information is available here.
Read a story in the Monterey County Weekly about last fall's course.
They work with the Arts Council for Monterey County, Dorothy’s Place soup kitchen, the National Steinbeck Center, Seaside High School and the Boys and Girls Clubs, helping them recruit volunteers and better achieve their mission.
They are the 12 AmeriCorps VIPs who are based at CSUMB’s Service Learning Institute. As part of national AmeriCorps Week, their work will be showcased at the Student Center West Lounge on March 14. From 6 to 7:30 p.m., visitors will have an opportunity to meet the VIPs and learn about the community organizations they serve. The week, celebrated March 8 to 14, is a time to salute the national service provided by AmeriCorps members and alumni across the nation, thank their community partners, and communicate the impact that AmeriCorps has on communities and on the lives of the members who serve. In 2010, CalServes launched a new AmeriCorps program called the Volunteer Infrastructure Project – VIP – and CSUMB’s Service Learning Institute became one of 14 supervising agencies in the state. Laura Lee Lienk , CSUMB professor and director of the Return of the Natives restoration education project, coordinates the program. VIP Fellows work behind the scenes of service, recruiting volunteers and ensuring that the community’s needs are met.
Last year, the university’s VIPs recruited 5,400 volunteers who contributed 41,287 hours of service to local communities. Read about the 2012-13 class of CSUMB AmeriCorps VIPs. In addition to CSUMB’s 10 VIP Fellows, two VIP Leaders are working on campus – Zac Walker and Steven Goings.
Walker is the program specialist for the Service Learning Student Leader Program, which employs students with prior service learning experience in leadership roles to help inimplement CSUMB’s service learning mission. Goings serves as a liaison between the Service Learning Institute and Student Affairs and runs the Purposeful Service Opportunities Program that provides volunteer opportunities for CSUMB students and student organizations. This semester, Purposeful Service Opportunities launched the King/Chavez Semester of Service Challenge, a friendly competition between CSUMB student organizations to earn points by documenting their service. Students who attend the various AmeriCorps Week activities earn double points for the contest. See the full schedule of events here.
Nationally, AmeriCorps is known as the domestic Peace Corps and provides a huge array of services to those in need. The AmeriCorps VIP Project is designed to address the significant challenges faced by California communities due to the recent economic downturn. AmeriCorps is not a job, it’s a paid service experience. All positions are full time and last 10 or 11 months; all pay a living allowance and an educational award upon completion. Students interested in joining AmeriCorps after graduation can learn more here.
More information is available from Goings at sgoings@csumb.edu.
Learn about Service Learning at CSUMB.
It was a gorgeous day to be out at CSUMB. It was also powerful.
One Billion Rising was celebrated as an effort to end abuse against women. At CSUMB, several women talked about their own experiences. – Monterey Herald, Feb. 14, 2013
CSUMB's art department keeps the conversation about art circulating. – Monterey County Weekly, Feb. 14, 2013
Financial challenges as well as academic ones face university students, which is some of them have tapped into a scholarship program at CSUMB called Have a Heart for Students. The program has raised more than $1 million since it started 15 years ago. – The Salinas Californian, Feb. 20, 2013
The next time you search for the latest smart phone application, CSU Monterey Bay hopes a local student designed it. – San Jose Mercury News, Feb. 20, 2013
It's come a long way from a desk: There are posters on the walls, couches in the lobby, a cubicle that resembles an on-air booth. For the first time since it began broadcasting in 1999, Ottermedia, a student-run radio station at CSU Monterey Bay, has a space to call its own. – Monterey Herald, Feb. 21, 2013
. . . Sunday service at Greater Victory Temple in Seaside is always a lively event. And this Sunday, there's an added twist. Up on stage are the president and admissions director from nearby CSUMB. They stand alongside church elders. – KAZU (NPR for the Central Coast), Feb. 21, 2013
If you've ever wanted to find out how architecture can enhance communities, the latest in electric cars or the ways in which students and alumni of CSUMB are changing the world, the perfect event is just around the corner. – Monterey Herald, Feb. 23, 2013
For the second straight year, the Monterey County Branch NAACP will commemorate Black History Month by holding a general membership meeting at CSU Monterey Bay.
The meeting date – Feb. 28 – is significant since it marks the one-year anniversary of the start of the effort to establish a chapter of the national civil rights organization at CSUMB. That effort came to fruition last September, when, after months of planning, the university chapter held its first official meeting. Andre Lewis, the university’s director of governmental and external relation, and campus chapter president Shiyla Goodie, will open the Feb. 28 meeting with brief remarks, followed by Paula Carter of the university’s admissions office, who will discuss recruitment of African American students. Representatives of CSUMB’s Black Students United (BSU) will review the group’s mission and activities. The highlight of the evening will be the announcement of the winner of the Juanita Jackson Award for Young Leaders of the African American community. The meeting will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Music Hall on Sixth Avenue. Driving directions and a campus map. At a Black History Month celebration in Seaside on Feb. 17, three members of the CSUMB community were honored. The Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, the Monterey Bay chapter of Links, the Monterey County branch of the NAACP and the Seaside Art Commission sponsored the event. The theme was “Honoring Those Who Fought for Civil Rights.” Links gave Today’s Vision Awards to Goodie, fellow student Kym Shavers and Steven Goings, the university’s service opportunities leader. Goodie, Shavers and Goings were also among those honored by the NAACP and Alpha Kappa Alpha. Goodie, a junior psychology major, aspires to earn a Ph.D. in marriage and family therapy. Shavers, a senior business major, served as president of the BSU for three years and like Goodie, was a leader in the effort to establish an NAACP chapter on campus. Goings, a CSUMB graduate and current AmeriCorps leader at the university's Service Learning Institute, has encouraged hundreds of students to get involved with issues they care about in his role as service opportunities coordinator. He is a co-founder of the LGBTQ club Out and About; a former president of the Monterey Peace and Justice Center; an originator of the university’s annual World AIDS Day program; and, along with faculty member Deb Busman, is the co-adviser of the campus NAACP chapter.
Read more:
Jose Luis Alvarado, who has served as associate dean for the College of Education at San Diego State University since 2010, has been named dean of Cal State Monterey Bay’s newly created College of Education.
Dr. Alvarado will begin his new duties July 14.
“We are pleased that Dr. Alvarado has agreed to lead our College of Education,” said CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa. “The position attracted a strong field of candidates. However, the breadth of his experience and his vision of the role the college could play, both within the university and in reaching out to the larger community, helped Dr. Alvarado emerge as the clear choice of the search committee.”
As part of the academic reorganization of the university that goes into effect July 1, the College of Education and the College of Health Sciences and Human Services were created from programs that were previously housed in the College of Professional Studies. As associate dean at SDSU, Dr. Alvarado was responsible for the college budget, personnel issues, college governance, university relations, academic programming, technology security and system upgrades, and college policy.
He said that serving in this administrative capacity strengthened his commitment to equity, social justice, research, preparing tomorrow’s education professionals, and building strong partnerships with K-12 schools.
Prior to joining SDSU, Dr. Alvarado worked as a behavior specialist for a county mental health day treatment program, taught in an elementary special education classroom, worked in program implementation for a regional special education office and served as an on-call crisis counselor.
His research is focused on effective personnel preparation, implementing efforts to close the achievement gap, effective instruction, multicultural education, and behavior support for culturally and linguistically diverse students with disabilities.
He has published in journals such as “Multicultural Perspectives,” “Remedial and Special Education, Behavioral Disorders,” “Rural Special Education Quarterly,” and “Assessment for Effective Intervention.” Dr. Alvarado has also been principal investigator and co-principal investigator for more than $2.5 million in projects funded by the U.S. Department of Education and the University of South Florida.
Dr. Alvarado earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s in special education from San Diego State University and his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.
Olson Elementary School in Marina celebrated Read Across America Day on March 3, with help from some student-athletes at CSU Monterey Bay.
Sponsored by the National Education Association, Read Across America Day is held every year near the March 2 birthday of famed children’s author Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss.
Members of the women’s golf and volleyball teams, men’s cross country and men’s and women’s soccer teams read Dr. Seuss books to youngsters in kindergarten through third grade and shared their experiences with reading.
"It feels good to give back something to the community by modeling a love for reading," said volleyball player Julia Ashen.
"Reading is one of the greatest gifts that we can share among the generations, and seeing how much reading means to us can be a powerful motivator."
Read Across America is an annual event meant to get children excited about reading. It borrows from the world of sports with pep rallies and other activities to make reading fun.
The fun wasn’t limited to the youngsters.
"Nothing is better than seeing the enjoyment on the kids faces as we teach them the value of reading,” said cross country runner Eric Jackson.
Other athletes who participated: Ryan Torres, cross country; Erin Falge, Megan Parayno and Shea Robinson, women’s golf; Drew Ramsey, Manuel Cazares and Marco Rangel, men’s soccer; Skyler Allen, Arianna Mariotti and Janai Johnson, volleyball.
Photo: Members of the women’s golf team – Erin Falge, Megan Parayno and Shea Robinson – read to youngsters at Olsen Elementary School
Story and photo courtesy of CSUMB Athletics
CSU Monterey Bay Provost Kathy Cruz-Uribe has accepted the position of chancellor at Indiana University East.
Dr. Cruz-Uribe, who has served the campus as provost and vice president of academic affairs since 2007, will assume her new position July 1.
“As I move to a new chapter of my life as Chancellor of Indiana University East, I am deeply grateful for my time at CSU Monterey Bay,” Dr. Cruz-Uribe said. “The campus has undergone tremendous changes in recent years, and I am very proud of the enrollment growth, new academic programs, improvement in student retention, and the unwavering focus on student success. "My husband and I have always felt welcome at CSUMB and have made many good friends. I have appreciated the support and excellent work of my staff and colleagues, and will watch the continued progress of CSUMB with great interest and affection.” Said President Eduardo Ochoa, “Kathy has been invaluable help to me since I came to Cal State Monterey Bay. I consider her both a friend and a valued colleague. Kathy has shown great insight into the academic issues on this campus and has been an outstanding leader over the years in reshaping and focusing our curriculum. I am certain she will do an excellent job at IU East and I am just as certain she will be missed here.”
At CSUMB, Dr. Cruz-Uribe leads all academic operations of the university and serves as its second-in-command. She developed and implemented the university’s 10-year strategic plan, which included a five-year academic plan. During her tenure, freshman retention rates rose from 65 percent in 2007 to 79 percent in 2012. Enrollment grew by about 50 percent, from about 3,600 students in 2007 to more than 5,600 in 2012, accompanied by a commitment to academic and space planning to accommodate the growth. The university also went through a successful reaccreditation process – the first since its founding in 1994. Eight new academic degree programs came into existence under her leadership, as well as an undergraduate research center, and the general education program was revised. In addition to four academic colleges at CSUMB, she oversees the library, information technology, sponsored programs, international programs and institutional research. Before coming to CSUMB, she was at Northern Arizona University from 1989 to 2007, serving four years as dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. An archaeologist, Dr. Cruz-Uribe received her doctorate in anthropology from the University of Chicago. IU East has an enrollment of more than 4,100 students. As chief executive office, the chancellor is responsible for the operation of the campus and reports to the IU president. A national search for a new provost will take place during the next academic year. Plans are under way to fill Dr. Cruz-Uribe's position on an interim basis by the time she departs.
. . . And CSU Monterey Bay, which has seen more interest in its online offerings, is rolling out two new online masters programs this year, adding to its two existing online programs. – Monterey County Weekly, Feb. 28, 2013
Cal State Monterey Bay student-athletes celebrated Read Across America Day by reading Dr. Seuss books to youngsters at Olson Elementary School in Marina. – CCAA website, March 1, 2013
. . . the Ideas of March app competition is booting up again this year for its three-day run beginning March 15. The Android development competition is open to area college students with basic programming skills . . . – The Salinas Californian, March 2, 2013
. . . First-semester communication design students at CSU Monterey Bay are using high-tech software to create a virtual, 3-D model of Fort Ord that can show how the area will look in the near future. – Monterey Herald, March 3, 2013
The CSU Monterey Bay women's golf team finished second at the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout hosted by CSU East Bay at Hiddenbrooke Golf Course in Vallejo. – Monterey Herald, March 4, 2013
On April 10, the community is invited to join a panel presentation at CSU Monterey Bay about race and disability, and how these two identities interact.
The Diversity Dialogue on Race and Disability will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Alumni and Visitors Center. Panelists and the facilitator will encourage the audience to examine ways that race, white privilege and racism impact work on disability issues and inclusion.
Panelists include Alicia Hernandez-Sanchez of the Central Coast Center for Independent Living; Stacey Milbern of the Berkeley Center for Independent Living; Xgamil Campos of Purple Communications; and CSUMB student Tiffany Williams. The facilitator is Erica Padilla-Chavez of the Monterey County Health Department.
The Alumni and Visitors Center is located on Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard at Inter-Garrison Road. While the event is free, visitors must purchase a $2 parking permit (unless they have a valid DMV disabled parking placard and park in a disabled parking space, or have a permit from Hartnell, Cabrillo or Monterey Peninsula College).
Find driving directions and a campus map here.
The event is sponsored by CSUMB’s Health and Wellness Services, Otter Cross Cultural Center and the Student Fee Advisory Committee.
For more information or to request disability accommodations, please e-mail student_disability_resources@csumb.edu, or call 582-3672.
Learn more about Student Disability Resources at CSUMB.
CSU Monterey Bay was named to the 2013 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. This designation is the highest honor a college or university can receive for its commitment to service learning and civic engagement.
The Corporation for National and Community Service received applications from more than 1,000 colleges and universities. Five received the Presidential Award; 14, including CSUMB, were named finalists.
In 2006, the program’s inaugural year, CSU Monterey Bay was one of three recipients of the top award. The university earned the top honor again in 2011, making it the only two-time recipient of the President’s Award. Since the program’s inception, CSUMB has received the top award or has been a finalist each year; it is the most decorated service learning program in the country.
"I can personally attest based on my time in Washington that our university is nationally recognized as a leader in service learning and community engagement. Not only is service learning woven into our curriculum, it is also part of our university's ethos of engaging with and contributing to the betterment of our surrounding communities," said Dr. Eduardo M. Ochoa, CSUMB president.
CSUMB is the only public university in California, and one of the few nationally, where service learning is a requirement for all students. Each year, nearly 50 percent of CSUMB’s students enroll in service learning courses, contributing more than 65,000 hours of service to more than 250 schools, non-profit organizations and government agencies in the tri-county area. Service learning is an academic department, where issues of service, diversity, social justice and social responsibility are linked to the core curriculum.
“It’s wonderful to see our program being recognized nationally and even internationally,” said Dr. Seth Pollack, director of Service Learning at CSUMB. “No other university in the country has made as significant a commitment to developing students’ capacity for service and social responsibility.
“We have a very special program, and it feels great to again be recognized as a national leader.”
The honor roll was announced March 4 at the American Council on Education’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C.
According to the Corporation and National and Community Service, honorees are chosen based on a variety of criteria, including the scope and innovation of service projects, the extent to which service-learning is embedded in the curriculum, the school’s commitment to long-term campus-community partnerships, and measurable community outcomes as a result of the service.
Learn more about Service Learning at CSUMB.
This summer, Jesus Garcia-Valdez will find himself in Spain, his first trip outside of North America.
The sophomore from Gonzales is one of 20 students nationwide selected for the Keith Sherin Global Leaders program, named for an executive with the General Electric Co. A scholarship will help pay for the trip.
Garcia-Valdez will spend the month of June in intensive study of Spanish language and culture at the Pontifical University in Salamanca and will earn college credit toward his degree in business administration.
He chose to live in a residence hall with other international students rather than live with a family. “I would like to learn more about the other students’ backgrounds and I would like to compare CSUMB’s learning environment to that of Spain’s,” he said.
Garcia-Valdez’s family came to the U.S. from Mexico when he was 10. Since then, he’s made yearly trips home to visit relatives and friends. While he already speaks Spanish, he wants to perfect his skills. “And I would like to learn more about my own culture, but from a different perspective,” he said. “I would like to know what their traditions are.”
He expects the experience will help him become more open to other cultures and customs. “What I hope to learn is how other cultures differ from my own,” he said.
Garcia-Valdez is a student in CSUMB’s TRIO Student Support Services program, which provides supplemental tutoring, advising, counseling and other help to first generation, low-income college students. The aim of the program is to help students stay in school and graduate.
He works as a peer mentor for Educational Talent Search, a TRIO program aimed at low-income and first-generation high school students. It’s his way of “giving back to my local community,” he said. ETS helps students graduate from high school and get accepted to the college or university of their choice.
“I hope my experience serves as a motivation to other Latino first-generation students so they take advantage of the opportunities that are offered to us,” Garcia-Valdez said. Learn about early outreach and support programs at CSUMB.
Photo: Jesus Garcia-Valdez and Monte Rey during CSUMB's annual open house
Monterey County has street art and street people. Now, it’s got street pianos, 11 of them, or it will until March 24, when the “Play Me, I’m Yours” project ends.
The pianos are available for anyone to play. The point is simple: Bring communities together through random acts of public music.
As part of the vision of British artist Luke Jerram, who conceived of "Play Me, I'm Yours" in 2008 in his native England, the pianos become the works of art. Each is decorated by a local artist.
Alycia Drube, a student in the Visual and Public Art Department, decorated the piano installed in the National Steinbeck Center.
Through museum studies lecturer Normi Burke, Drube learned that the Steinbeck Center was in need of someone to “do something” with a piano and do it quickly.
The idea appealed to her, and she agreed to take on the project. The piano was to be painted with Steinbeck-related imagery. After a tour of the center’s exhibits, she chose images “that were iconic and recognizable to the Salinas community,” she said.
“It wasn’t until I had started prepping the piano that we found out it would be part of ‘Play Me, I’m Yours,’ ” Drube said.
“On March 8, when all the pianos were installed and the website was launched , I realized what a big collaboration I am a part of and the reach it has in our community and the global community,” she said.
“I can’t wait to see the other 10. It’s like a scavenger hunt, and the integrated social media makes it even more exciting.”
So far, “Play Me, I’m Yours” has reached more than 2 million people worldwide. More than 700 pianos have already been installed in 34 cities across the globe, from New York to London, from Sao Paulo to Sydney.
“I looked on Facebook and Instagram and got to see the whole global community interacting with the pianos. You should take a look, it’s fascinating,” Drube said.
VIEW A VIDEO OF THE PROJECT HERE.
DETAILS: The 11 pianos are located in public spaces across the Monterey Peninsula and Salinas and are available for any member of the public to play and enjoy. Locations are listed here.
After being in place for two weeks, the pianos will be donated to local good causes and community groups.
The Monterey County Symphony is the local sponsor of the project.
Photo: Alycia Drube and the piano she painted at the National Steinbeck Center. The piano will remain at the center until it is displayed on campus at the Visual and Public Art Department’s “Site Specific” event in late April.
A project that started with bathroom graffiti has found its way to CSU Monterey Bay.
A San Francisco graphic designer who goes by the name Someguy read what people wrote on bathroom walls. The uncensored messages captured his attention; he realized that people will say anything as long as their comments are anonymous.
"And then I thought, 'Wouldn't it be great if people could write in a book and make their own comments,' " he told the San Francisco Chronicle.
That’s how he started the project he called 1000 Journals. He created art covers for them and sent them out into the world, hoping that people would contribute art, photos, or stories and then pass the journals on to someone else.
The experiment eventually became an Internet sensation with journals circulating around the globe. People started going online to request them. At one point, 17,000 people were waiting to receive journals.
At CSUMB, students in a class called Writing as Healing (CHHS 125) decided to do the same thing on a smaller scale.
They decorated the covers of a handful of journals and left them around campus. A Facebook page they started for the project invites members of the campus community to find them and contribute something.
“These are for your own creative expression, so go crazy and keep us updated,” the Facebook page says, inviting people to take photos of the journals and post them.
Initially the journals were placed on the third floor of the library, in Peet’s and Starbucks and in a lecture hall. Now, they’re making their way around campus. The students hope to have them back by May 8.
Image from the Journals Around Campus Facebook page
World music will be on tap when CSU Monterey Bay’s Music and Performing Arts Department offers a free concert on April 4.
The Sadza Marimba Band of Santa Cruz and kora player Sean Gaskell are the featured performers. Sadza Marimba plays the danceable, joyful rhythms of Zimbabwe. The band blends marimbas – wooden xylophones – drums, gourd shakers and vocals to create music that delights and excites people of all ages. Everyone is encouraged to participate by clapping, singing, dancing or just listening. Writing in the Santa Cruz weekly newspaper Good Times, Claire O’Connor said, “Layer upon layer of interlocking rhythms will feed your imagination and nourish your soul. Sadza, named after the staple food of Zimbabwe . . . will appeal to a cross-section of musical tastes, from punks to jazz buffs.” Band members are Lanier Sammons, a lecturer in CSUMB’s music department, Lola Britton, Kim Dowling, Marion Brodkey, Becca Moeller, River Smolen, Kitty Stein and Betty Weiss. Gaskell began playing the kora – a 21-stringed instrument native to the Mandinka people of West Africa – in 2007, and traveled to Gambia a year later to study with accomplished musicians. He released his first solo album, “Kora Music of West Africa,” in March of 2012. He has performed at festivals in Gambia and Senegal, as well as the U.S. The concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Music Hall on Sixth Avenue near the intersection with Butler Street. Driving directions and a campus map are available here. While the concert is free, a parking permit must be purchased from a machine on the lot. For more information, call 582-4085.
Learn about the Music and Performing Arts Department at CSUMB.
This year’s Social Justice Colloquium at CSU Monterey Bay will address a topic from the business world. A panel will discuss “Corporate Social Responsibility? Workers, Owners and Consumers in the Global Economy,” at noon on March 28, in the University Center. The focus will be on owners, workers, students and unions in small and medium-sized enterprises.
Panelists include Erika Rodriguez, Students for Quality Education; Maria Garcia, University Corporation at Monterey Bay; Shelby Rogers, Everyone’s Harvest; Sheila Bowman, Monterey Bay Aquarium; Daniel Emerson, CEO of Light and Motion Industries; Charles Fuller and Angie Tran, faculty members in CSUMB’s Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies; and Mark Weller, UNITE HERE Local 483. The Social Justice Colloquium, now in its 17th year, is an annual event featuring activists and scholars discussing timely questions of social and environmental justice. The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are requested and can be made by calling 582-4332. A light lunch will be provided. The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. For driving directions and a campus map, visit csumb.edu/map. Please note that a parking permit must be purchased from a machine on the lot. The Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies is sponsoring the event. For more information or for disability accommodations, call Heather Wilde at 582-4332. The Social Justice Colloquium follows on the March 27 Business Ethics Forum, “Is corporate social responsibility good business?"
Learn about the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies.
When senior guard Jessica Fontenette came to CSU Monterey Bay to play basketball, the Otters had never reached the postseason or posted a winning record. "Jess came in here with a mindset of doing whatever it takes to get this program off the ground," CSUMB head coach Renee Jimenez said. – Monterey Herald, March 8, 2013
CSU Monterey Bay was one of 14 universities named to the 2013 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. The university has been on the honor roll every year since the distinction was created in 2006. – Monterey County Weekly, March 11, 2013
The CSU Monterey Bay women's basketball team rallied in the final minutes to defeat Chico State 66-64 in the first round of the NCAA Division II tournament in Bellingham, Wash. – Monterey Herald, March 17, 2013
To Brenda Perez, math is essential to everyday life. “I like how you can relate everything to mathematics, one way or another,” said the senior from Salinas. “And what I like most is its challenging nature. Sometimes problems take hours to figure out. And when you do, you feel great.” Add her love of teaching –– “I always knew I wanted to teach” –– and you’ve got a math teacher in the making. The teaching part was clear early on. Not so with the math part. She entered CSU Monterey Bay without knowing what subject she would study. A presentation she attended about teaching high-demand subjects gave her the idea of teaching math. She had always enjoyed the subject. After talking with department chair Dr. Hongde Hu, she declared herself a math major with a teaching concentration. She’s driven to teach by the realization that many students struggle with the subject. “As a country, we are falling behind in math education, and underrepresented students, like myself, have the lowest math scores in the country,” she said.
Her hard work and near-perfect grade-point average have paid off.
Perez has been admitted to the prestigious Stanford Teacher Education Program. Her year of study will lead to a master of arts in education and a preliminary math teaching credential. Classes start in June. To help pay for it, she has received a Leonore Annenberg-Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, which includes a $30,000 stipend. The fellowship commits her to spend three years teaching in a high-needs secondary school. During that time, she will receive intensive mentoring. She’s quick to credit two people who influenced and inspired her, one a faculty member, the other her supervisor. Professor Hu was her academic adviser. “He guided me throughout my education, provided tutoring jobs for me and helped me obtain various scholarships to support my education,” she said. CSUMB’s California Mini Corps coordinator, Eva Silva, was her supervisor. Perez spent nearly three years working for the Mini Corps, a program that employs college students to tutor migrant children who need help with their schoolwork. It also provides valuable experience for future teachers. “Eva has taught me so much about teaching and meeting the needs of our students. She was my mentor and teacher, and has truly been an inspiration to me,” Perez said. Jazehel Jimenez and Karen Martinez have much in common with Perez – both are from Salinas, started CSUMB in 2009 not knowing what major to pursue and ended up in math. They, too, are headed to graduate school. Dr. Hu encouraged all of them to select the secondary teaching concentration, and helped them find opportunities to tutor or work as teaching assistants. Jimenez, who has a 2-year-old daughter, has been accepted to the master’s degree programs at UC Santa Cruz, Stanford and USC. Stanford has offered her a $20,000 fellowship, and she has accepted the offer.
“I needed to determine which program would benefit my daughter as well as me,” she said. Martinez was accepted into the master’s programs at UC Santa Cruz and USC. She hasn't yet decided which one she'll attend. Learn about the Mathematics and Statistics Department at CSUMB.
Photo courtesy of Brenda Perez
For more than a decade, Alice Wu, half of the fashion design team Feral Childe, has been designing original and unusual clothing.
Wu will visit CSU Monterey Bay on April 18 as the Visual and Public Art Department’s Visiting Artist series concludes for the spring semester. The presentation will start at 6 p.m. in the University Center.
Feral Childe started in New York City, where Wu and her partner, Moriah Carlson, met during art school. After graduation, they started collaborating on various creative projects and found their focus shifting to textiles and fabrics.
Wu and Carlson approach garments from a sculptural perspective, resulting in clothes described as “built rather than sewn.” Feral Childe is known for its original textiles, hand-finished trims, and surprising construction details. All pieces are made with an eye to sustainability – from choice of fabric, printing and dyeing treatments, to details such as buttons and trim – and are manufactured in New York City.
Collections are represented through performance, installation, collage, film, photography and music, often in cahoots with creative co-conspirators. Wu, who is based in Oakland and New York City, has presented projects across the United States and internationally, including Denmark, Japan, Qatar and Canada, in both traditional art venues and through independent clothing retailers.
The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. While the event is free, visitors must purchase a parking permit fron a dispenser on the lot. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Learn about the Visual and Public Art Department at CSUMB.
President Ochoa is pleased to announce that 23 summer faculty projects in the area of innovative teaching and learning have been funded through the generous support of the CSUMB Annual Fund. The projects are focused on innovative ways to serve students, and include approaches that address scalability, use of technology, and incorporation of new pedagogies. Faculty projects from across the university have been funded:
Name, department, project description • Judith Canner, Mathematics & Statistics, Supplemental video instruction for statistics courses • Arlene Haffa, Science & Environmental Policy, Inverting the classroom for Bio 320 (Microbiology) • Josh Harrower & Cathi Draper-Rodriguez, Teacher Education, Utilizing video conferencing technologies to conduct field supervision of credential candidates in special education
• Seth Pollack and colleagues, Service Learning/cross college, Develop a handbook for online and study abroad service learning • Myriam Kodl, Science & Environmental Policy, Put Geol 210 online (Area B1 physical science GE) • Kate Lockwood, Information Technology & Communication Design and First Year Seminar, Self-paced learning in CST 231; and FYS 156: redesign to transition, over the course of the semester, from full F2F, to hybrid, to online • Joanna Morrissey & Jaye Luke, Kinesiology, Transition Kin 471S from complete F2F to hybrid • Dan Shapiro & Rebecca Kersnar, Science & Environmental Policy, E-portfolios & collaboration in ENSTU 300 & 403 • Bude Su, Information Technology & Communication Design, Develop online version of CST 236
• Yoshiko Saito-Abbott, World Languages & Cultures, Develop Japanese 420, to be offered in Spring 2014 for students going abroad • Enid Baxter Blader, Teledramatic Arts & Technology, Redesign TAT 424 (26 students) to incorporate great scalability using consumer-grade mobile technology • Natalie Zayas, Science & Environmental Policy, ENVS 201: focus on open-source resources and more inverted classroom • Ryan Luke, Dept. of Kinesiology, Enhance KIN420 to include elements of both “flipped classroom” and “hybrid” course format, to serve more students • Henrik Kibak, Cheryl Logan & Suzi Worcester, Science & Environmental Policy, Redesign and condensation of Bio 240/L, 241/L, 242/L into a two-semester series • Rachel Esselstein, Mathematics and Statistics, Create a fully inverted Calc 1 course • John Skardon, Science & Environmental Policy, Put ENVS 300 online • Sathya Naryanan, Information Technology & Communication Design, Develop online lectures and interactive activities to incorporate ‘Inverted Classroom’ pedagogy in CST 286, a Gen Ed course • Pat Tinsley McGill, School of Business, Develop blended learning (hybrid) for Bus Capstone
• Patty Whang, Liberal Studies, Revise LS 300 to incorporate social media • Natasha Oehlman, Health, Human Services & Public Policy, Redesign CHHS 302 into a blended and accessible format • Lipika Deka, Mathematics & Statistics, Redesign Math 170 incorporating project-based learning pedagogy through use of e-portfolio and innovative group projects • Scott Waltz & Jaye Luke, Liberal Studies, Design “Schooling in Modern Society” in a blended format, incorporating more mobile learning
Oberlin, Ohio, is miles away from what would be considered national centers of political or economic power. But that’s where David Orr is working to fundamentally change the way we live.
Dr. Orr, professor of environmental studies and politics and adviser to the president of Oberlin College, is a visionary in dealing with climate change.
He has written several hundred articles and seven books on environmentalism, sustainability, green engineering and building, education and climate change.
On May 14, the local community will have an opportunity to hear Dr. Orr when he makes a public presentation at the Monterey Conference Center, sponsored by CSU Monterey Bay. The 90-minute talk will get under way at 7:30 p.m. in the DeAnza III ballroom.
Dr. Orr was a driving force behind the Adam Joseph Lewis Environmental Studies Center at Oberlin, a showpiece for the most cutting-edge elements of green building. The U.S. Department of Energy named the facility “one of 30 milestone buildings in the 20th century; the New York Times called it the most interesting of a new generation of college and university buildings.
He’s also executive director of the Oberlin Project, a joint effort of the city of Oberlin, the college, and private and institutional partners to build a prosperous post-fossil-fuel-based economy.
His most recent book, “Down to the Wire: Confronting Climate Collapse,” takes the reader "from the 35,000-foot level to see the big issue of climate change – down to Main Street, where it can be understood,” he told the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper.
He went on to tell the paper, “So when you come down from 35,000 feet – when you get down from all the big ideas, the science and down from the abstract to the real – where we live, how we live, food, energy, water, livelihood and support – what's it going to look like in a post-carbon fuel world? “Is it going to be Hell on Earth or is it going to be a world of front porches and solar collectors and bicycle trails. “We have it within our power to make that better world – the one with the solar collectors and the bicycles – but we won't have it much longer. That's why I called the book 'Down to the Wire.' That's where we are right now.”
Said Dr. Dan Fernandez, co-chair of CSU Monterey Bay’s Sustainability Committee, “The purpose of Dr. Orr’s visit is to share his great successes as an environmental thinker and innovator. Can we learn from Oberlin’s experiences, become a more sustainable community and possibly even become climate positive?”
The talk is free and open to the public. Reservations are requested and can be made online.
For more information, call Dr. Dan Fernandez at 582-3786.
Learn about sustainability at CSUMB.
Photo of Dr. Orr courtesy of Oberlin College
Excerpts from “A History of the Body,” a new work by Aimee Suzara, will be staged at CSU Monterey Bay on April 18.
The production is part of the university’s celebration of Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Month.
“A History of the Body,” directed by Pamela Wu Kochiyama and co-produced by The Pagbabalik Project and Third Root Productions, is about what happens to two women who meet in a beauty salon. The play addresses modern-day attitudes toward beauty and skin tone for Filipina women and women of color, the global rise in the use of skin-whitening products, and the historical events and stereotypes about people of color perpetuated at the turn of the century.
Following the performance, Suzara and writer/scholar Lisa Marie Rollins will discuss what went into creating this provocative work. Afterward, the audience will have the opportunity to talk with the director and cast.
The production will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the World Theater. The event is free, but visitors must purchase a $2 parking permit. The theater is located on Sixth Avenue near B Street. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
CSUMB’s Special Events Committee, Division of Humanities and Communication, Otter Cross Cultural Center and the NAACP are sponsors of the event.
For more information or to request disability accommodations, call Cross Cultural Center coordinator rita zhang at 582-4676.
Photo by Noemi Enriquez Frances Sedayao (standing) and Aimee Suzara
In April 2012, the Jumpstart Our Business Startups – JOBS – Act was signed into law. It has a “crowd funding” amendment that changes restrictions on how businesses can raise capital.
That topic will be explored at the April 8 Entrepreneurship Forum at CSU Monterey Bay.
The forum, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the World Theater, will focus on the changes in funding opportunities for new and growing ventures created by the JOBS Act. The act creates opportunities for fundraising on the Internet using platforms such as Kickstarter; it also allows equity fundraising for small companies through funding portals.
The event is free, but community members are asked to register here.
Jim White, chief executive officer of JL White International, and Dr. Brad Barbeau of the School of Business will make presentations.
Mr. White was directly involved in the JOBS Act legislation, and is an expert on the topic. Dr. Barbeau teaches economics and entrepreneurship, and is an expert on developing business models for startup companies.
The presenters will speak on the current state of crowd funding and the opportunities created by the JOBS Act legislation. Audience members will have an opportunity to ask questions.
For more information, contact Dr. Brad Barbeau at 831-582-4288 or email him at bbarbeau@csumb.edu. The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue near A Street. Driving directions and a campus map can be found here. Visitors must purchase a parking permit from the machine on the lot.
The forum is sponsored by the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development, CSUMB’s School of Business, and the Small Business Development Center of CSUMB.
About CSU Monterey Bay’s Entrepreneurship Forums Each semester, the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development, in partnership with the School of Business, hosts an Entrepreneurship Forum. Past forums have addressed topics such as how startups quickly nail the product that sells; a lenders’ panel; and an entrepreneur panel.
UPDATE: Omar Davila received a top honor at the 10th annual Bouchet Conference on Diversity and Graduate Education at Yale University in New Haven, Conn.
His presentation, “A Lesson to Learn: Characteristics of California’s Low-Performing School Districts,” was named Best Oral Presentation in the Social Sciences.
“The research I presented shed light on the California School Climate Survey, demonstrating the significant role of learning environments on academic outcomes,” said Davila, who noted that he beat Ph.D. candidates and well as recent recipients of doctorates for the honor.
Christina Hill and Omar Davila Jr. have been awarded the 2013 Barbara Baldock and Phillip Butler UROC Research Scholarships.
Hill, an Environmental Science, Technology and Policy major, and Davila, a psychology major, were selected based on their academic achievements, undergraduate research accomplishments, financial need, graduate school aspirations and a commitment to serve the broader community through research and outreach.
Each student will receive $4,000 to support his or her undergraduate research and graduate school application activities.
Ms. Baldock and Dr. Butler are committed supporters of the success of talented students in CSU Monterey Bay’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC). The Monterey couple first donated money to sponsor a student researcher in the 2010-2011 academic year and have continued to do so.
“We see it as helping give a little bit of a push to a student on their way to a higher-level degree,” Dr. Butler told the university’s magazine in 2012. “We feel like these people are going to be leaders, and they’re going to make a difference,” Ms. Baldock said of the UROC students. “That really resonates with both of us.”
Hill, a native of the Monterey Bay region, is a McNair Scholar. She is passionate about local and global freshwater contamination.
“I want to participate in innovative research on the interconnectivity of earth systems that leads to the solving of modern environmental challenges,” she said.
Currently, she is examining the interactions between surface and ground water and the linkages between agricultural runoff and water quality. She identified a research mentor at UC Santa Cruz and independently brokered her summer research placement. She will apply for graduate fellowships and Ph.D. programs in Groundwater Hydrology in fall 2013. Davila’s research centers on minority students and academic retention. He is completing a study of how background factors play a role in educational aspirations and self-efficacy that he will present at three national conferences.
He also just completed a project using GIS to investigate how social and spatial factors play a role on SAT performance in California high schools. He will present this research at the upcoming National Council on Undergraduate Research conference.
Davila, a resident of San Leandro, has a clear vision for the ultimate goal of his research: “a nation where race and ethnicity no longer determine academic success.” He will apply to graduate fellowships and Ph.D. programs in sociology in fall 2013, and plans to be a university professor.
Johanna Poethig, whose “Celebrate Ability” project is about to be unveiled at the Hamilton Recreation Center, has been making public art in San Francisco and around the world since the 1980s.
The six mosaic medallions that make up the project play with words and images of California native species to highlight shared abilities. The goal was to come up with designs that would appeal to the broad range of community members who use the center.
Poethig, an associate professor in CSU Monterey Bay’s Visual and Public Art Department, explained that Hamilton Rec Center is located near San Francisco’s Japantown, the Western Addition, and the Fillmore District. Asian American families and elderly residents are drawn to the special programs at the center. Youngsters use the basketball courts, swimming pool and playground.
“It’s an example of how these city rec centers are so essential for fostering a healthy urban life,” Poethig said. “My artwork reflects this by playing with the idea of ‘ability’ in a way that can include everyone and also remind us of where we live – California. We need to honor our natural life in our urban areas,” she said.
The texts were chosen in a discussion with the staff. The “Enjoy-ability” mosiac highlights the swimming pool at Hamilton. The “Endure-ability” medallion uses the crane, a common image in Japanese art. It honors the elderly residents of the area, some of whom endured internment camps during World War II.
“Flex-ability” represents the idea that everyone needs to exercise, and be flexible in our intellect, too. “Adapt-ability” is essential and “Response-ability” fosters consciousness about the environment.
“And the ‘Ability’ mosaic honors that we all have abilities to develop and celebrate,” Poethig said.
The center is located at 1900 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco. The opening reception will be held at noon on April 6.
The Hamilton Rec Center is just one of many sites in San Francisco where she has created public art. Others include the Civic Center post office, the I-Hotel, several buildings in the Tenderloin, the Juvenile Justice Center, Rochambeau Park and the South of Market area.
A founding faculty member at CSUMB, Poethig has worked in collaboration with other artists, architects, urban planners, design teams, arts commissions, specific communities and cultural groups during her career.
She was raised in the Philippines through high school and has lived in Chicago, San Francisco and Oakland since coming to the United States. She received her BFA at University of California, Santa Cruz and her MFA at Mills College in Oakland.
Her paintings, sculpture, video and installations explore surfaces, symbols and artifacts of culture, history, archeology and futurist narratives, human nature, political satire and the colonizing metaphors used by consumerist, capitalist marketing. Learn more about Poethig’s work
Learn more about the Visual and Public Art Department Read more faculty news
A private dormitory complex for almost 600 CSU Monterey Bay students won the endorsement of the Marina Planning Commission. – Monterey Herald, March 22, 2013
Three members of this year’s graduating class and an alumna have won prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships.
'This is a clear indication of the world-class education students receive at CSUMB.' – Dr. Bill Head
Michael Diaz of Upland, Liz Lopez of Sacramento, Emily Roncase of Ridgecrest and Stacy Mauzey of Salinas, were awarded the fellowships, which provide $90,000 to support three years of graduate education.
All four participated in rigorous research and demonstrated an elite level of scholarship while at CSUMB.
Diaz, mentored by Dr. Aparna Sreenivasan, researched potentially toxic cynaobacteria from local freshwater environments. He also investigated stomach bacteria pathogensis at UC Santa Cruz. A biology major, he will begin work on his Ph.D. in the cellular and molecular biosciences program at UC Irvine in the fall.
Mentored by Dr. James Lindholm, Lopez worked on a project to monitor Marine Protected Areas along the Southern California coast and also conducted research at Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center. She is considering graduate programs at the University of San Diego, Western Washington University and Oregon State.
Roncase, a biology major, worked with Drs. Henrik Kibak and Aparna Sreenivasan to investigate cyanotoxin levels in a freshwater lake in Watsonville. She also worked at the University of Illinois at Chicago, researching antibiotic resistance at the molecular level. She is considering offers from a number of doctoral programs, including Scripps Research Institute and Brown University.
Mauzey, an alumna of Hartnell College and CSUMB, is now a graduate student in plant pathology at Washington State University. While at CSUMB, she worked with Dr. Carolee Bull in the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service facility in Salinas.
The NSF graduate research fellowships went to 2,000 students – from more than 13,000 applicants – across the country; 595 of them were awarded to undergraduates. CSUMB was the largest recipient of undergraduate awards in the California State University’s 23-campus system.
“Nine CSUMB undergraduates and one alumna have received NSF fellowships in the last four years,” said Dr. Bill Head, director of the university’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center. “This is a clear indication of the world-class education students receive at CSUMB and a reminder of how well public institutions serve the students of California.”
Learn more about the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center at CSUMB.
Two evenings of film showings – part of the 12th annual Reel Work May Day Labor Film Festival – will be held on the campus of Cal State Monterey Bay.
The festival features films that illuminate the lives and struggles of workers in the United States and around the world. This year’s theme is the growing movement of worker-run cooperatives, which have become a vibrant part of society in Argentina, Spain and Greece. As factories shut down, workers move in to run them successfully on their own.
Other films touch on workers’ role in developing literacy in Cuba, women’s and LGBT rights in the workplace and creative youth re-imaging political engagement.
The two programs, as well as one off campus, are sponsored by the CSUMB chapter of the California Faculty Association.
Details:
Saturday, April 27, Monterey of Monterey, 5 Custom House Plaza, an afternoon of international films 1 p.m.: Maestra, with guest speaker and CSUMB faculty member Linda Turner Bynoe. Maestra, teacher in Spanish, explores the role of young women who made up the majority of the 1961 Cuban literacy brigade.
2:30 p.m.: You Cannot? We Can! Greek factory workers have taken over their abandoned factory and are preparing to restart production.
3 p.m.: Shift Change, with filmmakers Mark Dworkin and Melissa Young. Secure, dignified jobs are created in employee-owned workplaces in the U.S and Mondragon co-ops in Spain.
**Tuesday, April 30, 8 p.m., Tanimura & Antle Library on Divarty Street at Fifth Avenue, Room 1188:***Never Got a Dime*, a film about Lilly Ledbetter’s 11-year fight for equal pay. The first piece of legislation President Obama signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act; and Out at Work, stories of LGBT workers as they seek workplace safety, job security and employee benefits.
Thursday, May 2, 8 p.m., Tanimura & Antle Library on Divarty Street at Fifth Avenue, Room 1188: Let Fury Have the Hour, a film about how skateboards, punk rock and poetry led these young people of the 1980s to political engagement.
Admission to all events is free; donations will be accepted. Visitors must purchase a parking permit from a nearby dispenser. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map.
A complete listing of this year’s films in Monterey, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties is available here. For more information on the CSUMB screenings, contact Jennifer Colby at 726-2006 or jcolby@csumb.edu.
The community is invited to an evening of jazz on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay as the annual Heritage Music Festival returns on April 27.
The concert features John Santos and his sextet and the CSUMB Jazz Ensemble, with special guest soloist Don Pendergrass on piano. Santos, a five-time Grammy nominee, is a San Francisco Bay area mainstay, a musical anchor and outspoken ambassador of the city’s active Latin jazz scene. He is an exponent of Afro-Latin music through innovative use of traditional forms and instruments with contemporary music. The John Santos Sextet appeared at the Monterey Bay Festival in 2011. Pendergrass, a pianist and vocalist and longtime member of the Roger Eddy Band, has four appearances at the Monterey Jazz Festival to his credit. He is a stalwart of the local jazz scene. The concert is sponsored by CSUMB’s Music and Performing Arts Department, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and the university’s Special Event Fund.
The free concert will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. in the Black Box Cabaret, located on Fourth Street near the intersection of Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Inter-Garrison Road. While the concert is free, a parking permit must be purchased from a nearby dispenser. Driving directions and a campus map are available here. For more information or disability accommodations, call 582-3009.
Change is the only constant in the universe. Change alone is unchanging.
So said Heraclitus of Ephesus more than 2,000 years ago, and it still holds true for the marine ecosystems of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
At the Marine Sanctuary's annual Current Symposium, the public is invited to learn about changes occurring throughout the sanctuary, and the drivers of those changes, from the experts seeking to understand them. This year's symposium will be held from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Saturday, April 27, at CSU Monterey Bay's University Center. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Presentation topics will include top predators, ocean chemistry, marine mammals and geology and will conclude with insights into the changing face of resource management in the region.
Program of Events
8-8:45 a.m. – Registration
9 a.m. ?– Welcome
9:15 – 9:40 a.m. – ?Observing, monitoring and protecting the Blue Serengeti off the California coast. Dr. Barbara Block, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University
9:40 – 10:05 a.m. ?– Waves in the Sanctuary: Impacts from top-down to bottom-up Dr. Curt Storlazzi, US Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, USGS
10:05 – 10:30 a.m. ?– At the crossroads: What Monterey Bay tells us about climate change, and what climate change tells us about the future of Monterey Bay Dr. Stephen Palumbi, director of Hopkins Marine Station
10:30 – 11 a.m. ?– Break
11 – 11:25 a.m. ?– The ever-changing world of marine mammals in our Sanctuary Dr. Karin Forney, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA
11:25 – 11:50 a.m. ?– The changing face of management. A reflection on 20 years of oversight in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary William Douros, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, NOAA
11:50 – 12:30 p.m. ?– Lunch
12:30 – 2:15 p.m. ?– Research Posters
2:15 – 3 p.m. ?– Ricketts Memorial Lecture? What would Ed do? Innovations in science and management of kelp forest ecosystems in the 21st century Dr. Mark Carr, UC Santa Cruz
3 – 3:15 p.m. ?– Poster Awards
3:15 – 3:30 p.m. – Closing
For more information visit the NOAA website or contact James Lindholm at jlindholm@csumb.edu
Sponsors: Institute For Applied Marine Ecology, California State University Monterey Bay; Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary; Monterey Bay Aquarium; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Young filmmakers eager to see their work on a screen bigger than YouTube will get the opportunity in the fall, when CSU Monterey Bay will hold its fifth annual Teen Film Festival.
The Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department is accepting entries for the festival, which will be held on Sept. 7 as part of the Monterey Bay Film Festival’s three-day run, Sept. 6-8. The deadline to apply is May 31. Filmmakers between 13 and 19 years old are invited to submit films and videos up to five minutes in length. Entries may be in English or Spanish and there is no entry fee. Entries may be submitted online. TAT students will organize the event and handle the judging, according to Professor Enid Baxter Blader. "It's an educational experience for our students, who want to go out in the world and have their films screened in film festivals. A great way to understand that process is to curate a film festival," Blader said. CSUMB also hopes the festival will serve as a way to interest local teens who might not have considered going to college. By inviting them to campus and showing them what the university offers, they may consider enrolling. While local teenagers are encouraged to enter the competition, it's also open to teenagers from around the world. Last year's event drew more than 200 entries with films submitted fromEcuador, South Africa, Venezuela, Salinas, Soledad and Los Angeles. Close to 400 people attended the festival, making it the most attended event in four years. Teen filmmakers from all over California, their families and community members came to enjoy the show. The Monterey Bay Film Festival will also feature three programs curated by Mike Plante. Plante is an associate programmer of the Sundance Film Festival, and curates many other festivals internationally. This will be his fourth year as the programmer of the Monterey Bay Film Festival.
The President’s Speaker Series at California State University, Monterey Bay continues April 25, when Jamie Merisotis of the Lumina Foundation visits campus.
With the theme of “Disruptive Innovation in Higher Education,” the series focuses on the challenges facing higher education in an era of increased demand, changing demographics and declining state support. The speaker series brings nationally recognized leaders in education theory, innovation and policy to campus to discuss these issues.
Mr. Merisotis is an expert on a wide range of higher-education issues. He is president and CEO of Lumina Foundation, the nation’s largest private foundation committed solely to enrolling and graduating more students from college. Long a champion of the idea that higher education enhances both society and individuals, he has worked for decades to increase educational opportunity among low-income, minority and other historically underrepresented populations.
Under his leadership, Lumina has embraced an ambitious and specific goal: to ensure that, by 2025, 60 percent of Americans hold high quality degrees and credentials – up from the current level of less than 40 percent. All of Lumina’s efforts and activities – grant making, communication, evaluation, policy advocacy and convening – work toward achieveing that goal.
His talk will start at 3:30 p.m. in the World Theater, followed by a question-and-answer session moderated by CSUMB Provost Kathy Cruz-Uribe. The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue near A Street. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/map.
The community is invited to this free event. No tickets are necessary, but reservations are requested. Please RSVP before April 22 by calling Jeannie Lopez at 582-3530, emailing jealopez@csumb.edu or going online. Attendees must purchase a parking permit from a dispenser on the lot.
The speaker series is in keeping with Cal State Monterey Bay’s role as a community resource, providing forums for thoughtful and provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community and our nation.
The CSU Monterey Bay Small Business Development Center will celebrate its grand opening at a new location in Salinas on Monday, April 22.
From 2:30 to 5 p.m., the public is invited to the center, now located at 106 Lincoln Ave. CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa will attend along with Business School chair and director of the center Marylou Shockley, associate director Andrea Nield, the center’s counselors, local business owners and elected officials. The center opened in 2009 in a storefront in Gonzales. The move to Salinas makes it easier to serve the bulk of the center’s clients, 65 percent of whom come from that city. CSUMB’s center serves the area along the Highway 101 corridor from Gilroy and Hollister to King City and provides critical services to small business owners, helping them create jobs and solidify the local economy. Services compliment and expand on the services already being provided to Monterey and Santa Cruz counties’ coastal communities by the Central Coast SBDC hosted by Cabrillo College in Aptos. The centers help people develop business plans, secure financing, set up financial systems, plan for expansion, project cash flow, determine technology needs and provide a variety of other services helpful to small businesses. In addition to the free one-on-one consulting, the centers offer a variety of workshops and seminars. For more information, call 422-6232 or visit the center online.
You have probably heard of Doctors Without Borders. But Librarians Without Borders?
Thanks to the volunteer group of librarians and library science students, some youngsters in Guatemala will soon be able to borrow books for the first time.
The organization visited the Miguel Angel Asturias Academy in Guatemala’s highlands in 2009, helping to establish a library. Each year since then, volunteers have returned to help build the library’s capacity.
This month, 18 volunteers – including CSU Monterey Bay librarian Sarah Dahlen – will visit for two weeks.
“We’ll be introducing a circulation system that will allow students and teachers to check books out and read them at home,” Dahlen said. Until now, books could only be used in the library.
Many of the volunteers will work on the technical side of the project, getting the books cataloged in the new system and ready for check out.
Dahlen will work with the information literacy side of the project. Lending libraries are uncommon in Guatemala, she said, “and there is not a culture of borrowing and returning books. I will be providing instruction to the students of Asturias on how the lending system will work and what it will enable them to do.
“I’ve been trying to brush up my Spanish in preparation,” she added.
The volunteers will have the opportunity to visit other libraries in the country and do some sightseeing.
Getting an education is difficult for many Guatemalans, in part due to a lack of access to books. In a country where books are taxed beyond the reach of the 75 percent of the population who live in poverty, it’s almost impossible to get children excited about reading because they can’t get books in their hands.
“This year, we plan to change that,” Librarians Without Borders said in a news release.
Learn more about the Librarians Without Borders service trip to Guatemala.
Learn about CSUMB's Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library.
How young adults will be affected by the federal Affordable Care Act is the focus of a forum April 17 at CSU Monterey Bay. The public is invited to this free event.
“Healthcare Town Hall for Young Adults” will be held in the University Center living room at 5:30 p.m. The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street.
A panel of local specialists in the health care field and insurance industry as well as policymakers will discuss what college students and other young people need to know about upcoming changes. Panelists include Supervisor Jane Parker; Elliott Robinson, director of Monterey County's Department of Employment and Social Services; and Caroline Haskell, director of health and wellness services at CSUMB.
Driving directions and a campus map can be downloaded at csumb.edu/map. While the event is free, a parking permit must be purchased from a nearby dispenser.
For more information contact Tyller Williamson at 619-886-6012.
CSU Monterey Bay held its annual honors convocation April 12, recognizing more than 250 students for their distinguished academic achievements.
An overflow crowd filled the University Center ballroom as five students received special awards, 20 were honored for their Service Learning work and 247 were acknowledged for having earned grade-point averages of at least 3.5.
The honors students will be among the approximately 1,300 graduates crossing the stage at the May 18 commencement ceremony.
After congratulating the members of the Class of 2013, CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa recognized the parents, spouses, friends and family members who supported the students and helped them along the way.
Following the president’s remarks, Deans Brian Simmons, Marsha Moroh and Ilene Feinman introduced the honors graduates and Service Learning award winners from their respective colleges.
Last to be introduced were winners of the five student awards. They were:
• President's Award for Exemplary Student Achievement, given to a well-rounded student who made notable contributions to a particular area of university life through depth of involvement and service as a student leader; participated actively as a positive agent of innovation and action with demonstrated service to the campus community; and achieved a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher: Ana Angeles, Business Administration Ana served with numerous student organizations during her years at CSUMB, and was chief financial officer of the Associated Students for the current academic year. She also was an Orientation Leader in 2010 and 2011, a student representative on the Strategic Budget Committee, and a founder of the campus Asian Pacific Islander Association.
Ana’s efforts were instrumental in organizing the first Asian Pacific Islander Association graduation event that will be held this year.
• Provost's Award for Exemplary Academic Achievement, given to a student who has demonstrated exemplary achievement in his or her major; excelled personally and academically with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or higher; and contributed to the learning community of CSUMB: Emily Roncase, Biology Emily came to Cal State Monterey Bay as a transfer student in fall 2010. She took advantage of opportunities offered by CSUMB’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center for a summer internship, and now serves as a program assistant for UROC, where she works with staff to build curriculum, create on-line student resources and build a network of research and outreach collaborations.
Emily is also active in peer-to-peer mentoring programs at CSUMB and has volunteered at the local Boys and Girls Club to help develop a Girls Science Club.
She has received a $90,000 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, and is considering offers from a number of doctoral programs in molecular biology, including Scripps Research Institute and Brown University.
• Outstanding Senior Award for Social Justice, given to a student who has participated in a project that promotes social justice and generates awareness that benefited local communities historically underserved populations: Graciela Rizo, Psychology In the fall of 2012, Graciela organized the Otter Dream Association, a place for undocumented students and supporters to come together. The club served as a forum for people to be updated on current immigration law issues and also provided a safe and supportive environment.
Graciela writes that the creation of the club had a positive impact on her life “because I was creating another resource for CSU Monterey Bay, especially for the students who are afraid to come out because of rejection.”
• Alumni Vision Award, given to a first-generation student who manifests the beliefs and tenets of the Vision Statement through personal example and has provided leadership in a project or activity that extends the university’s Vision into the lives of others: Yesenia Lopez, Kinesiology Yesenia is a first-generation student who says that she considered leaving CSUMB during her first semester because of the many challenges she faced in adapting to college life. However, she soon built a support network of friends and faculty members and, she says, “Suddenly, I knew that CSUMB was the best thing happening in my life.”
Not only did Yesenia move forward with her own education, she became involved in efforts to help others make the same transition. Through her work with the Educational Opportunity Program, she has become an invaluable resource to incoming students. In fall 2012, Yesenia was one of six students selected to share their stories of achievement at the First Generation Student Panel organized by the Center for Student Success.
• Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athlete Award, given to a student-athlete who has demonstrated exemplary academic achievement: Brandon Ward, Business Administration Brandon has been a four-year member of the CSUMB men’s basketball team and leaves as the most accomplished student and athlete in the team’s history.
Off the court, the business administration major is a three–time CCAA All–-Academic team member who became the first player in Otter men’s basketball history and the only player from the CCAA in 2013 to earn NCAA Division II Academic All–District honors.
On the court, he’s CSUMB’s all–time scoring leader and the No. 2 Otter all–time in assists and steals. Brandon has been a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and the Student Fee Advisory Committee.
Service Learning awards were presented to one student in each academic major who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to service in the local community. Service Learning award winners and their majors: • Biology – Stephanie Perez • Business Administration – Theresa Gordon • Collaborative Health and Human Services – Luz Nunez, Maria Vasquez • Computer Design – Fernando Lopez? • Computer Science and Information Technology – Leon Corrales Morales • Environmental Science, Technology and Policy – Shelby Rogers? • Global Studies – Kasey Scolavino • Human Communication – Stephanie Johnson • Integrated Studies – Ashley Wilson • Japanese – Rose Buckberg • Kinesiology – Erin Schiller • Liberal Studies – Emma Ramirez • Marine Science – Elizabeth Lopez • Mathematics – Brenda Valencia? • Psychology – Brizey Orjuela • Science and Environmental Policy – Laura Bakken • Social and Behavioral Sciences – Ofa Nau • Teledramatic Arts and Technology – Edward Carapezza • Visual and Public Art – Alycia Drube
Get information on CSUMB's May 18 commencement ceremony here.
Earth Day is really Earth Week at CSU Monterey Bay.
Since the first Earth Day in 1970, people around the world have sought to celebrate the planet through a variety of individual and community activities. But Earth Day is about more than observing the beauty and vitality of nature; it's also about renewing our commitment to saving our living planet.???
The Associated Students' Environmental Committee has a variety of activities planned for the week. The week kicks off on Friday, April 19, when a group of students will clean up Casa Verde Beach in Monterey. Meet at the Student Center at 5:30 to carpool to the beach.
Saturday, April 20, is whale-watching day on Monterey Bay. Ninety students will head for the bay at 2:30, where they will board boats for the two-and-a-half hour cruise. “Sustainapalooza” is on tap for Monday, April 22. Student and community environmental organizations will staff information tables set up on the Main Quad from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Events include hemp and bead bracelet making, potting plants, tie-dying and games. Students will have the opportunity to shop at a farmer’s market on Tuesday, April 23, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Outside vendors will sell produce in addition to the regular Tuesday farm stand.
At 7 p.m., the film “Oceans” will be show in Room 120 of the Student Center. On Wednesday, April 24, at 2 p.m., the campus community is invited to celebrate the third anniversary of the planting of CSUMB’s Peace Tree. Meet at the Student Center for the walk to the tree. At 7 p.m. in the East Lounge of the Student Center, Professor Dan Fernandez will deliver the week’s keynote talk. “Sustain under the Stars” is on tap for Thursday, April 25. Outdoor Recreation and the Environmental Affairs Committee will sponsor a night hike from 7:30 to 10 p.m. The week ends with a reggae concert on Friday, April 26, at the Black Box Cabaret. See what CSUMB’s Return of the Natives project has planned for April 20 to celebrate Earth Day. A variety of recent transportation initiatives are helping to reduce vehicle-related greenhouse gas emissions on campus.
Learn more about sustainability efforts at CSUMB.
Drivers of electric vehicles can zap their rides at CSU Monterey Bay, and it’s as easy as plugging in a toaster. The university has installed two electric vehicle – EV, in car lingo – charging stations on campus, accessible by the CSUMB community and the public. The project is an effort by Campus Planning and Development to reduce vehicle-related greenhouse gas emissions and promote transportation that is consistent with the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment.
“People on campus love them,” says Megan Tolbert, the university’s transportation planner. “We are averaging over three charging sessions per day.” One station is located on Fourth Avenue, behind the Alumni and Visitors Center. The other can be found in the lot adjacent to the Student Center. Both can charge two vehicles – cars, motorcycles, electric bikes – simultaneously. The spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Vehicles must display a university parking permit. Drivers can sign up for a ChargePoint access card or they can use a credit card (except Discover cards) to open the locked door to the charger connection. The service is free, but a card is necessary to access the connection. CSUMB's chargers provide a J1772 240 volt connection as well as a 110 volt standard electrical outlet so that any type of electrified vehicle can get a charge. While standard outlets will suffice for charging an electric vehicle, they’re slow for higher performance freeway-speed vehicles. The J1772 charging station connector can fill up an entire battery pack in a matter of hours rather than overnight, although most EV's on campus don't need a full charge. “The CSUMB charging units are quite robust,” says Marc Oehlman, associate director of the Center for Academic Technologies and a Nissan Leaf driver who uses the stations daily. “They carry a better flow of power than other Level 2 units I have used.” Oehlman says he typically gets 70 to 80 miles on a charge, assuming a driving speed of 55 to 60 miles per hour. But, like other cars, that can be reduced if the windows are open or the air conditioner is used.
“Your driving habits on longer distances need to change, and to a certain extent, in everyday driving as well,” Oehlman says. “But it’s well worth it to drive by a dinogas store.”
Tolbert points out that no matter what kind of car you drive, your driving habits make the biggest difference for fuel economy, cost and pollution. CSUMB’s charging stations were largely funded by the Monterey Bay Electric Vehicle Alliance, using grant money from the California Energy Commission. CSUMB provided about 20 percent of the cost of installation. They are part of a plan to install 40 charging stations throughout Monterey County. Due to increased public awareness, government subsidies and rising gas prices, the number of electric vehicles on American roads more than quadrupled between 2000 and 2010, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. When major automakers began producing electric cars in 2010, the number of charging stations skyrocketed in response. Over the course of a year, the number of stations rose by 2,853, a 527 percent increase, according to the EIA. Other campus transportation-related projects have come online recently: • The Bike Bunker, which provides secure, convenient, indoor bicycle parking, opened in February. It’s located behind the Otter Cycle Center. There are still a few spots available for reservation.
• A real-time bus arrival display has been installed at the library stop. And a smart phone app for finding bus stops and schedules is available for download. • Free and unlimited access to services offered by Monterey-Salinas Transit over its regular bus routes is more convenient than ever. Riders need only to swipe their CSUMB username cards and take a seat. Learn more about transportation resources on campus. Blue goes green: University Police Department gets hybrid vehicle
Photos: Top: Staff member Marc Oehlman's Nissan Leaf gets a charge
Bottom: Campus visitor Terry Hershner zaps his motorcycle while visiting campus
. . . Since CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa arrived last summer, he has emphasized his enthusiasm for 'disruptive innovation' and how that could be applied to revolutionize teaching. – Monterey Herald, March 28, 2013
Three members of this year's graduating class and an alumna have won prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships. All four participated in rigorous research and demonstrated an elite level of scholarship while at CSUMB. – Marina Gazette, April 1, 2013
. . . I'm seated among a group of start-up aspirants in the University Center ballroom at CSU Monterey Bay, about a mile and a half from the Pacific Ocean. Startup Weekend has officially begun. – Inc. magazine, April issue
Former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta sat in the lobby of the Leon and Sylvia Panetta Institute on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay and explained why he's spent almost 50 years in Washington. – KPIX-5, April 2, 2013
. . . Illustrating Nature, the fourth annual exhibit of work by students in the CSU Monterey Bay science illustration program, will be on display at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History May 4-June 16. – Cedar Street Times, April 11, 2013
CSUMB student organizing book drive for youth . . . As part of her involvement in the foster care system, Emma Ramirez is helping organize a book drive for children in foster care. She's also helping to organize the 25th anniversary event of California Youth Connection, a town hall style discussion on the educational needs of foster care children. – Monterey Herald, April 12, 2013
Drivers of electric vehicles can zap their rides at CSU Monterey Bay, and it's as easy as plugging in a toaster. The university has installed two electric vehicle charging stations, accessible to the CSUMB community and the public. – Marina Gazette, April 15, 2013
Some good kids have been doing a great thing for the past 18 years – helping to protect the waters of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary through restoration of the waterway and lands draining into the bay. . . . organized by Return of the Natives restoration and education project, part of the Watershed Institute at CSU Monterey Bay. – Monterey Herald, April 19, 2013
KAZU dominated the regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in electronic journalism presented by the Radio, Television, Digital News Association.
Each year, the association recognizes work of the highest quality produced by radio, television and online news organizations around the world. “This year's winners represent the outstanding work being done in local newsrooms, which we are proud to recognize,” said Mike Cavender, executive director of RTDNA.
In Region 2, which includes California, Nevada, Hawaii and Guam, the station took top honors in four of the seven small market categories, including continuing coverage, hard news reporting, writing and sports reporting.
The winning entries by category:
• Continuing coverage: Fracking and Monterey Shale, reporter Vinnee Tong
• Hard news reporting: Tight market squeezes low-income renters, reporter Krista Almanzan • Writing: Mission conversion focuses on seismic retrofit, reporter Krista Almanzan
• Sports reporting: Surfers work to protect world’s best waves, reporter Krista Almanzan
Regional winners automatically become eligible for the national awards competition this summer.
KAZU 90.3 FM – NPR for the Monterey Bay Area – is a community service of California State University, Monterey Bay.
It’s the latest thing in American college ratings: How green is your campus?
At CSU Monterey Bay, the answer is: Green enough to earn a listing in the Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green College for the third consecutive year. ? Created by the Princeton Review in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council, the guide profiles colleges and universities that demonstrate a notable commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation. Officials with the publication say schools were chosen based on a survey of hundreds of colleges in 2012. The survey asked administrators more than 50 questions about their institution’s sustainability-related policies, practices and programs. From that information, “green ratings” for 806 schools were developed. The 322 schools in the guide earned scores of 83 or higher. The publication noted that CSUMB was an early signatory of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, and is working toward its pledge to be carbon-neutral by 2030 through energy-saving initiatives including the revolving Energy Innovations Fund that supports energy-saving projects on campus and repays itself through energy savings, and the 3-acre solar installation that is meeting 16 percent of the university’s electricity needs. Also drawing praise was the university’s food service operations, which include organic foods, compostable packaging and serving products, recycling of cooking oil and joining the “Meatless Monday” movement. All buildings on campus have designated recycling areas, and the ubiquity of the blue recycle bins has helped the university achieve a 50 percent waste diversion rate. Even more impressive, according to the guide, is that 90 percent of campus buildings have undergone energy-related retrofits in the last few years. The green learning opportunities, which allow students to take courses in subjects as diverse as environmental writing and food ethics, were also cited. Even the campus police department has made strides, trading in a gas-guzzling vehicle for its first plug-in hybrid. The guide pointed out that CSUMB's commitment to green continues all the way to graduation – when students cross the stage to receive their degrees in gowns sewn with material made from recycled plastic bottles. The free guide can be downloaded here. More information on CSUMB’s commitment to sustainability can be found here.
Related stories: Drivers of electric vehicles can zap their rides at CSUMB, and it’s as easy as plugging in a toaster. CSUMB’s alternative transportation program, TRIPwise, has won a 2013 Best Practices award from the Higher Education Sustainability Conference.
CSU Monterey Bay’s alternative transportation program has earned another recognition: a Best Practices Award from the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference.
The program was honored in the category of Sustainability Innovations.
Transportation on campus has become more environmentally friendly since Megan Tolbert was hired in 2010 as the university’s first transportation planner.
Along with students, staff and faculty members, she worked to create TRIPwise – transportation resource information portal – a recognizable identity for programs, infrastructure and events that support alternative transportation.
The goal is to make it easier for people to get around in ways other than driving alone in a car. Among TRIPwise resources are a website, information center located in Mountain Hall, bike map and rideshare board.
Under the TRIPwise brand, a number of initiatives have been launched to help the university reduce its carbon footprint.
• The Bike Bunker, a commuter bike parking facility, was a TRIPwise project. Funded by grants, it opened in the spring of 2013, and provides secure, convenient, indoor bicycle parking. Grant money was also used to increase bicycle parking by about 30 percent with the purchase of new bike racks.
• Enhanced public transit services are one of the biggest aspects of TRIPwise. The number and frequency of bus lines serving campus has increased; everyone with an CSUMB username card has free, unlimited access to Monterey Salinas Transit, the local bus system. As a result, transit ridership is at an all-time high.
For a cost of about $50 per year per student, CSUMB students get unlimited rides on MST, the campus shuttle, and all transit services on campus. Before TRIPwise, the same amount of money paid for a campus shuttle only. This pricing structure is unprecedented in North America.
A smart phone app for bus and shuttle riders is available for download.
• The university had the highest rate of participation among organizations in the regional Rideshare Month competition.
• Nearly four miles of bike boulevards have been designated on campus.
• A pair of electric vehicle charging stations have been installed on campus, funded largely by a grant from the Monterey Bay Regional Electric Vehicle Association.
Winners in all 11 categories – typically one California State University and one UC campus in each – will pick up the awards at the conference June 23-27 at UC Santa Barbara.
The annual conference started in 2002, when 100 guests were invited to UC Santa Barbara to talk about best practices. Eleven years later, the conference draws about 1,000 attendees, with representatives from college and university campuses throughout the state coming together to share ideas.
In 2011, CSUMB learned two awards at the conference, for an energy retrofit of the library that resulted in an energy savings of approximately 20 percent, and for it work on the Chinatown Renewal Project in Salinas.
Visit the TRIPwise website Get the latest transportation information on the TRIPwise Facebook page
• Visit the sustainability website • Read about CSUMB’s Climate Action Plan
• Learn about CSUMB’s innovative energy management plan, including the use of solar power
• Water conservation efforts on campus
• CSUMB maintains a robust recycling program
• CSUMB named ‘green’ school by Princeton Review
Tiffany Barber has big plans.
They include graduating from CSU Monterey Bay, earning a Ph.D., and serving others.
Those plans got a boost when she was accepted into the undergraduate scholarship program sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The program recruits students from minority-serving institutions who are majoring in fields related to NOAA’s mission. This year, 11 students were accepted from across the country.
The scholarship will provide financial aid for the last two years of her undergraduate education. But the real value is the hands-on research opportunity she’ll have during two summer internships.
Barber, a marine science major from South Central Los Angeles, will head to Washington, D.C., right after the semester ends. After an orientation, she’ll be assigned to a NOAA facility in the Washington metropolitan area where she will get experience in operations or research. She’ll be assigned a mentor who will provide guidance for her research project.
She’ll be able to choose where she spends her second summer in the program.
Her involvement with the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center at CSUMB has prepared her for the experience. She has been involved with UROC's peer-to-peer program since she was a freshman. She's also a part of the UROC research seminar series for students who have been identified as having the potential for research. Through participation in the series, students receive support in applying to summer research programs.
Barber's persistence, determination and love of learning have propelled her this far. With the NOAA scholarship – and the opportunities that go with it – she’s well on her way to that Ph.D.
“I’m motivated to pursue a doctorate in order to pursue my scientific curiosity, contribute to the academic community and serve others,” Barber says.
“As an African American woman with a Ph.D., I will be an inspirational example to the younger generations and prove that going to college and achieving an advanced degree is possible.”
The Emergency Management, Health & Safety Division of the University Police Department invites everyone to the the annual campus Emergency Preparedness Fair on Sept. 11.
The event will take place on the campus quad from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Attendees will learn how to prepare themselves, their families, homes and community for an emergency. They can sign up for first aid, CPR and AED training as well as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training.
Anya Spear, associate director of campus planning at CSU Monterey Bay, has often been surprised by what she sees discarded during the annual rush to clean out residence hall rooms and move off campus for the summer.
“One year, a staff member found a brand new vacuum cleaner in the trash,” Spear said. “In the past, so many reusable items have been thrown away that people from off campus came to rummage through our dumpsters.”
But more than appliances get tossed aside. Clothing, furniture, lamps and microwave ovens are haphazardly thrown in dumpsters when they could be donated to organizations that serve the community.
With that in mind, Spear has partnered with GreenWaste, the university’s waste hauler, and Hope Services, which collects electronic waste and reusable items to support its programs and services for people with developmental disabilities, for CSUMB’s fourth annual zero waste move-out program, taking place May 9-18 on main campus.
Students in the Main Quad residence halls can purge their unwanted belongings May 9-12; North Quad residents can do the same May 16-18. A smaller event is scheduled for May 24 and 31 in East Campus housing areas.
Last year, more than 80 percent of what was disposed of during move-out week was recycled or reused – 5.8 tons of recyclable materials and 1.3 tons of reusable materials were recovered.
“Let’s aim for zero waste this year,” says the pitch for volunteers to monitor stations for recycling, donation and waste and perform a variety of other tasks. To volunteer, sign up here or e-mail event manager Max Lorenz at mlorenz@greenwaste.com
The California Department of Resource Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) requires CSUMB and local jurisdictions to report and reduce waste going to landfills every year. To meet that requirement, CSUMB began composting food waste from campus dining facilities, added new yard waste collection bins in East Campus homes and improved recycling facilities last year. Despite these efforts, 1,352 tons of waste was sent to landfills; 455 tons of material was recycled.
Top photo: Event manager Max Lorenz works at 2012's move-out Bottom photo: Chalk drawing reminds people to recycle
CSU Monterey Bay and Hartnell College have received a grant of $1.1 million to support their new three-year degree program in Computer Science and Information Technology.
The university and Hartnell have partnered to create a program called CSIT-in-3. The two schools have worked closely on the program’s design and implementation and will collaborate on instruction, mentoring and advising. It will start in the fall with approximately 30 students.
They will go through the program in groups, or cohorts, from enrollment to graduation, following a pre-determined series of courses. Along the way, they will receive academic support and career development through workshops and internships. The students will graduate in just three years and be ready to compete for in-demand opportunities in the high-tech job market and in graduate school. The grant, to be distributed over five years, is the result of a partnership among the National Science Foundation, Intel and General Electric. The project is called “Graduate 10K+” and its goal is to increase the annual number of graduates in computer science and engineering by 10,000.
The grant money will be used to hire a staff member to guide, monitor, and support students' academic progress as they move through the program. It will also pay for a summer program to enhance students’ academic skills, field trips and other support programs.
“We are building a new model for computer science education,” said Dr. Sathya Narayanan, director of the Computer Science and Information Technology program at CSUMB. “We are going beyond the boundaries of institutions, courses and semesters to build a program around the student cohorts.”
Said Joe Welch, lead program faculty member at Hartnell, “We’re bringing in students who have traditionally been underrepresented in computer science and information technology, and providing all the support they need to succeed.”
The grant is the second major gift to the program. The Matsui Foundation has committed to providing $30,000 over three years to each of 23 students.
Under Graduate 10K+, a total of $10 million was awarded to nine colleges and universities, including Cornell, Syracuse, University of Texas and a collaboration between the University of Washington and Washington State University.
Photo: National Science Foundation Acting Director Cora Marrett and CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.
Though the CSUMB and Sonoma State baseball teams may have been rivals on the field April 5, they sat down to dinner together at the end of the day. – Off 68, April 19, 2013
. . . Jesus Garcia-Valdez, a sophomore at CSUMB, is one of 20 scholarship winners nationwide – the only one from California – selected for the Sherin Global Leaders program. He'll study in Spain this summer. – The Salinas Californian, April 22, 2013
No other sport at Cal State Monterey Bay has had as much postseason success as the men's golf team at Hunter Ranch Golf Course. When the Otters start the CCAA championship, they will look to keep alive a streak of capturing the league's individual medalist-champion every year since 2008-09. – The Salinas Californian, April 22, 2013
The No. 4-ranked CSUMB men's golf team made it a clean sweep at the CCAA championships. The won the team title with a conference record score of 19-under-par 845 while sophomore Brandon Hortt won the individual title at 12-under. – Monterey Herald, April 24, 2013
CSU Monterey Bay senior Emily Roncase was awarded a $90,000 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. The fellowships are awarded to 2,000 students across the nation, most of them graduate students. Emily is one of 595 undergraduates to receive the award. – Daily Independent (Ridgecrest, CA), April 27, 2013
CSU Monterey Bay is one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the U.S. and Canada, according to the Princeton Review. – The Salinas Californian, April 29, 2013
. . . The student divers, all disabled veterans who suffer from everything from head injuries to PTSD, are learning to dive in the CSUMB pool. They are overseen by Frank Degnan, a dive teacher at the university. CSUMB students are volunteering to teach the vets underwater skills, like how to manage buoyancy and navigate at dive sites. – Monterey County Weekly, May 2, 2013
No. 8 seed CSUMB beats UC San Diego to clinch the university's first CCAA baseball title. – Monterey Herald, May 6, 2013
The CSU Monterey Bay men's golf squad will head into the NCAA Division II national championship with some steam behind them. On May 8, the Otters won the regional at The Home Course in Dupont, Wash., to knock off runner-up Western Washington by a stroke. – Monterey Herald, May 9, 2013
. . . An eight-foot iPhone displaying a documentary on Ed Ricketts' Lab. . . this is just one of the ambitious art installations that will be on display during the CSU Monterey Bay Visual and Public Art Department's exhibition, showcasing work from the department's 2013 capstone class. – Monterey Herald, May 10, 2013
Nicholas Fryou is this year’s recipient of the Monterey County Film Commission’s student scholarship.
Fryou, a senior at California State University, Monterey Bay studying Teledramatic Arts and Technology, is from Aromas. He plans to use the $2,000 grant to help with expenses for his capstone project.
“This scholarship will help out tremendously, and will allow me to . . . jumpstart my career in film,” Fryou told the film commission.
“Ever since I was very young, I have had a passion for filmmaking, acting and being around the camera. It was a fun hobby that has now become a career choice for me.”
The annual Monterey County Film Commission Director Emeritus Richard Tyler Scholarship Award is named in memory of Tyler, who served for 20 years on the film comission’s board of directors. It was created to provide financial aid and incentive to students of film and beginning filmmakers who reside in Monterey County or are enrolled in a college or university in the county. The fund was established as a permanent endowment with the Community Foundation for Monterey County.
The scholarship was created in 2008 and has gone to CSUMB students each year. Estee Blancher and Veronica Calvillo shared the inaugural award. In 2009, Juan Ramirez – who now works in the TAT Department as a media specialist – was the winner. Rachel Asendorf received the award in 2010; Dominic Parisi won it in 2011; and Joey Blackburn was last year’s winner. Learn more about the film program at CSUMB.Photo courtesy of Monterey County Film Commission
Art can be a powerful tool for change, disseminating ideas and inspiring people to act.
Sea Change, an exhibit at the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center, is doing just that — with the aim of bringing together art and concern for climate change.
Enid Baxter Blader, chair of the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department at CSU Monterey Bay, served as guest curator for the exhibit. It includes a diverse collection of contemporary projects by artists, architects and scientists who explore the shifting interactions of land and sea – specifically, the rising sea level in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.
She was invited to curate the show by “a wonderful and respected group, WEAD (Women’s Environmental Art Directory,” Blader said.
Lauren Elder, a WEAD board member, “was a true partner in creating this exhibition which we have been working on for a year.”
Blader has worked on a number of science and art participatory exhibitions. In the last two years, she has curated or co-curated exhibitions at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento; the Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena; and the prestigious Bay-Delta Science Conference in 2012, where she organized the conference’s first-ever arts exhibit, gave a plenary talk on science and art to 1,800 scientists and chaired a related panel.
Since her childhood growing up in a mining town – where she watched a mountain get razed – she has been interested in the intersections of landscape, history and community.
“All of my work resonates with these themes – plantord, waterca, local909ers. So do the workshops I founded through the Monterey Bay Film Society,” she said. “People, ecology and history.”
She makes work about “where I live or where I’m invited to investigate. I love people, histories and landscapes.
“I have a mind for science as an artist, and many scientists have a mind for art. There is a deep kinship there.”
Details: The Sea Change exhibit will be on display June 8-Sept. 15 at Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center, 4901 Breakwater Ave., Hayward, (510) 670-7270. The center is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays. More information and driving directions are available here. Learn more about sea-level projections here.
Photos courtesy of Walter Ryce Top: Professor Blader at the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center exhibit opening Bottom: A crowd gathered at the opening reception
Learn more about what faculty members at CSU Monterey Bay are doing.
"Forty Years from Yesterday" was selected for showing at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland in mid-August.
"Locarno rarely screens more than one or two U.S. feature films, so this is amazing," said Cinematic Arts faculty member and Mill Valley Film Festival programmer Karen Davis. "Proud is an understatement!"
"Forty Years" is entered in the festival's Concorso Cineasti del Presente, a competition dedicated to emerging directors from all over the world. Sixteen feature films, from documentary to fiction, were selected for screening. With its remote setting in the foothills of the Swiss Alps, the festival seems to be an unlikely spot for one of the world's most enduring film festivals, according to the Hollywood Reporter, yet it has been around since 1946.
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Two CSUMB alumni have made their feature film directorial debut with a powerful examination of love and loss.
“Forty Years from Yesterday,” by Robert Machoian (TAT ’07) and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck (TAT ’09), will have its world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival in June.
The film tells the story of Bruce, a widower who is struggling to deal with the death of his wife. In writing the script, Machoian imagined how his mother’s death would unfold for his own family, capturing what his siblings would feel in losing a parent and his father’s pain in facing the death of his partner.
Machoian’s family plays their real-life roles in the film. That includes his mother as Suzette, the wife and mother who dies in the film, and his father as Suzette’s husband.
“This film, through our exploration of how we might deal with such a tragedy ourselves, will bring the audience to reflect on the losses they have faced in the past and those they will have to face in the future,” Machoian told Indiewire.com. In a recent interview with the Davis Enterprise, the filmmakers declined to reveal many plot details. “I think the end is actually very hopeful,” Ojeda-Beck said. “It focuses on the people who survive.” The L.A. festival runs from June 13 through 23 and will show nearly 200 feature films, shorts and music videos from 40 countries. “Forty Years from Yesterday” will screen in the narrative competition, for films made by talented emerging filmmakers who will compete for the Filmmaker Award. A panel of jurors will select the winner from among the 12 entries in the category. Machoian and Ojeda-Beck met at CSUMB. In 2010, they started their own company, 433 Pictures, as a way to share their work in narrative, documentary and experimental film. In the four years of their collaboration, they have produced more than 80 films. Their short film, Charlie and the Rabbit, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010, and then played in more than 30 festivals. Three years later, Machoian returned to Sundance with two short films, part of a series shot on his iPhone that he calls Movies Made from Home. After leaving CSUMB, both headed to graduate school. Ojeda-Beck earned a master of fine arts degree from UC Berkeley and is currently a lecturer in the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department at CSUMB. Machoian earned a master’s at UC Davis.
Photo: Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck screen their short, Charlie and the Rabbit, on campus. At right is department chair Enid Blader.
Ed Carapezza (TAT ’13) has launched the National Music Sanctuary, a podcast and video series.
Students and faculty member Lanier Sammons of CSUMB’s Music and Performing Arts Department, and Scott Grover of the Golden State Theatre are working with his company, Dangerbag Productions.
Local musicians as well as those traveling through the Central Coast perform short sets, which are recorded by students in the university’s recording technology program and video is shot. The final product is posted online.
The first session took place in March with Steven Griswold and the California Convey, a honky-tonk band from Santa Cruz. That 21-minute video is now available online. Another session took place in April and featured a San Francisco band, Beso Negro. Folk musician Greg Brown is lined up for the third episode.
“The National Music Sanctuary is growing,” Carapezza said. “We’re going from one podcast a month to two.
“We’ve enlisted the support of another venue, Rumble Seat Music of Carmel. Using the backdrop of vintage priceless guitars, we’re sure to garner more acclaim.”
Upcoming acts include Iris Dement, the Blue Tail Flies from Santa Cruz, and the Lady Crooners, another Santa Cruz group.
The music project is just one of the things Carapezza is focusing on.
He’s also continuing to work on Shared Vision, a documentary series on artist communities around the world. It grew out of his capstone film in 2011, which tells the story of life at Project Artaud, a San Francisco artist community. That led to Prepping for Frescomania, a short film that was shown at San Francisco’s de Young Museum last fall as a companion piece to Javier Manrique’s stint as artist-in-residence at the museum.
The 43-year-old Carapezza has taken a circuitous route to where he is now – he worked in Hollywood as a grip and electrician and on the East Coast in construction; he studied at CSUMB, left and came back.
When he’s not working in the editing bays at TAT, he’s in the Music Department’s recording studio, implementing his seemingly endless supply of ideas.
Did you know there are Emmy awards for sports broadcasting?
Several dozen of them were handed out in New York on May 7 at the annual Sports Emmy Awards event.
One of them went to Casey Richards (TAT ’02). Richards, a resident of Atlanta, received an Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in the category of outstanding playoff coverage.
He was part of a team at TNT that won for its work on the National Basketball Association post-season telecasts in 2012.
“I was a writer/producer on the team. We all worked on this – the award was for the comprehensive playoff package. That means promotional spots, lead-ins, game elements . . . creative services that required a quick turnaround,” he said.
For this year’s basketball playoffs, currently under way, he’s doing the games’ opening pieces – “a kind of music video to hype people up for the game,” he said.
He’s also working on promos for the Sunday baseball broadcasts on TBS and creating pieces for the upcoming NASCAR season.
While he’s won other awards, and was nominated for an Emmy last year for his work on a baseball video featuring Bruce Springsteen, this is his first Emmy win.
Richards’ career has taken him across the country several times. After graduating in 2002, he worked for an advertising agency in Los Angeles, part of the in-house video editorial team. That was followed by a move to Atlanta, where he worked as an associate writer/producer for on-air promotions at Turner Broadcasting.
A couple of years later, he moved to Fox Sports, but stayed in Atlanta. In 2008, an opportunity presented itself at E! Entertainment in Los Angeles, where he worked as a writer/producer of on-air promotions. Then another cross-country move – back to Turner where he works in the Creative Services Sports Unit, the network’s in-house advertising operation for all the company’s sports properties, including professional basketball, baseball, NASCAR, golf and college basketball.
“I didn’t target sports out of school,” he said. “I fell into it out of necessity when the network I was working for was taken over by Fox Sports. It’s the same way I got into reality television when accepting a job at E! Regardless of the content, I’ve always adapted and all my jobs have been on the creative side of the industry.”
But sports is not unfamiliar territory for him.
“I’m a fan. You have to be to do this kind of work. I get free tickets to games – a nice perk. But I don’t watch ESPN 24 hours a day, and I can’t rattle off statistics.”
Enduring one final test – a two-hour-plus ceremony on a warm and breezy day – about 1,300 CSU Monterey Bay students celebrated their graduation May 18 in Freeman Stadium on the Seaside campus.
It was the largest graduating class in school history. They received their diplomas before a capacity crowd of about 8,000 family members and friends.
Keynote speaker Robert Danziger, a sustainable energy pioneer, musician and inventor, told the students that they can compete with people from Yale and Harvard and MIT, “just as I had to.
“If you have the honor, the integrity and the fire in the belly, you can make it. You can be as insightful and successful as anyone from any of those schools.”
Dr. Danziger worked at the California Institute of Technology’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he had a close-up look at one of the space age’s most ambitious projects, the Voyager exploration into deep space.
While still in his 20s, he founded Sunlaw Energy Corp. His goal was to research, develop, demonstrate and commercialize new energy and environmental technology. He has been a lecturer at Stanford University and an adjunct professor of alternative energy law at Whittier College School of Law.
“You have accomplished much and earned the right to stand proud,” he told the graduates. . . . “When your name is called and you walk across this stage and receive your diploma, your ancestors’ dreams have come true, their hearts are glad, and they can now rest content. Finally, every sacrifice they made, every oppression they endured, was worth it.”
He reminded the graduates that while there may have been setbacks along the way, they prevailed.
“I, and indeed many of you, were told we were not going to make it. Almost everyone here today has been hit, rallied, and redeemed themselves, and at this time I am delighted to note that we were right and those who doubted us were wrong.”
The commencement ceremony, the 17th in the university’s history, was the first presided over byDr. Eduardo Ochoa, who took over as the university’s president last July.
The ceremony opened with the traditional welcome in Spanish, Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese, delivered by members of the faculty. That was followed by the national anthem, sung by Stevie Rae Stephens, a music major and member of the Class of 2013.
In his remarks, President Ochoa cited the “amazing array of talent” among the graduates, and singled out several students whose stories are representative of the Class of 2013.
Among them were biology major Michael Diaz, who is headed to a Ph.D. program at the University of California, Irvine; Katie Canul, the first CSUMB grad to be accepted to UC San Francisco Medical School; Petra Mansfield, one of the first graduates of the master of social work program; Heather Cusson, a former Army medic who is headed to nursing school; and Julio Castro, a first-generation college student who plans to attend graduate school with an eye toward government or diplomatic service.
President Ochoa pointed out that among the graduating class are 12 veterans. “Being located at the former site of Fort Ord, our campus is proud of our ties to our nation’s military heritage. We are dedicated to meeting the educational needs of those who have served our country so well,” he said.
He introduced student speaker Ana Angeles, winner of the President’s Award for Exemplary Student Achievement.
Angeles, a Business Administration major, served as the student government’s chief financial officer and co-chaired the Student Fee Advisory Committee.
She passed along a piece of advice she had received.
“Some of us have received employment offers, some of us are seeking advanced degrees, and a lot of us are still figuring it out. As people keep asking us about our plans for the future, I want to share some great advice I’ve received: we will end up exactly where we need to be.
“So, don’t worry. The puzzle is coming together even though you can’t yet see the picture.”
See more photos here. See the event captured on social media here.
Watch a short video by the Monterey Herald.
Read about the API community's graduation celebration here.
Julio Blanco, dean of the School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering and professor of physics at CSU Bakersfield, has been named interim provost and vice president for academic affairs for Cal State Monterey Bay.
Blanco succeeds Kathryn Cruz-Uribe, who is leaving CSUMB to become chancellor of Indiana University East.
“I am pleased that Dr. Blanco has agreed to come to Cal State Monterey Bay to fill this leadership role. He has a strong academic background and excellent experience within the CSU system. I am confident he will be a great addition to our campus,” said Eduardo M. Ochoa, interim president of Cal State Monterey Bay.
Along with his role of dean at CSU Bakersfield, Dr. Blanco serves as associate provost for grants, resource management and planning within the Division of Academic Affairs. He moved to CSU Bakersfield from CSU Northridge, where he began his academic career as a teaching assistant in 1974 and advanced through the ranks to full professor in 1997. He served as department chair from 2001 to 2006.
Dr. Blanco earned his Ph.D. in physics from Penn State University and his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in physics from CSU Northridge.
He will assume his new duties July 1.
“CSUMB is a great university and I feel privileged to join it and to get to know everyone on campus and in the community. I look forward to working with President Ochoa and the administration leadership, faculty, staff and students,” Dr. Blanco said.
The university plans to launch a nationwide search for a permanent successor to Cruz-Uribe at the beginning of the 2013-14 academic year.
Kudos heaped on kudos for the dedicated CSU Monterey Bay students who are inspiring our elementary students. Speaking from my kindergartners' perspective, you're rock stars! – Monterey Herald (letter to the editor), May 11, 2013
As he motioned from his office window to the windswept grounds of what was once the Army's mighty Fort Ord training center, Leon Panetta couldn't help but marvel at what's now there – the thriving California State University Monterey Bay, which he helped create. – San Francisco Chronicle, May 12, 2013
Faculty at CSU Monterey Bay had already teamed up with a local two-year school, Hartnell College, on a program helping students make the transition to a bachelor's degree in computer science, says CSUMB's Sathya Narayanan. "But the NSF grant gives us what we need to do it right." – Science Insider, May 13, 2013
The Salinas Valley is doing its part to reduce the shortage of math teachers in the U.S. Three local young women are headed to graduate school and then to the nearest classroom. The trio will be among the more than 1,300 students on track to graduate from CSU Monterey Bay on May 18. – Salinas Californian, May 16, 2013
When CSU Monterey Bay won the national championship in 2011, men's golf coach Jason Owen had it all planned out. Two years later, Owen could again be on to something. – Monterey Herald, May 18, 2013
Nicholas Fryou, a student at CSU Monterey Bay, was named the winner of $2,000 in the Monterey County Film Commission's Director Emeritus Richard Tyler Film Student Award. Fryou will use the award for production expenses for his capstone project. – Salinas Californian, May 20, 2013
The California State University Board of Trustees today appointed Dr. Eduardo M. Ochoa as the permanent president of California State University, Monterey Bay, effective immediately. Dr. Ochoa has held the position on an interim basis since July 2012.
“I am honored by the action taken by the Board of Trustees in making permanent my appointment as president of Cal State Monterey Bay, Dr. Ochoa said. “Since arriving in July, I have been most impressed with the people I have met on campus and in the community. I believe this university is poised for great things, and I look forward to continuing to serve as its president.” Dr. Ochoa returned to the CSU after serving from 2010 to 2012 in the Obama Administration as the U.S. assistant secretary for postsecondary education – advising the secretary on higher education issues, administering more than 60 programs and overseeing financial aid policy and accreditation. “President Ochoa brought to Monterey Bay his unique blend of national expertise and a homegrown connection to the university mission,” said CSU Board of Trustees chair Bob Linscheid. “He has connected with students and faculty to move the campus forward on its core values of diversity, sustainability and community service.” Dr. Ochoa grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina, before moving to Portland, Ore., with his family while in high school. He has earned degrees in physics, nuclear science and economics from Reed College, Columbia University and the New School for Social Research, respectively. His plans to return to work in his native Argentina were sidetracked by a military coup. He refocused his energy in California, teaching at Fresno State as well as at California State University, Los Angeles, where he was a full professor and chair of the economics and statistics department. He also led the university’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research, and served as acting dean of its School of Business and Economics. In 1997, Dr. Ochoa was hired as the dean of Cal Poly Pomona's College of Business Administration, where he served for six years. This was followed by seven years as the provost and vice president for academic affairs at Sonoma State University.
View a video of President Ochoa talking about his plans for CSUMB.
CSUMB’s Class of 2013 marked its graduation on Twitter, Instagram and Vine during commencement ceremonies on May 18.
Here's a look at some of the happy moments captured in social media:
Patti Hiramoto, vice president of University Advancement, reminded the gathering at CSU Monterey Bay’s first Asian Pacific Islander American community graduation celebration about the importance of community.
“The API community can be an anchor, a place to return to, when life gets difficult and when life’s joys are to be shared,” she said.
The event, held the day before commencement, marked an important milestone for the university’s Asian Pacific Islander community and the 21 students who participated. It celebrated their achievements and the people who helped them along the way.
The plan is to make it an annual event.
Although Asian Pacific Islander American students make up only 6 percent of the student population at CSUMB, it is a growing group with students dedicated to building a stronger, more vibrant community on campus. They have organized a variety of events – cultural dances, social gatherings and performances – to connect with other students, educate others on their heritage and celebrate their achievements.
Anyone interested in participating in next year's Asian Pacific Islander graduation celebration or being part of the planning committee can contact Jihan Ejan at jejan@csumb.edu.
Patti Hiramoto, vice president of University Advancement at CSUMB (far left) and members of CSUMB's API community celebrate commencement on May 17.
Read about the May 18 commencement ceremony.
Kate Lockwood, assistant professor of computer science and information technology, has been honored with the Allen Griffin Award for excellence in teaching at the post-secondary level. The award is sponsored by the Community Foundation for Monterey County.
Established in 1982, the Griffin Award was created by a bequest from the late Col. Allen Griffin, former publisher of the Monterey Herald and founder and former board president of the Community Foundation. The award honors teachers who have a record of sustained excellence in the classroom and who have made a significant impact in the community.
Dr. Lockwood joined CSUMB in 2009, and has taught a variety of courses in programming, digital games and other computer-related classes. She has developed innovative teaching methods for her classes, and has presented these methods in workshops for her campus colleagues, at CSU-wide seminars and at international conferences on computer science education.
Among her teaching innovations is use of the “inverted classroom.” The concept swaps what has traditionally been done at home and what has been done in class. Students watch videos of lectures and interactive exercises at home, and then use valuable in-class time for discussion, hands-on experiences and small-group activities.
This summer, she has been invited to a university in Sweden to teach faculty members in several departments how to integrate the inverted classroom into their teaching.
In addition to teaching, mentoring and advising students, she chairs the Faculty Senate’s Technology Committee, sits on a variety of campus committees and working groups, and leads teaching and learning workshops for other CSUMB faculty members. And she maintains an active research program in artificial intelligence, focusing on programming systems that can engage in spatial reasoning.
In the community, she has worked with local high school students competing in a national robotics competition and helps with programming workshops where students learn basic skills before the competition season begins. During the summer, she has been involved with running computer science workshops for at-risk high school students.
She holds a Ph.D. in computer science from Northwestern University, an M.S. in information and a bachelor’s in computer engineering from the University of Michigan. Her research interests include artificial intelligence.
Griffin Award winners from CSUMB include Aparna Sreenivasan, Kent Adams, Pat Tinsley McGill and Scott Waltz. The award was given annually until 2011, when the Community Foundation changed to an every-other-year schedule.
Learn more about Dr. Lockwood.
Learn more about computer science and information technology at CSUMB. R ead more faculty news.
Students from Dr. Lockwood's First Year Seminar class in 2010 face off in a robot competition
CSU Monterey Bay's interim president is now permanent. The CSU Board of Trustees Wednesday appointed Dr. Eduardo Ochoa as the permanent president of CSUMB. – Monterey Herald, May 22, 2013
El argentino Eduardo Ochoa, quien ha trabajado en temas de educacion invitado por la Administracion de Barack Obama, fue nombrado esta semana presidente de la Universidad Estatal de California en la Bahia de Monterey (CSUMB). – MSN Latino, May 24, 2013
After an exciting debut in 2012, CSU Summer Arts returns to campus in July with a lineup of 17 classes and 52 public events.
Students – who come from CSU campuses, other four-year and two-year colleges as well as the local community – are immersed in rigorous training 12 hours a day during the two-week sessions. Classes will be offered in dance, music, theater, creative writing, visual arts, filmmaking and animation.
The guest artists/teachers include actors from the Steppenwolf Theatre Company; Eliot Fisk, who will be among the classical guitar instructors; and professionals from DreamWorks, who will lead the animation session.
“We are here to ignite artful minds. The community is invited to come and enjoy 28 days of eclectic art-making,” added Rachel Nardo, director of CSU Summer Arts. “The most exciting part of Summer Arts is that there will be so many exceptional arts events taking place in our own backyard,” said Rob Klevan, the program’s community relations specialist. The public events include lectures, concerts and theatrical productions, all priced to make them ac- cessible to a wide audience. In addition, each course offers a free public performance or “culmination” at the end of the session where students showcase their talents.
A list of classes as well as the schedule of public performances is available here. Here’s a preview of the kinds of events that will be open to the public during July:
On July 2, DreamWorks animator Rex Grignon will talk about the process of animation, and how cool it is to work on films such as the Shrek series, the Madagascar series, Kung Fu Panda, Megamind, and the soon-to-be-released Turbo. The 7 p.m. talk will be held in the Tanimura and Antle library on campus. Tickets are $8 for general admission; $5 for students and seniors.
CSU Monterey Bay President Eduardo Ochoa has named Shyam Kamath dean of the university’s College of Business Administration.
Dr. Kamath assumes leadership of the newly created college on Sept. 1.
“I am delighted to join CSUMB as the founding dean of the new College of Business. I look forward to building on the excellent foundations created by those who have established an outstanding school of business in the past two decades since CSUMB was established,” Dr. Kamath said.
“My decision to join CSUMB was based on its excellent reputation, outstanding faculty, staff and student body and the tremendous potential to build an regionally, nationally and internationally recognized College of Business.”
Said President Ochoa: “We are excited that Dr. Kamath has agreed to become the founding dean of our College of Business. He is a strong leader with an outstanding range of experience in both the private sector and academia. His international background will be a great asset as we develop a College of Business that educates students with a global perspective.”
President Ochoa said that the creation of a College of Business will allow enrollment to continue to grow; business is already the top undergraduate major at CSUMB. The university plans to enhance its academic programs that respond to regional needs, in areas such as hospitality management and agricultural business, and eventually seek accreditation through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Dr. Kamath has more than 35 years of experience in international education, international development and management, sustainable enterprise formation, global business consulting and university teaching.
He comes to CSUMB from St. Mary’s College in Moraga, where he is a professor of global business and economics and associate dean of graduate business and global programs in the School of Economics and Business Administration. As director of St. Mary’s Trans-Global Executive program, he teaches graduate students to apply business solutions to social service needs in order to help people at the bottom of the economic pyramid
Prior to his stint there, he spent more than two decades as a professor of international economics and business at CSU East Bay and started the university’s Transnational Executive MBA program.
He previously taught at Dalhlousie and Simon Fraser universities in Canada and the University of Madras in India.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Delhi, a master of business administration degree from the Indian Institute of Management, and a master’s and Ph.D. in economics from Simon Fraser University.
He has served as a consultant to more than 100 firms, non-governmental organizations and nonprofits in 15 countries on four continents, and has been an economic consultant to the governments of Austria, Brazil, China, Indian and Thailand, to the United Nations Development Program, and numerous private foundations.
“I look forward to the opportunity to work with the faculty, staff, students and the administration to build new programs, hire new faculty and staff, initiate the accreditation process and grow the college to meet the challenges of the 21st century,” Dr. Kamath said.
Business classes have been offered at CSUMB since the founding of the university. The program has grown steadily and is now the largest program on campus, enrolling about 14 percent – 640 students – of undergraduates. Those students can choose to concentrate in accounting, agribusiness, entrepreneurship, hospitality and hotel/resort management, information technology and e-commerce, management and international business and marketing.
In addition, traditional and executive MBA programs are available online; approximately 200 students are currently enrolled. Next year, the university expects to break ground on a building that will house the College of Business and the School of Information Technology and Communications Design. Photo courtesy of St. Mary's College of California
CSU Monterey Bay could play a part in restoring the long-term vision needed for strong economic growth locally, says President Eduardo Ochoa. Think Silicon Valley or the Research Triangle in North Carolina. – Monterey Herald, June 1, 2013
President Eduardo Ochoa has announced that five faculty members at California State University, Monterey Bay have been granted tenure. The newly tenured faculty members and their departments: • Dr. Lipika Deka, Mathematics and Statistics Department • Dr. Cathi Draper Rodriguez, Teacher Education Department • Ms. Jacqui Grallo, Library • Dr. Sathya Narayanan, School of School of Computing and Design • Dr. Lila Staples, Visual and Public Art Department Along with to receiving tenure, all were promoted to associate professor.
In addition, Ms. Pam Baker, library; Ms. Stephanie Johnson, Visual and Public Art Department; Dr. Pam Motoike, Service Learning Institute; and Ms. Johanna Poethig, Visual and Public Art Department, were promoted to full professor.
Wired magazine and online publication enlisted alumni from CSUMB’s science illustration program to bring to life – so to speak – an animal hybrid wish list.
The website’s readers inspired the list of imaginary creatures. Wired reporter Nadia Drake writes, “readers seem to be interested in everything we write about spiders or sharks. Thus, the spidershark,” just one of the critter combos depicted on the website. Wired enticed 11 alums to take on the fictional creatures and make them look real, according to Drake. “Their awesome talent and creativity resulted in the beautiful, awe-inspiring, and sometimes terrifying visual creations in this collection,” Drake writes. Those creations include: • Spidershark, by Calene Luczo
• Pandaroo, by Maayan Harel
• Flying Squirwolf, by Natalia Wilkins
• Taranturaptor, by Alex Babakitis See top of page • Cuttlephant, by Meghan Rock
• Stomatopetrel, by J.L. Hirten
• Piranhatee, by Justine Shih
• Pterodactwhale, by Laurel Mundy
• Dinoflagellate Starling, by Katie Bertsche
• Fire-Dog, by Kelly Lance
• Gazelligator, by Lucy Conklin
Drake reports that the images will be displayed at the Science Online Bay Area event scheduled for June 12 in San Francisco. “They’re going to project the hybrids onto big screens throughout the evening,” she says. “I’ll be doing a question-and-answer onstage with two of the artists.” Learn about the Science Illustration program at CSUMB.
Dr. Renee Curry has published another article on one of her long-time research interests, director Woody Allen.
Her latest piece, “Woody Allen’s Grand Scheme: The Whitening of Manhattan, London and Barcelona,” appears in the recently published book, “A Companion to Woody Allen,” one of the Wiley-Blackwell Companions to Film Directors series.
Dr. Curry’s article is one of 26 original essays collected in the book.
Allen has been one of America's most prominent filmmakers for decades, since the 1965 release of “What’s New Pussycat?”
Dr. Curry, a professor in the Division of Humanities and Communication, has published a number of articles on Allen and has edited the book, “Perspectives on Woody Allen” (Greenwood 2000). Read more faculty news.
Kathryn England-Aytes, a lecturer in psychology at CSUMB, has contributed to a book that’s the first of its kind for educational publishing.
“Teaching Truly: A Curriculum to Indigenize Mainstream Education,” published by Peter Lang Publishers, was written by American Indian rights activist Four Arrows. It provides guidance on incorporating indigenous perspectives into classrooms from kindergarten through college.
Guest authors, including Professor England-Aytes, contributed six of the book’s 13 chapters. Her chapter deals with American Indian historical trauma and education.
“Four Arrows is a respected educator,” Professor England-Aytes said. “I was honored he asked me to participate.”
The book has been praised by Noam Chomsky, William Ayers and Henry Giroux, among others.
Chomsky, MIT professor emeritus, said of it:
"This enlightening book reminds us that the grim prognosis for life on this planet is the consequence of a few centuries of forgetting what traditional societies knew, and the surviving ones still recognize. We must nurture and preserve our common possession, the traditional commons, for future generations, and this must be one of our highest values, or we are all doomed. To regain this sensibility from those who have preserved it we must pay careful attention to their understanding and practices, especially their educational practices as brought to us in these thoughtful chapters."
Read more about Professor England-Aytes here and here.
Learn about the psychology program at CSUMB.Read about what faculty members at CSUMB are doing.
CSU Monterey Bay faculty member Suzanne Worcester has received a Garden Club of America Club Conservation Commendation for her work with students and the community.
The award is given to a person who has made significant contributions to conservation in her or his community and is not a GCA member. The Carmel-by-the-Sea Garden Club nominated her for the award.
Dr. Worchester is a professor in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy.
Her research interests include restoration ecology, conservation biology and environmental science education. Her personal interests include conservation, sustainability and enjoying nature.
She and her family “try to chart the path to a more sustainable American lifestyle,” to make sure her children “will be able to experience the many beautiful places that exist on this planet,” Dr. Worchester said.
She is a member of Keep Fort Ord Wild and the Fort Ord Recreational Users, and has been active in the movement to focus development on the blighted lands of Fort Ord rather than in the remaining wildlands. She worked with others to save the coast live oak trees and wild space at the Whispering Oaks property and lay the groundwork for Fort Ord public lands to be designated a national monument. She is a former board member of LandWatch Monterey County.
At CSUMB, she involves students in applied conservation projects such as monitoring dune plant restoration work, evaluating the response of maritime chaparral to fire, and working with the Bureau of Land Management to monitor the effects of sheep grazing on grasslands. She also studies the vernal pools on Fort Ord National Monument.
The award will be presented in the fall.
Read Dr. Worcester’s advice on gardening with native plants in the fall/winter issue of Monterey Bay, the magazine of CSUMB.Learn more about what faculty members at CSUMB are doing.
"Dialogue and Deliberation," a new book by Professors Debian Marty and Josina Makau, was recently published by Waveland Press.
Amazon says of the book:
Across our differences, people everywhere wish to be heard, to be known, and to be understood. When these needs are met, individuals have the potential to flourish, and communities can work together in common cause. Yet, in the current argument culture, the power of communication to meet these needs remains largely untapped, and the ability to resolve shared problems is compromised. "Dialogue and Deliberation" explores the roots of this communication crisis and offers a realistic means to reconnect, to build community, and to make just and wise decisions together.
Dr. Makau has a Ph.D. in rhetoric from UC Berkeley. Dr. Marty earned a doctorate in communication studies at Ohio State University. Both are professors in the Division of Humanities and Communication.
In 2001, the two collaborated on another book, "Cooperative Argumentation: A Model for Deliberative Community."
Dr. Debian Marty discusses the importance of recognizing communication patterns in order to create a more peaceful and just society in this video.Learn more about what faculty members at CSUMB are doing.
Dr. Ruben Mendoza continues to win accolades for his work on missions in California and the Southwest.
An archaeologist and founding faculty member at CSU Monterey Bay, Dr. Mendoza has been invited to do a weeklong residency at Arizona State University in June. He will deliver two presentations as part of a program on research and digital preservation of colonial missions. His topics: “Canticle of the Sun: Archaeoastronomy and Solar Eucharistic Workshop in the Millennial New World,” and “The Cross and the Blade: Discovery of the Serra Chapel and the Archaeology of the Royal Presidio of Monterey.”
At the invitation of ASU’s Hispanic Research Center, he will meet with scholars with an eye to future collaboration. “This dovetails nicely with the work I am presently doing with the UNESCO World Heritage List scholars and the National Park Service in Texas, and my role as an advisory board member for the Monastery of San Jeronimo de la Murtra in Spain . . . where King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella first met Christopher Columbus upon his return from his charter voyage to the New World,” Dr. Mendoza said.
With a colleague, he has organized a symposium for the 2014 meeting of the Society for American Archaeology in Austin, Texas. The title: “Feast, Famine or Fighting: Multiple Pathways to Complexity.”
Read about a National Endowment for the Humanities grant Dr. Mendoza and two of his students secured for summer workshops for teachers on the missions and presidios of California.
Learn more about archaeology at CSUMB.
Billy Coleman, a student in the Master of Business Administration program at California State University, Monterey Bay, has been awarded an Investment in Community Fellowship by the Willis W. and Ethel M. Clark Foundation of Pebble Beach.
The award, in the amount of $5,000, is for people who were born, raised or live on the Monterey Peninsula and who intend to be of service to the local community after completing graduate school. Fellowship winners must have an above–average academic record, proven community service and leadership and must be a full-time graduate student.
Coleman, 48, of Salinas, earned a bachelor’s degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences from CSUMB in 1997. He has served as the director of International Justice Mission, a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. His goal is to combine his love for people and business to create organizational behavioral changes as well as improve the lives of people through personal and professional development.
The Willis W. and Ethel M. Clark Foundation was incorporated in 1953, and has enjoyed 60 years of community service on the Monterey Peninsula. Its founders were pioneers in educational testing and research and in 1926 started the California Test Bureau (known as CTB). In 1965, the company was sold to McGraw-Hill and is now known as CTB/McGraw-Hill.
Learn about the MBA program at CSUMB
Learn about financial aid at CSUMB
CSUMB is participating in United Way Monterey County’s Stuff the Bus campaign, a countywide drive to collect school supplies for children whose families are not able to afford them. Donations can be dropped in the bin – shaped like a tiny school bus – located in the Student Center. The third annual campaign gets under way on June 20 and will run through July 30, when the supplies will be stuffed into backpacks and distributed through the Monterey County Office of Education. Monterey County has seen a steady growth in the number of homeless children; in 2011-12, more than 5,100 homeless students where attending school in the county. Add kids in foster care and those from families in need, and the size of the problem becomes apparent. Among the items needed are:
Backpacks (no solid red or blue), 3-ring binders, dividers, binder paper, spiral notebooks, crayons, pencils, pens, rulers, glue sticks, construction paper, pink erasers, yellow highlighters, pocket dictionaries. For more information, please visit the United Way Monterey County
Marylou Shockley, a professor in the College of Business at CSU Monterey Bay, has been elected chair of the Grower-Shipper Association Foundation board. She will serve a one-year term. The foundation is the non-profit arm of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California. It works to educate the community about the agricultural industry. Its programs include AgKnowledge, an executive leadership program, and A Greater Vision, a series of forums on agriculture-related issues important to the community. Philanthropy is an important part of the foundation’s mission. For example, since June 2012, it has donated more than $75,000 to pay for salad bars in Chualar, Gonzales, Greenfield, Monterey and Salinas schools. Dr. Shockley joined CSUMB in 2006. She teaches management and international business; her focus is on leadership, diversity and corporate governance from a social responsibility perspective. She holds a doctorate from the Said School of Business at Oxford University, an M.S. from Stanford as a Sloan Fellow, and an MBA from the University of Southern California. She has been a member of the Grower-Shipper Association Foundation board for six years. Read more faculty news.
. . . Cal State Monterey Bay is seeing strong student demand. CSUMB welcomed a record total of more than 5,700 students in fall 2013, more than 60 percent from outside the Central Coast region. – The Salinas Californian, March 19, 2014
Kevin Martinez will have to make some tough decisions about his education when he graduates from Soledad High School in 2016.
The 14-year-old, who is thinking about becoming a doctor, is leaning toward attending Stanford or a University of California campus.
Quentin Davis, a senior at Seaside High who is considering a career in business law or psychiatry before heading into politics, will also have to decide which road to take when he graduates next June.
But thanks to their participation in the Upward Bound program – Kevin at CSU Monterey Bay and Quentin at UC Berkeley – both students think they will be well-prepared to make the right choices.
On June 21, they were among 540 high school students enrolled in Upward Bound and a related program called Educational Talent Search who gathered at CSU Monterey Bay for Summer Jam, a day of fun and games geared to teach leadership, teamwork and sportsmanship.
Students came from programs based at Fresno State, College of the Sequoias, Fresno City College, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, UC Berkeley and CSUMB.
The Upward Bound program serves high school students from low-income families and students from families in which neither parent holds a college degree. They receive tutoring, counseling and mentoring; participate in summer programs at CSUMB and other colleges and universities where they take classes for high school and college credit; learn how to apply to college and for financial aid; and go on tours of college campuses.
“The program has taught me about college life, and helped me improve my study habits,” Kevin said. Added Quentin: “Upward Bound has broadened my idea of career choices.”
At Summer Jam, students representing dozens of high schools were divided into teams, identified by various colored T-shirts.
Schools were not allowed to compete individually; instead, students from one school were mixed with students from another to make a team.
“That’s so they meet people outside their circle and learn about teamwork,” said Perry Angle of Fresno City College’s Division of Student Services.
The friendly competition, which was punctuated throughout the day with loud cheering, clapping and laughter, included a rocket launch, a game of Jeopardy that tested their college knowledge, a tug-of-war, a contest that involved building a tower with drinking straws and a spelling bee.
At CSUMB, the Upward Bound program serves Soledad, Watsonville, North Monterey County and Pajaro Valley high schools. Pajaro Valley and North County are new to the program, so statistics are not yet available. But, students at Soledad and Watsonville who have gone through the program have a 98 percent high school graduation rate.
CSUMB’s Education Talent Search program serves students at Alisal, Gonzales, Greenfield, King City, Seaside, Soledad and Watsonville high schools.
Learn more about Upward Bound and Educational Talent S earch at Cal State Monterey Bay.
Sam Koji Hale, an animator and puppet maker, will visit CSU Monterey Bay on April 10 for a pair of events open to the public.
Hale has more than a decade of experience making animated films, which combine computer effects with puppetry, and has won numerous awards for his work.
Perhaps his best-known work, “Yamasong,” has been honored at the Atlanta Film Festival, the Graphation Film Festival in Los Angeles and the World Music and Independent Film Festival. His other credits include art director for the Cartoon Network show “Annoying Orange,” lead VFX artist for Disney Jr.’s “Bite-Sized Adventures of Sam Sandwich,” and associate producer for Disney’s pilot, “Team Smithereen.”
On April 10:
• From 3-5 p.m., Mr. Hale will present a workshop on stop-motion puppet making. He will discuss his fabrication and construction process and show how he made “Yamasong” and his current work-in-progress, “Monster of the Sky.”
• From 7-9 p.m., Mr. Hale will present the latest collection of Handmade Puppet Dreams, a film series created by Heather Henson, daughter of the late Jim Henson. Handmade Puppet Dreams is a touring festival of films, created by independent artists. The films focus primarily on marionettes, finger puppets and paper cutouts, and showcase a new generation of puppeteers who embrace film as a medium of artistic expression. Mr. Hale works as a producer for Handmade Puppet Dreams.
Both events will be held in the Cinematic Arts Building on Sixth Avenue and A Street. Driving directions and a campus map are available here. While the events are free, visitors must purchase a parking permit from a machine on the lot.
Some of the films contain mature content and are not suitable for children younger than 14.
On April 12, the university and MY Museum will partner to offer a program for the whole family. At 1 p.m., puppet films will be screened, followed by puppet-making activities with Mr. Hale. The program is free with museum admission. MY Museum is located at 425 Washington St., Monterey.
CSUMB is developing an animation curriculum within its Cinematic Arts and Technology Department. This is the program’s first public event.
Is your small business safe from cyber threats? Do you have an Internet security policy for your employees? Do you have a checklist for how to protect your business data on all your electronic devices?
If the answer to these questions is no or you are unsure about the latest and best precautions to take, there's an easy way to learn how to protect your business in cyberspace, courtesy of the Small Business Development Center and the Wireless Education and Technology Center at CSU Monterey Bay.
Presentations – available in English and Spanish and closed-captioned – are posted online at http://sbdc.csumb.edu/cyber-security and can easily be downloaded.
They cover topics including information security when using wi-fi; how to market your business safely online; and how to safeguard your e-waste. A variety of videos, links, worksheets and other resources are also available at the site.
There is no charge for these materials, which are supported by an award from the California Consumer Protection Foundation.
Learn more about CSUMB’s Small Business Development Center
“It changed my life.”
That’s how CSU Monterey Bay student body president Brett Roberts summed up his time at the Panetta Institute for Public Policy’s student leadership seminar.
Nearly 30 student body presidents and other elected student leaders from throughout the California State University system, Santa Clara University, Dominican University of California and St. Mary’s College attended the seminar June 16-23 on the CSUMB campus.
The objectives of the seminar, called Education for Leadership in Public Service, are to teach leadership principles, strategies and practices; to send the students back to their campuses and communities as more effective leaders; and to encourage them to pursue lives of public service.
Roberts, a senior computer science major from Moss Beach, especially enjoyed the presentations by guest speakers, including state and regional political leaders, heads of military institutions, and criminal justice, business, media and sports leaders. Topics ranged from consensus building to criminal justice. Frank Hespe, a local lawyer, was one of his favorites. “He put us through a mock exercise of balancing a $700,000 budget with a $100,000 deficit and assigned us to represent – and fight for – various interests groups,” Roberts said. “The lesson is the skill of compromise and consensus-building. I enjoyed this exercise because we all took it so seriously and the gridlock arguments we were having made me think of our own legislature and how hard it is to get things passed.” At the end of the eight days, the students gave presentations on their thoughts and definition of leadership and how they planed to apply the lessons they learned to their academic, professional and political objectives. “It has reinforced my core beliefs on what a good leader is,” Roberts said a day after finishing the seminar. “I saw leaders from all walks of life and saw that leadership qualities were all very core values within them. “This will help with my role as Associated Students president. Not only has it helped me learn about being an effective leader, but it has strengthened a bond between me and the presidents from the other CSU campuses.” Since the leadership seminars started in 2000, nearly 400 students have participated. “There’s no question that what we do is to help the students think how leaders think,” Sylvia Panetta, co-chair and CEO of the Panetta Institute, told the Santa Cruz Sentinel. “We also encourage the students to continue their education.”
Learn more about the Panetta Institute for Public Policy and its programs.
You might find them in your garden, or spot them on the sides of rotting logs as you hike. They are slime molds: found just about everywhere, colorful, gelatinous, diverse, adaptable.
And Angela Mele is determined to get them some recognition.
Mele, a 2010 graduate of CSU Monterey Bay’s Science Illustration program, is working with slime mold researcher Dr. Steven Stephenson of the University Arkansas on his field guide to Australian myxomycetes (the scientific name for the organisms). Her job: fill the guide with 40 beautiful illustrations.
In December, Mele spent a week in Dr. Stephenson’s lab, peering into a microscope and drawing. But, there are many more species described in the guide that she would like to illustrate. That will require more resources than the project has available.
She’s using the fundraising site Kickstarter to collect donations for supplies, public presentations and displays, and other costs. Her goal of $5,500 was reached on the first day; as of June 24, she had raised more than $8,000 from 173 backers.
She points out that the species she’s illustrating for Dr. Stephenson aren’t found only in Australia. They are some of the most common species worldwide; therefore, her illustrations will be relevant to communities everywhere. She plans to exhibit them, and use them in presentations at schools, nature centers and natural history museums.
Her ultimate goal is to create a public slime mold diorama that could be the centerpiece of larger exhibitions about micro-organisms and soil ecology. But that might have to wait until she finishes her master’s degree in museum studies, which is intends to start in the fall.
See example of Mele’s slime mold drawings
Read about CSUMB's Science Illustration program
. . . The Science Illustration program at CSU Monterey Bay is a training ground for artists who love science and nature. We enticed 11 alums and current students to take on our fictional creatures and make them look real. – Wired, June 3, 2013
CSU Monterey Bay's Will Anderson and Nick Parent were among those chosen on the third and final day of the Major League Baseball draft. They are the first two baseball players to be drafted directly from CSUMB. – Monterey Herald, June 9, 2013
Jason Owen had led his team to a Division II title and been named national coach of the year. Owen, one of Southeast Missouri State's former standout golfers, recently completed his fifth season in charge of the men's golf program at Cal State University, Monterey Bay, located in Seaside, Calif. – Southeast Missourian, June 19, 2013
Shyam Kamath has been named dean of CSU Monterey Bay's College of Business Administration. – India West, June 21, 2013
. . . Putting his trust in CSU Monterey Bay baseball coach Walt White changed Will Anderson's course of direction. . . . Drafted in the 26th round by St. Louis earlier this month, Anderson will make his professional debut for the Cardinals' Rookie League team in Johnson City, Tenn. – Monterey Herald, June 22, 2013
For many students, writing is a daunting task. Putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) is a homework chore, not a summertime activity.
But for 72 high school students at CSU Monterey Bay this summer, writing is a passion.
Students from Seaside High were on campus as part of the fifth annual Imagine College Summer Scholar Institute, which brings approximately 240 high school students to CSUMB for a trio of one-week sessions. Nearly 70 percent of them come from families where no one has attended college.
The program's goal is to encourage students to think that college is a realistic possibility, and to help them pay for it. Each student enrolls for a five-day session and can choose one of four courses to pursue during the week: filmmaking; creative writing; math or Spanish. Current CSUMB students, and a few alumni, will serve as teaching assistants or "mentors."
According to Juan Ramirez, co-coordinator of the program, the focus of the program is to get high school students “to imagine going to college, and realize they actually can.”
The cornerstone of the program is the guarantee of a $4,000 scholarship to any student who graduates from Seaside High School with a 2.5-grade-point average, attends two weeks of Imagine College summer sessions while in high school and gets accepted to a college or university.
A local resident donated the scholarship money. CSUMB and the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District are sponsoring the program.
Sixteen-year-old Michelle Asignacion said the program was an opportunity for the high school students to grow.
She learned that “creativity is the act of defiance, and I am always the kid who won’t speak up in class because I think people have better things to say than me.” In her creative writing class, she said, she has learned she can write it down on paper, and not worry about what she says.
Learn more about Imagine College
Grab your blankets and pillows and head to the forest. The Forest Theater Guild will host a stellar selection of CSU Monterey Bay student films at this year’s Carmel Short Cinema Festival on July 14 at the outdoor Forest Theater. The showing will begin at sunset. Admission is $10. The program is about an hour long.
This year’s festival will feature eight professional-quality film productions spanning genres, including narrative, animated, and experimental works. The collection represents the Cinematic Arts’ best program yet, with works inspiring a wide range of emotional responses. For example, In “Please Tell Someone, Dear,” writer, editor and director Margo Flitcraft tells a heartbreaking story about sexual assault in the military and coping with PTSD. In “Big Sur,” exceptional cinematographer Stephen Miller shows just why that landscape is so treasured. Danny Orona’s “Sisyphus” is a complex, riveting psychological thriller. “Boredom Under Fire,” created by Rachel Kellum, Serena Bramble and Michael Marks-Nino, is a comic wartime foxhole drama. And “Blue” is a delicately handmade stop-frame animation about the unexpected joy for creativity. Please note that some films in the program contain mature language or violence and are not appropriate for young children. Tickets can be purchased at the door. The program is expected to start around 8:30 p.m. Spectators are advised to wear warm clothing and may want to bring a blanket. Concessions will be available. The Forest Theater is located at the corner of Mountain View and Santa Rita streets near downtown Carmel. For information, visit http://www.foresttheaterguild.org./ This program is presented with support from the Monterey Bay Film Society. The Monterey Bay Film Society is the Central Coast’s premiere organization for independent filmmaking, media art and community and is presented by the Cinematic Arts and Technology Department at CSUMB. Its mission is to promote the cinematic arts with year-round programs and works to develop and support the unique voice of the local communities. It also provides free media workshops for at-risk and underserved youngsters throughout Monterey County.
Photo from the film "Blue," by Leanna Munoz
For six years, Professor Rina Benmayor’s students at CSU Monterey Bay have worked to preserve memories of the Chinatown area of Salinas.
In partnership with the non-profit Asian Cultural Experience, students in her Oral History and Community Memory service learning classes have designed, conducted and archived oral histories focused on life stories and Chinatown memories of members of the Chinese, Japanese, Filipino and Latino communities.
Those memories will be the basis for “Imagine Salinas Chinatown: An Oral History Walking Tour,” thanks to a $10,000 grant from Cal Humanities. The grant was awarded as part of the non-profit organization’s effort to collect, preserve, interpret and share the stories of California communities.
The grant will fund design and development of an interactive website as well as the on-site walking tour. By using the oral stories, the walking tour will convey the lived experience of the people and communities that have comprised this historic neighborhood.
Audio and video footage of the oral histories will be edited into mini-documentaries and “pinned” to particular sites on the Google map of Chinatown – existing buildings as well as empty lots that once housed families and businesses.
The website will also contain historical information, longer interviews and additional images. As people walk through the neighborhood with a mobile device, they will be able to hear the stories and “experience” the past.
Chinatown for me was a blighted down-and-out skid row. Now, it is a place with a richly layered past. – David Lansford, former student
The walking tour will be one of the permanent public exhibitions of the future Salinas Chinatown Cultural Center and Museum, to be housed in the Republic Cafe, now a federally designated landmark. Dr. Benmayor's students from Salinas often say they had no idea that Chinatown had such a vibrant history. Knowing this history sheds new light on other immigrant experiences, they say.
Since 2008, more than 90 students have participated in the project, generating primary historical material that is permanently archived in the CSUMB Oral History and Community Memory Archive. Eventually, the material will be archived in the Salinas Chinatown Cultural Center and Museum.
Learn about CSUMB’s Oral History and Community Memory Archive More faculty news
Photo: Sign on the Republic Café, future home of the Salinas Chinatown Cultural Center and Museum. The museum is the cornerstone of the Chinatown Renewal Project, a cooperative effort among CSUMB, the Salinas Redevelopment Agency and the Salinas Downtown Community Board to revitalize the 12-block neighborhood. In the video below, Dr. Benmayor talks about digital storytelling.
It's going to be a big week for former Cal State Monterey Bay baseball players David Garcia, Will Anderson and Nick Parent. The graduates start their first jobs as professional baseball players. – The Salinas Californian, June 24, 2013
The CSU Monterey Bay women's basketball program named Cal Poly San Luis Obispo associate head coach Kerri Nakamoto the seventh head coach in the team's history. – Monterey Herald, June 25, 2013
CSU Monterey Bay won a jackpot of culture in the CSU-wide Summer Arts residencies, which began last year. The program brings instructors from various artistic fields to the CSUMB campus for intense two-week classes, punctuated by a public performance nearly every day in July. – Monterey County Weekly, July 2, 2013
A dormitory complex for almost 600 CSU Monterey Bay students to be built by a private developer won fairly easy approval from the Marina City Council. – Monterey Herald, July 3, 2013
Class work is done in class, homework is done at home. That's the way it's always been. But imagine that model flipped: the traditional classroom experience – like sitting through a lecture – happens at home, while homework is done in class. It's called the "inverted classroom," and it's a strategy more colleges, including CSUMB, are using. –* Monterey County Weekly*, July 4, 2013
The Forest Theater Guild will host a selection of CSU Monterey Bay student films at this year's Carmel Short Cinema Festival. – Cedar Street Times, July 5, 2013
. . . This fall, the Monterey County Hospitality Association and CSUMB will introduce a mentoring program designed to connect hospitality stuents and industry leaders. – Monterey Herald, July 6, 2013
It’s been a productive year for CSU Monterey Bay music lecturer Lanier Sammons. During the last 12 months, he’s won awards from two national organizations and been chosen an artist-in-residence by a Santa Cruz museum. His composition, D.C. Home, won a top honor in the Young Composers Competition sponsored by the National Association of Composers/U.S.A.
The idea for the percussion quartet originated on a train trip from New York to Charlottesville, Va. With nothing else to do, he stared out the window, “and was rewarded with a striking scene,” he said. “In the sky, a warm, ochre sun sat nearly motionless even as the train sped on. Along the horizon below the sun, a farmhouse slowly plodded past. The fields stretching toward me in front of the house accelerated to a gallop. Finally, just in front of my eyes, a thin layer of pines zipped by in a deep green blur. What I saw was undeniably a landscape, but it was undeniably not tranquil; each layer resolutely moved by at its own speed, refusing to coalesce into a unified, pastoral image.” D.C. Home marks his attempt at realizing this experience in musical terms. Like the scene out his train window, “the music moves in layers, each of which possesses its own temporal identity,” he said.
And, he has been selected for the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History’s new participatory performing artist-in-residence program. His eight-week residency will culminate with the premiere of a new composition at the museum’s Santa Cruz Music Festival on Aug. 16. Dr. Sammons, a composer and guitarist, teaches analogue mixing and digital editing as well as the Music and Performing Arts capstone class and master classes. His music explores ideas such as audience interactivity, improvisation, the intersection of popular and classical music, and the pairing of electronic and acoustic sound. As a performer, he explores multiple genres on electric guitar, classical guitar and other instruments. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and a master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. His research interests include composition and audience-interactive music, the relationship between play and composition, new music for the guitar, and the intersection and overlap between "popular" music and "art" music. Last year, he was the recipient of an ASCAP Plus Award in the concert music division. The award is given by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and is based on the unique value of each composer’s catalog of original compositions as well as recent performances. According to the organization, the grants support the growth and development of the nation’s musical future. Read more about Dr. Sammons.
Learn more about the Music and Performing Arts program at CSUMB.
. . . With a grant from the national Endowment for the Humanities, CSU Monterey Bay professor Ruben Mendoza put together the workshop for teachers to learn more about the California missions. . . "It's been a tremendous opportunity," Mendoza said. "We have brought a selected group of people who bring different voices to California's history." – Monterey Herald, July 19, 2013
Trading the winds of Chicago for the gentler breezes of Monterey Bay, Jeff Perry, the celebrated co-founder of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, has again assembled a tremendous ensemble of artists for Steppenwolf Classes West – instructing, engaging and inspiring the next generation of artists enrolled in California State University Summer Arts.
Perry brings tremendous performance experience as a member of Tony award-winning casts of August: Osage County and The Grapes of Wrath. August: Osage County also secured a Pulitzer Prize.
“The opportunity for our Summer Arts’ students to work with Jeff and members of the world-renowned Steppenwolf Theatre Company though their Steppenwolf Classes West program is truly remarkable,” said John Mayer, chair of the Theatre Department at CSU Stanislaus. “This once-in-a-lifetime experience deeply affects students as both collaborative artists and human beings.”
The first Steppenwolf Classes West at CSU Summer Arts program was offered in 2002, when Perry, Sheldon Patinkin and Kim Rubenstein conducted a two-week intensive workshop coordinated by Mayer. Due to the success of the program and the student demand, the workshop was repeated in 2005, 2008, 2010 (as a month-long workshop), 2011 and now again for an entire month in 2013.
Tribes is a smart, lively new play that asks us to hear how we hear, in silence as well as in speech. – New York Times
On July 24, the Steppenwolf program will present the play Tribes, starring Perry, which had a wonderful run in New York in 2012; and, on July 20, the classic play Love Letters, featuring Evelyn Carol Case and Mayer.
The Steppenwolf co-founder is not alone in distinction among CSU Summer Arts masters. This year, a cadre of celebrated guest artists is providing real-life perspective of their industry along with artistic instruction. For more information, including a list of classes, visit CSU Summer Arts.
Cody Kyle likes big adventures.
The CSU Monterey Bay alumnus (TAT 2010) and his brother Tyler just completed one – a 3,800-mile bike ride through 11 states from the Golden Gate Bridge to Atlantic Beach, N.C.
The odyssey ended on July 12, when, according to their blog, Cody and Tyler reached their final destination – in pouring rain.
"We were escorted by the Morehead Police Department. They guided us in for the last 10 miles, blocking off traffic at the stop lights and waving us through," the brothers reported.
"Thanks to friends, family and good Samaritans, we made it relatively unharmed, albeit scratched and with a few new scars," Cody said.
He wore a helmet camera during the trip, recording footage for a documentary he is calling “A Positive Mind in Every State.” The idea was to interact with residents of small towns and discover what makes each of them unique.
He ended up with more than 600 hours of footage and plans to have the project finished by next spring. Cody hopes to use the documentary as a resume piece to help him land his dream job in nature documentary work. And Tyler, a graphic designer, said the unique cities and the artwork he has seen throughout the trip have inspired him.
After graduating from CSUMB, Cody, 26, spent several years working for AD-Venture, a Fresno video production agency. Tyler, 24, a graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, worked as an art director for a Morro Bay firm.
“The main reasons we’re doing this are to produce the documentary and to go on a big adventure,” Cody told the Fresno Bee. “We like adventures, and the bicycle just happens to be the medium for this one.”
The trip got off to a rough start in April. Loaded down with clothing and camping equipment, their bikes weighed more than 90 pounds – which made crossing the Sierra a bit of a challenge. Their unfamiliarity with road bikes and clipless pedals didn’t help. “We fell over a couple of times at stoplights,” Tyler told the Bee.
But that warm clothing proved useful when they were caught in a snowstorm outside Carson City, Nev., and another one in Colorado.
They averaged 60 to 70 miles a day and typically rode for a week straight, camping as they went. After a week’s ride, they took a day off to relax and stay at a motel.
They followed a route laid out by the Adventure Cycling Association and encountered dozens of bicycling travelers along the way. Some of them were headed west, and were able to provide the brothers with useful information about friendly towns, road construction and heavy traffic. And the locals they encountered along the way were friendly and helpful. Even the few times they were called “crazy,” it was said in a nice way, they said.
There’s only one drawback to traveling by bike, Tyler told the Bee. “There’s not much room for souvenirs.” Read the blog that Cody and Tyler kept during their trip.
San Francisco artist Andrew Schoultz has created a mural and a site-specific installation at the Monterey Museum of Art, with help from a trio of CSU Monterey Bay art students.
His work, on display at the museum’s La Mirada facility through Nov. 17, is based on local histories of Monterey.
For years, the university’s Visual and Public Art Department and the museum have collaborated on projects, and countless students have done internships there. Last spring, Professor Johanna Poethig recruited Teryn Thomason and Jorge Amezcua from her painting and mural class to help with Schoultz’s exhibit. The third student, Devin Johnson, took a more indirect route: he relied on old-fashioned perseverance.
After learning when the artist would be at the museum, Johnson vowed to show up at 8:30 every morning until he caught someone's attention. It didn't take long. A staff member was quick to respond to his offer of help and he went to work in late June.
All three students were pleased to have the opportunity.
“This is the first internship I’ve had,” Thomason said. “Professor Poethig is a wonderful mentor and has been instrumental in giving me opportunities within the art community here in Monterey.”
Thomason assisted Schoultz in setting up his pieces of art. “Most of the work I did was on painting walls with brick décor, and smaller layers of brick work on the sides of mural panels within the largest room of the museum,” she said.
She also filled in large patches of off-white color to sections of the mural that Schoultz then filled in.
Amezcua had worked on large-scale murals before, but “being able to work with an artist like Andrew was a very motivating experience,” he said. “I have admired his work, especially his murals in San Francisco, so being able to put a face to the work was surreal.”
His part of the project involved prep materials for the artist and adding base layers of paint to large-scale pieces. Among other tasks, Johnson painted in parts of the mural that Schoultz had outlined on the wall.
It was a learning experience for all of them.
“It’s always enriching being exposed to different types of art and different techniques,” Thomason said.
"An important thing I realized was about the inner workings and business of the art world," Johnson said.
Schoultz’s work is part of the museum’s In Process series of exhibitions that focus on work by contemporary artists and frequently include ephemeral, site-specific installations. In Process charts the most current developments in the field of contemporary art by championing the work of emerging and mid-career artists.
Read more about Professor Poethig
Photos:
Top: CSUMB student Jorge Amezcua working on an exhibit by Andrew Schoultz at the Montery Museum of Art. Photo courtesy of the museum Bottom: Devin Johnson with a part of the exhibit he worked on. Photo courtesy of Devin Johnson
Ayana Hawk is not your typical study-abroad student. She’s majoring in film, not social sciences or business — the most popular fields among students studying abroad. And she’s African-American, which, according to the Institute of International Education, puts her among 4.8 percent of students who study overseas. Hawk will be taking an intensive language program at a university in southern Spain this coming school year, thanks to a scholarship aimed at getting more underrepresented students to study abroad. The scholarship also encourages applicants to look beyond traditionally popular destinations such as Italy or Australia.
Hawk, of Culver City, is one of 12 CSUMB students to receive the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship for the coming year. The Gilman scholarship recipients reflect a more diverse pool, with 17 percent being Hispanic and 15 percent Asian or Pacific Islander. Nearly a third of them go to Asia, compared with about a tenth of traditional study-abroad students. The scholarship is sponsored by the U.S. State Department and administered by the Institute of International Education. The competitive program offers grants of $5,000 to help defray the costs of tuition, room and board, books, local transportation, insurance and airfare. The program awarded more than 850 scholarships to undergraduates for the 2013-14 academic year. “It is a wonderful opportunity for these students,” said CSUMB’s international programs manager Holly White, who has seen a significant number of CSUMB students earn the scholarship over the last few years. Last fall, 13 CSUMB students received them.
Like the other scholarship winners, Hawk, 19, who will be a junior in the fall, would not be able to study abroad without the financial support the program provides. The trip is one she has dreamed of for years. “The reason why I decided to study abroad is because I knew there is more to the world than what I am currently living and experiencing,” she said. “Growing up, I remember watching the Olympics and seeing all these countries I’d never even heard of. I knew there was more than what I knew outside my home. There was a whole world.” While she will study only Spanish, she plans to explore current events and political issues in the country via filmmaking. She’s interested in the plight of African immigrants who work in the fields and as street vendors; some blame them for Spain’s current economic crisis.
The belief that international study better prepares American students to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world is central to the vision of CSUMB’s Office of International Programs. In the academic year just concluded, 110 students spent at least a semester studying abroad. For the 2013-14 academic year, approximately the same number will spent one or two semesters studying in another country. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship recipients for the 2013-14 academic year, and their travel destinations:
• Maria Becerra, Spain • Matthew Bichay, Japan • Allan Coello, Japan • Ayana Hawk-Harris, Spain • Elizabeth Lara, Sweden • Shelby Lydon,, Japan • Kiara McLaurin, Japan • Eric Mosqueda, Sweden • Franchesca Ramirez, Germany • Brenda Ruiz, Germany • Richard Sweet, Japan • Julio Tellez-Gonzalez, Japan
Learn more about CSUMB’s international programs
Learn more the Gilman International Scholarship program
The cheapest four-year college in California, CSU Monterey Bay, charges in-state students about $6,000 in annual tuition and fees . . . – Fresno Bee, July 8, 2013
CSUMB is circulating local history. The National Endowment for the Humanities awarded CSUMB archeology professor Ruben Mendoza a $177,000 grant to teach 80 teachers from across the country about California missions. – Monterey County Weekly, July 11, 2013
Come enjoy a display of young brilliance at this special showing of CSUMB student films at this year's Short Cinema Festival in Carmel. – Monterey County Weekly, July 11, 2013
La Universidad Estatal de la Bahia de Monterey permite que jovenes de preparatorias locates visiten el campus para desarrollar en ellos el buscar su educacion superior. – KSMS-TV (Univision), July 10, 2013
Panetta said the institute will expand, and that he and Sylvia are in the midst of trying to secure a spot on campus to construct a new building to host the popular Panetta Lecture Series – which draws political leaders and policy thinkers to the Peninsula to talk about national and international issues. – Carmel Pine Cone, July 12, 2013
For six years, Rina Benmayor's students at CSU Monterey Bay have worked to preserve memories of Chinatown in Salinas. That work has received a $10,000 boost from Cal Humanities toward a project titled "Imagine Salinas Chinatown: An Oral History Walking Tour." – The Salinas Californian, July 15, 2013
Two dynamic arts organizations are joining forces.
The Monterey Bay Film Society and the Philip Glass Center for the Arts, Science and the Environment are developing a long-term partnership to bring celebration of the arts and sciences to Monterey County. The first steps in this process will happen Oct. 2-6 at the Henry Miller Library and Carmel’s Sunset Center when the Film Society’s Monterey Bay Film Festival will become part of the Days and Nights Festival, creating daytime film programming and workshops to compliment the exquisite nights of music planned for this year.
The festival will feature screenings and workshops by Godfrey Reggio and musical performances by Philip Glass and others. The free popular teen film program will be held on Saturday, Oct. 5, and a free screening and workshop by filmmaker Diego Luna is tentatively scheduled for Friday, Oct. 4. A number of free tickets will be made available to Monterey County students.
Full festival programming will be announced in early August.
The Days and Nights Festival, now in its third year, is the premier program of the Philip Glass Center for the Arts, Science and the Environment. Developed by Mr. Glass, the festival is designed to encompass and nurture the arts in a way that welcomes the future while exploring the seminal developments in the arts throughout history.
The mission of the Center is to gather the world’s leaders in the fields of art, science and the environment for a broad array of interdisciplinary activities including performances, seminars and education programs that inspire and motivate the public to become engaged with matters vital to the future of the natural environment and the quality of human existence.
The Monterey Bay Film Festival, under the auspices of the Monterey Bay Film Society, has grown over its six years to incorporate films by local and international teen filmmakers and programming created by creative director Mike Plante of Sundance. The Monterey Bay Film Society is presented by the Cinematic Arts and Technology Department at CSU Monterey Bay. Focused on independent, avant-garde and community-based media, the Film Society works to develop and support the unique voice of our remarkable communities. The Monterey Bay Film Society grew out of the Monterey Bay Film Festival in 2007, as a response to rising teen violence rates in Monterey County. Founded by artist and CSUMB Cinematic Arts Chair Enid Baxter Blader, the film society annually works with over 2,000 teens to develop self-confidence through creative expression, a sense of place and community connectedness, job-related skills, exposure to college as a future choice, inspiration from internationally recognized artists, joy and hope.
The activities are intergenerational, requiring college students to engage as mentors, building their own skill sets and sense of social responsibility, and bringing internationally renowned artists to the county to teach the college students and youth.
These year-round activities will continue to grow in partnership with the Glass Center.
For more information, contact Jim Woodard, festival managing director, at jim@daysandnightsfestival.com
Janet Rodriguez grew up thinking she wanted to be a nurse.
To accomplish that goal, she took the prerequisite classes and put herself on a waiting list for a spot in a community college program.
“I knew I wanted to go into the health field, and I thought nursing was the only way to get there,” she said.
A few years passed without her starting the program. “I felt stuck.”
At that point, she transferred to CSU Monterey Bay, and realized how many opportunities there are to work in the field that interested her.
“Researching majors made me realize that there was this whole different side to health – the administrative, community educational and policy side of it,” she said.
“That’s why I chose Collaborative Health and Human Services.”
Her summer internship confirms she made the right decision.
She is spending her summer in a paid position with the Monterey County Health Department’s Planning, Evaluation and Policy Unit. Among other things, the unit works to bring the various bureaus of the department together. Her job focuses on outreach and public education around health issues.
As she talks about what she’s learning on the job, it’s clear that she is passionate about serving her community. She understands the barriers facing people in underserved communities and wants to help teach them how to access the information they need to live healthier lives.
She secured the internship through Health Careers Connections (HCC), a non-profit organization in the Bay Area that provides opportunities for students who are interested in pursuing careers in health care or public health. The internships allow students to explore career choices while developing leadership skills.
With financial support from the California Endowment, students are placed with organizations that are part of Building Healthy Communities, a project geared to improving the health of residents of East Salinas. Through that connection, Rodriguez ended up with the county position.
And she’s making the most of it.
“I have the opportunity to learn about various positions within the Health Department,” she said. “I am learning what it takes to effectively collaborate with others to bring a goal to fruition,” she said.
“I have an excellent preceptor, Erica Padilla-Chavez, who is passionate about what she is doing and definitely portrays the leadership qualities needed to accomplish the goals set by the Health Department,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez has three semesters left to complete her degree. Her plans for the future include pursuing a master’s degree in public health and landing a job in community outreach and education.
The Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce honored California State University, Monterey Bay at the Business Excellence Awards dinner July 18.
The university was named best in the education category, based on its goals, service to students, employee satisfaction, commitment to sustainability and involvement with the Chamber and the local community.
President Eduardo Ochoa accepted the award at a dinner attended by 400 Chamber members and guests at the Portola Hotel and Spa in Monterey. CSUMB and winners in the other 16 categories will be eligible for the Business of the Year award that will be handed out next January.
Photo: President and Mrs. Ochoa accept the award on behalf of the university
After years of work, the permits are finally in place for removal of the sediment-filled San Clemente Dam on the Carmel River.
On June 21, federal, state and local officials celebrated the start of the largest dam removal in California history, calling it a crucial environmental restoration project that could serve as a precedent for other dams in the state and the nation.
The project, due to start in August, includes removing the 106-foot-high dam located 15 miles above Carmel. It has been out of use for years, with tons of sediment accumulating behind the aging structure, and was deemed seismically unsafe in the 1990s.
Every big dam removal project poses a large-scale environmental experiment, according to CSU Monterey Bay Professor Doug Smith. This dam removal is especially worthy of study because it is a new technique designed to keep all the trapped sediment in place, he said.
And that’s where CSUMB students come in.
Graduate student Sheldon Leiker and undergraduate August Delforge (an intern from the university’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center) are leading the charge to quantify unintended environmental consequences, as a way to guide future dam removal projects.
Leiker, who will enter her second year in the Applied Marine and Watershed Science master’s program, works in Dr. Smith’s watershed geology lab. She and her field team of Delforge and Elizabeth Geisler, another grad student, are conducting a study on sediment transport in the Carmel River. California American Water is providing the funding to support the students.
The team is collaborating with NOAA and the U.S. Geological Survey to set up sites from just above the dam to the Carmel lagoon for monitoring.
“Basically, we are trying to establish a baseline of the river's current sediment system to be compared to studies after the dam is removed. That way, we can track changes in the system that result from the dam removal,” she said.
“Our field work consists of conducting topographic surveys and determining particle size distribution of the river bed at several study sites along the river,” she explained.
Leiker earned her undergraduate degree in avian biology at the University of Georgia, and then spent some time in Costa Rica working as a teaching assistant on tropical ecology study-abroad programs and as a naturalist for a biological research station within Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve.
“Working in Costa Rica, I realized I wanted to shift my career toward environmental and physical sciences rather than biology.
“At a California State University course in Costa Rica, I met some of the CSUMB faculty, learned of the program and decided to apply. The applied marine and watershed science master’s program appealed to me because of the hands-on approach the courses take,” she said.
“It provides students with excellent academics and real world experience in our field, which is invaluable to students.”
Photo: Sheldon Leiker (left) and August Delforge. Photo courtesy of Dr. Doug Smith
What do Moliere, forests of the Central Coast and Russian life and culture have in common?
They are among the classes that will be offered this semester through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – OLLI – at California State University, Monterey Bay.
OLLI resumes this fall for its seventh year with a diverse range of courses and speakers specifically for those 50 and better.
OLLI at CSU Monterey Bay, with support from the Bernard Osher Foundation, is part of a national network that recognizes learning and exploration have no age limits. Members are inspired to take a fresh look at themselves, their world, and the possibilities that await them.
Among the course offerings are a variety of writing classes; an examination of feminist literature; reptiles and amphibians of California; satirical anti-war cinema; 20th century painting; and a look at oceans and their impact on human endeavors.
New this year is a four-session exploration of African American history by CSUMB professor of anthropology Dr. Umi Vaughan; Fathers and Daughters: King Lear and The Tempest, taught by former MPC instructor Allston James; and a lecture by attorney and law school professor Michael Stamp that will preview the issues to be presented in the Monterey College of Law’s moot court competition the following week.
Former Assemblymember Fred Keeley is back with a three-session class, California Renewal: Economic Recovery, Policy Initiatives, Political Trajectory, that will take a look at the trajectory of politics in the Golden State.
Also offered are a Distinguished Lecture Series, including a talk by CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa on Sept. 18. His topic: “A Call for Excellence.” There’s also a free lecture series, “That’s Entertainment.”
Individual class offerings can be purchased, or attendees can sign up for an annual membership – which includes tuition for 10 classes for $210, or five classes for $140. Memberships include discounts on campus and other benefits.
For more information or to register for classes, call 582-5500 or visit OLLI online.
Six CSU Monterey Bay students spent part of their summer learning how to conduct oral history interviews in a rural community in Spain.
David Macko, Timothy Davis, A.J. Cibulsky, Karina Gomez, Megan Thomas and Susan Dyar took part in the ethnographic field research school sponsored by the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences. During June, the students and Dr. Juan Gutierrez, the program director, traveled to Boñar in the province of León, in northwestern Spain.
“It was a town I never would have visited, yet loved more than the destination spots we visited,” Thomas said.
According to Dr. Gutierrez, the program has two goals: to give students experience in ethnographic field research methods, and to make a contribution to the region by generating knowledge and appreciation for the cultural legacy of the area.
They collected and analyzed information, and visited anthropological, historical and cultural sites, medieval locations and cathedrals of northern Spain, and contemporary landmarks such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.
The students collaborated with researchers associated with La Alcordanza, an organization that studies and promotes the culture, traditions and oral history of communities of northwestern Spain.
Professors from the Department of Contemporary History at the University of the Basque Country extended support to the group. And anthropologists from the University of Leon invited them to tour the campus and explore ways for the two universities to collaborate in various disciplines, especially social sciences, biology and Spanish.
“We are proud to make CSUMB present in this part of the world and of the very positive impact that the presence of the group is having in the communities we visited,” Dr. Gutierrez said.
The trip had a positive impact on the students as well.
Said Thomas: “I learned to define my life on more substantial grounds. Not by my income . . . , but by the relationships I have with others.”
To learn more about the program, contact Dr. Gutierrez or the Office of International Programs.
Photo: Students listen to a lecture at the paleoanthropological site of Atapuerca in Burgos. Photo courtesy of Dr. Gutierrez
CSUMB Provost Julio Blanco (second from right) accepted the award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 7. Photo courtesy of the Washington Center
California State University, Monterey Bay has earned the Higher Education Civic Engagement Award presented by The Washington Center and the New York Life Foundation.
CSUMB was one of five colleges and universities selected for the honor among more than 100 nominees. Recipients were chosen based on their leadership and innovation in civic engagement. The award will be presented in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 7.
As part of the award, CSUMB will receive $20,000 in scholarship funding to help students participate in The Washington Center's Academic Internship Program in Washington, D.C., in 2014.
“It’s wonderful to see our program being recognized nationally,” said Dr. Seth Pollack, director of Service Learning at CSUMB. “No other university in the country has made as significant a commitment to integrating learning about social justice and civic engagement into the core of the curriculum. Our focus on developing students’ capacity for service and social responsibility truly distinguishes our degree programs at CSUMB.
“We have a very special program, and it feels great to again be recognized as a national leader.” The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, in partnership with the New York Life Foundation, established the award to celebrate institutions in the higher education community that are reaching beyond their own campuses to achieve sustainable civic impacts. The award highlights innovation and leadership in forging partnerships beyond campus to define and address issues of public concern at the local, regional or international level. One such example is CSUMB's role as the anchor of a broad coalition to revitalize the long-neglected Chinatown neighborhood in Salinas. Since 2006, more than 1,200 students and 20 faculty members have participated in this community-based effort, while CSUMB has collaborated to bring over $2 million in federal, state and private grants to the effort.
As part of the Chinatown Renewal Project, students created a 30,000-square feet community garden, designed cultural history exhibits and done other work that will be part of the permanent exhibitions at the future Chinatown Cultural Center and Museum, and opened the Soledad Street Community Learning Center.
“CSU Monterey Bay is a shining example of how universities are taking the traditional curriculum model and incorporating initiatives that teach self-awareness, community engagement and life-long leadership skills,” said Mike Smith, president of The Washington Center.
“CSUMB is a true leader within the academic community and we congratulate them on this honor.” – Mike Smith, The Washington Center
This year’s award committee was chaired by Geri Mannion of Carnegie Corporation and included Doug Wood of the Forbes Foundation, Robert Hackett of the Bonner Foundation, Heather Smith of Rock the Vote and Peter Levine of CIRCLE at Tufts University.
The Citadel, Portland State University, Southern University at New Orleans and Syracuse University also won awards.
See a photo gallery of the Chinatown garden Students help to tell stories of Chinatown
Two CSUMB students were behind the free soccer program run out of the Cesar Chavez Library in Salinas. "They are athletes who used soccer as their pathway to higher education. Each recognizes the value of athletics as an opportunity to gain admittance to a university," said library technology manager Carissa Purnell. "Originally they came to complete their community service hours, but fell in love with the students, their families and the community. They took the initiative to apply for grant funding." – The Salinas Californian, July 20, 2013
The 106-foot-high, sediment-filled San Clemente Dam on the Carmel River will be torn down in August. Federal, state and local officials said the largest dam removal in California's history will be a crucial environmental restoration project that could serve as a precedent for other dams in the U.S. Every big dam removal project poses a large-scale environmental experiment, California State University Monterey Bay professor Doug Smith said. Carmel River's dam is especially worthy of study because removal crews are using a new technique designed to keep all the trapped sediment in place, he said. Luckily, CSUMB graduate student Sheldon Leiker and undergraduate August Delforge don't mind getting their hands dirty and their feet wet in the name of environmental science. – KSBW, July 25, 2013
For the fifth year, California State University, Monterey Bay was host to the graduate exercises of the Junior Otter Program. The participate in English, math and science classes and they also participate in a program called University Enrichment. The message for the migrant students is that they are not only capable of going to college, but "we (CSUMB) are their hometown university," said Dr. Carl Del Grande, program director. – The Salinas Californian, Aug. 2, 2013
Professor Umi Vaughan continues to explore the African diaspora with his work on a dance festival and symposium this month in San Francisco. Dr. Vaughan, a faculty member in the Division of Humanities and Communication, is one of the curators and a panel moderator for Performing Diaspora at the CounterPULSE theater.
The festival features dance, music, theater, media and interdisciplinary artists who use traditional forms as a basis for experimentation and innovation. The symposium, set for Aug. 10, will kick off the three weekends of events. Performances will follow Aug. 15-18 and Aug. 22-25. The symposium will feature a discussion of the complexities of African dance, practice, production and teaching in the Bay Area and explore how artists address injustice and violence through their performances. Dr. Vaughan will moderate a panel titled “Spirit Moves: Sacred Dance Onstage.” Dr. Vaughan is also one of two featured artists in an upcoming exhibit in Oakland to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Called “Ritmo Negro: Visions of Afro-Latin America,” the exhibit will be on display at the East Bay Municipal Utility District office during September and October. In October, he will give a talk about the African diaspora in Latin America, based on photographs in his books. An anthropologist, musician, dancer and photographer, Dr. Vaughan has published two books recently: Carlos Aldama's Life in Batá: Cuba, Diaspora, and the Drum; and Rebel Dance, Renegade Stance: Timba Music and Black Identity in Cuba.
98 points is most scored in Otters' history The play sounded different, but the song remained the same as the Cal State Monterey Bay women's basketball team opened the Kerri Nakamoto era with a routing 98-70 win over West Region rival Dixie State. – Monterey Herald, Nov. 9, 2013
Moving from one head coach to another, Cal State Monterey Bay women's basketball team made as smooth a transition as possible. – The Salinas Californian, Nov. 11, 2013
Johanna Poethig has been making public art in San Francisco since the 1980s. This summer, the professor in CSUMB’s Visual and Public Art Department is “re-making” a mural she created in 1992, and employing students in the effort.
Staff members from the San Francisco Human Services Agency contacted her about restoring her mural, “To Cause to Remember,” better known as the Statue of Liberty mural. It’s located on the side of a homeless shelter in the city’s South of Market district.
On the 40-foot by 80-foot wall, Lady Liberty lies on her side with chains on her feet and her hand outstretched.
Poethig said on her blog:
“Everyone who comments on the mural mentions the chains first of all. . . . This symbol, the fallen Liberty, speaks to the issues of poverty, immigration, mental illness, incarceration, drugs, war veterans, families and the elderly.
“The image has been published in books about street art. In my 30-year career as a muralist and public artist, this work of art has weathered the test of time. The Liberty in recline has proven herself to really mean something to the people who live with her chains and to those who remember what she means.”
Poethig enlisted the help of her students Matthew Floriani and Jorge Amezcua. It’s not the first foray into public art for Floriani – for his capstone project, he created a mural for the Marina Skate Park. And he took a page from Poethig’s book by enlisting the help of youngsters from the Marina Teen Center and Los Arboles Middle School.
Floriani had never worked on scaffolding or on such a large project. "I learned how to work with a team . . . and I learned to work quickly and precisely," he said.
It was also Amezcua's first experience working on such a large scale. And while he spent some time earlier this summer helping with a project at the Monterey Museum of Art, he had never worked on a restoration. He learned a valuable lesson.
"As an artist, I have always wanted complete control of every detail of my projects. But the more I get into pubic art, the more I realize . . . the amount of work that goes into large scale murals is so great in terms of physical demand and danger that there is simply no way to do it without a crew.
"As crewmembers, it is our job to realize the artist's vision and that includes working from the artist's design," he said. "It feels good to have an artist like Johanna trust me enough to work with her crew."
Photos courtesy of Johanna Poethig
Top photo: The mural before restoration
Below (left to right): Jorge Amezcua, Johanna Poethig and Matthew Floriani spend part of their summer restoring the Statue of Liberty mural first unveiled in 1992.
Anti-racism activist and educator Tim Wise will discuss white privilege and how it ultimately harms its beneficiaries when he visits CSU Monterey Bay on Sept. 18.
His lecture will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. in the University Center on Sixth Avenue and B Street. Tickets – $10 for the public and free to CSUMB students, faculty and staff with CSUMB username – will be available at the door. Visitors must purchase a parking permit from the machine located on the parking lot.
Wise will examine what it means to be white in a nation created for the benefit of those who are “white like him,” and how privilege seeps into every institutional arrangement, from education to employment to the justice system.
Through storytelling and analysis, he makes the case that racial inequity and white privilege are real and persistent threats to personal and collective well-being, but resistance to white supremacy and racism is possible.
Wise has been called “one of the most brilliant, articulate and courageous critics of white privilege in the nation.” He has appeared on hundreds of radio and television programs, is a regular contributor to discussions about race on CNN, and has appeared on ABC's 20/20.
He is the author of six books including “White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son” and “Colorblind: The Rise of Post-Racial Politics and the Retreat from Racial Equity.”
A question-and-answer session and a book signing will follow the talk.
The Otter Cross Cultural Center, Otter Student Union, Associated Students and the Service Learning Institute are co-sponsors of the lecture.
Driving directions and a campus map
For more information or to arrange disability accommodations, contact rita zhang at rzhang@csumb.edu.
. . . The library (is) a gleaming work of architectural ingenuity and environmental conscience. It's rated LEED silver, built partly from recycled materials and designed to let in abundant natural light. – Monterey County Weekly, March 20, 2014
Many young filmmakers submit their work dozens of times before being accepted into a festival. That wasn’t the case with 2013 graduate Margo Flitcraft, who struck gold right out of the box.
Using Withoutabox, a website which offers filmmakers a platform to submit their work to more than 900 festivals (including Sundance), Flitcraft sent her capstone to five events. She was accepted into the first one – Timecode: NOLA Film Fest 2 in New Orleans. The festival, scheduled for Sept. 18-22, will include independent films from local and international filmmakers, as well as industry panels, workshops and even a skateboard filmmaking symposium. Flitcraft’s film, “Please, Tell Someone Dear,” tells a heartbreaking story of sexual assault in the military and coping with PTSD. It screened at last spring’s Capstone Festival; was shown along with Kirby Dick’s “The Invisible War” at CSUMB’s World Theater; and at the Carmel Short Cinema event.
“Your film encapsulates the heart of independent filmmaking by pushing boundaries of creativity and drive without the support of a large crew or big budget,” her acceptance letter said.
Professor Luis Camara was Flitcraft’s Capstone adviser. Photo: A still from "Please, Tell Someone Dear," written and directed by Margo Flitcraft
Many young filmmakers submit their work dozens of times before being accepted into a festival. That wasn’t the case with 2013 graduate Margo Flitcraft, who struck gold right out of the box.
Using Withoutabox, a website which offers filmmakers a platform to submit their work to more than 900 festivals (including Sundance), Flitcraft sent her capstone to five events. She was accepted into the first one – Timecode: NOLA Film Fest 2 in New Orleans. The festival, scheduled for Sept. 18-22, will include independent films from local and international filmmakers, as well as industry panels, workshops and even a skateboard filmmaking symposium. Flitcraft’s film, “Please, Tell Someone Dear,” tells a heartbreaking story of sexual assault in the military and coping with PTSD. It screened at last spring’s Capstone Festival; was shown along with Kirby Dick’s “The Invisible War” at CSUMB’s World Theater; and at the Carmel Short Cinema event.
“Your film encapsulates the heart of independent filmmaking by pushing boundaries of creativity and drive without the support of a large crew or big budget,” her acceptance letter said.
Professor Luis Camara was Flitcraft’s Capstone adviser.
Starting this semester, food allergy sufferers at CSU Monterey Bay will have an easier time finding meals that work for them.
Simple Servings, a station located in the Dining Commons, will provide healthy and tasty meals at lunch and dinner for those who can’t tolerate gluten, soy, dairy, tree nuts, peanuts, eggs or shellfish.
Implemented at several universities in the fall of 2012 as a pilot program for Sodexo, the university’s food service provider, Simple Servings will be available at several dozen schools this fall. CSUMB is the first university in California to offer it.
Lunch and dinner menus will change daily and include beef, chicken, pork, turkey and fin fish as well as vegetarian dishes.
“From Carolina pulled pork with baked beans to lemon dill tilapia with basmati rice, students are sure to find something that satisfies their hunger and their dietary needs,” said Tyler McBrian, marketing and sustainability manager for Campus Dining Services.
All staff members are taught about the risks of food allergies and trained to properly handle foods. “Everything is cooked separately using purple-colored utensils to prevent cross contamination,” said executive chef Uriah Paiva. “We serve the students ourselves to ensure that the food is handled correctly.”
Sodexo points out that Simple Servings meals are also ideal for diners who are focused on simple ingredients and portion size.
Meatless Monday will continue at all five campus dining locations this year – the Dining Commons, the newly renovated Otter Express, Starbucks, the library café and the Otter Bay Restaurant. The restaurant will be closed during the fall semester for remodeling.
More information about campus dining
The music and dances are centuries old but the presentation will be 21st century when the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble opens the Performing Arts Series at CSU Monterey Bay’s World Theater on Sept. 17.
Considered one of the world’s greatest folkloric dance ensembles, these gifted Eastern European dancers and musicians bring their rich and colorful artistic traditions to the local area for the first time.
The evening’s program, Hungarian Rhapsody, is a spirited journey through time, tracing the history of this thousand-year-old culture through its dance and music.
Since its founding in 1951, the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble has revitalized the folk culture of the Hungarian people. Its repertoire is based on authentic dances, some collected from isolated villages.
Their choreography is enhanced by vibrant costumes and extraordinary folk music – which inspired Liszt, Brahms, Bartók and Kodály – performed live by the talented Folk Orchestra. Don’t miss this performance infused with dance, acrobatics, grace, lyricism and passion.
Tickets are $40 premium, $29 general. Discounts are available for students, military members and seniors. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 582-4580.
Driving directions and a campus map
The Hungarian State Folk Ensemble has a special character. Behind the crackling vitality of its dancers' heel-clicking male bravado and rushing sweep of feminine exuberance lies an unusual fusion of high culture and popular traditions. – The New York Times A forceful, tasteful, unglorified presentation of ethnic expression. – The Washington Post
While other students are returning to the classroom this fall, CSU Monterey Bay business major Morgan Kashata is heading to Washington, D.C., where she will work in the office of a member of the House of Representatives from California.
She is one of 26 students taking part in this year’s Congressional Internship Program through the Panetta Institute for Public Policy. All were selected based on exemplary academic achievement and interest in politics, policy and public service.
Through her business studies at Monterey Peninsula College and CSUMB, Kashata understands “how to analyze real-world business issues as they relate to ethics and socially responsible behavior,” she said. “I’m eager to apply these skills in a professional setting.”
Prior to heading off to Capitol Hill for 11 weeks, Kashata and the other students will attend an intensive two-week course at the Panetta Institute during which former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta will teach classes on the founding of the American republic, presidential-Congressional relations and U.S. defense policies. Other classes will cover key domestic and foreign issues; rules and procedures of debate and lawmaking; the role of an intern; White House relations with Congress; and the role of the press.
While in Washington, the interns also attend regular seminars with government leaders covering policy issues including economics, the environment, foreign affairs and defense resources.
Students earn 20 academic credits for the internship program.
A grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities will help move the Salinas Chinatown Cultural Center and Museum another step closer to reality.
The $40,000 grant will be used to plan and design three public programs for the future museum.
Those programs are:
• A core historical exhibition for the museum, which will be housed in the former Republic Café on Soledad Street
• A virtual oral history walking tour of Chinatown
• A series of intercultural dialogues involving the communities that have made Chinatown their home over the last 150 years.
All three programs are part of “Imaging Salinas Chinatown: Intercultural Dialogues of History and Meaning.” CSU Monterey Bay professors Rina Benmayor, Amalia Mesa-Bains and Seth Pollack are co-directors of the project and are working in partnership with the Asian Cultural Experience, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Chinatown.
The grant will bring national scholars to the planning process, including Jack Tchen of New York University; Dorothy Fujita-Rony of UC Irvine; and Tomas Ybarra-Frausto, formerly of the Rockefeller Foundation. It will also support local scholars from the Chinese, Japanese, Filipino and Latino communities in Salinas.
In 2010, Dr. Tchen was the keynote speaker at CSUMB’s symposium, Salinas Chinatown: Once and Again.
Chinatown has been a refuge for the hungry and homeless for decades. Almost from the beginning of the university, students performed service learning at Dorothy’s Place, a soup kitchen and shelter on Soledad Street. In 2005, the university and Chinatown stakeholders formed a partnership for renewal. The next year, the Soledad Street Unity Garden and a community center opened. In 2011, a computer lab and digital literacy classroom was added to the center.
Over the years, hundreds of service learning students in a variety of academic disciplines have worked in the area.
Three grants have been awarded for Chinatown historical and cultural preservation efforts this summer. In addition to the NEH grant, the Community Foundation for Monterey County made an award to the Asian Cultural Experience to collect and archive historical photographs, and Cal Humanities gave $10,000 to create an interactive website and the walking tour based on work by Professor Benmayor's students. Since 2007, her service learning students have gathered more than 125 hours of Chinatown stories.
The CSUMB soccer teams kicked off the preseason earlier this month with a free soccer clinic for more than 200 children. The players introduced basic drills with excitement and joy for the sport. – Salinas Californian, Aug. 20, 2014
Artists and art lovers are drawn to spectacular Central Coast vistas. They paint and photograph rugged mountains, marine terraces, sea cliffs, landslides, tombolos and hoodoos. Just what are these landforms? The beauty of the Central Coast is the most recent expression of a very long geologic evolution. Discover "geomorphology," the scientific study of Earth surface processes and the landscapes they form. No background in geological study or artistic skill is needed to attend this talk by Dr. Doug Smith, a geologist and chair of the Division of Science and Environmental Policy at CSU Monterey Bay. The talk will start at 7 p.m. Admission is $5 at the door. The museum is located at 165 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove.
During the team's recent school-record 10-game winning streak, Cal State Monterey Bay softball coach Andrea Kenney said, the streak was never the talk of the dugout. – The Salinas Californian, March 24, 2014
Over the summer, the campus became a safer place . . . for victims of a heart attack.
Lifesaving devices called Automated External Defibrillators – or AEDs – were installed in a dozen buildings, courtesy of the University Police Department’s Otter Public Access AED Program.
AEDs have proven to save lives when used on a heart attack victim within the first few minutes of cardiac arrest.
“The goal of the university is to provide a safe and healthy campus for our community members,” said Dick Bower, CSUMB’s emergency manager. “This new program takes ‘safe and healthy’ to a new level with trained people and modern technology in place to offer rapid, effective treatment to heart attack victims.”
They are housed in marked white cabinets in common areas of these buildings:
• Otter Sports Center • Police Department • Alumni and Visitors Center • Dining Commons • Student Center • Chapman Science Academic Center • Tanimura & Antle Library • World Theater • University Center • Osher Lifelong Learning Institute • Information Technology • Student Services The AEDs are easy to use, requiring only three steps to hook up and deliver the shock. Training is available on request.
Training is also offered through monthly First Aid/CPR/AED classes available for free to the campus community. The classes are offered in cooperation with American Medical Response, a regional ambulance company, and CalFIRE.
“We thank the university administration, our partners in Facilities Services and Operations, American Medical Response and CalFIRE for their assistance in making this program available,” Bower said.
For more information about the AED program or to schedule a training session, contact Bower at 582-3589 or dbower@csumb.edu.
What do Moliere, forests of the Central Coast and Russian life and culture have in common? They are among the classes that will be offered this semester through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – OLLI – at CSU Monterey Bay. – Marina Gazette, Aug. 6, 2013
CSUMB strives for community collaboration on cradle-to-career program . . . CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa is spearheading a plan to create a pipeline to take county kids from "cradle to career," laying the path to a more competitive workforce. – Monterey County Weekly, Aug. 8, 2013
California State University, Monterey Bay has earned the Higher Education Civic Engagement Award presented by The Washington Center and the New York life Foundation. – Monterey Herald, Aug. 8, 2013
Although the Salinas Valley is only about an hour south of Silicon Valley, many high school students there don't imagine a future in tech. But a new program is trying to change that by taking a different approach to earning a computer science degree. – KAZU (NPR for the Monterey Bay Area), Aug. 22, 2013
The president of Cal State Monterey Bay vowed to widen the school's community outreach by performing some of it himself. . . . In a state-of-the-university speech delivered just days before lasses resume for the fall, President Ochoa also said he plans to broaden the university's reach into Salinas. – The Salinas Californian, Aug. 23, 2013
CSUMB has been named a Best Place to Work in a survey commissioned by the Monterey County Business Council. – Monterey Herald, Aug. 28, 2013
Stephanie Anne Johnson, professor in the Visual and Public Art Department, has received an award for her work as a lighting designer.
The Lighting Artists in Dance Award provides funds to support artistic collaborations with choreographers and dance companies. Those collaborations will result in dance performances presented in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Johnson is working with Anne Bluethenthal & Dancers as the visual designer for Skywatchers, a multi-disciplinary performance project that will take place in the Tenderloin neighborhood.
Working with the Community Housing Partnership and with formerly homeless residents, Johnson, the dance company and other artists will create three site-specific performances to be staged this fall and winter.
For this project, she will combine stage lights, solar units, 35 mm slides and live-feed video projections.
In a lighting design career that spans three decades, Johnson has designed shows for Cultural Odyssey, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Arizona Repertory Theater, La Mama Theater (N.Y.) Black Moon Theatre (Paris), Dimensions Dance Theater and ABD Productions. Her lighting design work has been seen in India, The Netherlands, Italy, France and Belgium. As a visual artist, she has exhibited at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, De Young Museum, Jewish Museum, Berkeley Art Museum and Intersection For The Arts.
Her work can be seen on her website
. . . But Sanchez is part of the inaugural class of a three-year, intensive bachelor's degree program in computer science and information technology, called CSIT-in-3. It's jointly run by CSU Monterey Bay and Hartnell College. – NPR Weekend Edition, Sept. 1
CSUMB's international student population triples – Monterey County Weekly, Sept. 5, 2013
International students can add diversity to a university, enriching the experience of everyone.
That will be the case at CSU Monterey Bay this year as approximately 150 students from abroad will spend at least a semester on campus.
“Our university prides itself on educating a diverse group of students to be leaders in an increasingly global culture,” President Eduardo Ochoa said in his state of the university address on Aug. 22. “Attracting more international students is not only consistent with that mission, it is fundamental to its success,” he said, referring to the big increase in students from abroad who are studying at CSUMB this year.
The largest contingents come from Germany, Japan and Korea. Other countries represented include Uganda, Switzerland – which sends few students to study in the U.S. – Tunisia, Serbia, Nicaragua and Myanmar.
Some of the students receive financial support from the U.S. State Department’s World Learning program; others get help with expenses from their governments.
Most of the newcomers are study-abroad students from partner universities. Over the last year, CSUMB’s international partners have grown from 10 to 50.
The exchange is not just one way. CSUMB’s Office of International Programs sends about 120 students abroad each year, many to Germany and Japan.
More than 120 students arrived at San Francisco International Airport on Aug. 21, headed for the CSUMB campus. Photo courtesy of Holly White
The Fowler Museum at UCLA will honor its 50th anniversary with special exhibitions starting this fall, and a former CSU Monterey Bay professor is part of the celebration.
Fowler at Fifty will include eight exhibitions that will be installed in two large galleries; all spotlight strengths in the Fowler’s collections of art from Africa, the Pacific and the Americas and highlight works shown for the first time.
Amalia Mesa-Bains, former chair of the Visual and Public Art Department and professor emeritus, will work with the Fowler collections to create "New World Wunderkammer," which will include three Cabinets of Curiosity focused on the Americas, Africa, and the Colonial works of the New World.
In several installations over two decades, Dr. Mesa-Bains has worked to intervene in and disrupt the earlier European foundations of collecting.
The New World Wunderkammer will be the first time she has been able to use a major collection to recontextualize objects within themes of memory, struggle, loss and wonder, according to her blog.
Within each cabinet, guardian figures will anchor the narratives of critical artifacts. Each cabinet will also contain a blessing space with significant spiritual objects.
The larger Wunderkammer will engage the viewer in a setting much like a laboratory with archeological specimens and natural phenomenon. Dr. Mesa-Bains will weave through the installation fragments of her own mementos from previous art works.
The room will be completed by eight new prints based on key pieces from the collection. The artifacts will be layered in the prints with botanical, cartographic and historical photographic references.
This theater of wonder animates the cultural landscape and human geography of the New World through objects of beauty and power.
The exhibits open Oct. 13 and will remain on display until Jan. 26. Dr. Mesa-Bains will give an artist’s talk at 2 p.m. on opening day.
Read a story in the Los Angeles Times about the exhibit.
In addition, Dr. Mesa-Bains also has a featured article in the inaugural edition of Museum and Curatorial Studies Review, a peer-reviewed journal that published its first issue this summer.
Her essay, The Latino Cabinet of Curiosities: A Postcolonial Reopening, re-examines the roles of artists who make use of curatorial strategies within community and museum settings. More faculty news
“Social Equity: New Policies for a New Reality” will be the topic under discussion when Professor john a. powell visits CSU Monterey Bay on Sept. 17.
Professor powell (who does not capitalize his name) is an internationally recognized authority in the areas of civil rights and civil liberties, race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability, housing, poverty and democracy.
He is a professor of law and African American Studies and Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley, where he holds the Haas Chancellor’s Chair in Equity and Inclusion.
The free event will get under way at 6:30 p.m. in the University Center on Sixth Avenue.
For disability-related accommodations, contact Gary Rodriguez at grodriguez or 582-4437.
The discussion is sponsored by CSUMB’s Health and Wellness Services, Monterey County Health Department, First 5 Monterey County, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Action Council Monterey County, Monterey Peninsula Foundation, Community Foundation for Monterey County, Hartnell College Foundation, Alvarez Technology Group, Arts Council for Monterey County, Pebble Beach Company and United Way Monterey County.
Driving directions and a campus map
For the fifth consecutive year, CSU Monterey Bay has been named a “military-friendly school” by G.I. Jobs magazine.
The list honors the top 20 percent of colleges and universities that are doing the most to embrace America’s military members, veterans and spouses as students and to ensure their success on campus, according to the magazine’s director, Sean Collins. "Inclusion on the list of military friendly schools shows Cal State Monterey Bay's commitment to providing a supportive environment for military students," Collins said.
The magazine polled more than 10,000 schools nationwide approved for VA tuition funding in determining the results, examining criteria such as efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students.
Among CSUMB’s military-friendly practices are web pages with information specifically for veterans; a designated veterans services liaison and campus support team to help veterans make the transition from active duty service to successful educational pursuits; and a Student Veterans Organization. CSUMB has seen an increase in the number of queries and applications from veterans since the webpages went up and the veterans' contact was put in place. The number of veterans contacting the university for pre-admission counseling has increased, with queries coming from veterans and active-duty service members across the U.S. and around the world. This semester, 51 military veteran students are using GI Bill education benefits at CSUMB and another 190 students are receiving state or federal education benefits as the dependent of a disabled/deceased service member. Learn more about federal veterans educational benefits. Information about services for veterans at CSUMB is available online or by e-mailing veteran_services@csumb.edu. View CSUMB’s listing on the magazine’s website.
Justin Hoover, a Bay Area-based curator and artist, will visit CSU Monterey Bay on Sept. 19 as the annual visiting artist series gets under way.
Hoover is gallery director and curator at SOMArts, the South of Market Arts Center in San Francisco. His own work deals with language failures, migration issues and global translocation through performance, video and installation art.
His creativity blurs the line between exhibitions, performances, happenings and community engagement structures.
The public is invited to this free presentation, which will start at 6 p.m. in the Painting Studio (Bldg. 72), located on Inter-Garrison Road near the intersection with Fifth Avenue. Driving directions and a campus map can be found here.
Please note that visitors must purchase a parking permit. Permits can be purchased online.
2013-14 Operating Fund Budget Summary by Division
Liz Lopez, a 2013 graduate of CSU Monterey Bay, has fit right in at the University of San Diego, where she is pursuing a master’s degree in marine science.
Last spring, Lopez, Michael Diaz and Emily Roncase received National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships. Each was awarded $90,000 over three years.
For outstanding students in the sciences, the fellowships are a golden ticket. The CSUMB students were among approximately 2,000 winners from a pool of more than 13,000 applicants nationwide.
Lopez credits the help she received through CSUMB’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center with some of her success.
“It catapulted me,” she told Inside USD, a university publication. “It gave me the skills I needed to look for my own opportunities, gave me a network and the chance to attend conferences. If I hadn’t been in the program, I wouldn’t have known to come here to USD,” she added.
At San Diego, she is pursuing research that involves looking at the connection between land and sea.
“I’ve never done terrestrial work before . . .but I look forward to having an experience on land and being hands-on, even more so than anything I’ve done in the water,” she told Inside USD. She’ll be working in Bahia de Los Angeles in Baja California, an area that gives researchers opportunities with various terrains in one large space.
She’ll also work with high school students from San Diego’s City Heights, a diverse group of students who have developed a passion for science through the Ocean Discovery Institute.
And she’s lending a hand to the McNair Scholars program and a chapter of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS).
“Being a good scientist is important,” she told Inside USD, “but being a good mentor is one of the reasons why I came here.”
And that’s something she learned through UROC, where her mentors were CSUMB Professor James Lindholm, and Professor Sarah Henkel at Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center.
Photos courtesy of the University of San Diego
Air quality regulations that take affect Jan. 1 will impact diesel-powered trucks, including those used to transport farm products. Implemented by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), these regulations will require significant and expensive replacing or retrofitting of older engines to bring trucks into compliance.
This timely topic will be discussed at CSU Monterey Bay’s Entrepreneurship Forum set for Oct. 2. The event is open to the public will be held from 4 to 6:30 p.m. in the University Center on Sixth Avenue.
A panel of industry experts will present information and options to help local businesses prepare for the new regulations.
Two panels will be presented:
• Challenges: Balancing the environment and the economy • Opportunities and solutions
Among the panelists are:
• Bruce Tuter of CARB, who will explain the new regulations
• Richard Stedman of the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District, who will talk about a state program that provides grants to help businesses retrofit or replace engines with newer and cleaner ones.
• Jose Guerra of California Coastal Rural Development Corp., an agricultural lender, who will talk about vehicle and retrofit loans
Question-and-answer sessions will follow the panel presentations.
For more information, contact Chuck Jehle of the Small Business Development Center at cjehle@csumb.edu. The event is sponsored by the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District, Reiter Affiliated Companies, Business and Entreprensurship Center at Cabrillo College, Youth Entrepreneurship Program, and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Northern Regional Network.
Driving directions and a campus map
Cal State Monterey Bay sophomore Regan Porteous has been selected to receive a CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement. She and the other award winners were honored on Sept. 24 at the CSU board meeting in Long Beach.
The award is among the highest student distinctions in the CSU and is accompanied by a scholarship. Awardees must demonstrate superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, community service and financial need. Many of the honorees have prevailed in the face of disability, language and cultural barriers, intense personal loss or homelessness.
“CSU trustees’ scholars have defied the odds, rising above circumstance to become leaders among their classmates and exemplifying the CSU mission of access to a quality higher education,” said Chancellor Timothy White.
Regan’s father was sentenced to life in prison when she was an infant. Much of her childhood was spent behind barbed wire and guard towers as she and her family visited him nearly every Sunday. She faced the obstacle of not having a father involved in her daily life; she also encountered low expectations of children in her circumstances.
She overcame it all, set goals for herself and is now an accomplished and poised woman, a dean’s list student majoring in psychology, and a varsity athlete.
At the request of a district attorney in her hometown of Lodi, she has shared her story with students in continuation schools to help them cope with similar circumstances.
She currently volunteers for the university's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, which includes participating in youth clinics, reading to elementary school children, and collecting food for the Salvation Army.
Upon graduation, Regan plans to earn an advanced degree so she can help children in circumstances similar to those she experienced as a child.
More than 437,000 students attend the 23 campuses of the CSU system. Only one student from each campus is honored with the Trustees’ Award. The program began nearly three decades ago with scholarships endowed by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. In 1999, the generosity of current and emeritus CSU trustees allowed the program to expand.
. . . College students from Cal State Monterey Bay have a unique opportunity, thanks to the First Tee of Monterey. "We have first-generation students to go to college provided scholarships from local individuals and foundations with the hope that they will stay local and become leaders in the community once they graduate from CSUMB." – The Golf Channel, Sept. 14, 2013 Watch the segment
Work by CSU Monterey Bay faculty members Soyeon Kim and Luis Camara will be part of the program of locally made films when their work screens as part of the Philip Glass Center for the Arts, Science and Environment’s annual Days and Nights Festival. Both films explore primary connections between parents and children in relation to specific landscapes.
Created by international award-winning animator Kim, Ahco on the Road is a rich and haunting animation that draws its inspiration from a nature documentary. Ahco, a baby elephant, is separated from her mother, and must make a perilous journey to try to find her way back home. Read more about the film here. Directed by international independent filmmaker Camara (and starring his son and wife, who also co-wrote the script), Silencio is a poetic, magical and sometimes tragic immersion into the imagination of a child whose mother is about to abandon him. Drawn into a restaging of the Don Juan story in Qeuratero, Mexico, the characters navigate a world re-arranged by a child’s consciousness. Read more about the film here.
Both films will be screened on Oct. 4 starting at 3 p.m. in Sunset Center’s Studio 105.
Last summer, the Monterey Bay Film Society and the Philip Glass Center formed a partnership. As a result, the Film Society’s Monterey Bay Film Festival has become part of the Glass Center’s annual Days and Nights Festival, with programming scheduled for Oct. 2-6 at the Henry Miller Library and Carmel’s Sunset Center.
The festival will feature screenings and workshops by Godfrey Reggio, musical performances by Philip Glass and others at the Sunset Center and the Henry Miller library, where the Glass ensemble will accompany a screening of Reggio’s classic film, Powaqqatsi, on Oct. 2. On Friday, Oct. 4, at 1 p.m. at Sunset Center, Rebels With a Cause, a documentary about the successful movement of Bay Area community members to protect open space, will be screened. The Homegrown Films program will follow at 3 p.m., featuring the films by Kim and Camara.
The popular teen film program will be held on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 1 p.m., and will be followed by a screening of William and the Windmill, a documentary about a Malawian teen who saved his village by creating a windmill. All the film programs are free, and have limited seating. All the filmmakers will be present to speak following the films. Student tickets are available by e-mailing eblader@csumb.edu. The Days and Nights Festival, now in its third year, is the premier program of the Glass Center. The festival is designed to encompass and nurture the arts in a way that welcomes the future while exploring the seminal developments in the arts throughout history. The mission of the Center is to gather the world’s leaders in the fields of art, science and the environment for a broad array of interdisciplinary activities including performances, seminars, and education programs that inspire and motivate the public to become engaged with matters vital to the future of the natural environment and the quality of human existence. The Monterey Bay Film Festival has grown over its six-year history to incorporate films by local and international teen filmmakers and programming created by creative director, Mike Plante of Sundance. The Monterey Bay Film Society is presented by the Cinematic Arts and Technology Department at CSU Monterey Bay. Focused on independent, avant-garde and community-based media, the Film Society works to develop and support the unique voice of our remarkable communities. The Monterey Bay Film Society grew out of the Monterey Bay Film Festival in 2007, as a response to rising teen violence rates in Monterey County. Founded by artist and CSUMB Cinematic Arts Chair, Enid Baxter Ryce, the film society annually works with over 2,000 teens to develop self-confidence through creative expression, a sense of place and community connectedness, job-related skills, exposure to college as a future choice, inspiration from internationally recognized artists, joy and hope. The activities are intergenerational, requiring college students to engage as mentors, building their own skill sets and sense of social responsibility, and bringing internationally renowned artists to the county to teach the college students and youth. These year-round activities will continue to grow in partnership with the Glass Center.
Godfrey Reggio will visit CSUMB on Oct. 1.
The first TV commercial rolled out in early September by Covered California, the state's new health-insurance exchange, seemed to be aimed at young people.
The advertisement uses a freeway-sign image to send a message to the age group most likely to consider health insurance an unnecessary expense.
"To those who've waited, worried, hoped and tried, taken risks and lived in a state of 'What if,' welcome to a new state of health. Welcome to Covered California," says the ad.
About 31 percent of all 18- to 34-year-olds in California are uninsured. But the challenge among state officials has been spreading the word about the federal health law and how the state-run insurance market applies to young adults.
At CSU Monterey Bay, the Institute for Community Collaborative Studies (ICCS) is working to address that problem by offering outreach and education to the campus and the larger community in advance of the March 31, 2014, deadline for people to sign up. (Coverage starts Jan. 1 if people enroll before Dec. 15, 2013.)
ICCS is sending certified Covered California educators into classrooms to present information, answer questions and distribute printed material. Those educators will also staff tables at campus events over the next several months where students and community members will have the opportunity to ask questions, have coverage options explained and get estimates of premiums. The public is invited to take advantage of this service.
DID YOU KNOW? In 2010, California was the first state in the nation to enact legislation to implement the provisions of the federal Affordable Care Act by creating a health care marketplace – Covered California.
The final event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Nov. 14 in the University Center as part of the annual counselor conference.
Learn more about Covered California
Driving directions and a campus map are available here. Visitors are reminded that a parking permit must be purchased from a dispenser on the parking lots. Cost is $1 per hour.
CSU Monterey Bay’s visiting artist series continues Oct. 3 when San Francisco Bay Area curator, critic and educator Anuradha Vikram visits campus.
Her presentation will get under way at 6 p.m. in the University Center living room.
Vikram has curated exhibitions for the Craft and Folk Art Museum in Los Angeles, Mills College Art Museum in Oakland, the DeYoung Museum Artist Studio in San Francisco and, until recently, served as curator of the Worth Ryder Art Gallery for UC Berkeley’s Department of Art Practice.
For nearly a decade, she has made exhibitions and programs that bridge institutional spaces with other spaces of culture and public life. As a curator of interdisciplinary exhibitions and public programs, she collaborates with artists to inspire dialogue on issues of social concern and to inform space with tangible evidence of the charged relationships between people.
She has developed programming that fosters interaction between artists and members of the public, including experts in environmental, legal, technological, scientific and civic areas, as well as general audiences.
Through these strategies, she engages audiences at every level of art education with the ideas and formal concepts that shape the art of our times.
The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Driving directions and a campus map are available here. Please note that visitors must purchase a parking permit from a dispenser on the parking lot or online
For more information, or to request disability accommodations, call 582-4337.
Below: Part of the exhibition, Social Fabric, at the Craft and Folk Art Museum
Jazz vocalist Pamela Rose has been described by Downbeat Magazine as "playful, sure and sassy."
That's what an ongoing successful run of the multi-media "Wild Women of Song: Great Gal Composers of the Jazz Era" does for a person. In Los Angeles, London, New York and San Francisco, Rose has entertained, enlightened and educated audiences about the mostly anonymous female songwriters from the early days of jazz.
She will bring the show to CSU Monterey Bay’s World Theater on Oct. 17. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.
With dramatic projected images, and superb storytelling, Rose delivers a cultural retrospective while treating the audience to a live jazz and blues concert.
She is no stranger to the local area. In 2011, the show was featured at the Monterey Jazz Festival. The Los Angeles native immersed herself in jazz over the past two decades, but she can belt sassy golden age blues by Alberta Hunter and Ida Cox as easily as a torchy Peggy Lee lament. Completing the package, Rose also throws her own well-crafted originals into the mix.
The music is accompanied by a slide show of pictures of the songwriters and a script that provides details of the composers' lives. The result is something far more meaningful than just a pleasant evening of music.
"It's like putting on a play," Rose told the San Jose Mercury News in 2011. "We are sort of reconstructing this era for people."
Said World Theater artistic director Joe Cardinalli: "What really hooked me on presenting Pamela Rose at the World Theater was listening to her album 'Wild Women of Song.' Every song was written by a woman. The songs brought back childhood memories of my mother singing them in the kitchen in our home in Monterey."
Tickets are $40 premium, $29 general. Discounts are available for students, military members and seniors. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 582-4580. The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue between A and B streets. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.Her multimedia show is equal parts concert and history lesson. Rose and her talented band routinely draw rave reviews from fans and critics ... notably, her set at the Monterey Jazz Festival had people buzzing! –? Jim Harrington, San Jose Mercury News
Dr. Murray Millson, director of the MBA program and professor of marketing at CSUMB is leaving for Dubrovnic, Croatia, to continue his passion for lecturing to the international community. –* Benito Link*, Sept. 23, 2014
The grades are out, and CSU Monterey Bay has received high marks as part of the Sierra Club’s Cool Schools rating of sustainability on U.S. campuses.
According to the club’s website, the Cool Schools program, now in its seventh year, evaluates colleges and universities on their contributions to promoting sustainability, both inside and outside the classroom.
Schools were evaluated on everything from the use of ecologically smart architecture to the strategies they use to teach students ways to reduce their carbon footprint. Programs and classes that promote sustainability through course curriculum or community engagement were also given high points.
The list ranks 162 schools based on responses to the STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System) survey, a self-reporting framework to measure sustainability performance. The STARS questionnaire asks about everything from where a campus gets its energy to whether its landscapers use native plants.
CSUMB earns points in the ranking for many practices, including vegetarian meal options, trayless dining halls, a centralized energy management system, and about 40 sustainability-related classes.
The university earned the most points – 99 of a maximum 107 – in the category of waste, in recognition of its efforts to reduce, reuse, recycle and compost. CSUMB’s top sustainable practices include:
• Energy: The 6.4-acre solar panel array generates about 16 percent of the energy consumed on campus, although this amount can vary depending on how much sun peeks through the fog. • Food: Most of the items served in campus dining facilities have traveled no more than 100 miles. • Transportation: Students can show their CSUMB username to ride the local bus system for free. • Recycling: Every room in the residence halls and each office has a blue recycle bin. Learn about sustainability practices at CSUMB
Top photo: Native and drought-tolerant plants dot the campus Bottom photo: About 16 percent of the university's energy comes from its solar array
. . . the Homegrown Films program (of the Days and Nights Festival) brings work from two CSUMB film professors . . . – Monterey County Weekly, Sept. 26, 2013
. . . Over the summer, Salinas nonprofit Asian Cultural Experience, in collaboration with CSU Monterey Bay, received three grants totaling more than $50,000 to help preserve Chinatown history. – Monterey County Weekly, Sept. 26, 2013
Egyptian human rights activist, journalist and author Gihan Abou Zeid will speak at CSU Monterey Bay on Oct. 28. Her topic: “Egypt’s women push back against the past.”
The talk will start at 4 p.m. in Room 1180 in the Tanimura and Antle Family Memorial Library located on Divarty Street and Fifth Avenue.
Ms. Zeid is an authority on women’s rights in the Arab world and was part of the revolution of 2011 that brought millions of people to Tahrir Square.
She is the managing editor for the magazine “Politics and Religion,” writes for the Qatari newspaper Al Arab, and is developing a regional strategy for the United Nations Population Fund on cooperation between U.N. agencies and faith-based organizations.
The public is invited to this free event, but attendees are asked to RSVP to hwilde@csumb.edu or call 582-3890.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here. Visitors are reminded that a parking permit must be purchased from a dispenser on the parking lot.
The talk is sponsored by the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies, the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the Resource Center for Nonviolence of Santa Cruz and the Monterey Peace and Justice Center.
Professor Corey Garza has been successful in attracting underserved students – minorities, low income and first-generation college students – to ocean sciences.
He has established a Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at Cal State Monterey Bay and has built up the ocean science program at the annual SACNAS – Society for the Advancement of Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in Science – conference.
Now, he is sharing his approaches for improving diversity in the field.
Dr. Garza, a professor in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy, delivered the keynote talk at the Consortium for Ocean Leadership’s biennial educators retreat in Savannah, Ga., on Sept. 24. The consortium is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that represents more than 100 of the leading public and private ocean research and education institutions in the country.
“As part of my talk, I referenced a recent NPR story that highlights some of the struggles postdocs are having in seeking out faculty and senior research positions,” Dr. Garza said.
He said he and some of his colleagues in SACNAS believe this is due, in part, to the fact that biomedical fields have been overemphasized to underserved students. “By not encouraging these students to diversify the scientific pathways they take – into fields such as ocean science – we are producing far too many students in a narrow range of fields,” he said.
His presentation put a spotlight on CSUMB’s marine science program and the university’s diversity-related efforts. He reported that his talk was well received, "and many of the items I discussed will be action items for the larger group of institutions to work on in regard to increasing diversity on their campuses," he said.
CSU Monterey Bay will accept applications for the fall 2014 term through Nov. 30. There has never been a more exciting time to be a Cal State Monterey Bay student. Our campus community continues to grow every year as we expand our academic programs, residential community, and vision for the future. Even with a record number of applications submitted each year, Cal State Monterey Bay remains accessible to all students. We offer campus-based and online undergraduate and graduate degree programs as well as outstanding Teacher Credentialing programs. The application process is straightforward. Apply by visiting CSUMentor.edu and we'll contact you with your log ininformation and instructions to use your My.CSUMB applicant dashboard. Your My.CSUMB dashboard includes a list of all documents, test scores, etc., required to complete your application. Everything you need to know is available on our Admissions website, http://admissions.csumb.edu/home. For more information, call CSUMB’s Office of Admissions at 831-582-3738.
Photos, letters, uniforms and newspapers from Fort Ord are among the items currently on display at Seaside City Hall, part of an exhibit of the city’s history. The show features the work and collections of CSU Monterey Bay alumni, faculty and staff.
Elements of two student capstones are part of the exhibit. Marisa Mercado’s project, done for her degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences in 2005, concerned the trial of Army Pvt. Billy Dean Smith. In March 1971, a grenade exploded in a barracks in Bien Hoa, Vietnam, killing two officers and wounding a third. Smith, a 23-year-old African-American draftee from Watts who had spoken out against the war, was accused of “fragging” – assassinating with a fragmentation grenade – the officers. His arrest made him a focal point for anti-war activists. Smith spent 20 months in the Fort Ord stockade, mostly in solitary confinement, awaiting trial. The court-martial attracted nationwide media attention, in part because of the racial overtones and in part because Smith was the first American soldier to be tried in the United States for fragging. After a trial that lasted two months, he was found not guilty of the murders. John Klein’s capstone, done for his degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences awarded in 2000, was a look at anti-war newspapers written by soldiers stationed at Fort Ord. Klein stumbled upon them while researching the authorized Fort Ord newspaper, The Panorama. "I compared constructions of manhood present in both papers and found that although they might have viewed duty or following your conscience differently, they both relied on patriarchal notions of women's work and sexual conquest to define what it means to be a 'man,' " Klein said. Objects and newspapers from the collection of Steven Levinson, lecturer in Cinematic Arts in Technology, and items from the collection of the Fort Ord Alumni Association are also included. CSUMB web programming specialist and alumnus Kevin Miller designed the explanatory panels. The Seaside Art and History commission organized the show. It will be on display during normal business hours at Seaside City Hall, 440 Harcourt Ave., through Oct. 25. A reception is scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m., Oct. 13. *Top Photo: Billy Dean Smith during his murder trial at Fort Ord, taken by a UPI photographer on Sept. 6, 1972. The photo is among the items on display at Seaside City Hall**Bottom Photo: One of the display cases at the Seaside exhibit. Photo by Steven Levinson*
They have no memories of the civil-rights milestones of the mid-1960s, but that didn’t prevent students at Cal State Monterey Bay from starting a campus chapter of the NAACP last year.
At the chapter’s inaugural meeting in September of 2013, students heard community members – all veterans of the civil rights struggle – talk about the movement’s history and urge them to continue the work.
The students took that message to heart.
Chapter president Shiyla Goodie, a psychology major from Los Angeles, named voter suppression and the student vote as one of the chapter’s biggest concerns. Last year, the group worked to register voters before the presidential election, and members continue to educate their peers on the importance of voting. But that’s not their only focus.
“This year, our mission is to connect with cultural clubs and organizations to educate and promote civil rights,” Goodie said.
The chapter is working to organize a cultural conference in partnership with CSUMB’s Asian-Pacific Islander Association and the Associated Students’ Cultural Enrichment Committee.
According to Goodie, the purpose is to bring students together to engage in dialogue about race, racism, classism and solidarity.
They are also working on an event to commemorate World AIDS Day, planning another voter registration drive and an NAACP membership drive.
Said Goodie: “I want people to know that the NAACP is diligently working to uphold and embody CSUMB’s vision and diversity statements. . . . We are in another civil rights movement with all these social issues going on and the NAACP’s job is to make sure people know,” she said.
“Our job on campus is to protect students’ rights and speak out when we see injustices. We will continue to do that as we continue to grow.” Photo of NAACP campus chapter charter members by Kevin Garcia Left to right: Janelle Pichon, Shiyla Goodie, Charity Hawkins, adviser Steven Goings, Bridgette Johnson, Larenz Tolson, Sheena Nickerson, Asia Goodall, Kymberly Shavers
A California State University, Monterey Bay sophomore devoted to helping others is the recipient of a prestigious scholarship. – The Salinas Californian, Oct. 1, 2013
El Recto del sistema CSU visito CSUMB y en conferencia de prensa hablo sobre como el cierre parcial del gobierno afectaria a est plantel educativo. Tambien dio a conocer los planes para la institucion. – *KSMS (Univision), *Oct. 3, 2013
Una estudiante de segundo ano de al Universidad Estatal de California en la Bahia de Monterey (CSUMB), quien se dedica a ayudar a otros, fue declarada ganadora de una prestigiosa beca. – El Sol, Oct. 5, 2013
As part of National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week (NCAAW) Oct. 21–25, CSU Monterey Bay is offering contests, games, and panel discussions to help students understand the ramifications of alcohol and its effect.
The activities are designed to reinforce personal responsibility and respect for state laws and campus policies when it comes to the consumption of alcohol.
This year’s activities include:
• "Health Fest,” sponsored by the POWER Peer Education Program, highlighting campus and community organizations dedicated to helping students make safe and responsible choices
• “Meet the Greeks” Student Panel, sponsored by the Multicultural Greek Council, allowing CSUMB students and family members with different perspectives and experiences with alcohol to speak with others in an open discussion format
• Gatorade pong tournament, sponsored by the Student Athlete Advisory Council
• Fireside Chat, sponsored by the Residential Housing Association, with information provided by community resources
• CSUMB's sixth annual Jell-O wrestling tournament
• A Campus Band Night, co-sponsored by the Otter Student Union
Now observed on more than 800 college campuses, NCAAW has grown to become the largest single event in all of academia because students take ownership in designing and implementing this observance for their campus communities. This week also provides campuses the opportunity to showcase healthy lifestyles free from the abuse or illegal use of alcohol and to combat negative stereotypes associated with college drinking behavior.
Every 12 days, a college student dies from alcohol poisoning
“NCAAW allows us to show our students here at CSUMB – particularly new students – that most of their peers are not abusing alcohol and most are making healthy and safe decisions,” said Gary Rodriguez, health promotion and prevention specialist for the Campus Health Center.
NCAAW 2013 also marks the launch of the “Aware, Awake, Alive!” program at CSUMB, after a pledge was made by CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White for implementation at all 23 campuses.
The program equips students with the tools and knowledge to prevent alcohol-related deaths. Scott and Julia Starkey created it after they lost their son, Carson, to alcohol poisoning while he was a freshman at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The Starkeys determined that their program would need to use the peer-to-peer method to give students information about alcohol poisoning prevention that they could share among themselves. The motto of the program is “Drunk or dying? You make the call.” “This program is ideal for college students because it educates them on the symptoms of alcohol poisoning, creates awareness on the conditions that enable it, and encourages responsibility for one another in situations where alcohol is consumed,” Rodriguez said.
NCAAW at CSUMB is a collaborative effort of Health & Wellness Services, the POWER Peer Education Program, Student Housing & Residential Life, the Residential Housing Association, Athletics, the Student Athlete Advisory Council, Student Activities & Leadership Development, the Office of Judicial Affairs & Community Standards, University Police Department, Conference & Event Services, Sigma Theta Psi Sorority, Omega Delta Phi Fraternity, the Multicultural Greek Council, Associated Students, Otter Student Union, Sun Street Recovery Centers and the California Highway Patrol.
October is National Fire Preparedness Month. CSU Monterey Bay uses it as an opportunity to perform safety assessments of campus buildings and to remind everyone to pay attention to safety issues.
During the month, staff members from the Emergency Management/Health & Safety Division of the University Police Department will visit all buildings in use on campus. The goal is to support the department's emergency preparedness and disaster readiness efforts as well as to meet regulatory compliance.
They will conduct the assessments, along with each Building Emergency Coordinator. Using a checklist, they look for obvious fire and safety hazards that can be corrected.
Assuring the safety of campus facilities protects everyone from illness and injury.
More information is available here.
CSU Monterey Bay's work to promote alternative transportation has garnered three excellence awards from the Transportation Agency for Monterey County. The awards were among 10 presented at TAMC's board meeting on Jan. 22; they recognize individuals, groups and businesses for efforts to improve the way people get around in Monterey County.
The university’s Bike Bunker, which opened last year, was honored in the projects category. It provides secure, convenient indoor storage for 36 bicycles. All spaces are currently rented.
CSUMB’s transportation planner Megan Tolbert led the project team, which included students and staff members from across campus. Otto Construction and Telemetrix did the construction and electrical work and donated 10 percent of their time.
The design was based on a similar facility at Portland State University.
The project was paid for by a grant from the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District.
Students Richard Vasquez and Casey Andrews were honored in the individual category.
Vasquez has since graduated and works in web and graphic design for Cisco. For his senior capstone project, he created an identity package, marketing materials and façade treatments for the Bike Bunker. His work helped to create a bike culture and increase ridership at CSUMB and contributed to the success of the bunker. “Richard’s work helped us stretch our dollars in a way that made it aesthetically pleasing,” Tolbert said. “We’ve used Richard’s bicycle icon around campus.” Andrews worked on TRIPwise, an identity for programs, infrastructure and events that support a robust alternative transportation program on campus. His Transit Tree poster and website updates have led to an increase in transit ridership on campus – up 300 percent since his freshman year. A senior, he will graduate in May.
Since 2010, the university has worked to provide transportation options for members of the campus community. Options include free rides on Monterey-Salinas Transit for anyone with an CSUMB username card; a campus cycle center where students can rent a bike or get their bike repaired; a rideshare board; two electric vehicle charging stations; and a transportation information center on campus.
Tolbert is currently working on a Transportation Demand Management Plan for CSUMB, which has identified a need for r 500 more indoor bike parking spaces. It’s the second time Tolbert has been honored by TAMC. In 2010, she won an award in the individual category for her work on bicycle and mass transit prior to joining the university's staff, and for her achievements during her first year on campus.
“Ms. Tolbert has been a strong advocate for alternative transportation in Monterey County. Not only has she been an asset to TAMC as a transportation planner with CSUMB, but her work with Monterey Green Action has been key to promoting the use of bicycles as a viable transportation alternative . . . and her key role in educating the public on rail transit,” the agency’s website says.
*Top photo: (Left to right) Megan Tolbert, CSUMB's transportation planner; Monterey County Supervisor Jane Parker; Dr. Ronnie Higgs, CSUMB's vice president of student affairs and enrollment services; Jerry Edelen, mayor of Del Rey Oaks. Photo courtesy of TAMC**At right: Casey Andrews with his Transit Tree poster. Photo courtesy of Megan Tolbert Below: Richard Vasquez, who designed the identity package for the Bike Bunker. Photo by Richard Green*
Competitive bass fishing at the collegiate level – who knew?
In 2008, FLW, the organizer of professional fishing tournaments, started a college tour. Now, more than 600 teams compete in five divisions, according to FLW’s website, and it just keeps growing. It’s even on television – NBC Sports has broadcast tournaments.
Two teams from CSU Monterey Bay's Bass Fishing Club – Andrew Sjostrom and Joshua Smith, and Matthew Diaz and Sebastian Resendiz – competed in the Western Conference Invitational tournament Oct. 12 and 13 in Clear Lake. They were among 45 teams that competed for a top prize of $4,000 for their club and their school and a berth in next year’s FLW national championship.
At the tournaments, the goal is simple: land 10 bass (five per day) over the two-day tournament that weigh more than the other teams.
Smith and Sjostrom took third place with a total of nine fish weighing 37 lbs., 2 oz. That was worth a $1,000 prize and a spot in next spring's national tournament.
Diaz and Resendiz teamed for eighth place with fishing weighing 31 lbs., 9 oz. They also qualified for the national event.
CSUMB’s club started several years ago. Members travel to tournaments in California and other Western states. In 2011, Diaz and David Hamblin won $2,000 with a fourth-place finish at Lake Roosevelt in Hunters, Washington.
That involves more than just luck. Competitors do their homework – analyzing depth and currents, finding locals who can give them “inside” information on the lake where the competition will be held, visiting the site in advance to plan strategies.
The fishing club is just one of many opportunities for CSUMB students to participate in outdoor recreation and intramural sports.
Follow CSUMB's bass fishing club on Facebook. Learn about the outdoor recreation program at CSUMB.
Follow the program on Facebook.
Photo (left to right): John Smith and Andrew Sjostrom took third place with nine bass weighing 37 lbs., 2 oz. The team won $1,000 for CSUMB's Bass Fishing Club and a spot in next spring's national championship
California State University, Monterey Bay invites the public to learn more about the master’s degree program in Instructional Science and Technology at an open house on Oct. 29.
The event will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Alumni and Visitors Center on Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard. Several current students and graduates of the program will share their experience and how they are applying the skills they acquired to their current work.
The 16-month program will start in the fall of 2014. Application deadline is March 15.
The Master’s in Instructional Science and Technology program prepares students for positions in the fast-changing fields of modern education and training. The hybrid learning experience – which integrates several days on campus at the beginning of each semester with online classes – enables graduates to advance in their current careers and will position them to assume leadership roles in education and training.
Successful educators and e-learning developers in the knowledge-based, global economy require command of all the technological tools and methodologies available to them; the MIST program is designed to provide students with those skills.
More information about the MIST program is available here, by calling the School of School of Computing and Design at 582-4790, or by e-mailing mist@csumb.edu.
Driving directions and a campus map.
Certified educators through Covered California spoke to students at CSU Monterey Bay about their options for health insurance. – KION-46, Oct. 8, 2013
. . . Operating through CSU Monterey Bay, the Mini-Corps programs offers university students who are seeking educational careers the opportunity to work in a classroom setting with migrant children. – Monterey Herald, Oct. 9, 2013
. . . now partly occupied by Cal State Monterey Bay. Pick up a campus map at the Alumni & Visitors Center, then find your way to the grassy quad with a stunning view of the coast. – Los Angeles Times, Oct. 11, 2013
CSU Monterey Bay students took two first-place awards and a second at the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science conference in San Antonio. SACNAS is a 40-year-old nonprofit organization that fosters Latino and Native American scientists from college students to professionals.
The annual conference, held in early October, is the society’s showcase. About 5,000 people, including 3,000 students, attended this year’s event. Also in attendance were hundreds of university representatives there to recruit students for their graduate programs. CSUMB sent eight undergraduates and five graduate students. Timothy Fuller, a senior marine science major, took the top prize in the general ecology category. His work involves studying thermal adaptation in the European green crab.??
Sean Windell and Mary McCormick, graduate students in the Applied Marine and Watershed Science program, were awarded first- and second-place honors, respectively, for their oral presentations in marine science. Windell’s work examined the value of habitat diversity in marine reserves; McCormick studied intertidal foraging habits of fished and protected spiny lobsters. All 13 students took advantage of professional development opportunities at the conference and attended scientific sessions. “The conference attendees I spoke with were highly complimentary of our students in how they presented their research, the quality of their work and their overall professionalism,” said Dr. Corey Garza, assistant professor in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy and CSUMB’s SACNAS chapter adviser. CSUMB has had a chapter since 2010. Currently, 15 students participate in the chapter’s activities. Photo: CSUMB's 13-member contingent at SACNAS conference in San Antonio
CSU Monterey Bay began with infrastructure built for able-bodied military members. Those facilities were in place decades before the Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1990.
The university’s challenge to provide access – physical, programmatic, intellectual – far exceeds that of other employers in the area.
Because it has done such a good job meeting that challenge, and because of its inclusive philosophy and culture, CSUMB has been recognized by the Monterey County Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities as an outstanding employer.
The university, and five other local employers, will be honored at a luncheon Oct. 24 in Monterey. The luncheon will also call attention to the fact that October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
CSUMB’s Human Resources Department completed the application on behalf of the university.
It noted that “diversity inclusion and innovation as cornerstones of our core values set a priority on physical and intellectual access for more than 800 staff and faculty members with diverse ranges of abilities and disabilities, and cultural sub-texts.”
In the last fiscal year, dozens of job accommodations were provided by Human Resources in coordination with campus Facilities, Technology Support Services and the campus Center for Academic Technologies (assistive technology for staff, faculty and students). Campus Planning and Development provided numerous ergonomic evaluations and also showcases an ergonomics lab for employees to explore adaptive equipment.
The Student Disability Resources office plays a part as well. Though SDR's focus is on students, through advocacy, innovation, and technical excellence, the office continues to spearhead ADA access across the larger CSUMB community.
Universal design principles are the hallmark of structural alterations and new construction on campus. Physical access from car or public transit into buildings, offices and classrooms is a focus. Significant resources have been directed to the construction of accessible curb cuts, ramps and pathways of travel.
“CSUMB prides itself on employing qualified faculty and staff of diverse abilities and disabilities,” the application concluded. “It is our philosophy and a well-integrated culture of embracing diversity that distinguishes California State University, Monterey Bay as an outstanding employer of people with disabilities.”
The other local employers being honored are Nob Hill Foods, Lewis Builders, Home Town Buffet restaurants, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and PRIDE Industries.
CSUMB has received a $2.1 million federal grant aimed at enrolling more migrant students in higher education. – Monterey Herald, July 20, 2014
CSU Monterey Bay students help the local community in a variety of ways, as interns and service learners.
Recently, undergrads and graduate students from the Division of Science and Environmental Policy helped in an unusual way – with the annual steelhead rescue on the Carmel River.
The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District’s steelhead rescue teams worked through the spring and summer to save over 40,000 fish from drying sections of the river and move them to a facility where they could grow until river flows reach adequate levels for their release in the winter.
Helping with the rescue were CSUMB student interns pursuing degrees in science and biology. The students learned about fish rearing, data collection and water quality monitoring while serving the community.
“Our environmental science and graduate students have worked with the district on a large number of projects through the years,” said Dr. Doug Smith, department chair and professor in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy.
“The jobs our students get can commonly be traced to additional skills they learned or honed with the Water District,” Dr. Smith said.
Evan DeLay, a student in the professional science master’s program in Applied Marine and Watershed Science, is typical of the students who work with the district.
His degree program required him to serve an internship. DeLay chose to do that with the water management district as a water resources assistant. His duties include collecting water quality data at various locations along the Carmel River and analyzing temperature trends in the surface water.
DeLay worked with the fish rescue operation and is now reviewing film taken in the lower Carmel River to count how many steelhead move up and downstream.
Photo by Monterey Peninsula Water Management District Student interns and Water Management District staff with “Big Red,” a fish rescue and transport vehicle. From left: Kevan Urquhart, Matt Lyons, Daniel Merino, Cory Hamilton, Mark Bekker, Evan DeLay, Mitchell Masuda and Kenneth Norberg
An overwhelming body of research indicates that students who fall behind in their early elementary grades never catch up to their peers. That makes it particularly disturbing to note that nearly two-thirds of Monterey County students are not proficient readers by the time they complete third grade. To address the issue, the Literacy Campaign of Monterey County has organized the county’s first Summit on Literacy and the Economy on Oct. 25 at CSU Monterey Bay.
“This is a collaborative effort to confront a critical community problem and I am pleased our university can host it,” President Eduardo Ochoa said.
Dr. Ochoa will be among the speakers. In his remarks, scheduled for 8:30 a.m., he will talk about the Strive Network.
The network’s motto is “Every Child. Cradle to Career.” Strive Network communities promote a broad commitment among education, social service and government agencies to work together to achieve agreed-upon goals for student success.
The networks employ a collective impact stategy. Fixing one point on the educational continuum –such as better after-school programs – wouldn't make much difference unless other parts of the continuum improved at the same time.
No single organization can accomplish these improvements alone. Instead, the community needs to work together to coordinate improvements at every stage of a young person’s life, from "cradle to career."
Other speakers include:
• Mrs. Sylvia Panetta, co-chair and CEO of the Panetta Institute for Public Policy • Dr. Dowell Myers, director, Population Dynamics Research Group at the University of Southern California and author of “Immigrants and Boomers: Forging a New Social Contract for the Future of America” • Alicia Maldonado, National Campaign for Grade-Level Reading • Ron Fairchild, senior consultant to the National Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and president and CEO of the Smarter Learning Group The summit will be held from 8:15 to 11:45 a.m. in the University Center ballroom. Driving directions and a campus map To register, or for more information, visit the literacy campaign's website.
Award-winning poet, actor and writer Carlos Andrés Gómez will appear at CSU Monterey Bay on Oct. 30 as the university’s Chicano/Latino Heritage Month celebration continues. His presentation will take place at 8 p.m. in the Black Box Cabaret, located on Inter-Garrison Road near Fourth Ave., next to the Health and Wellness Services building. Driving directions and a campus map are available here. Gómez is the author of Man Up: Cracking the Code of Modern Manhood, a powerful coming-of-age memoir that re-imagines masculinity for the 21st-century male. A former social worker and New York City public school teacher, he co-starred in Spike Lee’s film “Inside Man” with Denzel Washington; appeared in the sixth season of HBO’s “Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry”; and was the 2006 International Poetry Slam Champion. He grew up the child of a United Nations diplomat and indigenous rights advocate, moved 12 times before graduating from high school, and lived in four countries. He has lectured and performed at more than 200 colleges and universities, given a dozen keynote addresses, and facilitated countless workshops. He continues to tour the globe.
For more information, contact Shanna Kinzel at skinzel@csumb.edu
Flute player David Wolfs Robe will visit CSU Monterey Bay as part of the university’s celebration of Native American Heritage Month.
Other activities include film screenings, a panel discussion of contemporary Native American issues, presentations and a photo exhibit. All activities are free and open to the public but parking permits must be purchased from machines on the parking lots.
He is an accomplished flute maker, performer and educator who brings traditional music and original compositions to life. His performances weave delicate melodies and improvisation into a landscape with the sounds of nature while also emphasizing the importance of cultural preservation.
His workshop will be held from noon to 2 p.m., Nov. 4. It is open to beginners and experienced players and will focus on the grandfather flute. People who have instruments are asked to bring them.
Wolfs Robe will also present a concert and lecture at 7 p.m., Nov. 5, in the University Center ballroom. Those who plan to attend the workshop or concert are asked to RSVP to hwilde@csumb.edu or call 582-3890.
At 6:30 p.m., Nov. 4, a panel of tribal guests and scholars facilitated by CSUMB faculty member Ruben Mendoza will discuss contemporary Native American issues.
CSUMB Professor George Baldwin will present “Digital Reservations: Songs and Stories About Growing Up Indian” at 7 p.m., Nov. 6. In this entertaining presentation, Dr. Baldwin (pictured at right) incorporates traditional native storytelling and original songs to offer a rare glimpse into contemporary Native identity. Growing up on several Indian reservations – not his own – Baldwin offers a humorous look at the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the small government-funded communities that served the tribes during the 1960s.
His social commentary spans 55 years of federal policy and the cultural change that such polices fostered on our country’s Indian reservations. Dr. Baldwin is a recognized member of the Osage and Kansa tribes of Oklahoma. He has worked for dozens of Native tribes as a social activist, promoting self-determination through tribal reorganization, integration of new technologies, and education. He is a founding faculty member at CSUMB and a professor in the Social, Behavioral, and Global Studies Division.
COMPLETE SCHEDULE:
NOV. 4****• Noon-2 p.m. – Grandfather flute workshop with David Wolfs Robe, Ocean Hall, Suite B, Room 120. Ocean Hall is located on Inter-Garrison Road near Third Avenue, across from the Otter Sports Complex
• 5-6:15 p.m. – “The Legacy of the Grandfather Flute” film screening and producers panel, Alumni and Visitors Center, Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Inter-Garrison Road
• 6:30-8 p.m. – “Contemporary Native American Issues” panel discussion with tribal guests and scholars. Facilitated by Professor Ruben Mendoza, Alumni and Visitors Center, Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Inter-Garrison Road
Our Native culture is like a delicate weaving, with each strand representing a part of our world. The flute is just one of those strands. If you cut just one strand, over time you will lose the entire weaving. . . . – David Wolfs Robe.
NOV. 5 • 7-9 p.m. – Grandfather flute concert and lecture with David Wolfs Robe, University Center ballroom, Sixth Avenue and B Street.
NOV. 6 • 7-9 p.m. – “Digital Reservations: Songs and Stories about Growing Up Indian,” presented by Professor George Baldwin, University Center ballroom, Sixth Avenue and B Street
NOV. 14 • 5-7 p.m. – Fray Junipero Serra, Native Californians and the Legacy of the Franciscan Missions: Missions Photography Exhibition with photographer Dr. Ruben Mendoza, Student Center west lounge. The Student Center faces the main quad, enter parking lot 12 off Inter-Garrison Road
• 6-8 p.m. – “Two Spirits” movie screening and discussion, in the Otter Cross Cultural Center located in the Student Center. The Student Center faces the main quad, enter parking lot 12 off Inter-Garrison Road.
“Two Spirits” interweaves the tragic story of a mother’s loss of her son with a revealing look at a time when the world wasn’t simply divided into male and female, and many Native American cultures held places of honor for people of integrated genders.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Native American Heritage Month is sponsored by the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies; dean’s office of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Science; Student Activities and Leadership Development; Provost’s special events fund; and Otter Cross Cultural Center.
Photos of David Wolfs Robe by Bill Leydon
Our Native culture is like a delicate weaving, with each strand representing a part of our world. The flute is just one of those strands. If you cut just one strand, over time you will lose the entire weaving, so I strive to keep this part of our Native culture alive, evolving, and intact. I wish to share it with the world. – David Wolfs Robe.
. . . New applications that connect growers with space-age tools are under development at CSU Monterey Bay. Last year, CSUMB was awarded a $32 million grant to explore the use of satellites and unmanned drones to better understand basic climate processes and how they impact global ecosystems. – The Salinas Californian, Oct. 19, 2013
. . . OLLI at CSUMB is part of a national network that recognizes learning and exploration have no age limits. – Off 68, Jan. 17, 2014
Entrepreneurial spirit will be alive, well and condensed next week at CSUMB. The university will host a Startup Weekend – a 54-hour frenzy to come up with a winning business idea. – Monterey Herald, Jan. 17, 2014
. . . For the fifth consecutive year, CSUMB received a record number of freshmen applications – more than 14,800 for the fall 2014 semester, 6.4 percent more than the previous year. – The Salinas Californian, Jan. 22, 2014
Junípero Serra – and the impact of the missions he founded – is the subject of a symposium to be held at CSU Monterey Bay on Nov. 19.
The symposium, “Junípero Serra, Native Californians and the Legacy of the Franciscan Missions” coincides with the 300th anniversary of Serra’s birth. Spain, Mexico and the state of California are commemorating the tricentennial with a variety of events.
Born on the island of Majorca, Spain, Father Serra founded the Franciscan mission system of Alta California. While Father Serra is credited with founding the first nine missions in the chain, 21 missions were established from 1769 to 1823.
The advance of European colonialism ultimately disrupted Native American cultures and societies throughout the Americas, and Father Serra’s role in California has come into question. Today, descendants of those indigenous communities most affected by Euro-American settlements share conflicting perspectives on the legacy of Father Serra’s missionary efforts in early California.
Dr. Rose Marie Beebe and Dr. Robert Senkewicz, both professors at Santa Clara University, will make presentations at the symposium. Guest panelists will include Ann Marie Sayers of Indian Canyon; Kathryn England-Aytes, a psychology lecturer at CSUMB; and Father Carl Faria of the Diocese of Monterey.
The symposium will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in the University Center living room. The building is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Driving directions and a campus map
While the event is free, a parking permit must be purchased from a dispenser on the lot or online.
An exhibit of mission photography by Dr. Ruben Mendoza, an archaeologist and leading expert on California missions, will open in the Student Center West Lounge at 5 p.m., Nov. 14, in conjunction with the symposium.
Attendees are asked to RSVP for both events by contacting Heather Wilde at hwilde@csumb.edu or calling 582-3890.
The university collaborated with the National Steinbeck Center on a photo exhibit that will be on display at the Steinbeck Center from Nov. 8 through January, featuring photos by Dr. Mendoza, Larry Angier and Martin Vargas-Garcia. The events are sponsored by the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies, World Languages and Cultures, the Provost's Special Events fund, Student Activities and Leadership Development, and the National Steinbeck Center.
Top photo: Pillar at the altar of Mission San Miguel. Photo by Dr. Ruben Mendoza Bottom photo: CSUMB archaeology professor Ruben Mendoza
After former Los Angeles Times photojournalist Alwin Krause died in 2002, his wife, Marian Krause, thought about how she could honor him.
She also wanted to pay tribute to her husband’s great-aunt, Florence Campbell Rathom, one of the first female journalists to work at the Providence Journal in Rhode Island.
She accomplished both by creating a scholarship fund to help students in the Division of Humanities and Communication, which houses CSUMB’s program in journalism and media studies as well as philosophy, ethnic studies, ethics, peace studies, literature, history, creative writing and English teacher preparation.
When Mrs. Krause died in 2006, she left the university $4.6 million to establish the Florence C. Rathom and Alwin R. Krause Scholarship Endowment Fund. The first awards were made for the 2009-10 school year.
To date, a total of 286 awards have been given, based primarily on need. With this year’s distribution of nearly $202,000, the fund has awarded just over $1 million in scholarships.
One of this year’s recipients is Courtney Thomas, a senior studying to be an English teacher. A former foster youth, she works on behalf of those in the foster care system. She has been involved with California Youth Connection, an organization of current and former foster youth who advocate in Sacramento, where she has made the case for sibling visitation rights. Thomas (at right) has also worked as a Youth Engagement Ambassador for Monterey County.
“My dream is to build a nonprofit organization to help children in poverty receive an adequate education,” she said.
With the help of the Krause scholarship, she’s beating the odds. Only half of foster children graduate from high school, and only 20 percent of those enroll in college, according to the Institute for Higher Education Policy. Fewer than 5 percent earn degrees.
“I am extremely grateful and honored to be among the recipients,” she said.
Thomas’ plans don’t end with a bachelor’s degree. Her goal is to attend graduate school. She’s looking at the ethnic studies program at Berkeley and also considering a program in race, inequality and language in education at Stanford’s Graduate School of Education.
Creative writing student Tyler Gidney is also involved with the community as a volunteer in the Chinatown area of Salinas. “The money from the Krause scholarship had a lot to do with that,” he said. “I certainly wouldn’t be able to volunteer if I had to work a full-time job.”
The grant has helped him maintain a near-perfect grade point average at CSUMB. “I know that would have been a much harder task without the security I gained from the scholarship,” he said.
Read more information about the Krause scholarship, including the application deadline.
The No. 8-ranked Otters cruised to a win in their own Otter Invitational at par-72 Black Horse Golf Course, finishing at 10-under-par and 27 strokes ahead of runner-up and No. 1-ranked Barry University of Miami. – Monterey Herald, Oct. 23, 2013
Two months after the state water board approved rules for agricultural water quality, a panel of experts discussed a slew of ways the Salinas Valley could address the issue at a public forum at CSU Monterey Bay. – Monterey Herald, Oct. 25, 2013
The old military buildings dotting CSU Monterey Bay's campus are finally slated to go the way of Fort Ord. CSU Chancellor Timothy White pledged $30 million in funds to complete the long-awaited blight removal process. – Monterey County Weekly, Dec. 5, 2013
A study by scientists at Cal State University Monterey Bay, the University of British Columbia and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides evidence that coral reefs may be able to adapt to moderate climate warming, improving their chance of surviving through the end of this century. Results suggest corals have already adapted to part of the warming that has already occurred.
Warm water can cause a potentially fatal process known as coral “bleaching,” in which the beautiful reef-building corals eject algae living inside their tissues. Corals bleach when oceans warm only 1-2°C (2-4°F) above normal summertime temperatures. Because those algae supply the coral with most of its food, prolonged bleaching and associated disease often kills corals.
“While earlier modeling work suggested that coral reefs would be gone by the middle of this century, our study shows that if corals can adapt to warming over the past 40-60 years some coral reefs may persist through the end of this century,” said study lead author Cheryl Logan, an assistant professor in CSUMB’s Department of Science and Environmental Policy.
The study, published online in the journal Global Change Biology, explores a range of possible coral adaptive responses proposed by the scientific community. It provides a more hopeful outlook for the future of coral reefs than past work that ignored adaptation – but with some important caveats.
“Not all species will be able to adapt fast enough or to the same extent, so coral communities will look and function differently than they do today,” said Logan.
The other authors of the paper were John Dunne from the NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory; Mark Eakin from NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch, and Simon Donner from the Department of Geography at the University of British Columbia. NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program funded the study.
“The hope this work brings is only achieved if we significantly reduce our emission of heat-trapping gases,” said Mark Eakin, Ph.D., who serves as director of the NOAA Coral Reef Watch monitoring program which tracks bleaching events worldwide. “Adaptation provided no significant slowing in the loss of coral reefs at the rate we are now emitting carbon dioxide.”
Tropical coral reef ecosystems are among the most diverse in the world, and provide economic and social stability to many nations in the form of food security and economic revenue. Mass coral bleaching and death has increased around the world over the past three decades, raising questions about the future of coral-reef ecosystems. In the study, researchers used global sea surface temperature output from the NOAA/GFDL Earth System Model-2 for the pre-industrial period though 2100 to project rates of coral bleaching.
Because initial results showed that past temperature increases should have bleached reefs more often than has actually occurred, researchers looked into ways that corals may be able to adapt to warming and delay the bleaching process. This would keep reefs healthier longer despite climate change.
The study projected that, through genetic adaptation, the reefs could reduce the currently projected rate of bleaching by 20 to 80 percent of levels expected by the year 2100 if there are large reductions in carbon dioxide emissions.
The article calls for further research to test the rate and limit of different adaptive responses for coral species across latitudes and ocean basins to determine if and how much corals can actually respond to increasing thermal stress.
The research article is available here.
Scientists studying the catastrophic phenomena of coral bleaching have concluded that reef systems may be more adaptable to increasingly warmer oceans than previously believed. The work was funded by NOAA and conducted by researchers at Cal State Monterey Bay and the University of British Columbia. – Los Angeles Times science blog, Oct. 29, 2013
Her premise was simple: "Everyone deserves the right to access fresh, organic, locally grown produce." Execution wasn't. But Iris Peppard took it on as a capstone project as a CSU Monterey Bay undergrad: creating a nonprofit to run a certified farmers market in Marina. – Monterey County Weekly, Oct. 31, 2013
Allison Gong often keeps live sea stars for her college biology classes at CSU Monterey Bay. . . Gong was appalled and fascinated as she watched her sea stars develop white lesions, become soft and mushy and slowly lose their limbs. – Monterey County Weekly, Oct. 31, 2013
In her four years on CSUMB's planning team, Megan Tolbert has made major strides in reducing the campus' carbon footprint. – Monterey County Weekly, Oct. 31, 2013
Plenty of people drive by the old Fort Ord and see nothing but a bunch of crumbling old buildings. Artist Enid Baxter Ryce sees mystery, soul and a remarkable range of aesthetic shapes and lines and shadows. – Monterey County Weekly, Oct. 31, 2013
Running a university takes time and dedication. And once a month, CSUMB chief Eduardo Ochoa is reminded of the value of his time in an unusual way: He winds his grandfather's pocket watch. – Monterey County Weekly, Oct. 31, 2013
• Professor Johanna Poethig, who teaches painting in the Visual and Public Art Department, co-curated an exhibit at SOMArts, "Glamorgeddon: The Spectacle." She told the San Francisco Chronicle, "It was important to me to look more critically at product-oriented culture and the ways media and the marketplace have placed a huge burden on us, especially women, to look and act a certain way," she said. – Jan. 7, 2015
• A story on Al Jazeera America's website headlined, "The salad bowl of America turns toxic," featured Professor Fred Watson's research on ways to improve water quality in the Salinas Valley watershed. – Dec. 25, 2014
• MPA lecturer Lanier Sammons, a composer and musician, explained his approach to classical music in an interview with the Monterey County Weekly. "The idea," he said, "is trying to convince people that classical musicians are not in tuxedos on stage looking down on them. We can appeal to broad audiences. We can take on complex music with accessibility and with serious and high ambition." – Dec. 3, 2014
• Cinematic Arts department chair Enid Baxter Ryce was interviewed in the Monterey Herald about 'Planet Ord,' a film and art project she and her students created that tells the story of the once-thriving Army base that is now home to CSUMB. – Nov. 23, 2014
• Commenting on a report by EdSource, an education think tank, on challenges involved in preparing new teachers, Dr. Mark O'Shea pointed out that the report does not place enough emphasis on making the career attractive – addressing working conditions, salary, lack of status for the profession. His remarks appeared in a news story in the Monterey Herald. – Oct. 12, 2014
• Writing for the Monterey County Hospitality Association, Dr. John Avella, an association executive committee member and director of CSUMB's hospitality management program, explained how educational programs advance the local tourism industry. The column appeared in the Monterey County Herald. – Oct. 11, 2014
• In an interview with the Monterey County Weekly, Dr. Shyam Kamath, dean of the College of Business, explained that his visison for the college is founded on teaching students to consider five principles when making business decisions: people, planet, profit, ethics and equity. – Oct. 2, 2014
• Dr. Murray Millson, director of the E/MBA program, traveled to Dubrovnic, Croatia, in late September to address a panel on marketing at the Global Business Conference. Dr. Millson was profiled in a San Benito County publication. – Sept. 23, 2014
• Dr. Brad Barbeau was quoted in a story in the Monterey Herald about how Salinas was named the second "least-educated" city in the nation. He pointed out that the city's economy is based on agriculture, not computers, and that the city needs to create jobs so its educated workforce can remain in the area. He went on to explain that President Ochoa has launched an initiative to shepherd students from kindergarten through college and make sure there are no gaps in their educational experience. – Sept. 18, 2014
• In the Monterey Herald, Dr. Mark O'Shea gave his theory on why there is a teacher shortage in Monterey Couny: demand for teachers is linked to reduction in class size brought about by increased funding via the Local Control Funding Formula. – Sept. 17, 2014
• Steven Levinson, an instructor in Cinematic Arts who runs CSUMB's Internet radio station, was quoted extensively in a story in the Monterey Herald about local radio stations changing hands. His comments on how the industry works provided useful context for the story. – Sept. 6, 2014
• The Santa Cruz Sentinel reported that Dr. Deanne Perez-Granados, associate professor in the Liberal Studies Department, has been appointed to the Santa Cruz City Schools board. She will join the board in December. – Aug. 14, 2014
• Dr. Lisa Stewart joined President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for the White House Summit on working Families. According to Carmel Magazine, the invitation arrived after Dr. Stewart earned national notice for her research on the challenges faced by employees who care for a family member with a disability, and how those challenges can impact income and career. – Summer, 2014
• In the Monterey County Weekly, Dr. Lila Staples, head of the Visual and Public Art Department, talked about her department's healthy relationship with the local art community, noting that the community has been welcoming to students, and, in turn, the students have contributed a younger perspective. – July 24, 2014
• Dr. Angie Tran was interviewed in the April-May issue of the e-newsletter Made in China. She explained the dynamics of labor activism in Vietnam, based on research for her recent book, Ties That Bind, a study of Vietnamese labor movements. – July 3, 2014
• The Monterey Herald interviewed Dr. Lisa Stewart about her research on working families and caregiving responsibiities for family members with disabilities. Because of that work, she was invited to participate in the White House Summit on Working Families in Washington, D.C. – June 21, 2014
• Dr. James Lindholm was interviewed on KAZU (NPR for the Monterey Bay Area) about how marine biologists are cataloging what lives in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and, in the process, helping those who manage the preserve. – June 12, 2014
• Dr. John Ittelson, professor emeritus at CSUMB and a senior fellow and acting associate executive director of the Online Education Initiative of the California Community Colleges’ Chancellor’s Office, was interviewed in Campus Technology magazine about the evolution in higher education’s technology landscape brought on by big data. – May 28, 2014
• For a story on KAZU (NPR for the Monterey Bay Area) about a 3D model of the underwater reserve at Point Lobos, Dr. Rikk Kvitek was interviewed about the work of CSUMB's Seafloor Mapping Lab, where he built a one-of-a-kind boat to map areas near shore. – May 23, 2014
• Dr. Brad Barbeau was interviewed by the Monterey Herald on the success of the Startup Challenge business competition and its contribution to the local economy. – May 4, 2014
• Dr. James Lindholm's NOAA grant could change the face of fishing, according to a story in the Monterey County Weekly. His study will compare the ecological impacts of traditional trawl gear to newly modified gear that reduces contact with the seafloor by 90 percent. – April 10, 2014
• Soyeon Kim, assistant professor of animation and visual/motion design, was interviewed about her work in melding two-dimensional drawings and paintings with three-dimensional environments. The Monterey Herald story explained that CSUMB is beefing up its animation curriculum to meet student interest. April 10, 2014
• Enid Ryce, chair of the Cinematic Arts and Technology Department, garnered attention in the Monterey Herald, Santa Cruz Sentinel and the Monterey County Weekly for her work in curating "Project Ord," an exhibit of photos, artifacts, films and stories at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History. April 3, 2014
• Dr. Sam Robinson, professor of journalism and media studies, was profiled in the Monterey County Weekly. April 3, 2014
• Arlene Krebs was named a 2014 Broadband Champion by the California Emerging Technology Fund, the Monterey Herald reported. March 27, 2014
• Dr. Maria Villasenor was interviewed in the Monterey County Weekly as part of a story looking at a bill that was introduced in the California legislature to require ethnic studies in high schools. March 6, 2014
• Dr. Marc Los Huertos was interviewed for a story in the Monterey Herald, on ways in which local growers are dealing with the drought. He talked about the "balancing act" farmers face during a drought, and how, even in the best of circumstances, managing fields is a complicated equation. March 3, 2014
• Dr. George Baldwin was featured in a story in the Osage News, about the annual gathering of Northern California Osage. He and other artists and musicians were invited to showcase their work. Jan. 29, 2014
• A story in the Monterey Herald featured Professor Enid Baxter Ryce and the art piece she created that was inspired by the theme for First Night Monterey, "SeaChanges." She sculpted the Gabilan mountains and their watershed. Visitors were able to spray the mountains – as if it were raining – and watch how the water flows down through the creeks and rivers and eventually ends up in the ocean. Jan. 1, 2014
• Dr. Jennifer Colby's work with CSUMB students specializing in sound and video technology was profiled in the Monterey Herald as part of First Night Monterey celebrations. Dec. 26, 2013
• Dr. Ruben Mendoza was interviewed in The Salinas Californian about Matthew Stirling, a pioneering archaeologist and ethnologist in the early 20th century who came from Salinas. Dec. 14, 2013
• Johanna Poethig, a public artist and a professor in the Visual and Public Art Department, was interviewed in the Santa Cruz Sentinel about her work and why she became a muralist. Dec. 4, 2013
• Senior research scientist Forrest Melton was quoted extensively in a story in the Turlock Journal, talking about the benefits of GIS (geographic information systems) technology for California and the globe, and stressing the need to make it more accessible to the public. Dec. 2, 2013
• KAZU, National Public Radio for the Central Coast, interviewed Dr. Ruben Mendoza about Father Junipero Serra for a story on the tricentennial of Serra's birth. Nov. 21, 2013
• Linda Glenn, lecturer in Human Communication, was interviewed as a bioethicist/lawyer/futurist for the TV show "FutureScape," which will premier on the Science Channel, on Nov. 19. She appears throughout the six-episode series. Nov. 11, 2013
• Dr. Ruben Mendoza was interviewed about his work on Father Junipero Serra for EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network), the global Catholic network. The segment will air on Nov. 21. He was also interviewed about the life and times of Father Serra for a series produced by IB3 Television and Tresques Comunicacio and aired throughout Europe and Mexico. Nov. 11, 2013
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s website featured a story on research by Dr.Cheryl Logan that suggests coral reefs may be able to adapt to moderate climate change. Oct. 31, 2013
• President Eduardo Ochoa was featured in the Monterey County Weekly’s “25 Who Got Us Here” story as a game-changing local leader. Oct. 31, 2013
• Enid Baxter Ryce was featured in the Monterey County Weekly’s “25 for the Next 25” story for her work as an artist and for giving young artists tools they need to succeed. Oct. 31, 2013
• The Monterey County Weekly featured biology lecturer Dr. Allison Gong and her work with sea stars and a disease that threatens the species. Oct. 31, 2013
• The Los Angeles Times’ science blog, Science Now, did a story on research by Dr. Cheryl Logan, whose work has demonstrated that coral reefs may be more adaptive to climate change than once thought. Oct. 29, 2013
• The Salinas Californian quoted Dr. Marc Los Huertos on issues surrounding non-point-source pollution in the agriculture industry Oct. 25, 2013
• The Monterey Herald quoted Dr. Marc Los Huertos on regulation of groundwater contamination caused by agriculture Oct. 25, 2013
• The Salinas Californian interviewed Dr. Marylou Shockley about issues surrounding water quality in the Salinas Valley Oct. 23, 2013
• The Monterey Herald published an op-ed piece by President Eduardo Ochoa advocating a “no” vote on Measures K and M Oct. 8, 2013
• KSMS interviewed President Eduardo Ochoa as part of a segment on the visit by CSU Chancellor Tim White Oct. 8, 2013
• Artwork by Emeritus Professor Amalia Mesa-Bains was featured in a Los Angeles Times story about UCLA’s Fowler Museum and its 50th anniversary exhibit Sept. 28, 2013
• KSMS interviewed President Eduardo Ochoa as part of Univision’s nationwide education event Sept. 19, 2013
• KCBA interview with Computer Science faculty on the new CSIT-in-3 program Sept. 14, 2013
• KCBS radio interviewed Dr. Shyam Kamath, dean of the College of Business, about a high-profile rape trial in India Sept. 10, 2013
• KION interviewed Dr. Ignacio Navarro on the Affordable Care Act and its impact on Monterey County. Dr. Navarro and his colleague, Dr. Kim Judson, authored a study on the subject as the request of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors Sept. 6, 2013
• The Monterey County Weekly interviewed Dean Tim Angle about the diversity international students bring to a university campus Sept. 5, 2013
• NPR interviewed Dr. Sathya Narayanan for a story on the CSIT-in-3 program that was broadcast nationally on NPR’s Morning Edition Weekend Sept. 1, 2013
• KSMS interviewed President Eduardo Ochoa about opportunities at CSUMB Aug. 30, 2013
• KION interviewed Professor Cheryl Logan on how global warming is influencing the frequency and severity of forest fires Aug. 26
• KSBW interviewed President Eduardo Ochoa on the growth of the university at move-in day Aug. 23, 2013
• The Salinas Californian interviewed President Eduardo Ochoa about how he plans to widen the university’s outreach Aug. 23, 2013
• KAZU interviewed Dr. Sathya Narayanan for a story on the CSIT-in-3 program Aug. 22, 2013
• Men’s Health News interviewed Dr. Rob Weisskirch on decoding text messages of a sexual nature Aug. 20, 2013
• The Monterey Herald interviewed Dr. Hongde Hu about his program to reduce the number of students who need remedial math by giving them an “algebra booster shot” Aug. 17, 2013
• KION interviewed Dr. Hongde Hu on teaching math to middle school students at Graniterock’s Algebra Academy Aug. 13, 2013
• The Monterey County Weekly interviewed President Eduardo Ochoa on his plans to create a Strive Network in Monterey County Aug. 8, 2013
• KSBW interviewed Dean Ilene Feinman on a Wall Street Journal poll out today that shows the overwhelmingly negative view of Congress by the electorate July 24, 2013
• The Salinas Californian interviewed Dr. Ronnie Higgs, VP for Student Affairs, about current immigration laws and how they affect college students July 24, 2013
• KCBA interviewed Dr. Joy Brittain about how families can come up with the money to send their children to college July 23, 2013
• The Monterey Herald interviewed Dr. Ruben Mendoza about the value of a conference for K-12 teachers on the California missions and why it’s important the teachers learn about the missions July 19, 2013
• California Health Report interviewed Dr. Ignacio Navarro about a report he authored forecasting the impact of the Affordable Care Act on Monterey County July 18, 2013
• The Monterey Herald interviewed Dr. Mark O’Shea about the demand for credentialed teachers in Monterey County July 17, 2013
• The Monterey Herald interviewed Dr. Eric Tao about the Technology, Innovation and Science camp and how it can be a recruitment tool for the university to expand the number of international students who enroll July 16, 2013
• The Salinas Californian quoted from a study of water quality in the Salinas Valley by Dr. Marc Los Huertos (he was on sabbatical and not available to be interviewed) July 16, 2013
• KSBW interviewed Dr. Eric Tao about the value of CSUMB’s Technology, Innovation and Science camp that is being held on campus this summer July 15, 2013
• KSBW interviewed lecturer Natalie Zayas on Upward Bound students who are taking an environmental science class at CSUMB this summer July 8, 2013
• The Monterey Herald (column by the Monterey County Hospitality Association) interviewed Dr. John Avella about the university’s hospitality program July 6, 2013
• The Monterey County Weekly interviewed Professors Suzanne Worchester and Rachel Esselstein about the “flipped classroom” they are using July 4, 2013
• The Monterey County Weekly interviewed Andrea Nield, associate director of CSUMB’s Small Business Development Center about the services it offers June 27, 2013
• KSMS interviewed President Eduardo Ochoa at Viva la Familia event June 24, 2013
• KCBA interviewed Dr. David Anderson talked about the politics involved in the Alisal district of Salinas possibly seceding from the city June 20, 2013
• The Monterey Herald interviewed President Eduardo Ochoa about the role he sees the university playing in the region June 1, 2013
• The Monterey County Weekly interviewed Professor Paulette Gissendanner about the power of music May 30, 2013
• MSN Latino interviewed President Eduardo Ochoa after his appointment was made permanent May 24, 2013
• Science Insider interviewed Dr. Sathya Narayanan about the CSIT-in-3 program May 13, 2013
• The Lake County News interviewed Vince Ambrosia, senior research scientist at CSUMB, on airborne technology developed at NASA is being used to prepare for this year’s wildfire season April 12, 2013
• The Salinas Californian interviewed Dr. James Lindholm on the effectiveness of Marine Protection Areas along the Central Coast March 12, 2013
• NPR’s California Report interviewed Admissions Director David Linnevers on the university’s outreach efforts, including the Super Sunday event at Greater Victory Temple in Seaside March 1-3
• The Monterey County Weekly interviewed Dr. Eric Tao about the university’s online programs and how they can boost the local economy Feb. 28, 2013
• KSBW interviewed Dr. Higgs about CSUMB’s outreach efforts after his talk a Seventh Day Adventist church in Seaside as part of Super Sunday Feb. 16, 2013
• The Monterey County Weekly interviewed Professor Johanna Poethig about public art and media literacy Feb. 14, 2013
• California Health Report interviewed Dr. Seth Pollack about the power of community gardens to inspire people Jan. 22, 2013
• KSBW interviewed Dr. Eric Tao about online education Jan. 14, 2013
• KION interviewed Dr. Ruben Mendoza about digital imaging being used in restoration at Carmel Mission Jan. 3, 2013
What will the future look like? It's a question that writers, philosophers and scientists have been pondering for millennia. But the future that once existed solely in the human imagination . . . has arrived. That's the introduction to FutureScape, a six-part television series hosted by actor James Woods. The series will premiere at 10 p.m., Nov. 19, on the Science Channel. A new episode will be shown each week.
Linda Glenn, a lecturer in Humanities and Communication, appears in all six episodes – her “15 minutes of fame,” she says – as a bioethicist, lawyer and futurist.
The first episode deals with the robot revolution. Episode two addresses advances in medical technology that will make old age little more than a manageable chronic condition. Episode three looks at the ability to create life from scratch. In episode four, viewers will learn about galactic pioneers and how recent advances in propulsion technology, warp drive, and solar energy have allowed us to do what only science fiction writers dreamed possible. In episode five, viewers learn about advances in genetic engineering and neuroscience. The series concludes with a look at how scientists are reading minds and scanning hidden memories and the privacy implications. Glenn came to the attention of the show’s production company through some of her publications on the ethical, legal and social implications of emerging technologies. Her articles address human-machine mergers; how converging technologies will impact our dinner tables; and ethical issues in genetic engineering, among other topics.
Recommendations from L.A.-based media who heard her speak at Singularity University in Silicon Valley also helped.
The Science Channel can be found on channel 52 on the campus cable system and on Comcast channel 272.
Last December, the Discovery Channel flew her from her home on the East Coast to Hollywood for an interview. They liked what they heard, and she was offered the opportunity to appear in the series. A few months later, she and her husband relocated to California and she landed the lecturer position at CSUMB. This semester, she’s teaching HCom 358, Critical Perspectives in Law and Society. The Science Channel gig isn’t her first experience with network television. In 2011, she was interviewed on the ethical and legal issues around genetic engineering for a program on the History Channel. Ms. Glenn is an attorney, bioethicist, educator and consultant. She holds an appointment at the Alden March Bioethics Institute at Albany Medical Center, is a Fellow at the Institute for Emerging Technologies and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. She was the lead attorney in several cutting edge bioethics legal cases, including the case of Gray vs. Romeo. She currently serves as an adviser to several Silicon Valley biotech startups. She is currently working on a book titled “Bioethics for a New Earth: How Emerging Technologies Can Save Humanity and Our Planet.” Read more faculty highlights
When a CSU Monterey Bay student’s capstone project is completed, local residents will be able to grow their own food, with help from an unlikely source.
Heather Cunningham is working to set up a seed library at the Monterey Public Library as part of the graduation requirements for her degree in Environmental Studies.
Cunningham points out that the idea is taking root across the country, with about 30 in operation, mostly in public libraries in California.
The concept is simple: patrons “check out” seeds, take them home to grow nutritious food for their families, harvest new seeds and return them so the library can lend them out to others.
The seed library movement is an excellent opportunity for grassroots action to reduce use of non-renewable resources associated with food items, Cunningham said. “A seed library can contribute to the celebration of local plant biodiversity, local wholesome produce and a culture of sharing while fostering community resilience and self-reliance," she said.
She organized two planning meetings in October, and will present an official proposal to the Monterey Public Library director if there is enough community interest.
“I think by the annual Cutting Day on March 16, a seed exchange will be available for public use in the library,” Cunningham said with confidence. She added that nothing is official until a proposal is approved by Kim Burton, director of the Monterey Public Library.
Her plan calls for the initial seed inventory to be provided by local individuals, organizations – including CSUMB’s Return of the Natives restoration program – and perhaps local seed companies and farms.
So far, the planning has focused on seeds that produce vegetables, but native plants may be included. Donors will be asked to identify the location where the seeds were grown and the type of plant. They will be invited to include growing notes and a picture of the plant. The seeds will be put into small envelopes that will be organized and displayed in shoe boxes, dresser drawers or other pieces of repurposed furniture such as old library card catalogs
Why does the project appeal to her? Among other reasons she cited was her desire to prepare for new jobs that will require environmentally friendly practices and enhance the natural resources she values.
“I want to learn how to effectively work with a community to get projects off the ground and happening," she said. "This project is a perfect opportunity to experience that process."
Learn more about the Environmental Studies program at CSUMB.
Photo: Heather Cunningham
Cal State Monterey Bay President Eduardo Ochoa laid out a blueprint for the university’s future during a ceremony Nov. 15 in which fellow academics, staff and members of the community officially marked his position at the university.
The formal investiture — akin to a presidential swearing-in — came six months after Dr. Ochoa took the position on a permanent basis. Dozens of academic dignitaries in colorful gowns, hoods and mortarboards formed a procession into the World Theater for the event. Its theme was “advancing the vision.” He is the third president of the 19-year-old campus. “I join an outstanding university, which began as a remarkable experiment, has blossomed into a national leader in community engagement, and is now poised to help lead the Central Coast region into a thriving, sustainable future,” President Ochoa told the audience. One of the event’s most poignant moments came when he recounted some of his family history. He talked about how his mother fought to provide the best possible education for him and his brothers. Then, he delivered a message to her – in Mexico – via streaming video. “Cariños, mama, y muchas gracias por todo lo que has hecho por mi.” After recounting some of the university’s history, he summed up by saying, “Fundamentally, we are an institution dedicated to its students.” President Ochoa touched on his priorities for the university: strengthening and developing programs to address the needs of agriculture and hospitality; continuing to develop the marine science program; taking a leadership role in improving the educational success of the region’s young people; facilitating research, commercialization and startup formation around new clean technologies and services; and contributing to the cultural life of the community. And then he looked to the future. “Ten years from now, I envision CSU Monterey Bay at the heart of a thriving and flourishing community, with 10,000 students . . . I see us acting as a catalyst and intellectual resource for strategic regional economic development. “And I see us unlocking the tremendous potential of the diversity of our students, staff, faculty and community to achieve inclusive excellence in preparing our graduates for the global, multicultural society that they will live in.”
Dr. Ochoa became interim president of CSUMB in July 2012. His appointment was made permanent by the CSU Board of Trustees in May 2013.
Previously, he served for two years as assistant secretary for postsecondary education in the Obama Administration. In that role, he was chief adviser to the education secretary on higher education.
His extensive background in the CSU system includes serving as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Sonoma State University; a stint as dean of the College of Business Administration at Cal Poly Pomona; and as a faculty member at Cal State Los Angeles and Fresno State University.
A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, he moved to the United States with his family during his high school years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and philosophy from Reed College, a master’s degree in nuclear science and engineering from Columbia University and a doctoral degree in economics from the New School for Social Research.
Fridays’ ceremony was the second of three events tied to President Ochoa’s investiture. On Nov. 12, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the $43 million Business and Information Technology Building. On Nov. 16, more than 400 students, faculty and staff members took part in a day of service and learning, volunteering at 30 sites around the area. President Ochoa visited four of those sites – Cesar Chavez Library, Shoreline Community Garden, Seaside High School and the Village Project – to offer support and encouragement.
Learn more about the investiture See a photo gallery from the Day of Service and Learning
Learn about the Business and Information Technology Building The investiture and day of service on social media See a photo gallery from the investiture
Photos by Richard Green
Top: (left to right): CSU Chancellor Timothy White, CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa and CSU Trustee J. Lawrence Norton
Bottom: At the podium, former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, who delivered the keynote address
Nov. 19 marks the 300th anniversary of Junipero Serra's birth, and CSUMB professor Ruben Mendoza, a scholar on the California mission system, has been busy granting interviews. . . CSUMB will host a symposium on Serra's legacy on his birthday. – Monterey Herald, Nov. 12, 2013
Comienza la construccion de un centro de technologia de 58,000 pies cuadrados en el campus de la Universidad Estatal de la Bahia de Monterey. – KSMS (Univision), Nov. 12, 2013
Standing next to the most recent addition to CSU Monterey Bay – the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library – city, county and educational leaders broke ground for a new building that will merge the worlds of technology and business. – Monterey Herald, Nov. 13, 2013
When a CSU Monterey Bay student's capstone project is completed, local residents will be able to grow their own food, with help from an unlikely source. – CSU Sustainability blog, Nov. 14, 2013
Emma Rodriguez, CSUMB student extraordinaire, garnered a lot of attention earlier this year for a book drive she sponsored to benefit foster care children. Now, she wants to help foster care youth with winter clothing. – Monterey Herald, Nov. 14, 2013
Today's investiture marks the beginning of a new era and a a new vision for CSUMB as the university looks ahead to increase enrollment and staffing. – KSBW, Nov. 15, 2013
El Doctor Eduardo Ochoa recibio el dia de hoy el nombramiento oficial como el nuevo rector de la Universidad Estatal de la Bahia de Monterey. – KSMS (Univision), Nov. 15, 2013
For the second consecutive year, Dr. Lanier Sammons, a lecturer in the Music and Performing Arts Department, has won the ASCAP Plus Award – Concert Music Division. The ASCAP Awards are made by the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers to honor the past catalog and recent performances of member composers. With the cash award, ASCAP supports the careers and fosters the continuing development of American composers in various genres.
Dr. Sammons, a composer and guitarist, teaches analog mixing and digital editing as well as the MPA capstone class and master classes. His music explores audience interactivity, improvisation, the intersection of popular and classical music, and the pairing of electronic and acoustic sound. As a performer, he explores multiple genres on electric guitar, classical guitar and other instruments. Dr. Sammons has also been selected to contribute a piece to the Cellotronic Games, a competition that features pieces for cello and electronics that offer a commentary on our game-involved culture. “The proposal I sent them involves using Google image searches to pull up images of graphic scores – notation based on symbols other than standard notation,” Dr. Sammons explained. “The two performers take turns improvising in response to the image that gets pulled up, and the audience votes on their preference to award one of the performers a point. . . .” Dr. Sammons is in his second year at CSUMB. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and a master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. His research interests include composition and audience-interactive music, the relationship between play and composition, new music for the guitar, and the intersection and overlap between "popular" music and "art" music.?
Representatives from the Food Bank for Monterey County loaded hundreds of pounds of canned goods into a delivery truck parked at Cal State Monterey Bay's World Theater on Nov. 12. The haul – part of 1,400 pounds of people and pet food – was collected a few days earlier when the December People performed at the theater. To earn a discount off the ticket price for the Nov. 9 performance, the capacity crowd was asked to bring cans of food for people and pets. The drive was a collaboration between the World Theater and radio station HIPPO 104.3 FM. The donations were given to the food bank, the local SPCA and the Santa Cruz animal shelter.??
Canned vegetables and soup, pasta and grains, and canned and dried dog food were collected in barrels in the lobby. The World Theater staff separated the donations and got them ready to be picked up.
The December People – Robert Berry, Gary Pihl, Dave Medd, Mike Vanderhule and Jack Foster – have been dubbed a “Christian contemporary Spinal Tap.” The group puts its own take on yuletide classics – think Led Zeppelin doing “Silent Night” or a Latin-fused Santana variation of “Deck the Halls.”? This was the fourth year the group appeared at CSUMB. “Because of the fantastic audience response the last three years and the success of the food drive we launched, we brought December People back. The audience had an enthusiastic response to the performance and the special effects lighting show, and the food drive was a success once again,” said Joe Cardinalli, artistic and executive director, University Performances and Special Events.?? At Campus Dining services, through the generosity of CSUMB students, staff and faculty, and the sponsorship of Sodexo, the Stop Hunger food drive netted 905 lbs. of food in time for needy families at Thanksgiving. The food was donated to the Food Bank for Monterey County. The drive is put on every October and November by Sodexo. Students could drop non-perishable food items into donation bins or donate meal plan blocks which campus dining converted into cash, matched the total and used to purchase bulk items such as bags of rice, beans, canned fruit, canned milk and vegetables. Associated Students held their own food drive, collecting meal plan blocks and cash to help the homeless at Dorothy’s Place Hospitality Center in Salinas.
Hunger remains a persistent reality in the area. The Monterey County Food Bank serves approximately 90,000 people annually – one-fifth of Monterey County’s population. It distributes six million pounds of food each year.
December People and representatives of the Food Bank for Monterey County. Joe Cardinalli, artistic and executive director of University Performances and Special Events, is at the far right.
Students in Professor Johanna Poethig’s painting and mural class at Cal State Monterey Bay are helping to brighten a park and learning valuable lessons in the process.
They are creating a series of murals that will cover a 300-foot wall at the new Pajaro Neighborhood Park – a 4.9-acre parcel in the largely farm worker community that straddles Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.
CSUMB students are creating nine of the 14 murals; local artist and muralist Jose Ortiz is working on the other five. Children from local schools are also contributing their talents to the effort.
The youngsters’ paintings are given an artistic touch by the university’s art students, and then the images are incorporated into panels that are placed on the walls.
According to Professor Poethig, the project will take two or three semesters.
Students in CSUMB’s Visual and Public Art Department see the project as a chance to hone their skills.
On their tumblr page, the students say the wall is “a great opportunity for public art design, large-scale painting, student learning and professional development, community improvisation, social practice and shared space.”
The park will include a soccer field; gazebo; bandstand; basketball court; an asphalt running/walking track; children’s play areas; picnic areas and a parking lot.
The Arts Council for Monterey County is sponsoring the project.
The combined number of CSU Monterey Bay faculty, staff, students and "friends of" who worked on 31 community service projects Nov. 16 in honor of the investiture of CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa. – Monterey County Weekly, Nov. 21, 2013
. . . in the year since he became interim president, Dr. Eduardo Ochoa has shown the desire and skill to integrate the campus into the political, economic and civic life of the region. – Monterey County Weekly, Nov. 21, 2013
It seems that people and food come together in times of great tragedy.
After Typhoon Haiyan – one of the most powerful storms on record – hit the Philippines on Nov. 8, members of the Asian Pacific Islander Association and staff member Jihan Ejan thought about ways to help some of the millions of people affected by the storm.
A fundraising event featuring Filipino cuisine seemed like a good way to reach out to the campus community and ask them to help with the effort. The club contacted Campus Dining at CSU Monterey Bay with the idea, and Sodexo, the university’s food service provider, agreed to help.
As a result, Thursday, Dec. 5, is Filipino relief day. Food from that country will be featured in the Dining Commons. Thirty percent of cash sales – on all food sold, not just the Filipino dishes – will be donated to the relief effort. Executiv chief Uriah Paiva said the menu will consist of:
• Chicken Adobo • Bam-I (Pancit Bisaya), from the area hit by the typhoon • Humba (braised pork belly with sugar), another popular dish from the area hit by the typhoon • Tortang Talong (eggplant omelet), a vegetarian option • Garlic fried rice • Flan and maruya (banana fritters), traditional desserts
Proceeds from the event will be donated to non-governmental organizations supporting relief efforts.
For more information, contact Jihan Ejan at jejan@csumb.edu
Photo shows Palawan Island, El Nido, Philippines. Photo courtesy of Jihan Ejan
The World Theater on the campus of CSU Monterey Bay will host student films at this year’s Fall Capstone Festival, scheduled for two public screenings on Thursday, Dec. 19. The matinee screening will begin at 1 p.m.; the program will repeat for the evening show at 6 p.m. Admission and parking are free. The Capstone Festival will feature 11 professional-quality productions spanning a range of genres, including comedic and dramatic live-action movies, as well as animation, documentary and experimental work produced by students of CSUMB’s Department of Cinematic Arts and Technology. The program includes director Tia Beem’s Science Time, a puppet-populated educational experience, where learning meets uproarious fun, and Alexandra Davis and Elissa Barton’s *Heartbreak Syndrome *(left), a bittersweet and sassy comedy exploring how we act and react when grieving a lost lover.
Kayla Harriel’s Best In Me is a moving music-based dance animation centering on a mother and daughter as they face the pains of separation in adolescence and adulthood, and Miguel Silva and Isabella Ortuño’s El Otro Lado Del Sol is a powerful story about a farmworker family trying to survive in Central California. James Santoyo’s Surviving Salinas documents three young adults who present a positive response to the negative media stereotypes plaguing the city. Andrew Folk’s Golden Rule is an impressionistic tale of a young girl who regrets her actions when she loses her best friend, and Stilvin Has An Interview is Monica Fisher, Daniel Kim and Nolan Farrel’s slapstick slacker comedy in which a young man learns it’s not enough to get the job – you actually have to do it, too! Craig Lowery and Andrew Mathiasen’s About: blank is a surrealistic tale following an obsessive writer who sacrifices all semblance of reality for a better story and Hayley Hawkins’ Subject 1.9 reveals a young man in search of his past who suddenly discovers who he is. Hold it Down is Josh R. Applegate’s upbeat montage evoking a warm summer night, set to the music of local Bay Area rock and reggae band Just Chill, and Nicholas Fryou and Thomas Stevens’ Western homage Remington's Revenge is the tale of a young gunslinger, betrayed in love, who sets out on a quest for revenge in the American Southwest during the 1870s. Please note that some films in the program contain mature language or violence. The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue near A Street, on the campus of CSU Monterey Bay. For more information, contact Professor Karen Davis, Department of Cinematic Arts and Technology at kdavis@csumb.edu or (831) 582-4396.
For disability accommodations, contact Jennifer Benge at jbenge@csumb.edu.
The event is co-sponsored by the Monterey Bay Film Society. See a photo gallery of stills from all 11 films. Complete Capstone Festival schedule, including work by students in all academic departments, is available here.
When Mateo Sixtos drives to his computer science classes every weekday, he takes a good, hard look at the strawberry fields he first worked hen he was only 10 years old. . . . Today, he's enrolled in a new, rigorous and academically daring college program – a collaboration between CSU Monterey Bay and Hartnell Community College – that promises to help students from the agricultural Salinas Valley earn a bachelor's degree in computer science in only three years. – San Jose Mercury News, Dec. 3, 2013
Gather round the radio Thursday and tune in to hear two suspenseful radio dramas written and recorded by high school students at Rancho Cielo. The radio programs are the result of an eight-week collaboration between students and teachers at Rancho Cielo, an alternative high for at-risk youth, and the CSUMB Cinematic Arts and Technology program. – The Salinas Californian, Dec. 3, 2013
Last month's election featured competing ballot measures about growth on part of Fort Ord. Both went down to defeat.
Strong feelings on all sides are understandable; the land that makes up the former Fort Ord is a unique and priceless resource. ?
To encourage a long-range view, CSU Monterey Bay and the Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA) will sponsor a colloquium on Dec. 12 and 13, to bring together experts in base reuse, economic development, blight removal, design guidelines and eco-tourism as well as government officials and the public.
The goal of the colloquium is for local decision-makers and the public to leave with a shared
Can't attend? CSUMB will live-stream both days of the colloquium. To watch it online, click here. Viewers can submit their questions to the moderator via the web.
knowledge base on these topics. With this knowledge, the community can agree on strategies for economic and development success across Fort Ord and the surrounding communities.
The colloquium will be held in the University Center ballroom, Sixth Avenue and B Street on the CSUMB campus. Each day’s session will start with opening comments by CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa at 8:45 a.m.; each day will end around 4 p.m. Lunch will be provided.
On Dec. 12, panels will discuss: • Economic Development and Innovation • Land Development and Job Creation • Blight Removal, Remediation and Economics
On Dec. 13, panels will discuss: • Design Guidelines as Economic Catalyst • Form-Based Regional Planning and Community Collaboration • National Monuments as Economic Engines
A moderated question-and-answer session will follow each panel presentation.
While the event is free, attendees are asked to register.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
View of the summary of the event prepared by FORA
A vital part of being an artist is entering works into juried competitions. Students at CSU Monterey Bay had the opportunity to do that, thanks to a generous donation from a faculty member.
A call went out for site-specific entries to be displayed in the Otter Express and the University Center. Three works were selected for the E. Richard Brown Award for Excellence in Art. The winning artists – Jorge Amezcua, Lori Van Meter and Victor Veltran – received cash prizes and stipends to pay for materials. Their work will be displayed for a year.
The three pieces will be installed on April 18. A reception and awards presentation is scheduled for 5 p.m., April 24, in the Visual and Public Art Department, Building 72.
“During my time here on campus, I haven’t noticed much student art displayed,” said Dr. Brown, who teaches a First Year Seminar and service learning classes. “So I thought, what if I were to make a monetary award to motivate the students to become more active in art and all of us would have the benefit of seeing that art?"
An experience he had while a student at UCLA motivated him to support the awards.
“I remembered how powerful it was when I was at UCLA and won the Frank Sinatra Award for second-place pop vocalist,” he said. “So I contacted Lila Staples (chair of the Visual and Public Art Department)” to offer the donation.
“It has brought incredible joy to my heart. My hope is that someone else will see what can be done and also give,” Dr. Brown said.
DETAILS:
Proposals were solicited for three locations:
• 3-D piece for display in the Otter Express rotunda. Award: $2,500
• 3-D piece for the University Center lobby. Award: $2,500
• 2-D piece for west wall in the Otter Express. Award: $1,000
The pieces will be displayed for one year. Students retain ownership of them.
Photo: Left to right: Jorge Amezcua, E. Richard Brown, Victor Beltran, Lori Van Meter
There's a new era of visual art dawning from CSUMB. Literally. The Cinematic Arts and Technology department unveils student work from its first ever round of animation classes. – Monterey County Weekly, Dec. 12, 2013
The Central Coast does not need Google to come here – it needs to create the next great company in its own backyard. That was just one of the ideas presented at the first Fort Ord Colloquium on the campus of CSU Monterey Bay. – Monterey Herald, Dec. 13, 2013
. . . Serra's legacy, with all its blooms and blemishes, was the subject of a symposium at California State University, Monterey Bay. They called it, "Junipero Serra, Native Californians and the Legacy of the Franciscan Missions." – The Salinas Californian, Dec. 13, 2013
First class o nursing students gets 'pinned' For one group of history-making Cal State Monterey Bay graduates, it's not about the caps and gowns. It's about the pin. http://news.csumb.edu/news/2014/dec/18/first-class-nursing-students-gets-pinned
Capping off college with senior projects *CSUMB holds annual Capstone Festival Dec. 18 and 19***Cal State Monterey Bay's fall Capstone Festival will be hld Dec. 18 and 19 at locations around campus. The public is invited.
An animation celebration CSU Monterey Bay's Cinematic Arts and Technology Department presents its third Wonderland Film Festival o Monday, Dec. 8.
President Ochoa attends White House conference *College access topic of education summit*** On Dec. 4, Cal State Monterey Bay President Eduardo Ochoa joined President Obama, the First Lady, Vice President Biden aand hundreds of college presidents and other higher education leaders to announce new actions to help more students prepare for and graduate from college.
CSUMB sees freshmen apps jump more than 5 percent CSU Monterey Bay saw a 5.3 percent increase in freshmen applications this year over last year, with approximately 15,391 first-time freshmen applying for admission next fall. http://news.csumb.edu/news/2014/dec/2/freshmen-applications-jump-more-5-percent
Become an entrepreneur in 54 hours *CSUMB to host Startup Weekend Jan. 23-25*** Ever wonder what it takes to be an entrepreneur? CSU Monterey Bay will be a great place to find out when the university hosts Startup Weekend Monterey Bay Jan. 23-25.
CSUMB joins national initiative on economic inequality The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) is spearheading a national effort to engage students in the topic of economic inequality and its impact on democracy. CSU Monterey Bay, which has long been a leader in the area of service learning in higher education, is one of 31 institutions in the effort.
Giving back, helping students *Benefactors honored for providing scholarships*** Bob Johnson and Diego Espinoza will be among the honorees at the National Philanthropy Day luncheon on Nov. 21. Both were nominated for awards by CSU Monterey Bay, but they share something much more important.
Community invited to Dec. 6 winter concert CSU Monterey Bay's Music and Performing Arts Department will hold its annual winter concert, "A Holiday Parade Around the World," at 2 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6, in the World Theater. The public is invited.
Anthropologist to speak on migration and humanitarian aid Dr. Dawn Chatty, director of the Refugee Studies Center at the University of Oxford, will speak at CSU Monterey Bay on Nov. 17. Her topic: Forced Migration and the Humanitarian Aid Regime.http://news.csumb.edu/news/2014/nov/12/director-refugee-studies-center-lecture
Vision and Voice *Alumnus speaks on his human rights, public health work*** CSU Monterey Bay alumnus Daniel Jack Lyons will visit campus Nov. 18 and 19 for a pair of presentations on his current work.
CSUMB celebrates Native American Heritage Month CSU Monterey Bay celebrates Native American Heritage Month in November with talks, a film screening, poetry reading, photography exhibit, musical performance and panel discussion – all around the theme of "generational voices." . . . continue reading
Thinking outside the borders*La Santa Cecilia – A band with a message* La Santa Cecilia is set to rock CSU Monterey Bay's University Center on Oct. 29. Coming off its recent Grammy win for "Best Latin Rock/Alternative/Urban Album," the band has enchanted its fans with diverse genres, powerful lyrical messages and colorful performances. . . . continue reading
Learn about instructional science graduate progam *Open House scheduled for Nov. 6*** California State University, Monterey Bay invites the public to learn about the master's degree program in Instructional Science and Technology at an open house on Nov. 6. . . . continue reading
Stanford futurist kicks off President's Speaker Series "Innovators, upstarts and mythmakers: the deep origins of Silicon Valley" will be the topic addressed by Stanford professor Paul Saffo on Nov. 4, when the President's Speaker Series returns to Cal State Monterey Bay . . . . continue reading
Rock . . . honed for the holidays Kick off the holiday season on Nov. 8 when the December People – Robert Berry, Gary Pihl, Dave Medd, David Lauser and Jack Foster – make an encoure appearance at Cal State Monterey Bay's World Theater. . . . continue reading
A Greater Vision *CSUMB forum on public health and agriculture: In it together for healthy eating*** The "Greater Vision" series of public forums on topics important to local agriculture and the larger community continues Oct. 22 at CSU Monterey Bay. The topic is "The Business of Healthy Eating." . . . .continue readingAlcohol Awareness Week comes to CSUMB As part of National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week (NCAAW) Oct. 20–25, CSU Monterey Bay is offering panel discussions, games, displays and other activities to help students understand the ramifications of alcohol and its effect. . . . continue reading
Beyond rhythm *Master of the mbira visits CSUMB*** CSU Monterey Bay's concert series continues on Oct. 24 when the community is invited to an afternoon of African music and culture with mbira and marimba master Cosmas Magaya of Zimbabwe. . . . continue reading
CSUMB lands $8.6 million grant to boost teacher quality CSU Monterey Bay has received one of 24 grants from the U.S. Department of Education to recruit, train and support new teachers primarily in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). . . . continue reading
CSUMB presents an evening with Lea DeLaria *Orange *actress visits campus Oct. 15An evening with Lea DeLaria will highlight Cal State Monterey Bay's celebration of LGBTQ history month. . . . continue readingCreating a thousand lights *CSUMB joins statewide message of hope*California State University campuses throughout the state are holding candle-lighting events this month to send a message of support, understanding and comfort to those who have been impacted by suicide or other mental health-related challenges. . . . continue readingProtecting intellectual property *Entrepreneurship Forum set for Oct. 14*** For most companies, their intellectual property, including their brand, logo, taglines, documents and innovations, are their most important assets. Those assets need to be protected from competitive infringement. . . . continue reading
Valley of the Heart comes to CSUMB's World Theater *Story of love and endurance staged Oct. 18 and 19*** Valley of the Heart explores themes that are ever-present in California – immigration, racism, identity – and folds them into a love story and a history lesson. . . . continue reading
Concert offers an array of new music CSU Monterey Bay's concert series resumes on Ot. 13 with a free performance by A/B Duo. . . . continue readingGrants help students GEAR UP for college Middle school students in Monterey County will be better equipped for college thanks to federal grants awarded to Cal State Monterey Bay . . . . continue reading
Mayan health practices topic of Oct. 6 talk Professor Bernardo Ca'amal Itzá, the United Nations representative for the Mayan People, will visit Cal State Monterey Bay on Oct. 6 as part of Hispanic Heritage Month. . . . continue reading
A touch of CSUMB at Days and Nights Festival Philip Glass' Days and Nights Festival returns to the local area Sept. 25-28, with a big contribution from CSU Monterey Bay. Enid Baxter Ryce, chair of CSUMB's Cinematic Arts Department, has planned the daytime portion of the festival, putting together a lineup of films, animation and puppet workshops, talks and a social event, all free to the public. . . . continue reading
Foundation of CSUMB adds board members Eight community members have joined the Foundation of CSU Monterey Bay board of directors. Established in 2011, the foundation brings community and campus leaders together to foster, encourage and promote the goals and purposes of CSUMB. . . . continue reading
Coming to terms with the experience of combat As a marine lieutenant during the Vietnam War, Karl Marlantes learned what every young officer learns – to fire a rifle, to command a platoon, to fight and to kill. Since then, he has spent his time reading, thinking and writing a memoir that has helped him come to terms with tht experience. . . . continue reading
Visiting artist series kicks off Sept. 17 CSU Monterey Bay's visiting artist series kicks off Sept. 17 when Los Angeles artists Karla Diaz and Mario Ybarra Jr. visit campus. . . . continue reading
Constitution Day event set for Sept. 17 To commemorate Constitution Day, CSU Monterey Bay Professor David Reichard will present a talk on the topic "Beyond 5 to 4: Understanding How Supreme Court Justices Interpret the Constitution and Why it Matters," at 8 p.m., Sept. 17. . . . continue reading
Sea Otter Awareness Week comes to campus – Talk scheduled for Sept. 24 Sea Otter Awareness Week, the annual recognition of the vital role these marine mammals play in the near-shore ecosystem, will be celebrated Sept. 21-27. . . . continue reading
CSUMB celebrates Chicano/Latino Heritage Month Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 is Chicano/Latino Heritage Month. During the month, the cultures and traditions of those who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central and South America and the Caribbean are celebrated. CSU Monterey Bay is commemorating the month with a variety of activities and events. . . . continue reading
Coastal cleanup – in Salinas The annual worldwide Coastal Cleanup Day is the largest volunteer event on the plant. Hundreds of thousands of people in more than 100 countries clean up beaches, lakes and waterways. If you'd like to help with the effort, join CSUMB's Return of the Natives on Sept. 20 to celebrate the day and contribute to a better environment. . . . continue reading
Learn what to do in an emergency Should a disaster strike, community members need to be prepared, educated on what to do and have the resources and training to be emergency-ready . . . . continue reading
Aspiring math teacher earns CSU award Cal State Monterey Bay sophomore Jesus Ochoa Perez has been chosen for a CSU Trustees Award for Outstanding Achievement. He will be honored on Sept. 9 at the CSU board meeting in Long Beach. . . . continue readingChinese acrobats bring their art to CSUMB *World Theater season opens with Sept. 17 performance*** Acrobatics is an ancient art form in China. Centuries ago, performers combined dramatic folk arts and variety shows with the cultural roots of their civilization, and using common objects as stage props, created an acrobatic art unique to their culture. . . . continue reading
Health sciences, human services dean named Britt Rios-Ellis, a professor of health sciences at Long Beach State and director of the National Council of La Raza/CSULB Center for Latino Community Health, Evaluation and Leadership Training, has been named the founding dean of Cal State Monterey Bay's College of Health Sciences and Human Services. . . . continue readingActing out against sexual assault Call it an innovative approach to tackling a sensitive subject. On Sept. 2, an acting troupe, Catharsi Productions, will make its first appearance at CSU Monterey Bay in a production called "Sex Signals." . . . continue reading
CSUMB taking applications for spring CSU Monterey Bay is accepting applications for spring 2015 from upper division transfer students, and from students planning to enroll in the nursing program or the computer science and information technology online program. MASTERING MATH Algebra Academy gives middle schoolers a head start More than 100 incoming eighth-graders will spend the last days of their summer immersed in math at the Bruce W. Woolpert Algebra Academy, which begins Aug. 7 at Graniterock headquarters in Watsonville. . . . continue reading
COLLEGE SENIORS Osher Lifelong Learning Institute starts fall semester What do Tolstoy, local government and the California condor have in common? They are among the classes that will be offered this semester through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – OLLI – at California State University, Monterey Bay . . . . continue readingGrant helps migrant students attain college dream CSU Monterey Bay has received a $2.1 milliion federal grant aimed at enrolling more migrant students in higher education. . . . continue readingPresident Ochoa joins coalition in support of Common Core CSU Monterey Bay President Eduardo Ochoa has joined more than 200 college and university leaders from 33 states in a new coalition, Higher Ed for Higher Standards, to mobilize in support of the Common Core State Standards. . . . continue reading
MSW program earns national accreditation CSU Monterey Bay's master's degree in social work program passed an extensive accreditation process recently, and is now nationally accredited. . . . continue reading
CSUMB video wins CASE silver medal A video telling the story of CSUMB has taken a top honor in the CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education Circle of Excellence competition. . . . continue reading
Education dean named at CSUMB Jose Luis Alvarado who has served as associate dean for the College of Education at San Diego State University since 2010, has been named dean of Cal State Monterey Bay's newly created College of Education. . . . continue reading
'Help others to achieve their dreams,' graduates told *Obama administration official commencement keynote speaker*** On a breezy, sunny morning, Cecilia Muñoz urged the graduates of California State University, Monterey Bay to maintain the quest for learning that brought them to the university . . . . continue reading
Film commission award goes to CSUMB studentJessica Moss is this year's recipient of the Monterey County Film Commission's student scholarship. . . . continue readingGOWNS GONE GREEN *Class of 2014 dons regalia made from recycled bottles*** The gowns worn by CSU Monterey Bay's graduates will still be black, but come commencement day on May 17, they'll also be green. . . . continue reading
Proposed admissions changes at CSU Monterey Bay University moves to end guarantee for admission of out-of-area students . . . . continue readingCSUMB included in 'green' colleges guide For the fourth consecutive year, CSU Monterey Bay has been named one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in North America. . . . continue reading
Obama administration official to speak at commencement *Aquarium director Julie Packard to receive honorary doctorate*** Obama administration official Cecilia Muñoz will be the keynote speaker at CSU Monterey Bay's commencement ceremony on May 17. Ms. Muñoz is an adviser to the President and director of the Domestic Policy Council, which coordinates the domestic policy-making process in the White House. . . . continue reading
JAZZ IT UP *Annual Heritage Music Festival has Latin flavor*** The community is invited to an evening of jazz on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay as the annual Heritage Music Festival returns on May 8. . . . continue reading
KAZU wins Murrow Awards Krista Almanzan, news director of KAZU, has won two regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in electronic journalism. The awards are given by the Radio, Television, Digital News Association . . . . continue readingKeepin' It Reel Three days of film showings – part of the 13th annual Reel Work May Day Labor Film Festival – will be held on the campus of Cal State Monterey Bay . . . . continue reading
Undergraduate research pays off big For the next three years, Allison Moreno won't have to worry about how she will pay for graduate school. The CSUMB senior biology major has received a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship worth $132,000 over three years . . . . continue reading
Art in the service of science *Science illustration students exhibit work at Pacific Grove museum*** If you've ever wondered about the artwork that illustrates science textbooks, field guides and interpretive signs in parks and nature preserves, you have the opportunity to learn about it at an exhibit in Pacific Grove . . . . continue readingAnnual sanctuary symposium set for April 26 at CSUMB . . . CSU Monterey Bay's annual Sanctuary Currents symposium – held in collaboration with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary – brings scientists, managers, students and members of the public together to address the most important issues of the day. This year, the topic for the April 26 symposium is Marine Debris: How Do You Pitch In? . . . . continue reading
CSUMB staff member named Broadband Champion Arlene Krebs, technology development officer at CSU Monterey Bay, has been named a 2014 Broadband Champion by the California Emerging Technology Fund. . . . continue reading
Flute concert set for April 4 at CSUMB Wayla Chambo will present a program of works for flute at a free public performance April 4 at CSU Monterey Bay . . . . continue readingSocial Justice Colloquium looks at LGBT issues This year's Social Justice Colloquium at CSU Monterey Bay examines lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, political organizing and the meaning of justice. . . . continue readingPuppet-based animation demonstrated at CSUMB Sam Koji Hale, an animator and puppet maker, will visit CSU Monterey Bay on April 10 for a pair of events open to the public. . . . continue reading
On the outside looking in Short-story writer Lysley Tenorio will read from his work april 8 at CSU Monterey Bay. The public is invited to this free event. Tenorio is the author of Monstress, which binds together eight tales of isolated misfits in San Francisco and the Philippines. . . . continue reading
Profesor creates Fort Ord exhibit Fort Ord was a vital center during much of the 20th century. Planet Ord explores the contemporary experience and historical echoes of this abandoned city, relating it to the many lost places in contemporary America. . . . continue reading
Striving to reach a bold goal Jeff Edmondson, managing director of Strive Together, will speak at CSU Monterey Bay on April 9 as the President's Speaker Series concludes for the year. . . . continue readingFather Serra biographer lectures at CSUMB Gregory Orfalea, author of *Journey to the Sun: Junipero Serra's Dream and the Founding of California*, will make a presentation at CSU Monterey Bay on April 3. The community is invited to this free event. . . . continue readingTheir thing: Strings *Eight hands plus one cello = lots of fun*** Stringfever, a London-based string quartet, is a little bit classical, a little bit rock 'n' roll – and humorous. The foursome will perform at 7:30 p.m., April 3, at CSU Monterey Bay's World Theater. . . . continue reading
Workshop examines disability access The community is invited to a workshop at CSU Monterey Bay intended to increase awareness of people with disabilities. . . . continue reading
Should California have the highest minimum wage in the U.S.? *Ethics panel will examine the topic on March 27*** Tens of thousands of California's hourly workers will become the best paid in the country when a new minimum wage law goes into effect . . . . continue reading
One man's fight to stop street violence Dr. David Kennedy of Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government will speak at CSU Monterey Bay on March 28 as the President's Speaker Series continues. . . . continue reading
MENding Monologues returns to CSUMB Following on the heels of Eve Ensler's "Vagina Monologues," CSU Monterey Bay students continue their campaign to end sexual violence against women with three performances of the "The MENding Monologues." . . . continue readingSociologist to speak at CSU Monterey Bay C.J. Pascoe, whose work explores the terrain of sexuality and gender identity, will speak at CSU Monterey Bay on March 25. She is the author of "Dude, You're a Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High School." . . . continue reading
Provost named at CSU Monterey Bay Bonnie Irwin, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities and professor of English at Eastern Illinois University, has been named provost and vice president for academic affairs at CSUMonterey Bay. Her appointment follows a national search. . . .continue reading'Local Connections' concert rocks and rolls onto World Theater stage The World Theater at CSU Monterey Bay will offer a special treat for its audience on March 8 when it presents a concert featuring Rio Salinas, and opening act Tom Faia and The Juice . . . . continue reading
Tales from the trenches *Entrepreneurship Forum set for Feb. 26*** Four business owners will share their experiences starting and running successful ventures and the lessons they learned along the way at the spring Entrepreneurship Forum set for Feb. 26 a CSU Monterey Bay. . . . continue reading
'Ideas of March' mobile app competition at CSUMB *Opportunity for participants to create the next killer app*** It's innovative, intense and for those who thrive on creative competition, a shot at fame and fortune. It's the "Ideas of March," a three-day Android development competition open to college students with basic programming skills who are interested in producing mobil apps. . . . continue reading
'Flourish Monterey County' focus of speaker series *Kicks off March 4 with talk on economic development*** With the theme "Flourish Monterey County," this year's President's Speaker Series at Cal STate Monterey Bay will get under way on March 4 when Mary Jo Waits visits campus. . . . continue readingCSUMB reaches out to black community through church visits In February, a trio of CSU Monterey Bay administrators will be featured speakers at local churches to spread the word about the importance of going to college . . . . continue reading
Online path to computer science degee completion Did you leave school before you finished your bachelor's degree in computer science? Do you have a college degree but would like to earn a second one in computer science? . . . . continue reading
The hidden health crisis on campus: Eating disorders *Feb. 26 film showing, discussion will address the issue*** . . . To raise awareness of the issue, CSU Monterey Bay's Health and Wellness Services will observe National Eating Disorder Awareness Week with a program on Feb. 26 . . . . continue reading
FOCUS returns to campus CSU Monterey Bay will host FOCUS, the university's annual look at sustainability issues, on Feb. 12. The seventh annual free event presents speakers and discussion groups that address the topic, "Sustainability and a Sense of Place." . . . continue reading
Adventure awaits at Banff Film Festival *Festival benefits Return of the Natives project at CSUMB*** Experience adventure ont he big screen – from mountaintops to crashing waves to foaming river rapids – when the Banff Mountain Film Festival world tour makes a stop at Monterey's Golden State Theatre on Feb. 28. . . . continue readingApply now for instructional science, technology program CSU Monterey Bay invites the public to learn more about the master's degree program in Instructional Science and Technology at an open house on Feb. 13. . . . continue reading
Working nurses can now earn bachelor's degree at CSUMB To help meet a growing demand for nurses with bachelor's degrees, CSU Monterey Bay started a nursing program in 2012, partnering with four local community colleges. Starting in June, the program will add a tract for already-employed nurses with associate's degrees who want to earn a bachelor's while they continue to work. . . .continue reading
Monterey resident to lead Cradle to Career Partnership Cynthia Nelson Holmsky is joining CSUMB in an administrative appointment to be director of the Monterey County Cradle to Career Partnership. She will be responsible for establishing the Cradle to Career Partnership as a catalyst for regional partners to work together to drive better results in education, for every child from cradle to career . . . . continue reading
Record number apply to CSUMB For the fifth straight year, CSUMB received a record number of freshmen applications. Freshmen hoping to enroll in fall 2014 submitted more than 14,800 applications, 6.4 percent more than last year. . . . continue reading
Open University opens up opportunities Maybe you’re interested in pursuing your bachelor's degree, preparing for a promotion at work or just want one class while you take some time off from an out-of-town university. Or maybe you want to learn about rock and roll cinema, or how to create 3D characters for video games. There’s an opportunity to do all of those at Cal State Monterey Bay. . . . continue reading
COLLEGE SENIORS *Osher Lifelong Learning Institute brings folks back to school*** What do Woody Allen, nature photography and spy novels have in common? They are among the classes that will be offered this semester through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – OLLI – at California State University, Monterey Bay specifically for those 50 and better. . . . continue reading
Become an entrepreneur in 54 hours*CSUMB to host Startup Weekend Jan. 24-26* Ever wonder what it takes to be an entrepreneur? CSU Monterey Bay will be a great place to find out when the university hosts Startup Weekend Monterey Bay Jan. 24-26. . . . continue reading
CSUMB's Return of the Natives annual event Jan. 18 Volunteers will be out at 7 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 18, looking for hawks, geese, ducks, wrens and a variety of other species at the Watershed Institute's ninth annual winter bird count at Upper Carr Lake in Salinas. Everyone is welcome to help. . . . continue reading
'Jump Rope Sprint' – A gold medal dream *Mockumentary screening to benefit Cinematic Arts at CSUMB*** What started as a silly idea for a movie has become a reality – and may be headed for the Olympics. . . "Jump Rope Sprint" will get its first local showing at Carmel's Sunset Center on Jan. 11, a fundraiser for CSU Monterey Bay's Cinematic Arts community outreach programs. . . . continue reading
Summer School: CSUMB's Summer Arts program rolls into town with poet Jimmy Santiago Baca, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, underground film archivist Craig Baldwin, documentary filmmaker Kirby Dick and more. – Monterey County Weekly, Dec. 26, 2013
CSUMB faculty and staff members are currently offering talks on the following topics:
Research at CSUMB: Why we do it and what it means for the Monterey Bay region Researchers at the university bring in millions of dollars in grants. Those funds create jobs and support the development of new knowledge. We’re eager to discuss economic development and to share ideas for cooperation and collaboration between the university and industry. – University administrator
From ‘You’ve Got to be Kidding!’ to ‘Ah-Ha!’ – Hope for our oceans through insight and innovation The talk discusses innovative ways to address the unprecedented threats of climate change, sea level rise, ocean acidification, pollution, fishery declines, coastal erosion, algal blooms and storm intensification on the coastal oceans and communities. – Dr. Rikk Kvitek Peeling back the blue: How we map and use 3D visualization to reveal and learn from Earth’s hidden seafloor landscapes Although the global ocean is the driver of weather, a highway for marine commerce, a reservoir of vast marine resources, and our playground, we know more about distant planets than we do about the seafloor. Imagine if the next time you were standing at the ocean's edge that instead of watching crashing waves, you were able to visualize submarine canyons, underwater seamounts and ridges, and even a kelp forest teeming with marine life. The State of California has undertaken a cutting-edge project to make this possible by mapping the seafloor of all the state's waters. Dr. Kvitek will show you the first images created from this effort and share with you how this new information is already being used in a multitude of ways. – Dr. Rikk Kvitek
Dr. Kvitek is a professor in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy, where he directs the CSUMB Seafloor Mapping Lab. He earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology from the University of Michigan, a master’s at Moss Landing Marine Labs, and Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Washington. His research with whales, sea otters, walrus, sea birds, fish, icebergs, submarine canyons and numerous invertebrates from the Arctic to the Antarctic has brought novel insights to the fields of benthic ecology, seafloor disturbance, habitat mapping and species relations, and the effects of harmful algal bloom toxins in marine food chains. Beginning with SCUBA, Dr. Kvitek quickly realized that detailed bird’s-eye views of the seafloor could do for marine research what aerial photography had done for terrestrial studies, and now specializes in bringing seafloor habitats to life with high resolution remote sensing and 3D visualization
Science with a mission at CSUMB The CSUMB Science Division includes experts from both terrestrial and marine realms. Their common mission is to use sound science to solve environmental problems in the tri-county area. They use cutting-edge technology and student power for the good of the community. – Dr. Doug Smith
San Clemente Dam removal San Clemente Dam will be removed from the Carmel River to reduce the risk of dam failure and to foster the historic salmon run. This large-scale project will have long-term impacts on the watershed, and could be a model for other dam removal projects in California. – Dr. Doug Smith
Water Resources on the Monterey Peninsula People on the coast between Carmel and Seaside have been seeking a sustainable water resource for decades. The search has been fraught with technical, political and legal pitfalls. What are the technical solutions? What are the political/legal constraints? What's the latest plan? – Dr. Doug Smith
The geology of coastal Monterey County: Resource opportunities and geological hazards Wherever you stand, there is a stack of rocks below your feet that records the local geological history and governs the kind of urban development that is suited to the region. We will consider the water resources and environmental hazards of our region. Water is scarce, and urban expansion is locally constrained by coastal erosion, landslides and hill slope erosion potential. – Dr. Doug Smith
Institute for Applied Marine Ecology (IfAME) The primary goal of the IfAME is to provide science in support of government decision-making ranging from local municipalities to state, federal and international governments. That science includes monitoring the new state marine protected areas along California's coast, exploring the resources of National Marine Sanctuaries from Monterey to New England, studying the impact of commercial bottom trawling on seafloor habitats around the world, and diving from the world's only undersea laboratory in the Florida Keys. The closely linked secondary goal is to involve CSUMB students in the conduct of this research. – Dr. James Lindholm
Math, revealed – Cracking the mysteries of math for youngsters New research examining thousands of students in two dozen California school districts finds that students already doing well in math in the seventh grade are more likely to take advanced math courses in high school and meet college entrance requirements. But for many students who struggle with math in grade seven, there is no clear path to learning and achievement. CSUMB math professor Hongde Hu uses math games, engaging presentations and curriculum he has been refining for years to reach those youngsters. – Dr. Hongde Hu
Innovation in higher education Higher education is facing challenges in an era of increased demand, changing demographics and declining state support. American colleges and universities will need to adopt new educational approaches and technologies to serve more students while maintaining quality. CSUMB is addressing this through a variety of ways: a new three-year computer science degree developed in partnership with Hartnell College; creation of an Institute for Innovation and Economic Development; and exploring the potential to use technology for online programs. – Dr. Eric Tao
From iPhone Apps to Flying Drones – Computing and engineering education at CSUMB – Dr. Eric Tao
Eyewitness memory Eyewitnesses are notoriously bad in the identification of the perpetrator of a crime. If you witness a crime, can you be sure that your memory for that event is accurate? Not really. Scientific evidence explains that memory changes over time, is malleable and is easy to manipulate via suggestibility and misattribution. Find out why eyewitnesses are so bad at remembering details of the crime and in the identification of the perpetrator. – Dr. Jill Yamashita Creating memories for events that never happened False memories are the remembering of events that never took place. Memory is easily manipulated and can change without our awareness. Memory research shows that it is easy to create false memories (for example, a memory of getting lost in the mall). One of the issues with false memory is that you cannot tell the difference between a false memory and a real one. – Dr. Jill Yamashita They all look the same: The other-race effect The other-race effect is a deficit in the ability to recognize or identify a face that is of a different race. You might hear a child say, “All of the faces look the same,” which is common response when looking at faces of an unfamiliar or different race. I examine what influences the other-race effect and what helps to minimize this effect. – Dr. Jill Yamashita
A vision for service: At CSUMB, giving back is a core value CSUMB has won national acclaim for integrating community service with each student’s academic experience, and is changing lives – and our ideas about learning and community – in the process – Dr. Seth Pollack
Mexican entrepreneurs: A new look to immigration Immigrants aren’t always who you think they are. – Dr. Juan Gutierrez Creating customer loyalty John Avella, head of CSUMB’s hospitality program, has 40 years of human resource development and teaching experience in the hospitality industry. He has been vice president of human resources for Marriott Corporation, The Rainbow Room and Windows on the World, and president of Human Resource Concepts. His work focused on management and executive development, Customer service and organizational strategic change. He has studied the application of emotional intelligence to customer service/loyalty, emotional labor and leadership. He has developed a process that teaches people to “connect” to the customer.
The region’s hospitality industry – what’s ahead? The lingering effects of the recession and looming water problems are just two issues facing the local tourism/hospitality industry. What’s on the horizon? – Dr. John Avella
Sustainable hospitality management – Dr. John Avella
Kinesiology gains in popularity Kinesiology – the study of human movement – is the fastest-growing major on campus. As the U.S. population skews older – and fatter – there’s a demand for fitness trainers, physical therapists and researchers who study the science of movement and performance. Dr. Kent Adams, a prolific researcher as well as head of the kinesiology department, shares his findings to help people keep fit across the lifespan. – Dr. Kent Adams
Nursing program will meet a need The health care industry is coping with the “silver tsunami” of aging baby boomers, combined with the impact of health care reform. Nurses will play a big role in meeting both challenges, but will need more than a two-year degree to do so. CSUMB has partnered with four community colleges in the region to offer a four-year degree that prepares them to serve as health care navigators, helping patients manage multiple conditions such as hypertension and diabetes outside a hospital setting. – Marianne Hultgren
Unraveling standardized testing and evaluation Mark O’Shea, a professor education at CSUMB, has been studying the standards movement from the perspective of the classroom teacher for years. He has conducted extensive clinical research in standards-based education and has consulted with school districts and state departments of education. He can also talk about the new Common Core standards – he helped state officials develop the science standards – and their implementation in California. – Dr. Mark O’Shea
Technology in the classroom Technology is being used to expand curriculum options, maximize scarce resources, increase teacher and student engagement, and improve outcomes. It delivers a new type of interactive education to meet the needs and requirements of 21st century learners as global citizens. Dr. Lockwood has a particular interest in encouraging technology education as part of the K-12 curriculum and encouraging women/girls in STEM fields as well. – Dr. Kate Lockwood
Digging through time Dr. Ruben Mendoza is an archaeologist, writer, and photographer who has explored the length and breadth of Mexico, Central America, Europe, and the U.S. Southwest documenting both pre-Columbian and Colonial era sites and collections. He has directed major archaeological investigations and conservation projects at missions San Juan Bautista, Carmel, and Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, among others. Recent efforts at the Royal Presidio of Monterey resulted in the tandem discovery of the earliest Serra era Christian houses of worship in California dated to 1770 and 1771. And he has made astronomically and liturgically significant discoveries of solstice, equinox, and feast day solar illuminations of mission church altars throughout California, the U.S. Southwest, and Mesoamerica. – Dr. Ruben Mendoza
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is bringing seniors back to school Are you sitting on an idea for the next great American novel and don't know how to begin? Would you like to understand contemporary art? Ever wonder where our special brand of weather comes from? Would you like to know the history of Cannery Row? Then the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI@CSUMB) is the place for you. These are just some of the topics that have been covered in courses that range from one day to eight weeks during the Fall and Spring semesters each year. For adults age 50 or better and funded in part by the Bernard Osher Foundation, many of our courses are taught by CSUMB professors. There are no test and no grades, just good fun and great fellowship with friends and neighbors in our region. Learn how and why OLLI@CSUMB came into being and how it has evolved to reflect the interests of our adult learners. – Michele Crompton
Summer Arts Sword fights, improvisational comedy, animation, painting: Summer school was never this much fun. Several hundred students – high school, college, and adult members of the local community – come to the university in July for the annual CSU Summer Arts program. The longtime CSU program relocated to CSUMB in the summer of 2012 for a five-year run. The program includes a couple of dozen public events, including lectures, readings, concerts and theatrical productions – in other words, the area’s summer arts scene has gotten a lot more interesting. – Dr. Ilene Feinman
CSUMB goes green People across campus are working on many fronts to make Cal State Monterey Bay a more sustainable university. We developed a Climate Action Plan that will provide a road map for eliminating greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and Issues surrounding sustainability are addressed in many classes. We've also have a robust alternative transportation program in place. Mike Lerch, CSUMB's Manager of Energy and Utilities, can speak to the many energy efficiency upgrades on campus (that have cut our energy use 20% and reduced our carbon footprint. – Mike Lerch, CSUMB’s associate director of facilities services and operations
Art in the service of science Science illustration is all around us – in books, magazines, posters, on websites, in films and TV, and in museums. Most of us don’t notice the extraordinary technical skill, the precision and carefully observed detail, or the beauty of these illustrations because we’re busy absorbing information from them. CSUMB is home to a nationally renowned science illustration program; graduates’ work is in the Smithsonian Institution, the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History; in top science magazines such as National Geographic, Scientific American, Nature and Audubon; at the National Zoo, in Washington, D.C., and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. – Jenny Keller
Athletics at CSUMB CSUMB is dedicated to building champions, one victory at a time -- in our community, in the classroom and in competition. The university fields 12 teams competing at the NCAA Division II level. It has earned a national title in men’s golf, and a number of California Collegiate Athletic Association titles. – Kirby Garry, athletic director
Master of Social Work program meets local demand CSUMB now offers a Master of Social Work program, created in collaboration with community partners to address a shortage of social workers with graduate degrees in the region. – Lisa Stewart Family dynamics Dr. Rob Weisskirch, a professor of human development, can talk about a number of topics including: • Cell phone use between parents and adolescents • Sexting in romantic relationships • The science of adolescent development • The impact of language brokering among immigrant children • Understanding brain development – Rob Weisskirch, MSW, Ph.D., professor of human development Communicating online How do you present your business or yourself online? Liz MacDonald addresses how to develop a content strategy that works across websites, social media platforms and emerging technologies. The end result is clear, organized information that helps you reach your audiences, and helps your users make the most of the services you provide. – Liz MacDonald, CSUMB’s web user experience specialist Developing business models for new ventures The focus of creating new businesses has changed from writing a business plan to creating a business model. This talk tells what it takes to develop a killer business model - and how to do it. – Dr. Brad Barbeau
Funding for startups – the ABC's New opportunities for raising funding are emerging in online crowdfunding. When should a startup use angels, banks, and crowdfunding? This talk covers the latest developments in venture funding and where they fit into the founder's toolkit for fundraising. – Dr. Brad Barbeau
The current state of the economy A discussion of current economic data and its meaning for business. – Dr. Brad Barbeau
Professor Ruben Mendoza has been selected to deliver the keynote address at the annual meeting of the California Mission Studies Association (CMSA). The meeting will be held Feb. 14-16 at Mission San Antonio de Padua and Paso Robles.
An expert on many aspects of mission and California history, Dr. Mendoza will speak to the conference theme of "Ranchos y Vaqueros: Missions and Mission Land After Secularization." His presentation will address the transformation of the missions and mission lands through the course of the 19th century.
"We are honored to have Dr. Mendoza as part of our opening day activities. His talks have been highlights of our previous conferences, and we are pleased to be able to showcase his research as part of Friday's keynote address,” association president David A. Bolton said.
Dr. Mendoza has also been nominated for the CMSA’s prestigious Norman Neureburg Award.
“I'm honored to have been nominated as Norman Neureburg was the art historian and Missions specialist who worked closely and diligently with J. Paul Getty to design and see through the construction of the Getty Center in Los Angeles, and the Getty Villa in Santa Monica,” Dr. Mendoza said.
The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the study and preservation of California's missions, presidios, pueblos and ranchos. Read more faculty highlights
. . . Internationally renowned muralist Johanna Poethig, professor of Visual and Public Art at CSU Monterey Bay, is coordinating a team of interns and students to design and paint the panels. – California Health Report, Jan. 2, 2014
Kinesiology student Breanna Orozco has earned a prestigious scholarship from the American College of Sports Medicine, one of only two students in the country to earn the award.
The scholarship is named for Lawrence Golding, a former editor of ACSM’s journal. According to CSUMB Professor Bill Head, Dr. Golding believed applicants should be able to summarize in three sentences their responses to a trio of questions. He wanted to capture intent, spirit, commitment, leadership, professional values and the ambitions of the candidate in a brief statement.
The awards go to students who have made significant contributions to their community’s health, fitness or education, and that’s where Orozco shines.
Through CSU Monterey Bay’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC), Orozco spent last summer doing research at the University of Southern California. She worked on a project funded by the National Cancer Institute that examined if exercise programs would benefit breast cancer patients. It will be another year before the project ends and results are analyzed.
Orozco’s first research project involved the university’s workplace wellness program, which she undertook at the suggestion of her UROC mentor, Dr. Lisa Leininger.
She helped to collect data – blood pressure, body mass index, weight – and analyze the results. She has presented the results at two conferences, including a meeting of the ACSM in Newport Beach.
UROC, and the McNair Scholars program that is housed there, have opened doors for her.
“I am provided opportunities that would not have been possible had it not been for the McNair Scholars Program and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center,” Orozco said. “McNair funded my work at USC last summer and both programs paid for me to present my research ar several conferences.”
Orozco, a junior, will graduate in May 2015, and plans to pursue a doctorate in biokinesiology at USC.
“As an aspiring Latina research professor, I will serve as an example for underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” she said.
. . . The Monterey Bay Film Society raises funds for an outreach program that connects local teenagers – many of whom can be described as "underserved" or "at-risk" – with mentors from CSU Monterey Bay's Cinematic Arts and Technology Department. – Monterey Herald, Jan. 5, 2014
. . . There are many ways to celebrate Black History Month, but CSUMB . . . offers up some of the most engaging and creative ways to do so. – Monterey County Weekly, Feb. 7, 2014
Maybe you’re interested in pursuing your bachelor's degree, preparing for a promotion at work or just want one class while you take some time off from an out-of-town university.
Or maybe you want to learn about rock and roll cinema, or how to create 3D characters for video games. There’s an opportunity to do all of those at Cal State Monterey Bay.
CSUMB’s Open University allows people who are not current students of CSUMB to enroll in academic courses on a space-available basis and earn college credit without being admitted. In the fall 2013 semester, more than 2,000 seats were available in classes across the entire CSUMB campus. The tuition for Open University at CSUMB is $245 per unit. Students can take this lower cost approach to part time classes for up to 24 units before they are required to apply as a "regular" student at CSUMB. It’s also a way for students to earn upper division credits while waiting for admission to CSUMB or combine CSUMB classes while earning lower division credits at Hartnell, Monterey Peninsula, Cabrillo or other community college.
These classes also allow employees to grow professionally, prepare for a promotion or career change. “People exploring new careers can benefit because, as upper division classes, they are extremely focused,” said Jill Hosmer Jolley of CSUMB’s Office of Extended Education.
Or, people can take a class such as Rock n Roll Cinema – the most popular class in CSUMB’s Cinematic Arts Department – just for the fun of it. Where else can you see Spinal Tap, the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Elvis Presley, La Bamba and the Beatles on film and meet other rock music lovers? Registration takes place on the first day of class. The spring semester starts Jan. 21. For more information, visit extended education or e-mail openu@csumb.edu.
. . . Recent CSUMB grad Heather Cunningham led the project development. There is no library budget, just a $500 grant from the CSUMB Alumni Association to Cunningham to purchase seed stock. She wrote her senior capstone on seed libraries and models around the country. – Monterey County Weekly, Jan. 12, 2014
The city of Monterey has produced a video that highlights the work of CSUMB Professor Ruben Mendoza and his students.
The video, “America’s Oldest Cathedral – the Cathedral of San Carlos Borromeo,” documents Professor Mendoza’s work and the studies undertaken by the conservation team of which he was a part.
CSUMB students “played a pivotal role in the discoveries noted in the documentary,” he said.
The Cathedral of San Carlos Borromeo, also known as the Royal Presidio Chapel, is the oldest continuously operating parish and the oldest stone building in California, dating to 1770.
The seven-minute piece was directed by Eric Palmer, a 2007 graduate of CSUMB’s Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department. Palmer works in Monterey’s communications office, where he produces video content for the city’s television station and websites, and helps with publications and social media.
In February, a trio of CSU Monterey Bay administrators will be featured speakers at local churches to spread the word about the importance of going to college.
On Feb. 15, President Eduardo Ochoa will address the congregation at the Seaside Community Seventh-Day Adventist church. On Feb. 16, President Ochoa will visit Greater Victory Temple; Dr. Ronnie Higgs, CSUMB’s vice president of student affairs and enrollment services, will address the congregation at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church; and Dr. Julio Blanco, provost and vice president for academic affairs, will visit New Hope Baptist Church. All four churches are located in Seaside.
They will discuss the importance of getting a college degree for today’s competitive job market, when to start planning for college, programs offered at CSUMB, financial aid and parent involvement.
Following the services, staff members from CSUMB and church education advisers will provide information on the application and admission process, including virtual tours through CSUmentor, the website that helps students apply for college.
One of the publications to be distributed during the visits is the “How to Get to College” poster, which provides middle and high school students and their parents with step-by-step information on the path to college. Members of each congregation also will hear about the CSU’s Early Assessment Program, a program enabling 11th graders to gauge their college readiness in English and math long before applying to the CSU.
As the CSU system's outreach has grown, CSU staff members and church education liaisons have continued meeting to further develop ways to communicate with the African American community. Financial aid workshops, distribution of college materials to sixth through 12th-grade students and their parents, and the development of a how-to-guide for church educational advisers who work directly with families are among the programs that have been implemented.
Now in its ninth year, Super Sunday is part of an educational outreach led by the CSU African American Initiative – a partnership with churches – to increase college preparation, student enrollment and graduation rates among African American students.
Top photo: President Ochoa shakes hands with Elder Ronald Britt of Greater Victory Temple during a visit in 2013
In 2013, CSU Monterey Bay was selected as one of five colleges and universities to receive the Higher Education Civic Engagement Award presented by The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars and the New York Life Foundation. The university’s work in student and community engagement was promoted again at the Association of American Colleges & Universities’ 2014 annual conference held Jan. 22-25 in Washington, D.C. Dr. Seth Pollack, director of service learning, represented the university at a panel on “Building Partnerships for Change.” He shared CSUMB’s accomplishments and advice for others around the country seeing to make similar change.
“The Washington Center established the Higher Education Civic Engagement Award to recognize schools that are reaching beyond their own campuses to achieve sustainable civic impacts,” said Mike Smith, president of The Washington Center.
“We congratulate Cal State Monterey Bay and we are pleased to be able to bring their excellent work to the attention of the members of AAC&U. CSUMB is an innovator and leader in forging partnerships to address issues of public concern and their work should be promoted as a best practice in higher education.”
He’s energetic, enthusiastic and cheerfully nervy. Those qualities landed Michael Leslie (TAT 2008) internships with the Golden State Warriors, and, eventually, a staff position with the basketball team. Now, he's on the sidelines for the Warriors' run to the NBA championship.
His is a story of determination and an unwillingness to take no for an answer.
Since the 2010-11 season, he’s been a production assistant with the team, a self-described “jack of all trades.” He helps the team’s radio producer compile sound bites from players and others around the league. He also works on video production, skills he learned in CSUMB's Teledramatic Arts and Technology program.
“I follow players, coaches, front office staff on a daily basis – what we do in the community and NBA as a whole. The draft, summer league, free agency, everything,” he said. “It’s been nothing short of amazing.”
He started mapping out a plan years before he actually got the job.
In 2003, he traveled around the country, visiting baseball parks along the way. “I talked to a lot of people about the industry. Everyone had stories about how they got started, but the one common element was an internship,” he said. It was a lesson he took to heart.
He followed the Warriors while growing up in Fremont. His official relationship with the team started in 2007, when he secured one of those coveted internships. He needed some creativity to nail it down.
An e-mail query solicited an automatic response – the standard “thank you for your interest” brush-off. He wasn’t deterred. He attended a game, asked to see the staff member who had signed the e-mail and “made up a story,” he said, claiming that he had been told a job was available for him.
The staffer didn’t buy the story, but was impressed enough to give Leslie a business card and tell him to call next season. That led to his first job with the team.
Even the prospect of a VERY long commute – from Pacific Grove to Oakland every Friday, by bus – didn’t deter him.
He caught a 5 a.m. bus from Monterey to San Jose, transferred to another bus to get to the Fremont subway station, then on to Oakland. After working 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., he made his way back to Monterey. “I’d get home by 9:30 p.m.,” he said.
When the basketball season ended, he interned for the Oakland A’s – the baseball team next door – and then returned to the Warriors for a second internship.
Since the sports jobs were unpaid, he worked as a legal assistant to support himself.
“Bottom line: I busted my butt and the right people in the organization saw it,” he said. “When a position opened up, I got the call.”
While he didn’t participate in sports at CSUMB, he filmed some of the games. “ I always loved sports. The idea of working in the media department of a sports organization thrilled me.”
He works on videos, mostly for the website, but sometimes they are played in the arena. “It’s pretty cool to see 19,000 people view your work.”
He owes a lot to the people at CSUMB, he said, especially TAT faculty members Steven Levinson and Karen Davis.
Note: This story was first published in 2013.
CSU Monterey Bay's 16th annual "Have a Heart for Students Dinner and Auction" will move off campus to a new venue this year. – The Salinas Californian, Jan. 31, 2014
CSU Monterey Bay is expanding its nursing program to accommodate working nurses who want to ear bachelor's degrees on top of their associate's degrees. – Monterey County Weekly, Feb. 1, 2014
A team of five CSUMB students took the top prize at the Startup Weekend business competition at the university, beating out more than 60 participants. Their mobile app allows a person with a smartphone to read detailed descriptions of ingredients on a product. – Monterey Herald, Feb. 1, 2014
Experience adventure on the big screen – from mountaintops to crashing waves to foaming river rapids – when the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour makes a stop at Monterey’s Golden State Theatre on Feb. 28, sponsored by REI Marina. The proceeds will benefit CSU Monterey Bay's Return of the Natives project. Showtime is 7 p.m. The Banff Mountain Film Festival is an annual event that recognizes outstanding independent films dealing with mountain culture and the environment. They vary from short subjects to full length. The tour brings Banff to audiences around the globe. Immediately after the festival ends in November, a selection of the best films goes on tour to more than 360 locations worldwide. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online. For more information, call 883-8048. The Return of the Natives restoration project is the education and outreach branch of the Watershed Institute at CSUMB. RON's environmental goal is to protect the waters of the Monterey Bay through restoration of the waterways and the lands draining into the bay. RON's social goal is to bring people and nature together on its restoration and garden projects in the watersheds of the Monterey Bay.
**UPDATE: **The final exhibit, "Fishing Families: The Monterey Sicilian Story," will open Sept. 5 in conjunction with the Festa Italia weekend in Monterey's Custom House Plaza. The exibit will celebrate a yearlong gathering of stories, photos and mementos of the Italian fishing families by the Italian American Cultural Center Foundation. The exhibit will highlight family life, culture, religion and food.
Dr. Jennifer Colby, a faculty member in CSUMB's Liberal Studies Department, is the guest curator. Photo montage by Janet Siino Martinez, granddaughter of master boat builder Angelo Siino
Humans have always told fish stories.
Ten of these fascinating stories are told in an exhibit on display at the Museum of Monterey during February.
Jennifer Colby, a faculty member in CSUMB’s Liberal Studies Department, is the guest curator for this exhibit and three others to follow. All deal with the theme Fishing 2014.
The current exhibit, "Fish Stories," features her own artwork and the illustrations of Amadeo Bachar, who teaches in CSUMB’s science Illustration program.
Dr. Colby's prints are paired with the text of stories about the native Rumsen, early Spanish missions, whalers from the Azores, squid fishermen from China, salmon fishermen and abalone divers from Japan, "Pop" Ernest and the "Abalone Song," and Sicilian sardine fishermen. Each print is a collagraph monotype on Rives BFK paper.
Bachar begins with detailed illustrations of Monterey Bay species. These drawings are digitized and placed into various backgrounds. The illustrations tell the fishes own stories.
A storytelling festival will be held in conjunction with the exhibit from 1 to 4 p.m., Feb. 9, and includes a showing of “By Light of Lanterns,” a 19-minute documentary about Chinese fishermen in Monterey made by CSUMB students. Admission for the festival is $20; students are free.
The exhibits to follow include:
• Sea Changes ACT, March 8-May 25: 14 artists and scientists address climate change, plastic pollution and sustainable fishing
• Boat Builders, June 6-Aug. 24: A look at the Monterey Boat Works, which build much of the fleet for the local fishing industry
• Fishing Families, Sept. 5-Nov. 23: A celebration of the yearlong gathering of stories and mementos of the fishing families who made Monterey famous.
The Museum of Monterey is located in Monterey’s Custom House Plaza. Hours of operation and admission information can be found here.
Top: Cabezon illustration by Amadeo Bachar Bottom: Chinese squid lanterns print by Jennifer Colby
Read an up-to-date schedule of Black History Month events at CSUMB.
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that 25 percent of college students have eating disorders. The same percent of college women report managing weight by binging and purging, says the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders.
The problem is more widespread among women, but men aren't immune. The association says 10 to 15 percent of people experiencing anorexia or bulimia are male. To raise awareness of the issue, CSU Monterey Bay’s Health and Wellness Services will observe National Eating Disorder Awareness Week with a program on Feb. 26. Starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Black Box Cabaret, films culled from Art With Impact's short film contest will be shown, followed by a discussion and exploration of the ideas presented. Art With Impact is a San Francisco-based nonprofit that uses short films to reduce the stigma around mental illness. Its mission is to connect people to global issues through art and media and provide opportunities to share their voices, time and talent in meaningful ways. It selects and makes available some of the best short films on mental health issues and then connects those films with educational resources through events on college campuses. The Black Box Cabaret is located behind the Health and Wellness Services Building at Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Fourth Avenue. The public is invited to attend this free event, but a parking permit must be purchased. Driving directoions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/maps. For more information or to request disability accommodations, contact Tony Delfino at 582-3988 or adelfino@csumb.edu
Did you leave school before you finished your bachelor’s degree in computer science? Do you have a college degree but would like to earn a second one in computer science?
Starting in the fall, CSU Monterey Bay will offer a degree completion program in Computer Science and Information Technology designed for students who have earned at least 60 college credits.
The fully online program offers a blend of computer science theory and information technology practice. Graduates will be prepared for such job as:
• Mobile app developer • Software developer • Project manager
The degree can be completed without coming to the CSUMB campus. Online instruction is provided by a combination of university faculty members and industry professionals. Opportunities will be available to apply classroom content to real-world problems.
Applications are now being accepted; deadline is July 18 for the fall semester.
Read for more information on the program or how to apply, or call 1-800-247-5168 to speak directly with a college coach.
Feb. 22 is National TRiO Day, a day set aside to celebrate the positive impact of federal programs that help low-income and first-generation students enter college and earn degrees.
At CSU Monterey Bay, it’s also an opportunity to give back to the community.
Sponsored by TRiO Student Support Services, students are collecting clothing throughout the month of February to be donated to the Clothes Closet, which is affiliated with First United Methodist Church in Salinas. The church provides services to the homeless.
“It’s always good to give back to the community and what better way of doing it than to gather clothing for those in need,” said Cynthia Arias, a TRiO peer mentor who has played a key role in planning this year’s National TRiO Day at CSUMB.
“TRiO programs work to reach out to those in need and encourage the CSUMB community to be involved and contribute,” she said.
All kinds of gently used clothing – except undergarments – will be accepted.
Until Feb. 19, donations can be deposited in bins located in the Alumni and Visitors Center, Student Center, library café, Dining Commons, Otter Sports Center and EOSP office in Building 47.
Community members are also invited to participate in the drive. Anyone who would like to contribute can contact Kyrstie Lane at 582-4451.
On Feb. 21, TRiO programs from Northern and Central California will head to the state capital in Sacramento as part of a day of advocacy in the name of educational equity. Seven CSUMB students and several staff members will attend the event. As well as advocating for the programs, the trip provides an opportunity to learn about the advocacy, legislative and policy-making processes.
Students in other CSUMB-based TRiO programs are involved in service projects as well. High school students served by Educational Talent Search are doing a beach cleanup on Feb. 15, and Upward Bound students are working on the clothing drive.
TRiO began with the Upward Bound program, started in 1964 as part of President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty. Educational Talent Search was added the next year, and a third program, Student Support Services, was added three years later. By the late 1960s, the term “TRiO” was coined to describe these federal programs.
Over the years, the TRiO programs have been expanded and improved to provide a wider range of services and to reach more students. All are federally funded.
Learn more about TRiO and other outreach and support programs at CSUMB.
This year’s Social Justice Colloquium at CSU Monterey Bay examines lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, political organizing and the meaning of justice.
A panel of scholars, activists and students will discuss “Queer Justice: Past, Present, Future” at 6 p.m., April 14, in the University Center ballroom.
Panelists include:
• Glenne McElhinney, project director of Impact Stories, a statewide LGBT history project. Her first film, *On These Shoulders We Stand*, examines the history of the LGBT movement in Los Angeles. She is currently working on a series of documentaries about LGBT history of the 1960s and ’70s.
• David Reichard, professor in the Division of Humanities and Communication at CSUMB. Dr. Reichard is completing a book, *Doing Unheard of Things: Gay and Lesbian Student Organizing on California College Campuses, 1967-1978*.
• Steven Goings, also known by his faerie name Quazar, a queer spiritual activist. While a student at CSUMB, he co-founded the student club Out and About. That club is now known as CSUMB’s Pride Club.
• Axil Cricchio, an adjunct faculty member at CSUMB. His teaching and research interests include queer and trans politics and the intersection to race, class, gender and sexuality. He is writing a book, *In the Middle of Me*, documenting his own gender transition.
• Tev Sugarman, president and founder of the student organization, LGBT and Allied Advocates at CSUMB, is a sophomore majoring in Social and Behavioral Sciences.
• Christine Moreno, president of CSUMB’s Pride Club, is a Visual and Public Art major.
The Social Justice Colloquium, now in its 18th year, is an annual event featuring activists and scholars discussing timely questions of social and environmental justice.
The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are requested and can be made by calling 582-3890.
The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Driving directions & a campus map. Please note that a parking permit must be purchased from a machine on the lot or online.
The Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies, the Division of Humanities and Communication and the Provost’s Office are sponsoring the event.
For more information or for disability accommodations, call Heather Wilde at 582-3890.
Wayla J. Chambo will present a program of works for flute at a free public performance April 4 at CSU Monterey Bay. The 7 p.m. concert will be held in the Music Hall, located on Sixth Avenue near Butler Street. The concert will feature pieces for flute alone and flute with electronics. The work explores the intersections of text and music. The program includes three new pieces written for Chambo by emerging composers Lanier Sammons, a lecturer in CSUMB’s Music and Performing Arts Department; Sarah Summar; and L. Scott Price, all based on Chambo’s poetry. The composers were offered a selection of poems, and invited to choose one and use it in some way to construct a piece. The program includes existing contemporary pieces. In addition, selections from Charles Koechlin’s “Les Chants de Nectaire,” a massive cycle for solo flute inspired by the writings of Anatole France and Virgil, are interspersed throughout the program, providing a connecting thread. In addition to her performing work, Chambo also has a background in creative writing and has published poems in The Greensboro Review, Artizen, and Cellar Door.
Please note that while the concert is free, visitors must purchase a parking permit from a machine on the University Center parking lot, located next to the Music Hall.
Steven Goings (SBS ’10) will be honored at the annual Crystal Ball, an event that benefits the education and prevention programs of Central Coast HIV/AIDS Services (CCHAS).
Goings, one of two honorees at the Feb. 22 event, will be honored for his work promoting AIDS awareness and prevention at CSU Monterey Bay during the three years – 2010-'12 – he served as the university’s purposeful service coordinator.
Goings first came out in public as a person living with AIDS when he suggested that the university reach out to long-term AIDS survivors at an Early Outreach Program event in 2010. A few weeks later, Goings’ journey into higher education as a re-entry student and person with AIDS was featured in a promotional video for EOP.
Shortly after joining CSUMB’s Service Learning Institute in August 2010, he partnered with CCHAS to host a candlelight vigil at the campus Student Center in honor of World AIDS Day. The program expanded in 2011 to include guest speakers from Community Hospital, CCHAS, CSUMB Health and Wellness Services and State Assemblyman (now Senator) Bill Monning.
In 2012, Goings’ last year in the position, AIDS Day turned into a full week with programming that included volunteer opportunities, movies, open mic, personal testimonials of people impacted by the disease and workshops that explored complex social justice dimensions of the disease.
Goings serves on the board of directors of African American HIV/AIDS Wellness, which partners each year with CSUMB’s Black Students United in support of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
More information on the event and CCHAS
*Photo: (left to right) Carmela Cooper, AmeriCorps member; Steven Goings; Jocelyn Brady, Central Coast HIV/AIDS Services development director; Akin Miller, president, African American HIV/AIDS Wellness. *
Dr. Jerry Griffin, a physician and retired soldier, will explore the topic of post- traumatic stress condition at a public lecture on Feb. 24.
The talk will get under way at 10:30 a.m. in the Alumni and Visitors Center, corner of Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Inter-Garrison Road on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay.
A physician for more than 30 years, Dr. Griffin has an extensive background in research as well as in clinical medicine. His research interests include traumatic brain injury and molecular/immune events of PTSD and treatments.
Dr. Griffin retired from the Army after more than 40 years of service as an active duty and Army Reserve soldier. As such, he has extensive knowledge of research being conducted in a military setting.
The talk is sponsored by the Fort Ord Alumni Association (FOAA). Members of the association share an interest in preserving the history and cultural contributions of Fort Ord, while helping the university. FOAA has raised tens of thousands of dollars for student scholarships since it was organized in 1996.
Information: 582-3595 or foaa@csumb.edu
Driving directions and a campus map
Speakers, a free vegetarian lunch and the chance to find out about sustainable job opportunities are all part of CSU Monterey Bay's conference, "Focus 2014: Sustainability and a Sense of Place," on Feb. 12. – Monterey Herald, Feb. 8, 2014
Professor Yoshiko Saito-Abbott has been honored by her peers with a lifetime achievement award.
At its annual meeting in March, the California Language Teachers Association will present her with its Hal Wingard Award. It recognizes an individual’s dedication and commitment to the language teaching profession over an extended period of time.
Dr. Saito-Abbott came to CSU Monterey Bay in 1996 as an associate professor of Japanese. She is currently chair of the School of World Languages and Cultures and site director for the Monterey Bay Foreign Language Project.
She earned a Ph.D. in foreign language education at Ohio State University.
Hal Wingard was a driving force in the development of foreign-language education in California and a pioneer in language-immersion programs. He died in 2009.
At the time of his death, the San Diego Union-Tribune said:
“His legacy includes establishing the California Language Teachers Association (CLTA) and promoting the idea that learning others’ languages and cultures leads to better understanding.”
The CLTA named an award for him and honored him with the first Hal Wingard Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995, in recognition of his dedication and service. Since then, the annual has been given annually.
With the theme, “Flourish Monterey County,” this year’s President’s Speaker Series at California State University, Monterey Bay will get under way on March 4 when Mary Jo Waits visits campus.
Ms. Waits, director of the Economic, Human Services and Workforce Division of the National Governors Association, was one of the most thought-provoking speakers at the recent colloquium on Fort Ord redevelopment. She will expand on her ideas on how to leverage university research to enhance economic development.
One of the messages that emerged from the colloquium was the need to move beyond jurisdictional battles and take a comprehensive look at what makes economic and environmental sense for the area. In her talk, Ms. Waits will continue the discussion begun at the colloquium.
Her presentation will start at 3:30 p.m. in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue near A Street. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
The community is invited to this free event. No tickets are necessary, but reservations are requested. Please RSVP by calling the World Theater box office at 582-4580, or going online at csumb.edu/rsvp.
The series continues on March 28, when Dr. David Kennedy of Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government visits. He directed the Boston Gun Project, which sharply reduced the youth homicide rate in that city. Jeff Edmondson of Strive Together, the national group that works to improve the cradle-to-career pipeline, will visit on April 9.
The speaker series is in keeping with Cal State Monterey Bay’s role as a community resource, providing forums for thoughtful and provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
Looking for a way to reduce the stress of tax season? CSU Monterey Bay student participants in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance – VITA – program may have an answer. Until the end of tax season, volunteers from the College of Business will provide free assistance with state and federal income tax preparation. The VITA program is sponsored by United Way Monterey County. The service is available at eight county locations, including the Marina library where students are on duty noon to 3 p.m. every other Saturday from Feb. 22 to April 5. All volunteers must pass the rigorous Internal Revenue Service examinations to participate. Families and individuals who earned less than $57,000 in 2013 are eligible. Filers must bring photo identification, Social Security card or ITIN card for workers and all family members, their W-2 and 1099 forms and a copy of last year’s return. It's not necessary to make an appointment.? Tax forms will be filed electronically. If a refund is due, it will be deposited in the taxpayer's account in approximately 10 days. According to Dr. Cathy Ku, professor of accounting at CSUMB, it’s a good service learning opportunity for students. The first year – 2010 – five students participated. In 2011, 20 students volunteered at eight locations in the county; in 2012, the number of volunteers grew to 42.
Last year, 16 students and Dr. Ku worked as volunteers, accounting for approximately 20 pecent of the total number of participants in the program countywide. The CSUMB contingent helped approximately 335 families secure refunds of $462,000, money that helped to stimulate the local economy.
There is no charge for the tax preparation, no charge for direct deposit to the taxpayer’s bank account and no hidden fees. A list of community locations, dates and hours, is available on the United Way website. ??Learn more about CSUMB's College of Business.
It’s innovative, intense and for those who thrive on creative competition, a shot at fame and fortune. It’s the “Ideas of March,” a three-day Android development competition open to college students with basic programming skills who are interested in producing mobile apps. Small businesses, non-profits and government agencies are encouraged to submit ideas for apps that would benefit their organizations. The event, which kicks off on March 14, is sponsored by the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development at CSU Monterey Bay, the university’s Computer Science and Information Technology program and the Monterey County Business Council. Teams will build their applications throughout the weekend, and then present their work – real, working prototype apps – on the evening of March16, with winners chosen in several categories. Last year’s overall winner was an app created for Cedar Street Times, a weekly newspaper in Pacific Grove. The app allows the paper to share its news from its own website and also provides an avenue for community members to post news and events. There is no cost to participate, but prospective participants must apply by Feb. 21. Food and beverages will be provided during event hours. The event will be held in the Media Learning Center (Bldg. 18) on the CSUMB campus. Driving directions and a campus map. To enter the competition or to submit an idea for an app, visit the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development. For information, call the institute at 582-3230. Prospective competitors should note that all code created during the competition will be open source and will be posted on the web.? View a TV news story from the 2012 competition.
The World Theater at CSU Monterey Bay will offer a special treat for its audience on March 8 when it presents a concert featuring Rio Salinas. Showtime is 7:30 p.m., with the opening band Tom Faia and The Juice.
Rio Salinas brings a wide array of musical styles and influences to the stage: Cali, Tex Mex, country, rock ’n’ blues. Members of the group have played with great bands and have come together to form Rio Salinas. Band members include Rob Espinosa (from It’s a Beautiful Day), Dean Giles (with Swing King), Frank Paredes (from Sir Douglas Quintet), Louie Ortega (from Texas Tornadoes), Randy Pybas (from Salsa Brava) and special guests Greg Smith from the Eagles and Mic Gillette from Tower of Power.
In the 1960s, a new form of music was changing an entire generation. That’s when Ortega, Paredes and Pybas –who were heavily influenced by rock’n’ roll, country, blues, gospel and traditional Mexican music – began a journey that has spanned five decades.
In their late teens, Ortega and Paredes formed the band Louie and the Lovers and began to craft a unique and vibrant sound that caught the ear of their neighbor, Doug Sahm, bandleader of the popular Sir Douglas Quintet. Impressed by their music, Sahm took them under his wing and introduced the boys to management at Epic Records. The result of that meeting was to become their first single and album, RISE, which shot to the top of the playlists of DJs nationwide.
As the ’60s gave way to the new sounds of the ’70s, Ortega, Paredes and Pybas – born and raised in Salinas – became the core of a new band, Salsa Brava. Eventually the three friends pursued solo musical endeavors, all the while maintaining their friendship and common love of music that had so heavily influenced them.
Years later, they revisited the musical quest they had begun 25 years earlier. Supported by guitarist Rob Espinosa of “It’s a Beautiful Day” and drummer Dean Giles, Rio Salinas performs the music they have spent more than 40 years perfecting.
The opening act is Carmel’s Tom Faia and The Juice.
Faia became known in Nashville and Los Angeles for his clever and infectious music. A solo artist with A&M Records, he also wrote songs recorded by Barbara Mandrell and rock legend Dobie Gray.
Faia still writes classic feel-good tunes. He's currently playing solo acoustic shows as well as with his band, The Juice, which includes friends Dave Evert on guitar; Pacific Grove Native Scott Rudoni on bass; and Monterey native Bill Kucher on drums. Said World Theater artistic director Joe Cardinalli: “We are pleased that Rio Salinas will be releasing their new CD the evening of the show. The concert celebrates homegrown talent from the Salinas and Monterey areas. And I’m delighted to showcase the local group Tom Faia and The Juice.
“It’s going to be a great night of music and fun for the audience.”
Tickets are $25 general admission. Discounts are available for students, military members and seniors. Tickets can be purchased online, by calling the box office at 582-4580, or at the theater. The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue between A and B streets. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Bonnie Irwin, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities and professor of English at Eastern Illinois University, has been named provost and vice president for academic affairs at CSU Monterey Bay. Her appointment follows a national search.
“Both the search committee and the campus community were impressed by Dr. Irwin’s experience, vision and leadership qualities,” said CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa.
“We were pleased by the strong field of candidates that responded to the job announcement, but, even in that group, Dr. Irwin’s credentials set her apart. All of us here at Cal State Monterey Bay look forward to working with her as we continue to advance the academic excellence of our campus.”
As vice president for academic affairs, she will oversee all academic colleges and programs, and she will work with the other members of the university’s senior leadership team and the president to improve university-wide effectiveness and success. As provost, she will act as president in the absence of the president.
Dr. Irwin started her teaching career as a graduate student instructor at the University of California at Berkeley, and has been on the faculty at Eastern Illinois since 1994. Her time there included stints as English undergraduate studies and honors coordinator and dean of the Honors College.
In her administrative work, Dr. Irwin has facilitated initiatives in integrative learning, undergraduate research, interdisciplinary studies and inclusive excellence. She is a former president of the National Collegiate Honors Council and currently serves on the board of the American Conference of Academic Deans.
A former resident of California, she earned her bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate in comparative literature from UC Berkeley.
She will assume her duties on July 7. She succeeds Dr. Julio Blanco, who has filled the position on an interim basis since May.
“I am thrilled to be joining the CSUMB community,” Dr. Irwin said. “During my recent visit, I was impressed by the dedication, idealism, and talents of the faculty and staff, who are clearly invested in the success of the students and the wellbeing of the entire region.
“I look forward to being part of the CSUMB team for the journey ahead as we grow and flourish as a great institution of higher learning.”
C.J. Pascoe, whose work explores the terrain of sexuality and gender identity, will speak at CSU Monterey Bay on March 25.
The 6 p.m. talk will be held in the University Center on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
A professor of sociology at the University of Oregon, she is the author of “Dude, You’re a Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High School.” The award-winning book, based on 18 months of fieldwork in a racially diverse working-class high school, documents the relationship among homophobic harassment, heterosexism and masculinity.
Dr. Pascoe's research has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Toronto Globe and Mail, American Sexuality Magazine and Inside Higher Ed.
She will discuss homophobia, sexism, gender policing and their effects on young people. A question-and-answer session and book signing will follow the talk.
The event is free for CSUMB students, staff, and faculty with CSUMB username and $5 for the public. Visitors must purchase a parking permit online or from a dispenser on the parking lot.
The event is sponsored by CSUMB’s Otter Cross Cultural Center. More information is available from rita zhang at rzhang@csumb.edu or 831-582-4676.
One of CSU Monterey Bay’s selling points is its proximity to the bay. Students enjoy the recreational activities associated with it; they can also work with faculty members and scientists on research projects tied to it. Those research opportunities have just expanded, thanks to a program funded by the National Science Foundation and based at CSUMB. As of this summer, Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) in ocean science will be available to students from all over the country.
Dr. Corey Garza, a professor in CSUMB's Division of Science and Environmental Policy, is the program director. The 10-week program will allow 11 students to get paid while working with faculty and scientists on campus and at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing Marine Labs and the Naval Postgraduate School. The program will give students hands-on research experience in oceanography, marine biology and ecology, ocean engineering and marine geology. They will work closely with university professors and scientists, hear lectures by experts, collaborate on research and develop oral presentations based on their area of interest. The long-term goal is to train the next generation of professional scientists. CSUMB becomes one of only 32 ocean science REUs in the country – and the only one in the CSU system. Other sites include Duke University, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. A stipend and help with travel and housing expenses will be provided. More information is available here.
Charlotte O'Neal, an artist, poet, musician and community activist from Tanzania, will visit CSU Monterey Bay on March 13.
O'Neal has been doing cultural and communty work in Africa for nearly 40 years. Since 1972, she and her husband, Pete, have run the United African Alliance Community Center (UAACC) in Tanzania. The center offers art, English and computer classes, a music recording facility, crafts store and a radio station, and is a major center of East African hip-hop.
During her presentation, "An Afro-American Woman's Life in Africa," she will sing original compositions, play traditional African instruments and discuss her history as a member of the Black Panther Party.
The free presentation will be held at 7 p.m. in the Cinematic Arts Studio (Bldg. 27), located on Sixth Avenue near A Street. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
For more information, contact Steven Levinson at 582-4260.
Dr. David Kennedy of Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government will speak at CSU Monterey Bay on March 28 as the President’s Speaker Series continues.
Dr. Kennedy is director of the Center for Crime Prevention and Control at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and former director of the Boston Gun Project. A self-taught criminologist, he has devoted his career to reducing gang- and drug-related violence.
He has been profiled by 60 Minutes and the New Yorker, and has been decorated by the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
Strategies developed by Dr. Kennedy and his colleagues in the Boston Gun Project and applied there in Operation Ceasefire in the mid-1990s have been implemented in violence-prone neighborhoods in more than 50 cities from coast to coast.
Starting with the premise that most gun violence involves a small number of individuals in gangs or neighborhood groups that have beefs with each other, the strategy involves identifying those individuals, calling them in to hear from community representatives and law enforcement personnel, and making it clear there will be substantial social benefits if they don't shoot and very tough sanctions if they do.
His approach relies more on getting criminals to alter their behavior than locking them up. And it has been successful – the sharp decline in Boston’s youth homicide rate has been christened "The Boston Miracle."
His presentation will get under way at 3:30 p.m. in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue near A Street. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
The community is invited to this free event. No tickets are necessary, but reservations are requested. Please RSVP by calling the World Theater box office at 582-4580, or going online.
The series, with the theme “Flourish Monterey County,” concludes on April 9 with a visit from Jeff Edmondson of Strive Together, a national organization that works to improve the cradle-to-career pipeline. The series kicked off on March 4 with a presentation by Mary Jo Waits, director of the Economic, Human Services and Workforce Division of the National Governors Association. Her topic: “Leveraging Universities in Regional Economic Development.”
Dr. Kennedy was interviewed on NPR on Nov. 1, 2011. Read a transcript of the interview here.
Cal State Monterey Bay’s Service Learning program has earned another honor.
The university was recently named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for 2014. It is the highest federal honor universities can receive for their commitment to service learning and civic engagement.
The Corporation for National and Community Service launched the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll in 2006 to recognize institutions of higher learning that support innovative and effective community service and service-learning programs. Since the program’s inception, CSUMB has been recognized each year; it is the most decorated service learning program in the country.
For 2014, CSUMB was recognized on the President’s Honor Roll with distinction for leadership in general community service and economic opportunity. It was also honored in the category of education.
At CSUMB, issues of service, diversity, social justice and social responsibility are linked to the core curriculum.
CSUMB is the only public university in California, and one of a few nationally, where service learning is a requirement for all students. Each year, nearly half of CSUMB students enroll in service learning courses, contributing more than 65,000 hours of service to more than 250 schools, non-profit organizations and government agencies in the tri-county area.
According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, honorees are chosen based on a series of selection factors, including the scope and innovation of service projects, the extent to which service-learning is embedded in the curriculum, the school’s commitment to long-term campus-community partnerships, and measurable community outcomes as a result of the service.
Learn more about Service Learning at CSUMB
CSU Monterey Bay’s team of Matthew Diaz and Sebastian Resendiz braved frigid, windy conditions to finish sixth in the college fishing national championship in Seneca, S.C., March 6-8.
Diaz and Resendiz caught 15 fish during the three days of the tournament on Lake Keowee for a total weight of 29 lbs., eight ounces. They missed a fifth-place finish – and $2,000 in prize money – by a single pound.
The title went to a team from the University of Minnesota, who caught 15 fish with a total weight of 37 lbs., 8 ounces. The Golden Gophers hauled in a whopping 14-pound catch on the final day to cruise to victory by a margin of more than 3 pounds. They walked away with a prize package worth $30,000.
With Chico State and CSUMB in the field, this year’s tournament marked the first time two West Coast teams qualified for the national championship.
Joshua Smith and Andrew Sjostrom, the second Otter team in the competition.
Fifty teams qualified for the tournament by finishing in the top 10 in regional competition last fall. CSUMB’s teams earned their places in the championship field at the Western Conference Invitational at Clear Lake in October.
Competitive college fishing has been around since 2008, when FLW, the organizer of professional fishing tournaments, started a college tour. Now, more than 600 teams regularly compete in five divisions, and it just keeps growing. All participants must be registered, full-time undergraduates at a four-year college or university and members of a fishing club recognized by their school. Highlights from this year’s event will be shown on NBC Sports on May 31.
The fishing club is just one of many opportunities for CSUMB students to participate in outdoor recreation and intramural sports.
Follow CSUMB's bass fishing club on Facebook.?? Learn about the outdoor recreation program at CSUMB. Follow the program on Facebook.?
. . . At Olsen Elementary in Marina, student-athletes from CSU Monterey Bay read Dr. Seuss books to children in kindergarten through third grade. – Monterey Herald, March 4, 2014
Tens of thousands of California’s hourly workers will become the best paid in the country when a new minimum wage law goes into effect.
Last September, the state Legislature voted to raise the minimum wage from $8 to $9 on July 1, and to $10 on Jan. 1, 2016. Gov. Jerry Brown and state lawmakers said the increase is needed to keep up with rising costs.
According to a statement issued by Sen. Darrell Steinberg, more than 90 percent of minimum-wage workers in the state are over the age of 20, while nearly 2.4 million children live in a household with a parent who earns the current minimum of $8 per hour. The pay bump will boost a full-time worker’s income by about $4,000, to around $20,000 a year.
That’s the background for the topic to be discussed at CSU Monterey Bay’s 12th annual Ethics Forum – Should California have the highest minimum wage in the U.S.?
The forum will be held from 3 to 5 p.m., March 27, in the University Center on Sixth Avenue at B Street. The forum is free; attendees will have to purchase a parking permit from a machine on the parking lot. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Jason Scorse, director of the Center for the Blue Economy and a professor at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, will be the keynote speaker. Panelists will include Jody Hansen, president and CEO of the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce; Cesar Lara, executive director of the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council; and Sam Teel, board chairman of the Monterey County Hospitality Association.
Among the questions they will discuss:
• Will businesses flee California? • Will low-wage employees flock to the state? • Will the economy benefit as workers’ purchasing power increases? • How will the increase impact Monterey County’s two biggest industries – agriculture and hospitality?
The College of Business and the School of School of Computing and Design are sponsors of the forum, with support from Associated Students.
The community is invited to a workshop at CSU Monterey Bay intended to increase awareness of people with disabilities.
Inclusive Diversity: How to Ensure Disability Access is the topic for the March 27 workshop, to be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the University Center.
Participants will learn about disability culture, barriers to accessibility, how to make public events accessible and create a welcoming environment, ensure access to electronic and printed information and plan for Universal Design.
The evening will get under way with a photo exhibit on display at 6 p.m. The Traumatic Brain Injury PhotoVoice exhibit was put together by the Central Coast Center for Independent Living.
The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. While the event is free, visitors must purchase a parking permit from a kiosk on the lot or online. This includes those with DMV-issued disability parking placards.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
The event is sponsored by CSUMB’s Health and Wellness Services, Student Housing and Residential Life, Student Fee Advisory Committee, Otter Cross Cultural Center and the Central Coast Center for Independent Living.
For more information or to request disability accommodations, please call 582-3672 or e-mail student_disability_resources@csumb.edu.
Stringfever, a London-based string quartet, is a little bit classical, a little bit rock 'n' roll – and humorous.
The foursome, which includes the Broadbent brothers (Giles, Ralph and Neal) and their cousin Graham, will perform at 7:30 p.m., April 3, at CSU Monterey Bay’s World Theater. The musicians, trained at London's Royal Academy and College of Music, will play American favorites with their brightly colored five- and six-stringed electric violins, viola and cello. Their unusually shaped instruments are handmade to order in the United Kingdom.
Stringfever’s version of Ravel’s Bolero has all four playing one cello simultaneously. Then they challenge the audience to play Name That Tune as they race through 20 of the best-loved film themes in one arrangement. A medley of James Bond themes follows. The signature finale, “The History of Music . . . in 5 Minutes,” is one of the highlights of their performance – a compilation of 40 tunes packed into a frenetic five minutes.
Audience members are raving about Stringfever, said Joe Cardinelli, artistic director of the World Theater Presents series. "Their performances have been described as spellbinding, brilliant, wild, wacky and wholly watchable. Our audience will be delighted they came." Tickets are $29 general admission. Discounts are available for students, military members, seniors and children. Tickets can be purchased online, by phone (831) 582-4580, or at the theater located on Sixth Avenue between A and B streets. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
It's not likely anyone is getting the day off from school or work for it, but National Pi Day is Friday. Since 1988, when the first celebration was held at the San Francisco Exploratorium, the day has been commemorated around the world. Pi Day is celebrated on the 14th day of the third month, which aligns with the first three digits of pi – 3.14 – the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.
CSU Monterey Bay is celebrating a day early this year. Since spring break is next week, many students will leave campus on Friday.
Albert Einstein was born on Pi Day in 1879
To celebrate what Math and Statistics Club president Lauren Sommers calls “the fantastic transcendental number pi,” the club will offer free pie, a pie-eating contest and the opportunity to “pie” a faculty member and a club officer. They will be chosen based on the total amount of donations placed in jars in the math office (Room S216 in the Chapman Building).
The fun will take place between 1 and 3 p.m. Thursday at the back of the Chapman Science Academic Building. Everyone is invited. Did you know?
• The earliest record of pi is on the Rhind Papyrus and is only 1 percent off today's calculation
• Pi has been studied by humans for almost 4,000 years
CSU Monterey Bay’s Cinematic Arts and Technology Department presents its third Wonderland Film Festival on Monday, Dec. 8.
The semi-annual showcase of student work from animation, visual design, clay and puppet animation and motion design classes will be held from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Room 109 of the Cinematic Arts Building on Sixth Avenue and A Street. Artwork used for the films will be on display.
“This event is becoming a great tradition, and a way to introduce our new animation program to the public,” said Enid Ryce, chair of the Cinematic Arts program.
The public is invited to this free event. Parking permits must be purchased from a machine on the lot or online.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
. . . Cynthia Nelson Holmsky, new director of the Monterey County Cradle to Career Partnership at CSU Monterey Bay, finds joy in trying to figure out an organization's identity. . . It's a process that Holmsky will employ as she coordinates the Cradle to Career Partnership, which has a goal of improving educational outcomes for children in Monterey County. – Monterey Herald, March 14, 2014
By CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa . . . In the past two decades, many economic hopes and dreams have gone unrealized. But I believe we are ready to make unprecedented progress toward achieving those goals and my university is eager to play its part. – Monterey Herald, March 17, 2014
. . . The deadline was fast approaching for nine teams of some 40 tech-savvy students at CSU Monterey Bay who were given just over two days to produce prototype applications for mobile devices. – Monterey Herald, March 17, 2014
Outstanding work by CSU Monterey Bay students on topics including the changing media landscape, the effectiveness of a workplace exercise program and nitrous oxide emissions of lettuce crops will be presented at a systemwide competition in May.
Six projects were selected by a committee of CSUMB’s Faculty Senate to represent the university at the 28th annual Student Research Competition at CSU East Bay May 2 and 3.
At the Hayward campus, students will make oral presentations before juries of professional experts from major corporations, foundations, public agencies, college and universities in California. The judges also review each student’s research paper.
Last year, approximately 200 students presented their work at Cal Poly Pomona.
One CSUMB graduate student and five undergraduates will present their work. Those students, their degree programs, research topics and faculty advisers:
Graduate student: • Gwen Miller, Applied Marine & Watershed Science, “Do Temperature and Dissolved Organic Carbon Play a Role in Nitrate Removal with a Treatment Wetland?,” faculty Mentor Dr. Fred Watson
Undergraduates: • Kyle Firek, psychology, “Teens Whose Families Use Friendly Sarcasm and Teasing Have Nicer Friends,” faculty mentor Dr. Jennifer Dyer-Seymour • Lilyana Gross, mathematics, “Modeling the Spread of Methamphetamine Use: A Compartmental Approach,” faculty mentor Dr. Judith Canner • Alexis Ingram, human communication, “Courting the Shippers: Community and the Changing Media Landscape,” faculty mentor Dr. Sandra (Sam) Robinson • Daniel Muratore, environmental science, technology & policy, “Impact of Management Type on Emissions of Nitrous Oxide within a Sprinkler Irrigated Lettuce Crop,” faculty mentor Dr. Marc Los Huertos
• Breanna Orozco, kinesiology, “Evaluation of a Worksite-Based Walking Competition on Perceived Stress and Physical Activity Participation Among Female University Employees,” faculty mentor Dr. Lisa Leininger
The competition is held annually to promote excellence in undergraduate and graduate scholarly research and creative activity by recognizing outstanding student accomplishments throughout the 23 campuses of the California State University.
More information can be found here.
Gregory Orfalea, author of Journey to the Sun: Junipero Serra’s Dream and the Founding of California, will make a presentation at CSU Monterey Bay on April 3. The community is invited to this free event. Combining biography, European history, knowledge of Catholic doctrine and anthropology, Journey to the Sun shows how one man changed the future of California and in so doing affected the future of the nation.
His presentation will begin at 7 p.m. in the University Center conference room on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Reservations are requested, and can be made by calling 582-3890 or e-mailing hwilde@csumb.edu. While the lecture is free, visitors must purchase a parking permit from the machine on the lot.
Orfalea was born and raised in Los Angeles, and educated at Georgetown University and the University of Alaska. He is the author of nine books, including the collection of essays, Angeleno Days, which Richard Rodriguez has called “delightful and wise.”
Currently he is directing the creation of the Center for California Studies at Westmont College, where he teaches creative nonfiction, the short story, the literature of California, and Middle Eastern émigré literature.
The presentation is sponsored by the CSUMB’s Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies.
Orfalea writes from his own spiritual heart and soars into the realm of poetry. . . His drama never lags. – San Francisco Chronicle
Miriam Lopez, a seventh-grade teacher at Vista Verde Middle School in Greenfield, has been honored for her work in the classroom. Lopez, who earned a teaching credential from CSU Monterey Bay and is currently enrolled in the university’s master of arts in education program, was given the Crystal Apple Award by television station KSBW. Nine times each year, the station honors teachers from the tri-county area for their “dedication to stimulating minds and improving students' lives.” News anchor Dan Green visits the classrooms of the winners to make the presentation in person. “She has just two years (of teaching) under her belt, but she has been able to learn and apply the best techniques from the great teachers around her,” Green told the viewers. “The kids have really responded.” Watch the segment here.
Jeff Edmondson, managing director of Strive Together, will speak at CSU Monterey Bay on April 9 as the President’s Speaker Series concludes for the year.
Strive Together is a national initiative that brings together leaders from pre-kindergarten through higher education, business, community organizations, government, parents and others who are committed to helping children succeed from cradle to career. Edmondson served as executive director of The Strive Partnership in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. He’ll share lessons learned in that partnership in his talk, “Collective Impact: A New Way of Doing Business to Improve Educational Outcomes.”
Those lessons are currently being applied across the country. The program identifies specific goals, comes up with a common way to measure those goals, and does so by using a rigorous set of data that can be shared with everyone. Each community sets its own priorities for improving education for students "from cradle to career." A Cradle to Career Partnership has recently been established in Monterey County. Edmondson’s presentation will get under way at 3:30 p.m. in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue near A Street. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
The community is invited to this free event. No tickets are necessary, but reservations are requested. Please RSVP by calling the World Theater box office at 582-4580, or by going online.
The series, with the theme “Flourish Monterey County,” kicked off on March 4 with a presentation by Mary Jo Waits, director of the Economic, Human Services and Workforce Division of the National Governors Association. Her topic: Leveraging Universities in Regional Economic Development. On March 28, Dr. David Kennedy, former director of the Boston Gun Project, will talk on Gangs, Guns and Growth: Finding Alternatives to Violence.
It’s hard to tell who is more excited about Brett Roberts’ summer internship at Tesla – Roberts or his professor, Jonathan Shu.
Shu, who calls Tesla “one of the hottest companies in Silicon Valley,” said he “nagged” his students to apply for summer jobs, and specifically mentioned Tesla, the electric car company headquartered in Palo Alto. (Manufacturing and production take place at the former Nummi plant in Fremont.)
Roberts followed up on the suggestion, in part because his best friend “always talked about how much he wanted to work at Tesla.” An application to work in the company’s information technology division brought a call from a recruiter and a conversation that covered the basics. A second call followed, from the person to whom he would be reporting.
“The second call was a technical interview specifically for the IT Applications intern position,” Roberts said. “The interview process was great.”
An offer followed shortly after the second call, which is a bit ironic since Roberts admits he’s not a huge car guy or an environmentalist. “But I do enjoy sustainability and nice cars,” he said with a laugh.
“Elon Musk is the real reason I want to work for this company,” he said, referring to the visionary business magnate, investor and inventor who is CEO and chief product architect of Tesla. “The risks he has taken really inspire me.”
Roberts will work at the factory in Fremont. “I will be doing a lot of manufacturing execution software (MES) support, and following analysts around to watch how they work and interact with clients,” Roberts said. MES are computerized systems in manufacturing – “information about when things have been shipped, what’s been ordered, progression. It really improves product output.”
Roberts, the 2013-14 student body president, is a senior computer science major with a concentration in software engineering. He will graduate in December.
“When I graduate, I really would love to work for Tesla full-time,” he said. “I think this internship is a good first step toward trying to get a job there.”
Arlene Krebs, technology development officer at CSU Monterey Bay, has been named a 2014 Broadband Champion by the California Emerging Technology Fund.
Krebs, founding director of the Wireless Education and Technology Center (WeTEC) at CSUMB, is one of 15 people recognized for their groundbreaking work and strong commitment to close the digital divide.
The award winners were selected in consultation with dozens of broadband leaders, community advocates and state and local policymakers. The 15 individuals will be recognized at events in San Francisco and Pasadena.
“We congratulate Arlene and all of the Broadband Champions. From Monterey to Hollywood, from El Centro to Humboldt, they are representatives of trailblazers who work throughout California and beyond to point the way for policymakers to understand the opportunities afforded by information technology and high-speed Internet access,” CETF President and CEO Sunne Wright McPeak said.
“The Champions also share the moral imperative not to leave anyone behind or offline. Each of these individuals inspires us to act to close the digital divide,” she said.
When people want to find out what’s happening in broadband in Monterey County, they call Krebs. In the past decade, she helped formalize the Central Coast Broadband Consortium, founded the Wireless Education and Technology Center at CSU Monterey Bay, and organized educational seminars to drive digital inclusion in the region.
Krebs participated in a statewide Broadband Task Force to determine infrastructure and digital literacy priorities and, working with Congressman Sam Farr, secured federal funds for a computing center in the Chinatown area of Salinas
She also has worked to build career paths for local residents. As vice-chair of Loaves, Fishes & Computers, she developed a program to train people how to refurbish computers. That has led some participants to start a small micro-enterprise refurbishing business. Her commitment to use of broadband has had far-reaching influence on the Central Coast. On March 27, Krebs attended the awards ceremony in San Francisco. She returned via Salinas, where she gave a presentation to 35 adults in a digital literacy class at Cesar Chavez Library, explaining how to subscribe to low-cost Internet service and how to get a free or low-cost refurbished computer.
"It struck me that these are the parents of our next generation of CSUMB students, that by helping them connect to their children's schools, and by having a computer at home for their children to use for schoolwork is among the best preparations we can offer our underserved community," she said.
Arlene Krebs, founding director of the Wireless Education and Technology Center at CSU Monterey Bay, was named a 2014 Broadband Champion by the California Emerging Technology Fund. – Monterey Herald, March 27, 2014
. . . CSUMB accepts 19 associate degrees for transfer. – Monterey County Weekly, March 27, 2014
Most people are aware of our role in polluting the oceans. It is a rare trip to the beach, even here in the beautiful Monterey Bay, that doesn't involve the discovery of marine debris in some form – a beer can, bottle cap or cigarette butt. But there are many potential solutions, from small-scale beach cleanups to much larger scale bans on plastic bags.
CSU Monterey Bay’s annual Sanctuary Currents Symposium – held in collaboration with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary – brings scientists, managers, students and members of the public together to address the most important issues of the day. This year, the topic for the April 26 symposium is Marine Debris: How Do You Pitch In?
The public is invited to attend a morning of lively presentations and discussions about the problems and solutions. Research posters will be on display throughout the day. The day concludes with the Ricketts Memorial Lecture at 2:15 p.m.
Registration for the free event starts at 8 a.m., with the first presentation scheduled for 9:15. All activities will be held in the University Center on the campus of Cal State Monterey Bay. The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Sponsors include CSUMB and its Institute for Applied Marine Ecology; NOAA and the National Marine Sanctuaries; the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Save the Earth.
The day’s schedule:
• 8 a.m. – Doors open/registration
• 9 a.m. – Welcome
• 9:15 a.m. – Trash in the Deep Sea: Bringing a Hidden Problem to Light by Susan von Thun of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
• 9:40 a.m. – The Invisible Consequences of Mistaking Plastic for Dinner by Dr. Chelsea Rochman of UC Davis
• 10:05 a.m. – Tracking the Trash: Distribution of Marine Plastic Pollution on Surface Waters by Carolynn Box of 5 Gyres Institute
• 11 a.m. – The Endless and Magical Promise of Plastic: From Babies, to Airplanes, to Toothpaste by Daniella Russo of the Plastic Pollution Commission
• 11:25 a.m. – Picking it Up: Collecting Data and Trash to Protect Our Coast and Ocean by Eben Schwartz of the California Coastal Commission
• 11:50 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Lunch
• 12:30 p.m. – Poster session
• 2:15 p.m. – Ricketts Memorial Lecture: Oceanography of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Today and in the Future by Dr. Francisco Chavez of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
For more information, to pre-register and to order a box lunch, click here.
. . . Artist Enid Baxter Ryce lives on what used to be Fort Ord. As a faculty member in CSUMB's Cinematic Arts and Technology Department, she and her husband share a home in repurposed Fort Ord dwellings. She is in perfect position to produce a work of art like "Planet Ord," an ambitious exhibition at the Museum of Art and History in Santa Cruz. – Monterey Herald, April 3, 2014
Kevin Miller, a veteran of CSUMB's IT Department, has figured out a way to make the Internet more accessible to the blind. It's a complicated process, but essentially, Miller's programs can help the blind and vision-impaired "see" pictures and icons by making sure images are properly tagged and can speak to a user. – Monterey County Weekly, April 3, 2014
A Los Angeles puppet maker visiting CSU Monterey Bay this week represents a new generation of artists who are finding interesting ways to tailor their craft for the camera. – Monterey Herald, April 10, 2014
Monterey County community leaders are redesigning how they provide services, hoping to get better results – specifically when it comes to student achievement. . . . There's the Cradle to Career Partnership, a recently launched effort by CSU Monterey Bay, which aims to bring different organizations together to improve student performance. – Monterey Herald, April 9, 2014
. . . The 18th annual CSUMB Social Justice Colloquium is titled "Queer Justice: Past, Present, Future" and is comprised of a panel of scholars, students and activists, followed by audience comments and questions. – Monterey County Weekly, April 10, 2014
. . . A study is set to take place locally that could soon land trawl-aught fish on the Seafood Watch "Best Choice" list. The project is a collaborative effort among CSU Monterey Bay marine science and poicy professor James Lindholm; the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary; the Environmental Defense Fund; and local fisherman . . . – Monterey County Weekly, April 10, 2014
Education is at the heart of Earth Day – which is really Earth Week at CSU Monterey Bay.
The university will celebrate with eight days of activities intended to educate the community about the planet, sustainability and how we can make the world a better place.
Earth Day was first observed on April 22, 1970, when 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks and classrooms across the country to demonstrate for a healthy environment and a sustainable way of life. That led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the clean air, clean water and endangered species acts. It was the birth of the modern environmental movement.
Since that first Earth Day, people around the world have sought to celebrate the planet. But Earth Day is about more than observing the beauty and vitality of nature; it's also about renewing our commitment to saving our living planet. ??
Associated Students Environmental Senator Tyler Belko wanted to add something new to this year’s celebration, and came up with the idea of a 3D art piece that would raise awareness of the environment, Earth Day and public art.
He approached Dio Mendoza, an instructor in the Visual and Public Art Department, about a project that would involve the entire campus. Originally, he wanted an earth globe sculpture, but Mendoza and Steev White, VPA instructional technician, suggested a mammoth – a creature that has been extinct for thousands of years – as a symbol of climate change.
Over the course of several months, the 6-foot-tall sculpture was created in the VPA studio using plastic, fabric, Styrofoam and paper. On April 12, it was moved to a location outside the library, where it will be on display until commencement. Read more about Mona the Mammoth.
The schedule:
April 21, noon- 2 p.m.: Caught Green-Handed Bring your reusable cups to Peet's or Starbucks and receive a cool incentive from the Environmental Affairs Committee, and find out about Earth Week
April 22, noon-2 p.m.: Earth Day Visit the main quad to check out exhibitors from within and outside the CSUMB community and find out how their organizations are committed to sustainability. Check out the bike-operated smoothie machine.
April 23, 3-5 p.m.: Bike Fort Ord Meet at the Student Center for a mountain bike ride through Fort Ord and end with a healthy barbecue at the Student Center.
April 24, 6-8 p.m.: Screening of "Last Call at the Oasis" This documentary about the world’s water crisis will be shown in the West Lounge of the Student Center.
April 25: Fort Ord cleanup and ropes course activity Join the Environmental Affairs Committee and Outdoor Recreation for another cleanup of Fort Ord and then climb the campus ropes course for a fun, challenging and healthy activity.
April 26: Big Tree Band, 6-10 p.m. Come to the Black Box Cabaret to see indie bands Big Tree and Brass Magic from Berkeley. The bands are on a biodiesel tour for Earth Week and give a presentation about sustainability after their performance.
April 26: Abrupt Climate Change, a lecture by Dr. Guy McPherson, 7-8 p.m. At the Alumni and Visitors Center, Dr. McPherson will talk about how the rate of climate change now threatens our species with extinction in the near term. This presenation summarizes recent research on abrupt climate change and outlines a path for the future. A question-and-answer session will follow.
April 28: Swap Shop, noon-2 p.m. The main quad turns into a thrift shop where students can swap gently used clothes for items that were previously donated. Remaining items will be donated to Dorothy's Place, a provider of services for the homeless in Salinas.
April 29: Red Cross blood drive, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sustain a life by donating blood at the Student Center. E-mail Rachel Sutton at rsutton@csumb.edu to schedule an appointment or walk in and sign up.
Upcoming events include “green” elements at commencement and an end-of-semester move-out that emphasizes diverting material from the landfill by recycling and reusing items that would othewise be thrown away.
Learn more about sustainability at CSUMB
In February, CSU Monterey Bay’s College of Business welcomed its first visiting scholar.
Dr. Ganesh Sahu may be the first international researcher to visit, but he’s not likely to be the last.
“His Asian and global perspective will enrich the learning and knowledge of our students and internationalize their outlook and education,” said Dr. Shyam Kamath, dean of CSUMB’s College of Business.
Dr. Sahu comes from the Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology in Allahabad, India, where he is an associate professor of management and computer information systems. His visit to CSUMB was made possible by the Indian government through a program – similar to Fulbright Awards – that provides scholars an opportunity to conduct research and to forge relationships with experts in the United States.
While on campus, he will give research seminars and presentations and lecture in business classes.
Dr. Sahu will give a research presentation at noon, April 17, in Valley Hall, Room A116.
Dr. Sahu’s current research involves a study of comparative e-government in India and the United States. He is working on a project with Dean Kamath and several faculty members, including Dr. Babita Gupta, who was instrumental in bringing him to campus.
E-government is a global phenomenon. Simply defined, it is the use of technology to provide information for citizens, allowing them easy access to government services, and allowing them to transact business with their government.
According to Dr. Kamath, a long-term relationship with the National Institute of Technology will be explored. Future exchanges with management schools in Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America are under discussion.
Highlights from "West Side Story," the hit Broadway musical and film, will be performed at CSU Monterey Bay’s spring concert on May 4.
Featuring music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, the musical takes the star-crossed-lovers story of "Romeo and Juliet" and sets it in a gang-rich area of 1950s New York City.
Familiar songs – Maria, Tonight, I Feel Pretty, Somewhere, Jets – will be performed by students in the university’s musical theater production class, the concert band and CSUMB singers.
The concert will get under way at 3 p.m. in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue between A and B streets on the CSUMB campus. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
While the concert is free, attendees must purchase a parking permit from a dispenser on the lot adjacent to the theater.
For more information or to request disability accommodations, call 582-3009.
PIANO, VOICE RECITALS Students of Professor Carlos Tottress will also present two recitals in May.
On May 9, two dozen students will give a piano recital starting at 6 p.m. in the Music Building, located on Sixth Avenue near Butler Street.
The following day, the Music Building will be the site of a voice recital, featuring more than 20 students. Admission to both events is free.
Learn more about the music program at CSUMB.
Doug Smith, professor in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy, and graduate student Sam Phillips are collaborating with federal and state resource agencies to develop the Big Sur River Watershed Management Plan.
The plan details what residents and resource managers can do to sustain the steelhead population of this local waterway.
The Big Sur River and other ecologically critical streams and wetlands are constantly threatened by human activities that alter how water flows over and within the landscape. Land-use changes such as urbanization and agriculture are the leading cause of declining salmonid populations along California's Central Coast. While some impacts are inevitable, they can be markedly reduced or avoided through thoughtful and well-considered planning.
The plan developed by Dr. Smith and Phillips describes current land-use constraints in the context of landslides, erosion, flooding and other geologic hazards that influence both residents and the steelhead spawning grounds of the Big Sur River.
Story, photo provided by Doug Smith
A long-extinct creature roams the earth – at least CSUMB's piece of it – once again. Mona the Mammoth is part of CSUMB's celebration of Earth Day, and will remain on display through May 17.
The public art piece is a project of the university's Visual and Public Art (VPA) Department and the Associated Students Environmental Affairs Committee. The theme was chosen because of its association with global warming, which contributed to the extinction of the animal. The mammoth is, quite literally, the elephant in the room. The project was meant to stimulate a discussion about the importance of public art as well as to create a dialogue about global and community concerns.
The 12-foot by 16-foot sculpture – made of a wooden understructure and mostly recycled, repurposed materials – took about 12 weeks to complete. During that time, VPA faculty member Dio Mendoza and instructional technician Steev White worked on it almost continuously. Students and community members also participated.
Public events:
• Mammoth tour and artists' presentations April 22, 4-5 p.m.
• Relocation reception May 17, noon-2:30 p.m.
Photos courtesy of Visual and Public Art Department
Three days of film showings – part of the 13th annual Reel Work May Day Labor Film Festival – will be held on the campus of Cal State Monterey Bay.
The festival features films that illuminate the lives and struggles of workers in the United States and around the world.
The programs are sponsored by the CSUMB chapter of the California Faculty Association and the Student California Teachers Association.
Schedule:
Monday, April 28, 6 p.m., University Center on Sixth Avenue at B Street, two films explore the role of public workers in current struggles to maintain wages and benefits through union organizing.
Wisconsin Rising, Madison in 2011 was the testing ground as big money and power waited to see how far it could push back people’s rights. Schoolidarity: Reading, Writing. Revolution. Lessons of Madison and the Chicago teachers strike.
Tuesday, April 29, 4 p.m., Oaks Hall (Bldg. 490) on Inter-Garrison Road near Sixth Avenue: Seven Spanish-language short films with English subtitles. Many of the films come from Spain. With humor and irony, they explore the consequences of the country’s 25 percent unemployment rate. Co-host: School of World Languages and Cultures at CSUMB
Thursday, May 1, 4 p.m., Chapman Science Center, Room E104, on Fifth Avenue and Divarty Street: Two films explore labor unions and economics in Haiti and South Africa.
From Haiti: Ann Kore Moun – Collective Action: A Force for Development From South Africa: False Profits Speaker: CSUMB Professor Angie Tran
8 p.m., Tanimura and Antle Library, Divarty Street and Fifth Avenue: *Pete Seeger: The Power of Song *examines the life and times of the architect of the U.S. folk revival
Admission to all events is free; donations will be accepted. Visitors must purchase a parking permit from a nearby dispenser. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
For a complete listing of this year’s films in Monterey, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties, click here. For more information on the CSUMB screenings, contact Jennifer Colby at 582-5045 or jcolby@csumb.edu.
CSU Monterey Bay reference and instruction librarian Sarah Dahlen personifies public service.
She has worked as an adult education teacher in a family literacy program in Arizona, and, in 2013, used her library skills to help youngsters in Guatemala through Librarians Without Borders (LWB).
Founded in 2005, LWB is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization founded by “socially-minded librarians who wanted to address the information resource inequity existing between different regions of the world,” according to its website.
This month, Dahlen is heading back to Central America with LWB, leading a dozen librarians and library students from the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom and Spain. They will be in Guatemala for 12 days, split between the city of Quetzaltenango and the remote village of Chajul.
In Quetzaltenango, the group will work at the Asturis Academy, the fifth time since 2009 Librarians Without Borders has sent volunteers to the K-12 school. Over the years, they have helped to establish a library, build its capacity and set up a circulation system.
“We will be helping them catalog some of their books and presenting library-related programming for each grade,” Dahlen said. “They are hoping to start checking out books to students during our visit.”
The second stop on the trip is a children’s library in Chajul. The staff has asked for help incorporating literacy skills into story time. “Our group will lead a story time and art activity with the children as a demonstration, and have conversations with the librarians about additional programming ideas,” Dahlen said.
The CSUMB librarian’s attraction to the non-profit and its work is the result of shared values. “Like LWB, I am committed to intellectual freedom, reliable access to credible information, linguistic and cultural diversity and collaborative problem-solving,” she said. “I embrace the opportunity to realize these principles beyond my own library.”
Lending libraries are uncommon in Guatemala, and getting an education is difficult for many, due in part to the lack of access to books. In a country where books are taxed beyond the reach of the 75 percent of the population who live in poverty, it’s almost impossible to get children excited about reading because they can’t get books in their hands.
Two more CSU Monterey Bay students have benefitted from the generosity of Barbara Baldock and Phillip Butler.
The Monterey residents have sponsored students through CSU Monterey Bay’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center since 2010-11.
“We see it as helping give a little bit of a push to students on their way to a higher-level degree,” Dr. Butler told the university’s magazine several years ago.
This year’s recipients of the Baldock-Butler awards are Breanna Orozco (kinesiology) and Lilyana Gross (math). They were selected based on their academic achievements, research accomplishments, financial need, graduate school aspirations and a commitment to serve the community.
Each student will receive $4,000 to support her research and graduate school application activities.
A junior, Orozco (right) is a McNair Scholar and the first in her family to attend college. She spent last summer working at the University of Southern California’s Clinical Exercise Research Center. She’ll return to USC this summer to continue her exercise intervention research. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in biokinesiology.
She has worked with her mentor, Dr. Lisa Leininger, to develop a worksite wellness program for CSUMB employees; the program doubled as a research study to determine if the program increased physical activity and decreased stress in employees. The work has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Fitness Research.
Gross, a junior, intends to pursue a doctoral program in applied mathematics and statistics with applications to biology and public health. Her research interests include stochastic modeling, epidemiology and biostatistics methods in clinical trials.
She spent last summer at North Carolina State University, conducting research on the spread of illicit drugs by modeling methamphetamine use as a disease moving through the population. This summer, she will conduct research in HIV/AIDS clinical trials at the Harvard School of Public Health’s Department of Biostatistics.
Dr. Butler is a graduate of the Naval Academy, was a fighter pilot for many years and spent eight years as a POW in North Vietnam. After earning a Ph.D. in sociology from UC San Diego in 1981, he was a professor of management at the Naval Postgraduate School before starting a management consulting firm. Baldock, a former flight attendant, joined him as marketing director, and they married 33 years ago.
“We feel these people are going to be leaders, and they’re going to make a difference,” Baldock said of the UROC students. “That really resonates with both of us.”
The community is invited to an evening of jazz on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay as the annual Heritage Music Festival returns on May 8. The free concert will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. in the Black Box Cabaret, located on Fourth Street near the intersection of Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Inter-Garrison Road. The concert features the Latin Jazz Collective with John Nava, Que Caliente and the CSUMB Jazz Ensemble. The Latin Jazz Collective is a seven-member group put together by Nava and Martin Binder. Members of the combo have decades of combined experience doing studio work, stage performances and musical education. They maintain active roles as band leaders, arrangers and musical directors. Que Caliente is a powerful and exciting group that plays a variety of styles – infectious Afro-Cuban and salsa rhythms, Latin jazz, straight-ahead swing, funky blues and beautiful ballads and boleros. The concert is sponsored by CSUMB’s Music and Performing Arts Department, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and the university’s Special Event Fund. While the concert is free, a parking permit must be purchased from a nearby dispenser. Driving directions and a campus map are available here. For more information or disability accommodations, call 582-3009.
Latin Jazz Collective with John Nava (Left to right): Kevin McCullough, piano; John Nava, congas; Steve Ucello, bass; Martin Binder, drums and timbale; Jayson Fann, percussion; Patt Casion, saxophone. Not pictured: Ric Feliciano, trombone
Photo courtesy of James Chang of Top Dog Images
Johanna Poethig, who has worked on dozens of large-scale murals and other art installations around the country, has taken on yet another project.
Poethig, a professor in CSU Monterey Bay’s Visual and Public Art Department, has been named lead artist on a transportation project in the East Bay area of San Francisco.
She and Mildred Howard, another artist from the Berkeley-Oakland area, will work to integrate art into the architecture of 34 planned stations on the 9.5-mile East Bay Bus Rapid Transit route that will run from Oakland to the San Leandro BART station. Also on the team are artists Joyce Hsu and Peter Richards.
A panel of art professionals, government and community representatives chose the artists after a national search. The team will integrate works into the stations around a central theme of “Honor the Past and Celebrate the Future.”
Poethig’s Bay Area work includes a mural in downtown San Francisco for the International Hotel in Manilatown, a ceramic tile installation at the 149 Mason Street Studios, and medallions for the Hamilton Recreation Center.
Born in New Jersey and raised in Manila, Philippines, Poethig earned degrees from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and Mills College. She’s been in California since 1976, forging an eclectic career from a variety of interests and mediums, from painting and sculpture to performance art and video. Photo courtesy of AC Transit (Left to right): Peter Richards, Johanna Poethig, Mildred Howard, Joyce Hsu
When she was elected in the spring of 2014 to head the campus chapter of the NAACP, Mia Elliott said, “I can’t wait to start. I am really looking forward to being president.”
A sophomore Liberal Studies major from Sacramento, Elliott will take over in the fall – when the chapter celebrates its third year of existence.
She's getting a head start on the position, attending the civil rights organization's annual convention July 19-23 in Las Vegas.
"It's overwhelming, in the best way possible," Elliott said via e-mail. "I'm learning so much, and I'm surrounded by great and powerful leaders."
One of the things she's learned about is the Voting Rights Act, and how important it is for college students to vote in this year's midterm elections.
She's also realized that the civil rights organization is not irrelevant, as some people have said. "I have learned that in today's society, we need the NAACP. It will continue to be relevant until we have equal rights for ALL people."
At the time of her election, Elliott said she "wanted to be president because I have a passion for social justice and social change. I want to use my leadership skills and experience to make a difference on campus,” she said.
Her immediate goals are to increase the chapter’s membership and to “have the NAACP be an inclusive, diverse club open to all people of color and all our allies.
“Secondly, I would like students to know that we are an ally for all students of color and will be a support system when needed,” she said.
Elliott added that she would like to collaborate with other social change/justice groups on campus to educate students on civil rights issues.
The campus chapter was chartered in July of 2012 and held its first meeting in September of that year. Shiyla Goodie served as president the first two years.
Under her leadership, the group worked to register voters before the 2012 presidential election; educated students on the importance of voting; connected with cultural clubs and organizations on campus to promote civil rights; and organized service projects in the community.
Obama administration official Cecilia Muñoz will be the keynote speaker at CSU Monterey Bay’s commencement ceremony on May 17.
Ms. Muñoz is an adviser to the President and director of the Domestic Policy Council, which coordinates the domestic policy-making process in the White House. Previously, she served as deputy assistant to the President and director of intergovernmental affairs.
Prior to joining the Obama Administration, she served as senior vice president for the Office of Research, Advocacy, and Legislation at the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the nation’s largest Latino civil rights organization.
She supervised NCLR’s policy staff, covering a variety of issues of importance to Latinos, including civil rights, employment, poverty, farmworker issues, education, health, housing and immigration. Her particular area of expertise is immigration policy, which she covered at NCLR for 20 years.
Ms. Muñoz was born in Detroit, and is the daughter of immigrants from Bolivia. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and her master’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley. In 2000, she was awarded a MacArthur Foundation fellowship in recognition of her work on immigration and civil rights.
JULIE PACKARD
Julie Packard, founding director of the non-profit Monterey Bay Aquarium, will be awarded an honorary doctoral degree at the ceremony.
The first person to receive an honorary doctor of science degree from CSUMB, Ms. Packard and the aquarium have become a force for advancing ocean conservation worldwide through the aquarium’s exhibits and programs, and its work in scientific research, education and public policy.
Ms. Packard chairs the board of the independent Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and serves on the boards of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and The California Nature Conservancy.
She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, was named a California Coastal Hero by the California Coastal Commission and has received the Audubon Medal for Conservation. Ms. Packard also served as a member of the Pew Oceans Commission, which published a blueprint for improving governance of America’s ocean waters, and in 2013 was appointed to California’s Parks Forward Commission to help develop a sustainable path for California’s state parks. “Each of these leaders impacts the world in meaningful ways," said President Eduardo Ochoa. "Cecilia Munoz continues to show that committed leaders can make a real difference for our nation. Julie Packard’s work has been instrumental in raising awareness of how dependent we all are on the health of our marine environments.
“They represent the values that CSU Monterey Bay works to impart to its students: to find opportunities to be of service to the local, national and global communities.”
CSUMB’s 18th commencement will take place at 10 a.m. in Freeman Stadium on the CSUMB campus with President Eduardo Ochoa presiding. Approximately 1,450 students will receive bachelor’s and master’s degrees; about 8,000 familty members and friends are expected to attend. Learn more about commencement.
This semester, students from CSU Monterey Bay explored Fort Ord in an environmental filmmaking class. The results of that exploration will be presented May 9 at the Museum of Art and History in Santa Cruz.
The showing is part of Planet Ord, a multi-media exhibition curated by CSUMB professor Enid Baxter Ryce that will be on display through July 20. The presentation of student work is one of several special programs offered during the course of the show.
The students’ work – photography, sculpture and film – is based on their research into the ecology and history of the fort.
Fort Ord – once the largest military base in the American West – was a vital center during much of the 20th century. More than a million people lived and worked at the base, embedding the current architectural ruin with layers of murals and traces of their lives.
The May 9 event will feature work by:
• Lorraine Cardoza and Neal Allen – Restoration: The Watershed Institute of CSU Monterey Bay
• Danika Cauthen-Wright and Sydney Thomas – Light pollution and sense of place
• Trinh Dinh and Nolan Farrel – Sudden oak death in Central California
• Anthony Ertola – Water consumption on the golf courses of the former Fort Ord
• Brett Granados – Landfill contamination on Fort Ord
• Amy Ochoa – Domesticated coyotes of Fort Ord
• Efren Lopez – Fort Ord: Then and Now
• Anthony Rodriguez – The plight of homeless veterans in the Fort Ord community
• Elizabeth Schurig – Invasive species impact on Fort Ord’s maritime chaparral
• Lucas O. Seastrom – Life in Fort Ord’s microclimates
• Kyle Stueve – Nature’s reclamation of Fort Ord’s buildings
TAT 424 tumblr, where students post their findings and works in progress
For the fourth consecutive year, CSU Monterey Bay has been named one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in North America.
CSUMB is included in the 2014 edition of “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges.” The guide is a free, downloadable book published in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Center for Green Schools.
In the book, CSUMB is lauded for having a "formidable green pedigree."
The guide noted that CSUMB was an early signatory of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, and is working toward its goal of being carbon-neutral by 2030 through projects such as the six-acre solar installation that is meeting 16 percent of the university's electricity needs.
Also drawing praise was the university’s food service, which includes organic foods, compostable packaging and serving products and recycling of cooking oil. All buildings on campus have designated recycling areas, and the ubiquity of the blue recycle bins has helped the university achieve a 42 percent waste diversion rate. Even more impressive, according to the guide, is that 90 percent of campus buildings have undergone energy-related retrofits in the last few years. The green learning opportunities, which allow students to take courses in subjects as diverse as environmental writing and food ethics, were also cited. The guide pointed out that the commitment to green continues all the way to graduation – when students cross the stage to receive their degrees in gowns sewn with material made from recycled plastic bottles. The guide is based on a survey the company conducted in 2013. It asked administrators at hundreds of colleges about their institution’s sustainability-related policies, practices and programs. Using survey data that covered 25 fields, the guide tallied its “Green Ratings” – scores from 60 to 99 – for more than 800 schools. The schools in the guide earned scores of 83 or above.
Learn more about sustainability at CSUMB. Read the university's Climate Action Plan.
. . . The Otters are ranked fourth in the nation in Division II. Yet they remain humble in their success, driven by determination. – Monterey Herald, April 12, 2014
A woolly mammoth was spotted this week outside CSUMB's Tanimura and Antle Library. It's an eight-foot-high art project to celebrate Earth Day. – Monterey County Weekly, April 17, 2014
"We've become a first-choice school. The demand keeps going up." – Monterey County Weekly, April 17, 2014
As they prepare for the postseason, the CSU Monterey Bay men's golfers are on a roll. – Monterey Herald, April 19, 2014
The point person to President Obama on immigration reform will deliver the keynote address at this year's commencement ceremony at CSU Monterey Bay. Cecilia Muñoz, the highest-ranking Latina in the White House, is director of the Domestic Policy Council. – The Salinas Californian, April 30, 2014
Marina Rico, the youngest of seven siblings, grew up in an agricultural area of Monterey County. Her parents did not finish the second grade.
The school system failed to inspire her to continue her education, but at the last minute she enrolled in the local community college. With assistance from support programs at Hartnell College, she transferred to CSU Monterey Bay two years later and was admitted into the university’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP).
Like most first-generation college students, she had no one to help her navigate the university. However, in EOP, “I got a lot of personal support from people who believed in my ability to continue my education. I never felt judged about where I came from.” Rico said.
She took advantage of the services EOP offered, and on May 2, she and 63 other students will be honored at the sixth annual Educational Opportunity Program and TRiO Student Support Services (SSS) Senior Celebration.
It’s just the first celebration Rico will attend. At the May 16 Honors Convocation, she’ll receive this year’s Alumni Vision Award, given to a member of the graduating class who exemplifies CSUMB’s vision of diversity, academic excellence and service. The next day, she’ll be awarded a bachelor’s degree in psychology at commencement.
EOP and SSS are designed to support and retain low-income and educationally disadvantaged students in their pursuit of a college degree. Services include academic advising, peer mentoring and support, academic and personal development workshops, and cultural enrichment activities.
All are intended to help students realize their potential and create a better future for themselves, their families and their communities.
Like Rico, most EOP and SSS participants are the first in their families to attend a university. They face more challenges – socially, economically and academically – than traditional students. Despite the additional obstacles, the retention rate for EOP and SSS students has consistently exceeded the retention rate of the total CSUMB student population.
“EOP helped me to believe in myself,” Rico said. And that was all she needed.
Emily Aiken sounds like a campus recruiter when she explains why she chose CSU Monterey Bay for graduate school.
“It’s got a booming marine science program,” she said, “and an excellent faculty who are actively involved in research and serve as great advisers.”
Then she shifts into Chamber-of-Commerce mode and mentions the close proximity to a pristine coastline, the “incredible” diving and recreational opportunities, and “breathtaking landscapes and seascapes.”
Aiken is about to graduate with a degree in marine science and has chosen to stay at CSUMB to pursue a master’s degree in Applied Marine and Watershed Science.
The Morongo Valley native has gotten help to cover the costs: she has been awarded a coveted Nancy Foster Scholarship by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.
The scholarship will give her $42,000 a year for two years to cover the cost of tuition and provide salary and travel support.
Aiken will work in CSUMB’s Institute for Applied Marine Ecology (IfAME). Her thesis will be developed around a remotely operated vehicle project in the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, looking at the distribution of fishes relative to deep water corals.
During three years with the university’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center, she led several underwater projects, participated in research cruises and collaborated with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary to conserve its resources.
“My long-term goal is to continue my involvement with the marine sanctuaries in conserving our nation’s natural and cultural heritage through research and public outreach,” she said.
Aiken is the third CSUMB graduate student in the last four years to be awarded a Foster scholarship.
The Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship program recognizes outstanding scholarship and encourages independent graduate-level research in marine sciences – particularly by female and minority students. Only a few are awarded annually.
Congress authorized the program soon after Dr. Foster’s death in June 2000, as a means of honoring her life’s work as a marine scientist and her contribution to the nation.
To learn more about the master’s program in Applied Marine and Watershed Science, click here.
To learn more about the Institute for Applied Marine Ecology, click here.
Visitors to Point Lobos State Marine Reserve are now able to visualize what the undersea world looks like, thanks in part to work by students and staff members of CSU Monterey Bay’s Seafloor Mapping Lab.
Data collected by the lab was used to create a 3D model of the underwater park, which helps visitors understand what lies beneath the sea. Until now, only divers could experience the mysterious underwater seascape of Point Lobos, with its kelp forests, schools of fish and marine mammals.
The museum-quality model was years in the making. In 2010, members of the Bay Area Underwater Explorers (BAUE) began a project to fill the gaps in the existing mapping data. It quickly became apparent their approach wasn’t going to work – the area to be mapped was simply too big.
They turned to CSUMB’s Seafloor Mapping Lab and its director, Dr. Rikk Kvitek, for help. The lab used the KelpFly, a hybrid airboat/160-horsepower Yamaha watercraft with an array of sonar equipment, to map the terrain with great detail and accuracy.
The data collected by the KelpFly was used to create a foam model, which served as a cast for the 800-pound sand-colored concrete version. The model is now on display adjacent to the Whalers Cove parking lot.
Gary Banta, a diver with BAUE, spearheaded the project and raised funds to finance it. He told the Carmel Pine Cone “my hope is that this model will be a window to this stunning reserve, allowing generations of visitors to experience its wonders.”
Dr. Kvitek has mapped more than 1,200 square kilometers of California’s coastal waters, providing topographical data of the seafloor extending three miles from the coast. The KelpFly, named for an insect that lives on kelp, allows him to gather data in areas just along the shore that his larger research vessels can’t access, such as Whalers Cove.
The $300,000 craft can maneuver in water as shallow as 18 inches. It features an armored hull that allows it to bounce off rocks and a flotation collar that makes it stable in surf.
Learn more about the Seafloor Mapping Lab
Read about Dr. Kvitek and the KelpFly
Jessica Moss is this year’s recipient of the Monterey County Film Commission’s student scholarship.
Moss is a senior at Cal State Monterey Bay, where she studies Cinematic Arts and Technology. She plans to use the $2,000 grant to help with expenses for her capstone project, “The Maw,” an animated film short.
She chose the challenge of an animated film, which entails doing frame-by-frame traditional animation in addition to digital animation. It requires specialized equipment as well as an extended time commitment.
“With animation I will be drawing approximately 4,000 frames over the course of two semesters and three summer months,” Moss said. “Thanks to this award, I can upgrade equipment, purchase light boxes and more.”
As a student employee at CSUMB, she presents camera and after-effects workshops and helps other students with technical issues. She recently served as director of photography on a fellow student’s short film, “Will o’-the-Wisp.”
The annual Monterey County Film Commission’s Director Emeritus Richard Tyler Scholarship Award is named in memory of Tyler, who served for 20 years on the film commission’s board of directors. It was created to provide financial aid and incentive to students of film and beginning filmmakers who reside in Monterey County or are enrolled in a college or university in the county. The fund was established as a permanent endowment with the Community Foundation for Monterey County.
The scholarship was first awarded in 2008 and has gone to CSUMB students each year. Estee Blancher and Veronica Calvillo shared the inaugural award. In 2009, Juan Ramirez – who now works in the Cinematic Arts Department as a media specialist – was the winner. Rachel Asendorf received the award in 2010; Dominic Parisi won it in 2011; Joey Blackburn won in 2012, and Nicholas Fryou was last year’s recipient.
Learn more about the Cinematic Arts and Technology Department Learn more about the Monterey County Film Commission
Photo courtesy of the Monterey County Film Commission Jeff Clark, scholarship program chair and film commission board member, and winner Jessica Moss
8,000: Graduation tickets printed
6,500: Programs printed
6,000: Friends and family attending
4,500: Parking spaces
2,850: Rented chairs in stadium
**1,500: **Diploma folders prepared
1,447: Candidates for graduation (848 female, 599 male)
1,285: Number of bachelor’s degrees to be conferred
1,200: Students expected to participate in commencement (youngest 19, oldest 64, median age 23)
1,100: Caps and gowns purchased from bookstore
150: Minutes ceremony will last
125: Event volunteers
72: Police and other security personnel on duty
39: Members of commencement planning committee
28: Majors represented (most popular: business administration, 211 graduates; psychology, 174; kinesiology, 147; human communication, 126)
28: Students named Jessica in the graduating class
24: Veterans in the graduating class
19: States and territories represented in the graduating class
18: Countries represented in the graduating class (farthest: South Africa, Vietnam, India)
16: Students named Michael in the graduating class
8: Graduates celebrating birthdays on the day of commencement
5: Speakers on stage
1: Number of years it will take commencement coordinator Phyllis Grillo to plan commencement 2015 Read more about commencement here.
*Some numbers are estimates *
Alyssa Nally has been working with the Monterey chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, implementing the foundation’s Rise Above Plastics program. To fulfill a CSU Monterey Bay requirement that all students complete a capstone – a creative or research project – the marine science major developed a presentation for elementary school students. Nally’s presentation teaches the youngsters about the negative impacts of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems, and why it is important to reduce plastic consumption. She has given the presentation to hundreds of students in Marina and King City and hopes those children will spread the word to their families and friends, and to the community. Visual and Public Art major Rachell Hester’s capstone project – a 14-piece installation she calls Imperceptions – explores preconceived notions of outward appearance and deeper meaning. The portraits depict first impressions and challenge viewers to expand their narrow focus on individual stereotypes and open up to a bigger story. “The installation forces the viewer to step back in order to fully appreciate the magnitude of each subject and combined expressions,” Hester told the Otter Realm. Both projects fulfilled a requirement facing graduating seniors at colleges and universities across the country. By requiring a capstone project, the schools want undergraduates to pull together, synthesize and apply years of learning. At Cal State Monterey Bay, all students have been required to do capstone projects since the first graduating class in 1997. Some of those projects are archived in the campus library. (View the archive here.)
During the Capstone Festival held at the end of each semester, the campus takes on the feel of an intellectual marketplace. At recent festivals, a biology major presented a study of human stem cell proliferation, a social and behavioral sciences major looked at women police officers in American society and a psychology student examined the socialization of sarcasm. ????Business students, working in teams, presented strategic business plans for local companies and organizations.???? A World Languages and Cultures student gave a 25-minute talk – entirely in Japanese – on the arguments for and against changing Article 9 of the Japanese constitution. A PowerPoint presentation running in the background provided the information in English.?? And a music major – with help from his friends – performed a three-movement piece he composed for a brass quartet.???? While the projects require a great deal of time and effort, they’re worth it. Research by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU) has found that capstone projects are a high-impact educational practice. Participation in these practices can be “life-changing,” according to the AACU's research. "Increasingly, people want to know what students can do with their learning and how they can apply that learning across all the courses in their college," the AACU’s Carol Grear Schneider told the Los Angeles Times. ??In addition, she told The Times, colleges want to do a better job of preparing graduates for the demands of the job market and graduate schools. The capstones, she said, help students "become people who can problem-solve and produce something of high quality." ????Research by the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) shows a steady increase in those completing capstones. In 2013, 45 percent of students reported doing such a project compared to nine percent in 2000.???? Campus-wide requirements like the one at CSUMB are most common at liberal arts colleges, where 74 percent of students reported completing a capstone project in 2013. At large research universities, 45 percent of students produced capstones that year, according to NSSE. The capstone festival is scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, May 14, 15 and 16. The public is invited. For a schedule by academic department, click here.???? The Cinematic Arts and Technology capstone program will be held twice, starting at 1 and 6 p.m., May 15, in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue. To see a list of projects that will be shown, click here.
"We See It This Way," an exhibit of student capstones, is on display at the National Steinbeck Center
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.?
Photo and information on Alyssa Nally's project from Division of Science and Environmental Policy.
Eight summer faculty projects in the area of innovative teaching and learning have been funded through the generous support of the CSUMB Foundation board’s annual fund.???? The projects are focused on innovative ways to serve students, and include approaches that address scalability, use of technology, and incorporation of new pedagogies
Faculty projects from across the university have been funded: Name, department, project description • Ajit Abraham, Social, Behavioral and Global Studies, Globalization: U.S.-India 2.0 collaborative course • Jennifer Dyer-Seymour, Mrinal Sinha and Jill Yamashita, Social, Behavioral and Global Studies, Team-based active learning in introductory psychology • Arlene Haffa and Henrik Kibak, Science and Environmental Policy, Frequent and relevant feedback – virtually! • Myriam Kod, Science and Environmental Policy, Technology innovations in project-based learning case study model • Ruben Mendoza, Social, Behavioral and Global Studies, Visualizing archaeology: A practice-based approach to lab and field methods • Sandra Robinson and Kristen La Follette,? Humanities and Communication, Bridging digital communication spheres and classroom practice • Swarup Wood, Science and Environmental Policy, Images for teaching and learning critical thinking • Suzanne Worcester, Science and Environmental Policy, Incorporating “Teaching Naked” pedagogy into the new BIO 211 “Ecology, Evolution, Biodiversity and Plants” course
Tina Banks has beaten the odds.
Of the approximately 800,000 military veterans attending college, more than 80 percent drop out of school during their first year and only 3 percent graduate, according to a report by the University of Colorado Denver. Many former service members who are adept at patching wounded soldiers, defusing bombs or tracking the enemy have a difficult time navigating a college campus or completing a class assignment. The reasons vary. For those experiencing post-traumatic stress syndrome, anxiety and sleeplessness are often triggered by daily stress – for example, by exams. Banks was a U.S. Air Force medic who had to deal with severe symptoms of PTSD as a result of her service. She went through counseling at the Veterans Administration and tried various medications, but finally found an answer through a group called Four Paws for Vets, which matched her with Hans, a service dog. “Hans keeps a block between me and other people, lets me know if someone is approaching me from the rear, picks up things that I drop and even wakes me when I have nightmares,” she said. Before Hans, Banks said she was a disabled veteran, agoraphobic, and with a poor quality of life. “Since getting Hans, I’m a disabled vet who leaves the house at will and lives life undaunted.” As part of regaining her life and independence, she and Hans came to CSU Monterey Bay. “I decided to get my degree to further push myself through the struggles I have being around a lot of people,” Banks said.
“Now here I am, two years later, graduating with honors, navigating the world with less anxiety and living a life rich with friends and a new-found hope for my life. CSUMB made a difference for me and Hans.” The human communication major – she has pursued a concentration in creative writing and social action – is a more polished writer than when she came to the university. “I’ll be working on my own book of short stories this summer,” she said. “My life now is like night and day. I’m doing so much better than I was four years ago, and I may even retire Hans within the next year or two.” Learn about veterans services at CSUMB
Photos courtesy of Tina Banks Top: Banks and Hans At right: Hans in his custom-made mortarboard and bow tie
While most capstone projects are displayed during the end-of-semester campus-wide festival at Cal State Monterey Bay, for years a few have been exhibited at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas.
This year, the center showcased the work of three Visual and Public Art students, two Human Communication students and an Integrated Studies major who combined art and psychology.
“The students conceptualize, design, create and install their work for public viewing,” said Deborah Silguero, curator of exhibitions and collections and a lecturer in CSUMB’s museum studies program. “This is their first time presenting in a museum setting.”
The exhibit, “We See It This Way,” opened in conjunction with the annual Steinbeck Festival in early May. It will remain on display through June.
Visual and Public Art student Kirsten Brown’s curatorial project, “Creativity in Camouflage: Soldier Art and the Matter of Morale,” represents a connection between the Central Coast’s art and military histories and provides a look at military training from a psychological point of view.
Vietnam-era soldiers in Fort Ord’s arts and crafts program created the artwork in her exhibit. Most of the artists are unknown.
Other capstones in the exhibit include:
• Stacey Limone (VPA), Light Alchemy: Photographic Representations of Spiritual Transformation
• Emily Thompson (Integrated Studies), Things Concealed: Art as Therapy
• Alyssa Thompson (VPA), Salinas: What’s the Object?
• Sarah Hollingsworth and Veronica Griffith (HCom), Oral Histories of Chinatown: Embracing the Street
Photographs by Monterey Peninsula College student Patrick Russo are also included in the exhibit.
“I see the students go from being somewhat overwhelmed with anxiety to overjoyed with personal success,” Silguero said.
“I’m proud to say that many of these students go successfully off to work in the museum field, education and art.”
Read more about the Capstone Festival at CSUMB
Cecilia Muñoz, an adviser to President Obama and director of the Domestic Policy Council, delivered the commencement speech at CSU Monterey Bay on May 17, 2014.
Here are her remarks:
I’d like to start by congratulating the Class of 2014 — you look pretty good!
My oldest daughter graduated from college two weeks ago, so I know as a proud parent, exactly how much work, how many tears, and how little sleep went into this moment for so many of you. You should be extremely proud – I know your families are. Parents, friends, thank-you for everything you did to get them to this day. This is for you.
I’m also honored to be with you on this special day.
Especially because, like some of you, I’m the daughter of immigrants. My parents came as newlyweds from La Paz, Bolivia, to the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan, of all places – clearly they didn’t move for the weather. They didn’t have much, but they had one really huge asset: my dad had a degree from the University of Michigan. My mother, like many women of her generation, never went to college – it wasn’t really a possibility for most Bolivian women. But she made good and sure that, from the moment we were born, her daughters and her sons knew that we would go to college. That education made everything possible for my parents – and for the relatives who followed us to the United States. Because of it, my dad got a job in the auto industry, my parents were able to live in a safe neighborhood, save for retirement, and educate their kids. The American Dream was real for my parents, all because my dad had access to a first rate education exactly like the one we are celebrating today. And what I work on – what I fight for every single day as part of the Obama Administration, is to make that same opportunity available – and affordable – for every American. That’s why your achievement means so much. This is the kind of country where you can come from humble origins, and find yourself working in the White House. Your education makes anything possible. In your time here, you have learned: How to think. How to write. How to make an argument and support it with facts. How to engage people from a wide variety of backgrounds. How to respect others ideas, and how to challenge other’s ideas. This university has such a unique history. As one of the country’s newest colleges, your school’s leaders – like President Ochoa, who we’re proud to say also served in the Obama Administration – laid out a plan to increase access to a quality, affordable higher education in your communities. That’s why over a third of your students are from neighboring counties – and many of you are using your skills to improve the communities in which you grew up. Many of you are also blazing new trails for your families – over half of you are among the first generation of your family to go to college. Which is awesome! This history – your history – and what it took to get you here, means a lot to me, because my story – my family’s story is all about the power of education to shape a life and to shape a country. But this is your graduation, and I’m your commencement speaker, so this can’t be a speech about what you already know – this has to be a speech about imparting new knowledge and wisdom, and telling you what the real world is like. So, as someone who advises the most powerful man in the world, and more importantly, as a mom, my first piece of advice is: Never stop the quest for learning which brought you to this school. You learned a lot, but you don’t know everything yet. And sometimes knowing what you don’t know is a very powerful thing. For example, when you’re in the Oval Office briefing the President and he asks you something point blank, and you don’t know the answer – at that very moment you have a couple of choices.
You can:
1) Make up an answer and hope that it doesn’t inadvertently lead to major crisis or economic collapse. 2) Tell the President you don’t have the answer for him, but that you’ll get it right away. I would choose and have chosen No. 2. And as you start your professional life, I would encourage you to do the same. Knowing what you don’t know, and filling those gaps by asking questions will get you a lot farther than faking answers. My second piece of advice: Build on the spirit of service that you built here. I know that’s a core principle here at CSUMB – you all contribute nearly 60,000 hours of service every year. Wow! Now this should also come with a word of caution – that spirit of service may become your life’s work (and it’s not necessarily a lucrative line of work). When I got to college, I volunteered with organizations that worked with immigrants – it was a natural fit. That volunteer work led me to my first job, providing services to immigrants, which led to me to an important discovery: I wasn’t really very good at direct service. But what I was really good at was public policy and advocacy. That discovery took me to Washington, to a career of 20 years at the National Council of La Raza, a policy and advocacy organization that works to make the country better by focusing on Hispanic Americans like me. And while working on a major immigration bill – the same immigration reform we are still trying to pass, by the way – I met a new senator from Illinois named Barack Obama. He was the kind of senator who called you in for briefings, asked tough questions, and called you on your cell phone if he had more questions. This may surprise you, but that’s unusual behavior for a senator. When he was elected President and asked me to serve, I hesitated. Actually, to be honest, I said no. I had teenagers at home and was worried about being a good mom …. You know how the story turns out – He persuaded me to say join him. And while doing this job asks a lot of my family, I think even my daughters would say that they’re glad that I said yes to serving my country. And I should throw in here, that if your own spirit of service interests you in a job in the Obama Administration – President Obama has been dedicated to recruiting the best and the brightest young people to serve. But that starts with people like you showing interest. And the first step to that is visiting apply.whitehouse.gov and telling us all about you. Or if you want to reach out directly you can email presidentialpersonneloffice@who.eop.gov.
OK – got that? Apply.whitehouse.gov. And while I am giving practical advice – here’s another piece: make sure you have health insurance! If you’re under 26 and your parents have coverage, you can now stay on your parents’ plan. And regardless of your age, if you are losing your student health insurance, you can go to Healthcare.gov any time of the year and check out your options. This will make your Mom happy. This is how the real work in Washington gets done, from the podium at commencement. OK, back to the advice portion of our program. My third piece of advice: Continue to engage with the people around you, especially those who are different from you.
Now if your college experience was anything like mine, stepping onto campus may have been your first experience with people that were very different from you.
I can remember in college, explaining the ñ in my name, and meeting people from rural communities and big cities – people whose experience growing up was very different from mine.
I soon discovered that I learned just as much from my peers as I did from attending class.
And you know what, engaging those around you becomes no less important in your professional life. I work with colleagues from a wide variety of backgrounds, from CEOs to doctors to elected officials, and we all need to speak the same language to accomplish our work.
Fourth piece of advice: Learn to discern sense from all of the noise, and even indulge in a little peace and quiet every now and then.
Now this may seem impossible and I can relate to that feeling.
At the moment, I have two different cells phones on me, I have a home phone number and a work phone number, I have a work e-mail address and a personal e-mail address. The two phones in my pocket receive a constant stream of emails and text messages.
And naturally I’m also on twitter – you can follow me at Cecilia44 – a revelation that still surprises and provides me grudging respect from my two daughters.
And trust me, the President and his Chief of Staff know all of this. And they still let me have a Twitter account. But I’m not here to advocate for a fear of technology.
I’m not advocating for a return to the typewriter.
Technology has given us the ability to keep in touch with old friends, to help our organizations make split-second decisions, to start a social movement from our phones. One of the reasons I’m allowed to actually leave the office is because I have my work blackberry strapped to me at all times, which allows me to basically do my job from anywhere.
But – if we’re not careful – this nonstop flow of information will take away something very precious: the time to think. We run the risk of developing incredible knowledge, and no understanding whatsoever. If you can’t evaluate, and judge, and decompress, it’s impossible to make good decisions.
I say this from experience. My job is a high velocity job. Issues come at you quickly – sometimes you have to make split-second decisions on issues that affect millions of lives.
And as the President likes to say, the easy decisions don’t make their way to his desk – the ones that work their way up to him are the hard ones – challenges that don’t have great answers, that require taking risks.
And sometimes he will say, I’m going to take some time to reflect on this. He knows that sometimes you need some silence and some space to make sure you have considered all of the angles. A crisis may look different with a little bit of distance. That’s wisdom.
So shut out the noise sometimes. Give yourself some space to think.
Final piece of advice: Always be grateful to the people who got you here, and pay it forward by helping others achieve their dreams.
You have heard my family’s story. I come into my office in the West Wing every day remembering that the American dream was real for my parents – that’s how I can be standing here today with the profound honor that you’ve asked me to share this special day with you.
I am aware every day that my job is to make sure those doors of opportunity that were open for my parents and for me are open for everybody in this country. It’s a solemn obligation – it feels sacred to me. And I hope you find ways to pay it forward yourselves, because this country needs your hearts, your hands, and your good ideas.
So let me close by emphasizing that last point. Your future success – your children’s ability to participate in an economy that continues to grow, that makes the American Dream possible for everybody, hinges on the decisions policymakers are making now. We are engaged in debates that will affect your lives directly, on things like making college affordable and managing student debt, ensuring that women receive equal pay for equal work. Fixing our broken immigration system, tackling climate change, ensuring everybody has access to affordable health care, creating good jobs that pay a decent living in all regions of the country – making sure we build ladders of opportunity for those still struggling to reach the middle class – these are the challenges we will face together. This is the work my generation will hand off to yours. Our success hinges on your generation’s ability to engage and make an argument. It hinges on your generation’s creativity, drive, and desire to make this country and this world a better place for everyone. It’s a darned good thing you have such a good education. You have a lot on your shoulders. Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your special day – good luck. I can’t wait to see what you’ll do.
On a breezy, sunny morning, Cecilia Muñoz urged the graduates of California State University, Monterey Bay to maintain the quest for learning that brought them to the university.
Ms. Muñoz, an adviser to President Obama and director of the Domestic Policy Council, was the keynote speaker at the university’s May 17 commencement.
Approximately 1,440 students were awarded bachelor’s and master’s degrees and teaching credentials before a capacity crowd of 8,000 in the university’s stadium.
Ms. Muñoz reminded the audience that CSUMB students contribute 60,000 hours of community service each year and urged the graduates to build on that spirit of service as they leave the university.
“This should come with a word of caution – that spirit of service may become your life’s work,” she said. She advised graduates to continue to engage with the people around them, “especially those who are different from you.” And, she suggested that they indulge in a little peace and quiet every now and then.
Her last piece of advice: “Always be grateful to the people who got you here, and pay it forward by helping others achieve their dreams.”
Director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Julie Packard urged the graduates to action.
Ms. Packard was awarded an honorary doctor of science degree at the ceremony. She and the aquarium have become a force for advancing ocean conservation worldwide through the aquarium’s exhibits and programs, and its work in scientific research, education and public policy.
“The ocean is central to our lives,” she said. “It’s our pantry, our lungs, our playground. It’s a massive driver of global commerce and an incubator for innovative technologies that will drive our future.”
She told the students “unless we wake up and attend to the nature that sustains us, we won’t be able to pursue our dreams and aspirations, whatever they may be.
“You have the power for change,” she reminded them. “Use it.”
The ceremony opened with the traditional welcome in Spanish, Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese, delivered by the members of the faculty. Student speaker Alijah Jade Marquez, winner of the President’s Award for Exemplary Student Achievement, was next on the podium. She reminded students that everyone has the ability to impact the world, by saving the life of a friend or influencing the lives of millions. “No act is insignificant,” she said.
Dr. David Anderson from the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies, and Dr. Josina Makau from the Division of Humanities and Communication, were awarded emeritus status acknowledging their service to the university.
More than 100 incoming eighth-graders will spend the last days of their summer break immersed in math at the Bruce W. Woolpert Algebra Academy, which began Aug. 7 at Graniterock headquarters in Watsonville.
This is the fifth year Graniterock has opened its doors to provide a fun, safe environment for students to sharpen their algebra skills with college professors, including Dr. Hongde Hu of CSU Monterey Bay, providing instruction. Classes are held Aug. 7, 8, 11 and 12 at Graniterock’s corporate office in Watsonville. Students will visit CSU Monterey Bay for a field trip and additional algebra work on Aug. 13. The academy graduation ceremony will take place Aug. 14 at the E.A. Hall Middle School in Watsonville. Dr. Hu said his job is to inspire students, to show them they can crack the mysteries of math. He’s quick to add that he’s not just teaching math. “We are teaching habits of mind,” he said. “I want to make these students good citizens as well as good students.” Research examining 24,000 students in two dozen California school districts found that students already doing well in math in the seventh grade are more likely to take advanced math courses in high school and meet college entrance requirements. But for many students who struggle with math in grade seven, there is no clear path to learning and achievement. Dr. Hu uses math games, engaging presentations and curriculum he has been refining for years to reach those youngsters. Students who fail algebra and repeat the course are likely to fail again, a vicious cycle that wastes learning time and resources. That’s according to a study that was commissioned by the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning at WestEd and released in 2012. The Sacramento nonprofit focuses on policies and practices to improve teaching. (Read the WestEd report here.) And that reinforces a point Dr. Hu makes every chance he gets. Algebra is “the gateway” to studies in college, he says. “Without it, there’s no way students continue.” The Algebra Academy was started in 2010 by Graniterock’s former President and CEO Bruce W. Woolpert and corporate counsel Kevin Jeffery, who were passionate about the education of local students. They believed in the importance of students having a strong foundation in mathematics. Woolpert and Jeffery invited Dr. Hu to work with students at Watsonville’s Rolling Hills Middle School for the first Algebra Academy, and the program has grown in interest and impact from those beginnings.
Since the program started, four schools have been added and the enrollment has doubled from 55 to 110. Field trips to CSUMB and UC Santa Cruz have been added. Math festivals and math clubs have been developed at participating schools.
“Throughout high school, the RISE program had a strong impact on my decision to pursue a degree in biology,” said Charn Singh, who just finished her junior year at CSU Monterey Bay.
“RISE expanded my interest in science and provided me invaluable support and guidance.”
Singh’s experience is exactly what the RISE – Recruitment in Science Education – program was created to do.
This year’s class of 32 high school students attended a graduation ceremony at CSUMB on May 21.
RISE recruits high school students from underrepresented backgrounds and involves them in hands-on activities and fields trips. Its goals: to expose them to science, encourage them to attend college and pursue a STEM – science, technology, engineering, math – major. The mission is to enhance diversity in the sciences.
It works. All of this year’s graduates are planning to attend a two-year or four-year college or university; 11 have been accepted to CSUMB. Those heading to four-year schools receive a $1,000 scholarship; the community college students are given $500 per year. Once in college, those who pursue a STEM major are eligible to renew their scholarships.
Each year, a new crop of ninth-graders is recruited based on recommendations from teachers and counselors. They meet once a week; the continuing students meet separately. Sessions are held at Marina and North Salinas high schools.
The RISE curriculum supplements what the students are learning at school. They learn science concepts, research methods and lab techniques as well as academic skills. They also visit college campuses, where they can sometimes connect with RISE alumni.
“RISE helped me to set goals and prepare for college,” said Dalia Rojas, a psychology major at CSUMB who will be a junior in the fall. “RISE exposed me to different experiences. I am grateful for all of these experiences and trips that I took with the RISE program because it helped shape me to be the person I am today.”
The RISE program was created in 1998 by a gift from the Berkshire Foundation. For more information, contact program coordinator Louie Okamoto at 582-4556 or visit the program online.
This year’s graduates:
From Everett Alvarez High: Paola Chavez, Spencer Harvey, Arturo Quezada
From Marina High: Bhavik Chand, Jessie Dowding, Mylieneth Guiang, Ginnette Hamelin, Berenice Hernandez, Karina Hernandez, Sally Jimenez, Jennifer Maldonado, Monica Montano, Daniel Mora, Christine Nguyen, Hoa Nguyen, Jennifer Rodriguez Cortez, Lizbeth Rubio, Xochilt Saltillan Ruiz, Galen Trigg
From Monterey High: Kimberly Bonilla, Andrea Diaz, Adriana Juarez
From North Salinas High: Guadalupe Anguiano, Jasmin Carcamo, Jose Cortez, Teresa Isarraras, Bianca Jaramillo, Sarahi Manzo, Lissa Ramos, Arnulfo Soria, Miguel Torres
From Seaside High: Adriana Hernandez
. . . the method proved impractical, so they turned to the Cal State Monterey Bay seafloor mapping lab, which used a jet-ski-based, multi-beam sonar platform to map the terrain with great detail and accuracy. –* Carmel Pine Cone*, May 2, 2014
CSUMB is included in the 2014 edition of "The Princeton Review's Guide to 322 Green Colleges." The university is cited for having a "formidable green pedigree." – The Salinas Californian, May 5, 2014
The CSU Monterey Bay men's golf team took fourth place in the West/South Central Regional at Grey Rock Golf Club in Austin, Texas, to earn a berth in the NCAA Division II National Championship. – Monterey Herald, May 8, 2014
It took an extra game, and a come-from-behind win, but CSU Monterey Bay's softball team is on its way to the NCAA Super Regionals. – Monterey Herald, May 11, 2014
Come Saturday, Sandra Zuniga will have a new field to explore – mathematics at the graduate studies level. The daughter of a farm worker family from east Salinas will join 1,446 other graduates at the 18th commencement ceremonies at Cal State Monterey Bay. –* The Salinas Californian*, May 13, 2014
CSU Monterey Bay is rapidly gaining a reputation for being environmentally responsible – right down to the gowns that graduates will wear on Saturday. – Monterey Herald, May 16, 2014
. . . Cecilia Muñoz, assistant to President Obama and director of the Domestic Policy Council will be the commencement speaker. – Monterey Herald, May 17, 2014
CSU Monterey Bay has recently added to its collection of historically significant works of art.
“The Pageant of Transportation in California,” a sweeping depiction of industrialization in the state, was installed in the library in May as a long-term loan from the Monterey Museum of Art.
The mural, by Dean Cornwell, includes images of Spanish colonization, pioneers crossing the desert in covered wagons, construction of the railroad and an urban environment.
According to a story in the Monterey Herald in April 2012, the mural has “a shape designed to fit a peaked roof and a hole cut in the center for a ticket booth.”
Dr. Lila Staples, chair of the Visual and Public Art Department and a member of the university’s art committee, was instrumental in bringing it to campus.
“I’m happy to have it on loan from the Monterey Museum of Art for several reasons” she said. “It fits with our pride of place. It fits in with our already acquired murals, and it works seamlessly with our art department’s vision of art as a social process,” she said.
Dr. Staples pointed out that, given its subject matter, the mural also offers an excellent opportunity for discussion about changing social values and perspectives.
Library director Bill Robnett; Dr. Ilene Feinman, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; the University Art Committee; and Kathleen Ventimiglia, director for Campus Planning and Development, facilitated the acquisition.
It is the fourth major piece acquired by the university.
In 2002, CSUMB officially accepted as permanent loans from the U.S. Army two murals that grace the walls of the University Center:
• “Point Lobos,” a piece by Alison Stilwell Cameron (1921-1991) that was once displayed in Stilwell Hall on the former Fort Ord. The piece, painted in 1942 as part of a Works Progress Administration project, depicts the cypress trees of Point Lobos State Reserve overlooking Monterey Bay.
• “Los Californios,” a mural by Merlin Hardy (1910-1984). Hardy also painted for the WPA.
In 2003, the university acquired “Incoming Tide,” a mural by well-known Japanese-American artist Chiura Obata (1885-1975) that hangs on a wall in the library atrium. Painted in 1948 for a Japanese restaurant in the Monterey area, “Incoming Tide” (pictured at right) is an image of Point Lobos.
Top photo: Detail from "The Pageant of Transportation in California," by Dean Cornwell. Image from the Monterey Museum of Art Middle photo: The mural as it hangs in the Tanimura & Antle library
A video telling the story of CSUMB has taken a top honor in the CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) Circle of Excellence competition. The awards program is open to member colleges, universities, independent schools and nonprofits around the world.
The CASE awards “acknowledge superior accomplishments that have lasting impact and demonstrate the highest level of professionalism. Winning programs epitomize the profession’s best practices and raise standards,” according to the organization's website. “Doing What Matters,” a documentary produced by Mac and Ava Motion Pictures of Monterey, was awarded a silver medal in the “long video” category. Duke University won the gold medal while Oregon State finished third among 34 entries in the category. The video is an offshoot of the "Doing What Matters" advertising campaign launched by University Communications in 2013. Both highlight work the university, its students and faculty have done that matters to the region and beyond. “Doing What Matters” picks up where the 10-year anniversary video, “Bayonets to Baccalaureates” – also produced by Mac and Ava – left off. That piece told the story of CSUMB’s founding after the decommissioning of Fort Ord. The new video looks forward to the future and discusses President Ochoa's view of where the university is headed in the next decade. View the three-minute version here. View the 11minute version here.
“I know I made the right decision coming to CSUMB,” said Lilyana Gross. “The school and the faculty have gotten me where I am today.”
That would be Harvard, where she is spending the summer at the School of Public Health’s Department of Biostatistics, taking classes in epidemiology and working on statistical methods used in HIV/AIDS research.
Gross, a senior from Oceanside, spent last summer at North Carolina State University, conducting research on the spread of illicit drugs by modeling methamphetamine use as a disease moving through the population. Both placements came through CSUMB’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center or UROC, where she is a McNair Scholar. She’s quick to point out that the mentorship she has received through UROC has been critical to her success.
“My mentor, Dr. Judith Canner, and other faculty at UROC have taught me that I have the strength, ability and capacity to attain my career and academic goals,” she said. Those goals include entering a doctoral program in mathematics and statistics with applications to biology and public health. Her career goals are to become a university faculty member, conduct biostatistics research and mentor students. Volleyball brought her to CSUMB. “I was recruited to play for the Otters. Though I had a handful of schools recruiting me, I committed to CSUMB because of the fantastic biology program,” she said. The university’s proximity to the beach didn’t hurt, and she also liked the “culture emphasizing the empowerment of first-generation, low-income students.”
Her switch to math came about “serendipitously,” she said, when two things happened: she realized she enjoyed the math component of her science classes, and “Professor Heath Proskin’s enthusiasm in multivariate calculus inspired me," she said.
Learn about the math and statistics progam at CSUMB.
Rising to the north of campus is a four-story student housing project, set to open in the fall of 2015.
As the student population at CSU Monterey Bay grows, so does the need for housing. When the project, called the Promontory at CSUMB, comes online, it will provide nearly 600 beds configured in 176 units in three buildings. While a final decision has yet to be made, it is likely the Promontory will house juniors and seniors, much like the North Quad complex.
The eight-acre site is located at Eighth Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues, a short walk to the main campus. A maintenance shop used by the military for small arms and vehicle repair occupied the site and was demolished as part of the project.
AMCAL Equities of Agoura Hills, the developer, describes the design as “a modern exterior with varied materials and prominent corners.” Plans are not yet finalized for how the public spaces will be used, but they may include a fitness center, a community room, a landscaped courtyard, barbecue areas and bicycle storage. A parking lot for 400 cars is also included.
Top: Developer's rendering of the project Below: The construction site on June 11, 2014. Photo by Patia Stephens
At Capitol Hill Ocean Week, held June 10-12, marine scientists and others interested in the state of the world’s oceans gathered in Washington, D.C.
Among them was CSU Monterey Bay Professor James Lindholm, who was there on behalf of the CSU Council on Ocean Affairs, Science and Technology (COAST).
He and several colleagues visited offices of elected officials and federal agencies to discuss contributions that the CSU has made to marine science.
For more than a decade, Capitol Hill Ocean Week (CHOW) has brought together leaders in marine conservation, policy, science and industry to tackle critical ocean issues. Hosted by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, CHOW provides an annual forum for discussions about the current state – and future – of our oceans and coasts.
While in Washington, Dr. Lindholm participated in a panel discussion on “Blue News: Casting a Wider Net.” He and several panelists, including National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Sylvia Earle, discussed science communication and the need to engage a wider audience while ensuring the information is accurate and objective.
Dr. Lindholm is the James W. Rote Distinguished Professor of Marine Science and Policy and director of the Institute for Applied Marine Ecology. His research interests include ecology of marine fishes, habitat response to fishing, and design and efficacy of marine protected areas.
Read the KAZU story on Dr. Lindholm's work in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
At an informal gathering on June 12, CSU Monterey Bay staff members were joined by representatives of the architect and contractor to sign a beam that will be used in construction of the Business and Information Technology building. The beam was covered in white material to accommodate the signatures. It will be used in a “topping off” ceremony, an event that marks the placement of the highest beam in the building, tentatively scheduled for June 20. The $43 million, 58,000-square-foot structure is on schedule to open in the fall of 2015. The technology-rich building, located next to the Tanimura & Antle library, will have eight classrooms, 12 labs, offices, conference rooms and student study areas. Sustainability strategies are incorporated into the design. Spaces are organized to ensure learning environments and staff areas receive natural light; storm water runoff will be contained on site; water conserving plumbing fixtures will be used; and heat-producing direct sunlight kept to a minimum with the exterior screen wall. The building has been designed to LEED Gold standards. View the construction site webcam
Above: Dr. Shyam Kamath, dean of the College of Business, signs the beam. Photo by Leslie Kavasch Below: Rendering of the Business and Information Technology Building, set to open in fall 2015
A group of CSU Monterey Bay students are spending June in Leon, Spain. Under the direction of Dr. Juan Jose Gutierrez, they are collecting and analyzing data, and getting service learning experience.
Brianna Skinner, Maria Andrea Cervantes, Yocelin Ruiz, Reyna Flores, Karina Gomez, Maria Rivera, Guddi Ramsaran, Llaritza Rodriguez and Susan Dyar are taking part in the ethnographic field research summer school sponsored by the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies and CSUMB’s Office of International Programs.
“Being drawn into a foreign culture the way we are in this program is the best way to learn about the history, local architecture, nature and dreams of other people,” Ruiz said.
During their stay, the students learn and apply basic methods of ethnographic data collection to gain a deeper understanding of the life and customs of rural communities in the province of Leon. Using techniques such as mapping, interviewing, genealogical studies and observation, students explore the past and present of these communities, which are still struggling with the collapse of the local mining industry and the downturn of the Spanish economy.
“The people are welcoming – not at first, as they seem to have a hard time opening up, but then they are helpful and welcoming,” Rivera said.
As for the service learning part of their stay, the students are helping the local chapter of the Red Cross in a variety of ways. Visiting villages to check the monitoring system the Red Cross has installed in the homes of senior citizens is their most important contribution. Dr. Gutierrez explained that because of the depopulation of the area, the Red Cross provides support for older people living on their own.
“. . . I particularly like the house visits with the elderly people of the communities to check the communication devices the Red Cross has installed in their homes,” Flores said. “The last time I went the couple we visited invited us to sit down, learn about the history of the community and see the things they have preserved from long ago.”
Learn more about CSUMB's summer field research school in Spain
Learn about international programs at CSUMB
Photo courtesy of Dr. Gutierrez
Student Susan Dyar notes on the group's Facebook page that she was able to find vegan-friendly food. "They even have artichokes that rival the Central Coast of California," she said in her post.
Ian Olden of CSU Monterey Bay was one of 28 students who attended the Panetta Institute for Public Policy’s annual Student Leadership Seminar in June.
Olden, a fourth-year psychology major from Inglewood, clearly has a passion for leadership. He was elected Associated Students president for the upcoming school year on a campaign platform of "Building a Better University." Last year, he served as AS vice president and has led the Residential Housing Association on campus.
He joined student leaders from throughout the California State University system as well as Saint Mary’s College of California and Santa Clara University at the eight-day program.
The objectives of the seminar are to teach young men and women about leadership principles, strategies and practices; to send them back to their campuses and communities as more effective leaders; and to encourage them to pursue lives of public service.
At the seminar, “You have the opportunity to speak to the former Secretary of Defense and CIA director,” Olden told local TV station KION, referring to Leon Panetta. “There is just no way that is not really cool.”
The week of seminars and exercises concluded June 21, when Olden and the other participants shared their goals for their home campuses and reflected on their own definitions of leadership.
For Olden, it was time well spent.
“You get to learn so much about compromise and legislation and it gives you insight into that you’re doing more than just talking about making a difference,” Olden told KION. “You’re learning how to make a difference.” Learn about Associated Students at CSUMB
Read more about the Student Leadership Institute at the Panetta Institute
CSU Monterey Bay faculty member Lisa Stewart is taking her research on work-family issues to a national stage.
Dr. Stewart, who teaches in the master of social work program, will take part in the White House Summit on Working Families in Washington, D.C., on June 23. The goal of the summit is to bring business leaders and policy makers, work-family advocates and scholars together to build a national strategy to support working families. “I was invited because my research focuses on the challenges employees with disability-related caregiving face when they combine that with paid employment,” Dr. Stewart said via email, as she was en route to a professional conference in New York.
Those challenges include maintaining employment, attaining a career trajectory and income security, she said. Dr. Stewart examines how caregiving and paid work intersect in different ways for people taking care of the disabled and those with typical caregiving experiences, such as caring for young children. Her work put her on the radar of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research; that group invited her to its Paid Family Leave Research Strategy Summit in 2012. That led to an invitation to the summit. Her work takes on added significance because of demographic shifts currently under way. “There has been a profound increase in the likelihood that one will be both working and providing disability-related caregiving for a portion of one’s working life,” she said. President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden will be in attendance. Learn more about the summit here.
Learn about the MSW program at CSUMB
CSU Monterey Bay President Eduardo Ochoa has joined more than 200 college and university leaders from 33 states in a new coalition, Higher Ed for Higher Standards, to mobilize in support of the Common Core State Standards.
Postsecondary leaders view the Common Core standards, with their focus on career and college readiness, as critical for improving student success.
“At Cal State Monterey Bay, we are committed to working collaboratively with local schools to help improve student performance. We want more of our young people to graduate from high school with the academic tools they will need to pursue a college degree,” President Ochoa said.
“The Common Core standards represent an important part of that effort, and we support them.”
Higher Ed for Higher Standards believes the Common Core standards can help colleges and universities in their efforts to reduce remediation rates and improve student success.
The Higher Ed for Higher Standards coalition is based on three principles:
Every state should insist on K-12 academic standards that adequately prepare students for college and careers so that every young person has the opportunity to pursue postsecondary education, or quality training and careers, after high school. The Common Core State Standards were developed by states to serve this goal and represent a significant improvement over most states’ previous standards.
New assessments aligned to the Common Core standards are equally critical. States’ current high school tests do not adequately measure whether students have mastered the new, higher standards. More sophisticated assessment instruments are necessary to provide better feedback to teachers, parents and students, and offer more meaningful information to colleges on students’ postsecondary preparation.
Higher education has a clear and compelling stake in this debate. Effective implementation of the Common Core standards and aligned assessments is an important step toward improving college readiness, reducing remediation rates and improving completion rates in two- and four-year institutions and job-training programs.
Wayne and Maureen Lavengood didn't need much convincing when it came to enlisting them to head up the "100 Who Care" campaign. The fundraiser is attempting to raise scholarship funds for individuals pursuing a master's degree in social work at CSUMB. – The Salinas Californian, May 30, 2014
Using the first-ever seafloor maps of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, marine biologists are now cataloging what lives there, and in the process helping those who manage the preserve. Dr. James Lindholm points to a video monitor in a research lab at the Institute for Applied Marine Ecology at CSU Monterey Bay and says, "We are going over a rocky reef." – KAZU (NPR affiliate), June 12, 2014
Jose Luis Alvarado, who has served as associate dean for the College of Education at San Diego State since 2010, has been named dean of CSU Monterey Bay's newly created College of Education. – Monterey Herald, June 15, 2014
From June 30 to July 26, a weekly slate of more than 30 guest lecturers and performers will offer a series of evening dance and musical programs plus talks on photography, mixed media and interactive art and sculpture. – The Salinas Californian, June 19, 2014
Lisa Stewart, an assistant professor in the social work program at CSU Monterey Bay, will be one of hundreds of participants at the White House Summit on Working Families, a gathering of stakeholders from different sectors who will discuss issues facing working families. – Monterey Herald, June 21, 2014
CSU Monterey Bay's master's degree in social work is now nationally accredited. The Council of Social Work Education has spent four years examining the program. Evaluators recently issued their report, granting initial accreditation through February 2018. – Monterey Herald, June 22, 2014
During June, small groups of aspiring filmmakers could be seen around campus. They aren’t college students – not yet anyway. The filmmakers are part of Imagine College, a program that allows high school students to get a taste of what college is all about.
The program brings about 180 students from Seaside High to campus for a trio of one-week sessions. They choose when they will attend based on which subject they want to study: creative writing was offered in weeks 1 and 2; filmmaking was offered in weeks 2 and 3; kinesiology was available in week 1; and social action was a choice in week 3.
In addition, 65 students from North Monterey County High and the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District attended all three weeks, studying algebra in order to “get a boost for the upcoming school year,” said Carol Lenters, director of the program.
According to Juan Ramirez, a program coordinator, the focus of the program is to get high school students “to imagine going to college, and realize they actually can.” That’s a powerful message, since nearly 70 percent of them come from families where no one has attended college.
The cornerstone of the program is the guarantee of a $4,000 scholarship to any student who graduates from Seaside High with a 2.5 grade-point average, attends two weeks of Imagine College while in high school and gets accepted to a college or university. A local resident donated the scholarship money.
While the scholarship is a big draw, Ramirez said the program is also popular because there’s not much for teens to do during the summer. “It’s one of only a few programs, and the only one with college professors teaching it,” he said.
During their week on campus, the students also visit the Watershed Institute, talk with staff members from the campus Cross Cultural Center, make and launch small rockets, learn professional etiquette, and hear from a panel of CSUMB students about their experience with college. Photos Top: Student filmmakers shoot in the campus library. Photo by Patia Stephens Middle: Students learn about blood pressure readings in the kinesiology class. Photo by Joseph Padilla Bottom: In a team-building exercise, students learn to work together on a project. Photo by Ayana Hawk-Harris
CSU Monterey Bay’s efforts to prepare for natural disasters have won recognition from the National Weather Service.
The university has recently been named a Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador and a Storm Ready university.
The ambassador designation means that the university will work with the National Weather Service to educate the community about natural hazards and emergency preparedness. The goal is to minimize the impact of natural disasters.
The initiative was started to recognize organizations – universities, businesses, government agencies, non-profits – committed to helping the nation be better prepared for, respond to, and recover from weather-related disasters. CSUMB is the ninth campus in California – and second in the CSU system – to be designated storm-ready. Nationwide, 147 colleges and universities have earned the designation. StormReady is a nationwide community preparedness program that uses a grassroots approach to help communities develop plans to handle all types of severe weather — from tornadoes to tsunamis.
“We’re well prepared with the facilities, plans, programs and skills to be resilient to severe storms and their spin-offs,” said CSUMB's emergency manager Dick Bower (at left in photo). Why is this important? We live in the most severe weather-prone country on Earth. Each year, Americans cope with an average of 10,000 thunderstorms, 5,000 floods, 1,000 tornadoes, and several deadly hurricanes. Approximately 90 percent of all presidentially declared disasters are weather related, leading to around 500 deaths per year and billions of dollars in damage. Learn about emergency management at CSUMB.
July 11 is the day Planet of the Apes fans have been anticipating, as “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” premieres nationwide.
For CSUMB graduate David Kashevaroff, that opening represents the culmination of about two years of work, and an important milestone in his successful career as a film editor.
“It is hard to maintain perspective when you have worked on a project so long. But it is a great story and a beautiful film. I think people will really like it,” said Kashevaroff, who graduated from Cal State Monterey Bay with a degree in Teledramatic Arts and Technology in 2001. He was one of the first wave of TAT grads who are becoming increasingly prominent in the film business.
As first assistant editor on “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” Kashevaroff was on set for more than 100 days of location shooting, primarily in New Orleans, but also in Los Angeles and Vancouver.
Kashevaroff helped take the footage that was shot every day, organize it and put it together in a preliminary cut for director Matt Reeves. Studios want editors on-site to make sure that the production team has all the shots it needs for the final film, and to avoid the expense of having to go back to reshoot any scenes.
Adding to the complexity of this project was the use of motion capture. The movie doesn’t use real apes. Instead, actors' movements are recorded through computer technology and that information is used to create lifelike animated characters.
Assembling all this into a movie takes time. Kashevaroff said the director worked with the editors for 15 months after the footage was shot to come up with the finished product. Deadlines loomed. They saw the final film on June 21, less than three weeks before its scheduled opening.
While the previews and commercials for the movie seem to emphasize its action aspects, Kashevaroff said that is not the whole story.
“It has some action scenes, and in the previews, they are trying to reach a certain demographic. But the director really comes at this from an emotional place. It is an epic tragedy in a way,” he said.
For Kashevaroff, the movie represents an opportunity to broaden his portfolio. Previously, he has worked as an editor on smaller film projects, including the Oscar-winning documentary short “A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin,” as well as a number of reality television shows, including “Top Chef” and “Project Runway.”
“I hadn’t done a major studio feature before. Sometimes it can be hard to cross that bridge,” Kashevaroff said. “But really, I think the skills to put different sorts of projects together are very similar. I would hope this would make it easier for me to go back and forth between reality projects and feature films.”
For now, though, he is taking a hard-earned vacation and doesn’t have his next job lined up.
“I haven’t looked for what I will do next. It can be a little nerve-wracking, but that is just part of the business,” he said.
Given his ever-expanding body of work, it is a safe bet that his next project is not far away. Learn about Cinematic Arts at CSUMB.
California State University, Monterey Bay has received a $2.1 million federal grant aimed at enrolling more migrant students in higher education.
The five-year grant, awarded by the U.S Department of Education, will enable CSUMB to offer financial assistance, academic and career services, cultural and social enrichment and health and counseling services through the College Assistance Migrant Program or CAMP.
The goal of the program is to create a paradigm shift in the minds of students and their parents, to help them believe that college is possible, and to provide the support they need to succeed once they arrive on campus.
The grant will start in July and run through June of 2019. It will provide services and assistance for 55 migrant students from Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Santa Clara counties.
Services provided by the CAMP grant will also include parent orientations, high school and community outreach events, admissions and financial aid application workshops, one-week summer orientation programs and tutoring.
An estimated 31,000 migrant students live in the four-county area served by the grant, making the Central Coast home to 25 percent of migrant students in California. In Monterey County, the average farm worker has an annual income of $18,397. Click here for information on how to apply.
Earlier story: Migrant program earns national recognition
Ashley Rojas was nervous about attending college and scared of failing.
But thanks to the College Assistance Migrant Program, she was able to get over her fears and get the support she needed to succeed.
Ashley was the first in her family to attend college. The graduate of King City High School decided to enroll in CSUMB in the fall of 2009.
“I can’t count the times I had ‘impostor syndrome,’ ” she said. “Failure was constantly in the back of my mind.”
Ashley was recruited for the CAMP program before her freshman year. Like all CAMP students, she had access to tutoring, career exploration, cultural and social activities and follow-up support services through graduation.
“CAMP was one of the programs that was the foudation and fundamental to my success at CSUMB,” she said. She then ticked off the kinds of support she received:
• Summer Bridge – “Helped with my transition to college” • Math 98/99 workshop – “Saved my life!” • “An open door whenever I had questions or needed help”
While in the program, she was selected to attend a conference in Washington, D.C. Two years later, that led to an internship in the nation’s capital.
CSUMB has recently received a $2.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to offer the program for five more years, serving 55 incoming students each year from Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Santa Clara counties.
First-generation college students face many hurdles. Among them are parents with no college experience, low family incomes, inadequate academic preparation and language barriers.
The goal of the program is to create a paradigm shift in the minds of students and their parents that college is possible, and to provide the support they need to succeed once they arrive on campus.
It worked for Ashley – she graduated in 2014 with a degree in collaborative health and human services and plans to attend graduate school after taking a year off. She’s hoping to use that year to teach English in South Korea.
Learn more about the CAMP program at CSUMB.
Earlier story: Migrant program earns national recognition
In late June, a Broadway star, several Grammy-nominated musicians, an enigmatic sound sculptor, an award-winning graphic designer, a team of Nickelodeon animators and other notable artists will make a temporary home at the CSU Monterey Bay campus for this year's Summer Arts program. – Monterey County Weekly, June 26, 2014
CSU Monterey Bay’s reach extends far beyond California’s Central Coast. About 100 students from other nations attend CSUMB each year for a semester or two, and at least that many CSUMB students travel abroad.
In addition, dozens of international students come to campus each year to study English through an intensive American language and culture program. Opportunities for exchange have just expanded with the signing of an agreement with Chung Yuan Christian University (CYCU) in Taiwan. Dr. Jyh-tong Teng, a professor of mechanical engineering at the Taiwanese university, visited CSUMB recently. As part of his visit, the two universities signed an agreement to promote academic and student exchange. The schools agreed to cooperate on research activities, to share academic materials and publications, and to exchange faculty members and students. CYCU has 16,000 students in seven college and schools. The Times Higher Education rankings of universities in Asia lists it among the top 100 schools, based on teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. Learn more about international programs at CSUMB.
Photo: Dr. Jyh-tong Teng of Chung Yuan Christian University and CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa at a ceremony commemorating an exchange agreement
Rose Ashbach, a graduate student in the Applied Marine and Watershed Science program at CSU Monterey Bay, has left her mark on the campus while helping the university implement its master plan.
For her senior thesis, she developed a Habitat Management Plan for 109 acres of open space located south of the library. Months later, Ashbach was hired to implement her plan for three of those acres along the southern border of the campus, at the corner of Lightfighter Drive and Colonel Durham Street. She used a community-based restoration approach that tied together CSUMB classes, volunteers, the Watershed Institute and her experience working at the Bureau of Land Management. Community events were organized where volunteers planted and watered 2,000 seedlings. Volunteers – staff, faculty, university students and community members – also created a half-mile nature trail through the area, removed invasive species and collected seeds that were then grown at the Watershed Institute and later planted on the site. Students in a service learning class created signs for the area. One advertised the restoration efforts; the other was an interpretive sign that describes the process and explains how people can get involved in community-based habitat restoration. The project “has been a great way to build partnerships with local community members and organizations,” Ashbach said. “It has created opportunities for students to leave their legacy on campus, and has provided service opportunities for students to connect with the campus open space habitats, native flora and fauna and the local community.”
The project helped the campus implement another master plan principal which calls for integrating “natural and green spaces into the framework for development” and to “enhance outdoor learning, social interaction, recreation and the overall campus ambiance.”
Said Anya Spear, associate director of Campus Planning: “I’m impressed by the variety and color of plants that are now growing on a site previously dominated by ice plant. So many of the newly planted natives are doing well even during such a dry year; this is what is supposed to be growing here.” Learn more about Campus Planning and Development and read the master plan
Photos Top: Volunteers help to restore three acres on the southern edge of campus Bottom: Japanese students who were studying English at CSUMB spent a day volunteering on the project
CSU Monterey Bay alumna Erika D’Auria has turned her capstone project into an exhibit at the Monterey Museum of Art.
D’Auria (VPA 2014) is the guest curator of Define:/self/ – Exploring Female Identity, which opens July 11 at the museum’s Pacific Street location.
The exhibit showcases the work of 20 female artists from the Youth Arts Collective, a Monterey-based artists' studio for 14- to 22-year-olds. They responded to the prompt, “What does it mean to be a female artist,” creating a multi-media exhibition. The work explores the idea of womanhood, self-identity and how the artists choose to define themselves.
Photographs of the artists accompany their work.
D’Auria interviewed each artist, asking her if she thought females are at a disadvantage being a woman in a man’s art world.
D’Auria told the Monterey Herald that the young artists felt they might not have the same opportunities. But, she said, “They are realistic about their futures. It’s not a deterrent but a motivator.”
The VPA graduate told the Herald that she was inspired to create the show in part because of her sisters, ages 9 and 10.
The exhibit will be on display through July 21. The museum is located at 559 Pacific St., Monterey. Find more information here.
Learn more about the Visual and Public Art Department
Image: Angela Bomarito, Majesty, Acrylic on canvas
CSU Monterey Bay’s Return of the Natives program is getting some help from Whole Foods shoppers.
From July through September, shoppers at the grocery chain’s Monterey store can request that the five-cent refund they receive from bringing their own bags be directed to RON.
The donation will be used to help pay for school buses to transport children to RON events, and to support student assistants “who are invaluable to helping RON meet our mission,” said RON director Laura Lee Lienk.
The Return of the Natives restoration project is the education and outreach branch of the Watershed Institute at CSUMB. RON's environmental goal is to protect the waters of the Monterey Bay through restoration of the waterways and the lands draining into the bay. RON's social goal is to bring people and nature together. RON works with more than 4,000 school children and 1,200 community volunteers each year. They work in wildland settings such as the dunes in Marina, the Fort Ord National Monument and creeks in Salinas. Other volunteers and students work at the campus greenhouse, where they propagate 25,000 native plants annually for partners including the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, the state Parks Department, Fort Ord National Monument/Bureau of Land Management, the city of Seaside and local schools. RON will celebrate its 20th anniversary in the fall. It was founded by classroom teachers who believed that children learn best when they are outside and active. Learn more about RON Follow Return of the Natives on Facebook
Photo courtesy of Return of the Natives RON at work: Local school children help to restore Bureau of Land Management property
After more than 35 years of experience behind the scenes as a lighting designer and visual artist, Stephanie Johnson will perform her first one-woman show on July 21 as part of the AfroSolo Arts Festival in San Francisco.
The performance – one of four that evening at the Marsh Theater in San Francisco – is a sneak preview of the festival’s Black Voices season. The works in progress will be shown as fully developed productions in late September.
Professor Johnson will perform Every Twenty Days: Cancer, Yoga and Me, her personal story about being diagnosed with cancer in December 2012. The title is a reference to her chemotherapy treatments, self-healing practices and remembrances of family and friends who died from the disease.
The festival’s website describes it as “an intimate, funny and uplifting story about the journey from diagnosis to treatment to physical well-being.” It represents her first venture into play writing and solo performance.
Professor Johnson has been a member of the Visual and Public Art Department faculty since the university opened. She currently teaches classes in installation and performance, public art and art history.
She has a B.F.A. from Emerson College, Boston, an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from San Francisco State University, an M.F.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. in public policy from Union Institute and University. As an artist, Professor Johnson uses her installations and mixed media sculptures as a way to preserve and honor the history of Africans. Her work focuses on the use of two primary elements: light and archival materials, which include newspaper articles, photos and found relics. She uses large-scale slide projections in settings such as railroad stations, churches, cemeteries and galleries. Her work has been exhibited at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and the Jewish Museum in San Francisco; the African American Museum in Dallas; Spellman College Museum of Art in Atlanta; and the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, among other venues. She has had one-person shows at the Center for African American Life and Culture and the African American Historical Society, both in San Francisco. Visit Professor Johnson's website
Learn about the Visual and Public Art Department at CSUMB R ead more faculty highlights
Salinas city officials have agreed to forgive the National Steinbeck Center nearly $500,000 in deferred loan payments as part of a bid by CSU Monterey Bay's University Corporation to purchase the downtown center's building and land, and help save the financially struggling organization. – Monterey Herald, July 10, 2014
Twenty-four high school students from around the country got some cool hands-on training in Monterey Bay on Monday, exploring the world of marine science. Camp SEA Lab summer camp is put on by CSU Monterey Bay; it encourages teenage girls to pursue careers in science. – KION-TV, July 14, 2014
Girls interested in pursuing a career in marine science are exploring their options this week through a program at CSU Monterey Bay.
Girls Love Science Too, a program offered by Camp SEA Lab – SEA stands for science, education, adventure – is giving two dozen 13- to 16-year-olds a chance to learn about marine habitat science and have fun in the process.
The students are housed in residence halls at CSUMB. Their days get off to an early start with tide pool monitoring at various locations around the Monterey Peninsula. On Monday, they went out on the bay in the university’s seafloor mapping vessel, the Harold Heath, to learn about underwater habitat surveying.
Other activities include a trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in Moss Landing and a visit to the Institute for Applied Marine Ecology lab on campus. They will also go kayaking along the coast, and will complete a marine conservation project based on lessons learned during the week.
“It’s amazing. You go out in the morning and you really feel like you’re an actual scientist,” Ally Tomlinson, 14, of Chowchilla, told KION news. “You go and look at all the tide pools and all the different animals.” Her favorite part? Exploring the different organisms and algae.
“All of these activities are intended to educate and inspire women in STEM careers” said Amity Wood, the program manager.
This year, Camp SEA Lab partnered with an organization called Wishbone.org, which helps underserved students participate in programs such as Camp SEA Lab through crowd-source funding.
“We offered scholarships for four Wishbone students who are attending this week,” Wood said.
Learn more about Camp SEA LabThis video was made by camp participants in 2011
When students in CSU Monterey Bay’s Music and Performing Arts Department enrolled in an advanced audio production class in 2013, they were signing up for the opportunity to work on a real-world project.
Eight students helped to record an album of experimental music, under the direction of faculty member Lanier Sammons.
Dr. Sammons served as producer of the album, iv: American electric guitarsby Giacomo Fiore, a collection of four pieces by contemporary American composers. Dr. Fiore, a former lecturer at CSUMB, was awarded a New Music USA grant to fund the album’s mastering, pressing and distribution. It will be released digitally and on vinyl on July 31. That night, Dr. Fiori will celebrate the release with a concert at the Center for New Music in San Francisco.
“As producer, my role was to oversee the sessions and work with Giacomo on content and quality,” Dr. Sammons said. “The students served as both recording engineers and mixing engineers. It was very hands-on for them.”
The album was recorded over three sessions in the Music Hall, each lasting about four hours. Students were behind the console – with plenty of glowing lights – and ran the Pro Tools software. They were responsible for setting and monitoring levels, sound quality and other technical details. They interacted with the artist as well.
Dr. Sammons estimates that approximately 65 percent of music majors at CSUMB are in the recording technology concentration. They start with a class called Music and Computers, then advance through a series of classes that involve recording and mixing. They also take traditional music classes – in history, theory and performance. “It’s still very much a bachelor of arts in music,” Dr. Sammons said.
Math and computer science courses are relevant and helpful, he said, as well as electronic engineering knowledge. “We often talk about the physics of sounds and go into a little detail about the inner workings of the gear.
“Ultimately, however, the music background is usually the most important for recording engineers.”
For the most part, graduates of the program aim to be engineers in studios. “It’s a very competitive field, but our alumni seem to be doing well,” Dr. Sammons said.
The album’s liner notes list Collin Atkinson, Bobby Guinvarch, Zak Coffey, Andrew Hardesty, Drew Lassen, Kevin Leinhard, Orion Navaille and Rolan Terrazas as engineers. The album was mixed by Atkinson and Navaille.
Learn more about the Music and Performing Arts Department at CSUMB
Learn more about Giacomo Fiore (pictured above, photo courtesy of the artist)
A CSU Monterey Bay graduate has been nominated for a national teaching award.
Stefanie Pechan is one of six teachers chosen as California finalists for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching. The fifth-grade teacher in the Pacific Grove Unified School District was nominated in the science category.
In 2001, Pechan earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies with an emphasis in computer science and technology, and then pursued a teaching credential at Sacramento State.
“I’m really excited,” she said of the nomination. “I’m proud to represent CSUMB and Monterey County.”
She has been teaching for 13 years, five of them at Robert Down Elementary School in Pacific Grove, and is a member of the school’s instructional leadership team. She’s also a member of the education staff at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This summer, she’s showing other elementary school teachers how to refine their skills at the aquarium’s Coastal Systems Teacher Institute.
“I absolutely love teaching,” she says on her website. “It runs in the family as both my mother and grandmother were teachers.” Her father was a microbiologist.
Pechan’s teaching philosophy is based on a hands-on learning approach. Everyone has his or her own unique way of learning, she believes. “It is my job as an educator to meet those needs and to help my students reach their fullest potential.”
The Presidential Awards are the nation's highest honors for math and science teachers. Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education.
Nominees for the state award had to submit a 45-minute video lesson. A panel of their peers reviewed each candidate’s content knowledge, teaching effectiveness, achievement results and professional involvement.
State finalists have been forwarded to the National Science Foundation, which administers the awards on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. An NSF committee will recommend one or two award winners from each state. They will be invited to Washington, D.C., to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities, meet President Obama and pick up a check for $10,000.
Pechan, 35, said her students are excited about the possibility of their teacher winning national recognition. “I promised them that if I win, we will go to Miyo to get yogurt and celebrate,” she told the Monterey Herald.
©Monterey Bay Aquarium, photo by Tyson Rininger
Learn about teacher education programs at CSUMB
A Carmel city councilwoman put out a call for help, and CSU Monterey Bay faculty, staff and students responded.
For their work in mapping the city’s trails using geographic information systems, the team was honored at a City Council meeting in early July.
The project came about when Councilwoman Victoria Beach wanted to have an alternative transportation mapping project done. She contacted Megan Tolbert, CSUMB’s transportation planner. Tolbert knew that GIS technology was needed, and approached Professor Yong Lao to see if his students would take on the project.
Dr. Lao was eager for the opportunity, and students in his GIS for social science and business applications class took on the project last spring.
“The students ramped up their GIS know-how and worked to coordinate with Victoria and her team of 20-plus agencies,” Tolbert said.
The students had an immense task of pulling big data files together from the various agencies, organizing the data, researching best practices for the map they were trying to create, and communicating feasibility and options. The final product was a map of Carmel’s bike and pedestrian routes.
The map will help decision makers see gaps in the system, allowing them to allocate resources in a way that closes those gaps. For example, it could help determine where sidewalks need to be provided.
The map will also help the city promote eco-tourism. It needed to know if visitors who found their way to Carmel would be able to get around the city without a car.
“It’s a base map,” Tolbert said. “It’s a starting point, and the hardest part of the project.”
Four students worked on the project – Cooper Mitchell, Jacqueline Estrada, Samra Asrat and Michael LePage, who is a member of the Carmel Planning Commission.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to connect Carmel and their collaborating organizations with valuable GIS skills,” Tolbert said. “It’s a need for agencies, but many times unfunded.”
Learn about GIS classes at CSUMB
Carmel Mayor Jason Burnett presents CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa a proclamation thanking the university for its help with a city project
Stefanie Pechan, a CSUMB alumna and fifth-grade teacher, has been nominated for a national teaching award that could net her $10,000 and an opportunity to meet President Obama in Washington, D.C. – Monterey Herald, July 24, 2014
With enrollment in the California State University system expected to top 450,000 for the upcoming school year, hundreds of new faculty members have been hired. At California State University, Monterey Bay, 14 new tenure-track professors have already been hired for the new school year and several more may join them. The university anticipates it will hire 24 more for the 2015-16 school year. The hiring is part of an effort in the CSU system to fill about 700 full-time faculty positions for the upcoming year to accommodate enrollment growth (approximately 10,000 more students are expected this year), relieve course bottlenecks and fill posts left vacant by retiring faculty members. Now that the system is getting more funding – $142.2 million in additional money for the upcoming year – the CSU has made it a priority to boost the number of tenure-track professors, according to CSU spokesman Mike Uhlenkamp. CSUMB’s newly hired faculty members with department, rank, discipline and degree: Starting in fall 2014:
• Sumadhur Shakya, Business, assistant professor, operations management, Ph.D. in transportation and logistics, North Dakota State University
• Xiaowei Xu, Business, assistant professor, finance, Ph.D. in finance, University of Alberta (Canada)
• Heiko Wieland, Business, assistant professor, marketing, Ph.D. in international management, University of Hawaii at Manoa
• Danielle Burchett, Psychology, assistant professor, clinical psychology, Ph.D. in clinical psychology, Kent State University
• Kyle Stephenson, Psychology, assistant professor, clinical psychology, Ph.D. in psychology, University of Texas at Austin • Justin Matthews, Psychology, assistant professor, experimental psychology, Ph.D. in cognitive and information sciences, University of California, Merced • Gabriela Zapata, World Languages and Cultures, assistant professor, Spanish linguistics, Ph.D. in Spanish, Pennsylvania State University • Maria Bellumori, Kinesiology, assistant professor, kinesiology/biomechanics, Ph.D. in biomechanics and movement science, University of Delaware • Brian Cook, Kinesiology, assistant professor, kinesiology, Ph.D. in health and human performance, University of Florida • Julie Altman, Health, Human Services and Public Policy, professor/director, MSW program, Ph.D. in social service administration, University of Chicago • Anand Seetharam, School of Computing and Design, assistant professor, computer science, Ph.D. in computer science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Starting in spring 2015: • Alison Haupt, Science and Environmental Policy, assistant professor, marine conservation, Ph.D. in biological sciences, Stanford University • Kerry Nickols, Science and Environmental Policy, assistant professor, marine conservation, Ph.D. in marine ecology, University of California, Davis • Timothy Miles, Science and Environmental Policy, assistant professor, plant pathology, Ph.D. in plant pathology, Michigan State University
“Combined Destinies: Whites Sharing Grief about Racism,” edited by Ann Todd Jealous and Caroline Haskell, was published about 18 months ago, but continues to draw attention for its important message.
The book is an anthology of highly personal stories written by 53 people – all white. It helps the reader to understand racism, not as individual acts against another person, but as a “self-perpetuating system of advantage based on race . . . power plus prejudice.” It examines how white Americans have been hurt by the very ideology that their ancestors created. It was published in February 2013 by Potomac Books, an imprint of the University of Nebraska Press, and will be released in paperback and as an e-book in September. Haskell, director of Health and Wellness Services at CSU Monterey Bay, was invited to give a presentation about it at last week’s National Association of Social Workers conference in Washington, D.C. The conference theme was Social Work: Courage, Hope and Leadership. And the book was reviewed in the May edition of the journal Equity and Excellence in Education. The reviewer, CSUMB founding faculty member Christine Sleeter, noted that most readers will find stories they identify with, as well as echoes of their own fears, discomforts, losses and silences. Haskell is a licensed clinical social worker and a board certified diplomate in clinical social work. She joined CSUMB as founding director of the Personal Growth and Counseling Center in the university's early years.
A groundbreaking collection . . . Everyone in society is hurt by racism, not just those who are its targets. What better way to teach this profound truth than to allow white people to share their epiphanies? – Henry Louis Gates, professor, Harvard University TO LEARN MORE:
• Haskell and Jealous will read selections at a book-signing Oct. 5 at Mrs. Dalloway’s Bookstore in Berkeley. More information • They will lead a four-session class through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Oct. 21, 28, Nov. 4 and 18 at CSUMB. More information
Many universities offer a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program, but they don't have what CSU Monterey Bay has to offer. The bay and the National Marine Sanctuary – and the research institutions that surround them – are hard to beat for anyone interested in studying ocean science.
Taylor Eddy, a senior marine science major from Concord, is the only CSUMB student among the 11 who are participating this summer in the REU based on campus. One student is from Hartnell College in Salinas, the other nine come from all over the country.
It is funded by the National Science Foundation as a way of introducing undergraduates to research while providing out-of-classroom and networking opportunities.
Dr. Corey Garza, a professor in CSUMB's Division of Science and Environmental Policy, is the program director.
Eddy is working at Moss Landing Marine Labs, looking at humpback whale foraging ground in the Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay national marine sanctuaries.
“Most of my time is spent in the lab, creating maps and analyzing the data collected from cruises in the sanctuaries,” she said. That involves using ArcGIS and other statistical analysis software she had to learn this summer.
She also had an opportunity to go on one of those cruises where whales were tagged. Angela Szesciorka, the graduate student she is working with, invited her to go out on Half Moon Bay and Bodega Bay one weekend. Her job was to get photo identification of the whales.
In addition to the lab work, she meets with her mentor occasionally and talks with the graduate students about their work.
When not in the lab, Eddy and the other REU students “spend quite a bit of time together,” she said, hiking, scuba diving and on outings to explore Cannery Row.
Diving was a big part of what drew her to CSUMB. “I came because of the growing marine science program, and I wanted to take up scuba diving. CSUMB has a great program in an amazing area.”
She plans to apply to graduate school in marine ecology and is looking into internships. Follow the REU on Facebook
Learn more about the REU at Cal State Monterey Bay
Photo (left to right): Danielle Perry, Bryce Melzer and Taylor Eddy. All are participants in CSUMB’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates in ocean science
A CSU Monterey student and an alumnus will be recognized by Assemblyman Luis Alejo as California Peace Award winners for the 30th Assembly District.
Elizabet Zepeda-Gonzalez, a social and behavioral sciences major, believes that keeping young people involved in their community is a way to keep the peace.
As a high school student in Hollister, she got involved with the League of United Latin American Citizens. Through that work, she has helped to address the needs of local communities.
She believes that peace can take the form of “helping a community member fill out a paper, keeping kids active, showing them how many opportunities there are that would benefit them,” she told the Monterey Herald.
Paul De Worken, a 2008 graduate with a degree in Visual and Public Art, has been involved in art projects throughout the Pajaro Valley for years. He has served on the Watsonville Public Art Committee, Santa Cruz County Arts Commission, and created the Mural Alleyway Project to provide art to the Watsonville community.
De Worken believes when children pick up a paint brush instead of a weapon, the community becomes a healthier one.
The recipients will be honored Aug. 5 during National Night Out, the annual crime prevention effort that brings together law enforcement and residents.
Residents of the 30th Assembly District were asked to submit names of people throughout the area who have made noteworthy efforts to stop violence and create a safer community.
“Each year, the hard work of dozens of individuals is brought to light,” Alejo said in a news release. “I respect and value the work peace promoters invest to make our neighborhoods safer.”
After reviewing nominations, four candidates were selected based on their strong track record in promoting peace. Joining Zepeda-Gonzalez and De Worken are Mario Banuelos of Santa Clara County and Javier Tamayo of Salinas.
The 30th Assembly District includes the Salinas Valley, San Benito County, south Santa Clara County and the city of Watsonville.
“Find your heart. Follow your heart and you will find your destiny,” playwright Luis Valdez told a group assembled in the University Center at CSU Monterey Bay on July 30.
Valdez, founder of El Teatro Campesino and an original faculty member at CSUMB, spoke to an audience of several hundred youngsters, their parents and educators.
His remarks were made at the graduation ceremony of the Migrant Junior Otter program. A monthlong collaboration among the university, the Monterey County Office of Education and El Teatro, the program involves youngsters from migrant families in grades four through eight from nine local school districts.
The youngsters were bused to campus – some from as far away as King City. They received instruction in language arts and math each morning. Afternoons were devoted to creative activities, including music, dance and art, taught by staff members of El Teatro. The youngsters were also introduced to college life and learned what it takes to be a successful student.
This year there was a stronger emphasis on language development, said Ernesto Vela, director of Migrant Education Region XVI, which includes Monterey County.
“Theater goes hand-in-hand with language development,” Dr. Vela said. In previous years, he said, general academic instruction was provided. This year, “we had a strong focus on language.”
After remarks by Valdez and several administrators, the students showed off their work. The younger ones performed six skits they wrote themselves; the seventh- and eighth-graders showed videos they made.
The program, now in its sixth year, was recognized at the 2010 National Migrant Education Conference as an outstanding example of a collaborative effort. In 2012, it was selected for a Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association.
Golden Bell Awards promote excellence in education by recognizing outstanding programs in school districts and county offices of education. They reflect the depth and breadth of education programs necessary to address students’ changing needs.
Watch a short video on Instagram
Learn about CSUMB’s early outreach and support programsPhotos and video by Patia Stephens Top: Monterey County Office of Education officials welcome the Junior Otter and their families to the closing ceremony Bottom: Luis Valdez delivers keynote address. The theme for the monthlong program was "Head, Heart and Hands"
A contingent of CSU Monterey Bay students and faculty members will be among those presenting research at the annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America.
More than 3,000 environmental scientists will attend the meeting in Sacramento, scheduled for Aug. 10-15. The theme: “From oceans to mountains: It’s all ecology.”
Miles Daniels, who just graduated with a Master of Science in Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy, worked with Professor Fred Watson. They explored ways to protect human and wildlife health in the Monterey Bay region from waterborne diseases by using wetlands as a filter. The wetlands filter out dangerous disease-causing organisms before people and animals come into contact with them.
“Overall, our research demonstrated that by improving valuable wetland habitat in the Monterey Bay, water quality may also be improved,” Daniels said. He will present his work on Aug. 14.
Daniels is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in the Epidemiology Department at U.C. Davis. “I am combining my background in environmental science with health sciences to work on research questions in public, wildlife and environmental health,” Daniels said.
Stefanie Kortman, a graduate student in Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy, worked with Professor Marc Los Huertos on a project involving greenhouse gas emissions from strawberry farming on the Central Coast.
Agriculture is the main contributor to nitrous oxide emissions, Kortman explained, and there is much concern on how farm management practices influence its production. "My research project aimed to quantify and assess potential differences in nitrous oxide emissions from organic and conventional strawberry farms in Monterey Bay," Kortman said.
She concluded that there was no significant difference between organic and conventional growing methods.
Kortman will present her work on Aug. 14.
April Makukhov worked with researchers from Hopkins Marine Station and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on a project involving red abalone settlement in Monterey Bay. She will present her work on Aug. 15.
The senior biology major explained that her research is the first assessment of abalone settlement in Monterey Bay, which is important because abalone are key grazers that maintain the kelp forests. She learned that, despite low densities of adult red abalone, recruitment of newly settled red abalone has been consistently high over the past few years.
"This is interesting," she said, "because adult red abalone are preyed on my sea otters, so future studies can look at the aggregation of adult abalone to see if the presence of sea otters is leading to the more successful settlement we have been observing compared to Northern California."
Makukhov was recently named a CSU Pre-Doctoral Fellow, and awarded $3,000. The biology major is working with Professor Cheryl Logan this summer, investigating the impacts of ocean acidification on juvenile rockfish.
Scott Blanco, who earned a master's in applied marine and watershed science in May, will present his thesis research about the eological control of toxic algae in Watsonville's Pinto Lake.
Two CSU Monterey Bay students are about to get an up-close look at the inner workings of government.
In late August, Jesse Reyes and Dahlia Ezekwonna will travel to Washington, D.C.,where they will spend the semester working as interns and earning academic credit.
Reyes is a senior majoring in environmental studies. He is passionate about conservation and committed to keeping green spaces accessible to young people.
He will work with the Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. While in D.C., he also hopes to learn how non-profit environmental organizations operate.
Ezekwonna is a global studies major from Grenoble, France. She is interested in international affairs, and hopes to work at an embassy during her internship since she aspires to a career in diplomacy.
Both students received $5,000 scholarships from the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, and $2,500 from CSUMB to help with the costs. The Met Life scholarships became available as part of the Higher Education Civic Engagement Award the university's Service Learning program won last year.
The Washington Center arranges internships for approximately 300 students each semester. The students work 35 to 40 hours a week and take academic courses, including a leadership forum, at the center.
Photos courtesy of Service Learning Top: Jesse Reyes Below: Dahlia Ezekwonna
. . . "I like being out there in the community," said Elizabet Zepeda Gonzalez, a social and behavioral sciences major at CSUMB. "I love helping people. It's my passion." – Monterey Herald, July 30, 2014
The seed lending library was first proposed a few years ago, and then implemented with CSU Monterey Bay environmental studies major Heather Cunningham and other university students. A CSUMB Alumni Association capstone grant . . . supported the initial launch. – Carmel Magazine, summer-fall 2014
. . . CSU Monterey Bay and Hartnell College put together a plan for students to finish a bachelor's degree in three years as a way of tackling several issues: the long time some students are taking to earn a bachelor's degree, and the dropout rate among minority students. – Monterey Herald, Aug. 6, 2014
. . . .Taylor Eddy is one of 11 undergraduate students spending the summer conducting research at CSUMB thanks to the Summer Ocean Science Research Experience for Undergraduates funded by the National Science Foundation. – Santa Cruz Sentinel, Aug. 7, 2014
While other students are returning to the classroom this fall, Wendy Holman is heading to Washington, D.C., where she will spend the semester working in the office of a member of the House of Representatives.
The CSU Monterey Bay senior is one of 26 students taking part in this year’s Congressional Internship Program through the Panetta Institute for Public Policy. All were selected based on exemplary academic achievement and interest in politics, policy and pubic service.
A kinesiology major, Holman is interested in public health. “I applied for the internship because I am really interested in supporting federal legislation focusing on childhood obesity, since one of every three children is obese in our nation,” she said.
“I would love to work with Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign, which tries to promote a healthier younger generation.”
While in Washington, she hopes to see how bills originate and get through Congress, and to attend briefings and hearings on public health issues.
Holman has been involved in student government at CSUMB, first as a director of community affairs – where she acted as the voice of students at Marina and Seaside city council meetings – and in the executive position of chief operations officer. She has served as an orientation leader and has represented her sorority on the Multicultural Greek Council.
Prior to heading off to Capitol Hill on Aug. 23, Holman and the other students attendied an intensive two-week course at the Panetta Institute. Former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta taught sessions on Congressional leadership, committees and policymaking, and United State defense policies. Other classes covered key domestic and foreign policy issues; White House relations with Congress; House leadership and committee roles; and the role of the intern.
While in Washington, the interns also attend regular seminars with government leaders on policy issues including economics, the environment, foreign affairs and defense resources.
Students earn academic credit for the 13-week internship program. UPDATE: Holman was assigned to work in the office of Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, who represents the 46th District. The district covers parts of Orange County.
Call it an innovative approach to tackling a sensitive subject.
On Sept. 2, an acting troupe, Catharsis Productions, will make its first appearance at CSU Monterey Bay in a production called “Sex Signals.”
It’s a series of skits and guided discussions led by a pair of specially trained actors who demonstrate that role-playing and blunt talk make more memorable sexual assault training than lectures.
The goal of the 90-minute presentation is to broaden awareness about dating, sex and the core issue of consent using improvisation, humor and audience participation to get the message across.
Over the last 15 years, “Sex Signals” has been performed approximately 5,000 times to more than 2 million people, mostly on college campuses and military installations. Members of the community are invited to attend the free presentation at 7:30 p.m., Sept. 2, in the University Center ballroom. The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Driving directions and a campus map are available here. While the presentation is free, a parking permit is required and can be purchased from a machine on the lot or online.
The event is sponsored by Associated Students; CSUMB’s Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development; and the Title IX Coordinators’ Office.
CSU Monterey Bay's men's and women's soccer teams will hold a free clinic on Saturday, Aug. 17, at the Otter Sports Complex.
The “fun”-damentals clinic will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 12 are invited to attend.
CSUMB coaches will serve as instructors. The university’s student-athletes will also be on hand to work with the youngsters.
Please sign up for the clinic by clicking here.
A CSUMB parking permit is required. Permits are available from automated ticket machines located in the parking lots or can be purchased online.
Photo: Youngsters gather around CSUMB's mascot at a youth soccer clinic in 2000
CSU Monterey Bay welcomed its largest-ever group of international students this year. About 200 students from other nations are attending CSUMB this semester, and hundreds more are coming to campus for shorter stays to study English through an intensive American language and culture program.?
The program is observing International Education Week Nov. 17-19. This joint initiative of the U.S. departments of State and Education is an effort to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States. Events include: • Nov. 17, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Main Quad: International education information tables and games. Students from CSUMB's partner universities around the world will staff information tables to tell students about the benefits of studying in their country. Applications will be available as will information about how to get passports and visas. Seasoned travelers know the importance of affective packing and students will get to practice packing – blindfolded. Neatest suitcase wins a prize. The dining commons will prepare food from Germany, France, Japan, Mexico, and Brazil. • Nov. 18, 6-8 p.m., Media Learning Complex. Culture Panel I – Students will talk about their home countries. Hear about Myanmar, Nigeria, Brazil, and Serbia. • Nov. 19, 6-9 p.m., University Center Living Room Culture Panel II –Students will talk about their home countries. Hear about Brazil, Serbia, Guatamala Norway and others. Learn about International Programs at CSUMB
For the 11 students who spent the summer conducting research through the Ocean Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates program based at CSU Monterey Bay, Aug. 15 was graduation day.
The students – one from CSUMB, one from Hartnell College in Salinas and the other nine from campuses around the country – presented their work to a group of their peers, CSUMB faculty and administrators, and mentors from the collaborating agencies.
“This is a new adventure for the students, for us and for the research partners,” said Dr. Corey Garza, a professor in CSUMB’s Division of Science and Environmental Policy and director of the program.
Dr. Garza referred to the program as a distributed REU model. “We did this in collaboration with five partners, and students could choose where they wanted to work. It’s a new approach for the National Science Foundation’s REUs,” he said. The NSF is funding the program.
Those partners are Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve; Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University; Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute; Moss Landing Marine Labs; and the Naval Postgraduate School. In addition, two students chose to work at labs on the CSUMB campus.
Among the research topics presented: distribution patterns of humpback whales; underwater laser “tripwire” for detecting marine life; algae blooms in Elkhorn Slough Estuary; and circulation patterns in the Monterey Bay region from high frequency radar.
Learn more about CSUMB’s Ocean Science REU
Heads together over a laptop computer, Jose Sanchez Garcia and Benito Sanchez worked to bring a jumble of multicolored wires and a patch of computer hardware to life. . . . The accelerated program, run jointly by Hartnell Community College and CSU Monterey Bay, will allow them to earn a bachelor's degree in computer science in just three years. – EdSource, Aug. 14, 2014
Images from the Seafloor Mapping Lab at CSU Monterey Bay have been put to use by an East Coast artist.
Margaret Boozer, a ceramist and sculptor with a studio in the Washington, D.C., area, tapped into the lab’s website for her work on a commission for a private residence in San Francisco.
“I’ve been working on a project using visual information from the lab as base material for a sculptural translation,” she wrote in an email to SFML director Rikk Kvitek.
“I really appreciate having online access to the amazing and beautiful information from your collaborative project. Thank you for making it available,” Boozer said. Images from the project can be seen on her Facebook page.
Dr. Kvitek was delighted. "You are realizing a dream that I have always had, which is for a talented artist to see, interpret and use in their own work California's captivatingly beautiful natural landscape paterns that our seafloor mapping work has brought to light with sonar," he wrote to the artist.
“I am glad to see our efforts are of value to the arts.”
According to her website, Boozer’s work is included in the collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Museum of the City of New York, the U.S. Department of State, and in many private collections. Recent projects include a commissioned installation at the U.S. Embassy in Djibouti and a chapter she wrote for the U.S. Geological Survey’s Soil and Culture publication. Recent exhibitions include Swept Away: Dust, Ashes and Dirt at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. Photo from the artist's Facebook page
Britt Rios-Ellis, a professor of health sciences at Long Beach State and director of the National Council of La Raza/CSULB Center for Latino Community Health, Evaluation and Leadership Training, has been named the founding dean of Cal State Monterey Bay's College of Health Sciences and Human Services.
Dr. Rios-Ellis begins her new duties on Aug. 20.
“The right leadership can make all the difference in launching a new college. In Dr. Rios-Ellis, we have been able to attract a proven academic leader who is a recognized authority in community health issues, especially as they relate to underserved Latino populations,” said Eduardo Ochoa, president of CSUMB.
“We think she will be an outstanding fit for our university and for our community.”
As part of the academic reorganization of the university that went into effect on July 1, the College of Health Sciences and Human Services and the College of Education were created from programs that were previously housed in the College of Professional Studies. “I am deeply honored to serve as founding Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Human Services at California State University Monterey Bay. I am very excited about working with the excellent administration, faculty, staff, students, and community as we build the new college,” said Dr. Rios-Ellis.
“I am committed to working collectively with our outstanding faculty to provide students with the highest level of training as we develop culturally relevant ways to address the prominent health disparities in our region and build a strong reputation on the wealth of expertise we have to offer.”
For the past 20 years, she has served as a professor at California State University Long Beach and is also director of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR)/CSULB Center for Latino Community Health, Evaluation, and Leadership Training and the newly inaugurated Centro Salud es Cultura located in downtown Long Beach. Since founding the Center in 2005, Dr. Rios-Ellis spearheaded over $50 million in funded student- and community-strengthening research projects and has been the Co-Principal Investigator on two grants from the U.S. Department of Education to transform CSULB into a Hispanic Serving Institution. This summer she served as a delegate for the U.S. State Department’s People to People Initiative in Beijing and for the NIH Office of AIDS Research Hispanic Advisory Group at the International AIDS Conference in Melbourne, Australia. Currently she is collaborating with the Fundación Haciendas del Mundo Maya in conducting health-related needs assessments of remote Maya communities in the Yucatan with a focus on obesity and diabetes. In 2013, Dr. Rios-Ellis was awarded the highest honor at CSULB: Outstanding Professor. She has appeared on regional and national Spanish and English-language television and radio for Telemundo, Univision, CNN, and ABC World News Tonight. She holds Bachelors of Arts degrees in Spanish and Political Science, a Master’s of Science in Health and Fitness Management, a certificate in Women’s Studies, and a Doctorate in Community Health from the University of Oregon.
Acrobatics is an ancient art form in China. Centuries ago, performers combined dramatic folk arts and variety shows with the cultural roots of their civilization, and using common objects as stage props, created an acrobatic art unique to their culture.
The National Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China continue this ancient tradition. The troupe’s gymnasts, jugglers, cyclists and tumblers combine drama, ballet and magic to make contemporary performances every bit as thrilling and entertaining as they were 3,000 years ago.
Local audiences will have the opportunity to see the 35 performers execute daring feats with tables, chairs, flags and plates when the troupe visits CSU Monterey Bay’s World Theater at 7:30 p.m., Sept. 17 as the 2014-15 Performing Arts Series gets under way. The Beijing-based company tours annually around the globe and has performed in more than 40 countries. The performance promises to be a wonderful event for the entire family.
"I have immense respect for all the acrobats and performers in this show,” said Joe Cardinalli, artistic and executive director at the World Theater. “They are amazing. Come to the theater and be part of the magic."
Tickets are $40 premium, $29 general admission. Discounts are available for students, seniors and military members. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 582-4580. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Aug. 22 was move-in day at Cal State Monterey Bay, where incoming students said hello to new roommates and goodbye to parents.
Over the weekend, freshmen and transfers were joined by returning students for the start of classes on Aug. 25.
Total enrollment for the fall semester is expected to be about 6,500, including 1,336 freshmen – a 61 percent increase over last year – 883 transfer students and 200 international students.
On-campus housing is full, with approximately 47 percent of students residing in university residence halls and apartments.
With nine returning varsity players from a team that took fifth place at last season's Division II national championship, the Otters are talented and deep as they embark upon the fall schedule of the men's golf season. – Monterey Herald, Aug. 21, 2014
CSU Monterey Bay President Eduardo Ochoa launched the 2014-15 academic year with a 45-minute speech that touched on the university's recent accomplishments, its restructuring, immediate and long-term plans, national education policy, the growing inequality gap, the university's developing role in shaping Monterey Bay and California's drought. –* Monterey Herald*, Aug. 22, 2014
Melissa Bowling, a CSUMB senior, sang the "Star Spangled Banner" at the opening of the San Francisco 49ers' new stadium in Santa Clara. – Monterey Herald, Aug. 22, 2014
. . . It was move-in day at CSUMB, the day when about 3,000 souls return to fill up the campus. The weather cooperated and gave the students and their families a sunny day to unpack, walk around and become familiar with the campus. – Monterey Herald, Aug. 23, 2014
Maritza Bautista’s third-grade teacher influenced her career choice.
“Just as she helped me, I want to return the favor to my community,” said the CalState TEACH student and Salinas resident. “I want to be as committed as she was.”
Bautista, a 2013 graduate of CSU Monterey Bay, has just gotten some help in her pursuit of a teaching credential, in the form of the John and Dorothy Perry Scholarship. The $2,000 scholarship honors longtime public school teacher and administrator John Perry, who spent the last part of his career with CalState TEACH. Bautista is the first recipient of the award and was chosen among 12 applicants by a committee of faculty members.
Dorothy Perry created the scholarship to honor her late husband and to support those who are committed to teaching science throughout the curriculum.
That’s exactly what Bautista is doing at Tiburcio Vasquez Elementary School in Salinas where she completed her clinical experience and is now teaching while she continues to take online classes. Her school uses individual iPads for all students and she has implemented technology with learning activities in a way that integrates science with reading and math.
“If I introduce science with fun activities, then possibly they will pursue a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) career,” she said.
As part of her credential program, Bautista has daily contact with a site mentor at the school and consults with a supervising faculty member at the university program. She will complete the program and earn a multiple subject teaching credential in December.
CalState TEACH is an online credential program for people who wish to become teachers but are unable to attend traditional classes because of their busy schedules or because they live in remote areas. The program’s foundation is self-study with online materials, e-texts, videos, web-based class discussions and on-site coaching. The state is served from four regional offices, including one at CSUMB.
Learn more about CalState TEACH
CSU Monterey Bay fared well in the annual College Guide and Rankings released Aug. 25 by Washington Monthly magazine.
The nonprofit magazine measures schools based on how well they enroll and graduate low-income students, support research, and encourage students’ public service. Among the factors it uses are the percentage of students who receive Pell Grants, the federal aid for low-income students; the net price of attendance after financial aid; the numbers of students who join the Peace Corps; and faculty awards for research. CSUMB was rated in the top 15 percent of schools in the master’s universities category. According to the magazine, 42 percent of CSUMB students receive Pell grants; the net cost is $8,918; and 39 percent of students graduate after six years.
Overall, CSUMB ranked 94th among the 671 schools in the category. Its best rating – 17th – was in the category of service staff, courses and financial aid support.
The Washington Monthly ranking is different from other prominent listings such as the one compiled by U.S. News & World Report, which places more emphasis on a school’s financial endowment, academic reputation and selectivity in admission.
“Instead of crediting colleges that reject the most applicants, we recognize those that do the best job of enrolling and graduating low-income students. Our rankings measure both research spending and success in preparing undergraduates to earn Ph.D.’s. And by giving equal weight to public service, we identify colleges that build a sense of obligation to their communities and the nation at large,” the magazine said.
Its measurements line up with the plan by President Obama to rate colleges, the magazine’s editors said. The administration’s new ratings, which are scheduled to go into effect in time for the next school year, will include measures of affordability, access and outcome.
CSU Monterey Bay Professor Cheryl Logan and four colleagues have won a grant of nearly $900,000 from the National Science Foundation to conduct research on ocean acidification and hypoxia.
Dr. Logan, along with Dr. Scott Hamilton from Moss Landing Marine Labs and Drs. Brian Tissot, Eric Bjorkstedt and Jeffrey Abell from Humboldt State will combine their expertise to examine how climate change can affect the behavior, physiology and gene expression of rocky reef fishes. “Having a team of scientists who are located all across California and specialize in everything from ecology to molecular physiology to oceanography will allow us to more efficiently address challenging and complex scientific questions,” Dr. Hamilton said. The three-year study, which starts in September, will use CSU research facilities in central and northern California. Scientists will be able to study the same species of fish in two locations and determine how fishes adapt to different environmental threats. They will study how the sensory systems, brain function and swimming physiology of the fishes changes as a result of climate change, as well as examine the molecular basis of those changes at the cellular level. Understanding the effects of ocean acidification and hypoxia (low oxygen levels) is critical for predicting future climate change responses of global fish populations and determining their ability to tolerate or adapt to changes in ocean chemistry. Faculty members will integrate their research into the classroom curriculum to give students real-life examples of textbook principles. And students who are aspiring scientists will have the opportunity to work on the project and gain hands-on experience. The five CSU faculty researchers will also tap the expertise of Susan Sogard from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service, who played a role in the initial research. With funding support from the CSU Council on Ocean Affairs, Science & Technology (COAST), the interdisciplinary team was able to collect the preliminary data that went into the proposal that helped them win the grant.
Read more about Dr. Logan’s research
Learn more about COAST, which is now based in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy at CSU Monterey Bay.
*Story by Stephanie Thara, CSU Public Affairs Top photo by Jocelyn Douglas: The juvenile gopher rockfish is one of the species that researchers are working with to determine how fish are affected by climate change Bottom photo: Dr. Cheryl Logan*
Evan De Lay, Sheldon Leiker, and Elizabeth Geisler, graduates of CSU Monterey Bay's Applied Marine and Watershed Science program, are working on the removal of the San Clemente Dam from the Carmel River.
Because each had worked extensively on the river, they were hired by Granite Construction to be part of the environmental compliance team. Geisler (’14) has worked on the river for seven years, first as a field biologist for the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD) and then as a graduate student researcher investigating sediment transport. Leiker (’14) also investigated sediment transport while a graduate student, and De Lay (’13) conducted water quality monitoring of steelhead trout habitat for the water management district. The team's daily work entails biological monitoring on the construction site, taking flow measurements in the river and on site, water quality sampling, and reporting to regulatory agencies, such as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the State Water Resources Control Board. The team ensures that the project is in compliance with all relevant environmental permits – which is why some of the project engineers refer to it as the “Happy Fish, Happy Frogs" crew.
The project involves a unique and innovative approach to dam removal. The Carmel River will be completely rerouted into the San Clemente Creek tributary to prevent sediment loading downstream, and may serve as a model for future dam removals in California and the nation.
Removing the dam will restore natural sediment transport within the river and give steelhead trout – a threatened species – access to 25 miles of additional spawning habitat. It will also eliminate potential problems the seismically unsafe structure could cause in an earthquake.
Read more about the San Clemente dam removal
Read a story by KSBW-TV news on students helping with dam removal
Learn about CSUMB’s master’s degree in applied marine and watershed science
*Reprinted from the newsletter of CSU Monterey Bay’s Watershed Institute. Used by permission. *
Photo: (left to right) Evan DeLay, Sheldon Leiker and Elizabeth Geisler are employed by Granite Construction, working on removal of the San Clemente dam
The 5Gyres Institute is on a mission to educate the world about the downside of its reliance on single-use plastic. The institute documents the prevalence of marine plastic pollution in oceans around the globe by traveling to the large oceanic systems called gyres, which tend to collect floating plastic. In June, Carolyn Rosevelt, a 2011 graduate of CSUMB’s master’s degree program in applied marine and watershed science, joined a team from the 5Gyres Institute on a sailing expedition to document changes in the density of plastic pollution between the sub-tropical gyre and sub-polar gyre in the North Atlantic Ocean. A few months before the voyage, staff members at 5Gyres had inquired about Rosevelt’s graduate work and the methodologies she used to investigate beach litter in the Monterey Bay region. They encouraged her to apply to join their expedition from Bermuda to Iceland. Bermuda is located in the middle of a sub-tropical gyre. Rosevelt was shocked to see the large quantity of plastic fragments as they pulled up to the beach survey sites on mopeds. Organizations such as the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences and volunteer stewards with Keep Bermuda Beautiful were happy to work with the 5Gyres team to conduct surveys, even lending them a small boat. After wrapping up the beach surveys, the team departed by ship from St. George, Bermuda. The crew was made up of 14 volunteers with various backgrounds in environmental conservation, all eager to meet the challenge of reducing plastic pollution.
Using three separate trawls – a surface manta trawl made of a 4-foot rectangular metal mouth piece and 15-foot net; a surface high-speed trawl which was a smaller version of the manta; and a multi-level trawl which sampled multiple depths below the sea surface – the team found numerous pieces of plastic just a few miles offshore.
In all, the research expedition took 20 days and a total of 37 trawls were deployed from Bermuda to the harbor in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Rosevelt achieved her goal of seeing the extent of ocean plastic pollution firsthand and noted that every single trawl sample yielded plastic particles or pieces.
She also realized that the ocean is “vast beyond description, scary, thrilling, sacred and deserves to be respected and protected.”
Find out more about 5Gyres' work.
Learn about CSUMB’s master’s degree in applied marine and watershed science
*Reprinted from the newsletter of CSU Monterey Bay’s Watershed Institute. Used by permission. Top photo: Elizabeth Rosevelt Bottom photo: Rosevelt and other volunteers headed to Iceland on the sailing vessel Sea Dragon*
Dr. Suzy Worcester and John Inman, a graduate student in CSU Monterey Bay’s applied marine and watershed science program, have been working with Bruce Delgado at the Bureau of Land Management to manage 2,500 acres of coastal grasslands at Fort Ord National Monument.
Coastal grasslands are relatively rare because of extensive human development along California's coastline. The national monument's grasslands are home to purple needle grass – California's state grass – and beautiful blooms of spring wildflowers such as sky lupine.
When Fort Ord was a military reservation, the grasslands were maintained using fire and grazing. However, since the base closed in the early 1990s, coyote brush has slowly encroached into the grasslands. Through ecological succession, these coastal grasslands are being converted into coastal scrub. The Bureau of Land Managment has brought in sheep to graze the grasslands; however, the coyote brush continues to spread. Delgado believes that goats might be another way to remove the coyote brush and manage the grasslands. Dr. Worcester, Inman and Delgado have been working together to design an experiment to test whether goat grazing is an effective way to reduce coyote brush cover as well as to increase native grassland species.
In an initial experiment last January, 1,400 goats ate the coyote brush down to bare sticks in a 400-acre area. With the help of BLM staff and volunteers, the investigators set up paired grazed and control plots in dense stands of coyote brush throughout the area before grazing started. Since coyote brush has the ability to re-sprout, the plan is to continue to graze the experimental plots annually until the coyote brush is killed.
The initial response was promising and the experiment will be expanded substantially this year. It will be several years before the results are known.
Learn about CSUMB’s master’s degree in applied marine and watershed science
*Reprinted from the newsletter of CSU Monterey Bay’s Watershed Institute. Used by permission. Top photo: Goats grazing on BLM land Bottom photo: Coyote brush*
Cal State Monterey Bay sophomore Jesus Ochoa Perez has been chosen for a CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement. He and the other award winners will be honored on Sept. 9 at the CSU board meeting in Long Beach.
The award is among the highest student distinctions in the CSU and is accompanied by a scholarship. Awardees must demonstrate superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, community service and financial need. Many of the honorees have prevailed in the face of disability, language and cultural barriers, intense personal loss or homelessness.
“The compelling life stories of these extraordinary student scholars are a testament to the transformative power of public higher education,” said CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White. “Through the generous support of our donors, many of whom are first-time contributors to the Trustees’ Award program, we are able to help these scholars create a bright and successful future.”
Jesus lived with his parents and three siblings in one room during part of his childhood, leaving him no quiet place to study. His parents, farm workers from Mexico, were determined that their children would not face the financial hardships and the physical ills of working in the fields.
I want to help others develop their love for math. I will do everything in my power to provide a learning environment that is conducive to the needs of students. – Jesus Ochoa Perez
This semester, Jesus is starting his second year at CSUMB, where he is a math major with a 4.0 grade-point average. A service learning requirement led him to an elementary school where he tutored first-graders in math – and discovered his passion for teaching. He volunteered far more than the number of hours required and continues to tutor elementary school students. He also found time to be a volunteer youth soccer coach.
Jesus is determined to be a success story from his East Salinas neighborhood by earning a teaching credential and returning to his high school to teach math.
Almost 447,000 students attend the 23 campuses of the CSU system. Only one student from each campus is honored with the Trustees’ Award. The program began three decades ago with scholarships endowed by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. Since then, the generosity of current and emeritus CSU trustees and other supporters of the university has allowed the program to expand.
CSU Trustees’ Scholars are nominated by their campus presidents.
More information on the CSU Trustees Award program
Photos Above: Jesus Ochoa Perez by Jeff Lewis Below: CSU Chancellor Timothy White (left) and CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa with Jesus at the awards reception in Long Beach on Sept. 9. Photo courtesy of the CSU
A new vision mural is taking shape on campus.
Students in Juan Luna-Avin’s painting and mural class have completed much of the work on the mural along Inter-Garrison Road and Fifth Avenue, across from the Visual and Public Art complex. Detail work on the mural will be completed next semester.
The original Signs and Symbols mural that graced the wall for years was removed last January to abate lead in the paint. During the spring 2014 semester, Professor Johanna Poethig’s painting and mural class, along with alumni muralists and faculty members, designed a new mural to replace it.
It “will reflect on the vision of the university and draw upon the old design,” Professor Poethig said in an interview last spring. “You don’t want to forget your history, but you also want to look toward the future.”
The students explained their new design on a tumblr page:
The centerpiece of the new mural is the compass. The compass symbolizes directions in life, and overlaps with an image of the globe, representing the world we all share, and situating CSUMB in the global arena. The currents that radiate out from the center across both sides of the mural are expansive as they illustrate the rippling effect we have on one another.
In the layering of the composition, the easily perceived and hidden elements complement each other. The lenses at each side of the compass magnify the values on which CSUMB is founded as we acknowledge the past and look toward the future.
On the left is a reflection of the original Fort Ord military symbol that was the centerpiece of the wall. On the right, the lens is a camera, a telescope or beacon and through both lenses light shines through toward the sky of unlimited possibility.
Bob Johnson and Diego Espinoza will be among the honorees at the National Philanthropy Day luncheon on Nov. 21. Both were nominated for awards by CSU Monterey Bay, but they share something much more important.
Each is motivated to help others by a woman who influenced him greatly. In Johnson’s case, it was his mother. For Espinoza, it was a kind and caring university staff member.
Johnson, a retired Salinas Valley grower and CSUMB Foundation board member, will receive the Outstanding Philanthropist award at the annual event.
Two decades after his mother’s death, he remains awed by her accomplishments. He hopes her example can inspire students to set and achieve ambitious goals, and since 2005, when he established a scholarship endowment in her honor, he has contributed more than $500,000 in support of students, faculty and programs. Jane Pere Johnson, who was 85 when she died in 1992, came to Monterey County from the Pyrenees region of France when she was 13 years old. As a young woman, she married Harry Johnson and raised three sons near Chualar, south of Salinas. She instilled in her children the values of education and hard work, and all three went to college. “The older I got, the more I reflected on what she accomplished in her life with almost zero education,” Johnson told CSUMB’s magazine in 2012. ?“I still have a hard time believing it, but it really happened.” The Jane Pere Johnson Scholarship is awarded on a priority basis to students who have attended Chualar Elementary School, Gonzales High School or Hartnell College in Salinas. Dozens of students have benefited. Many Chualar students now come from immigrant farm worker families, and Johnson said he wants to encourage them to reach for the opportunities made possible by a college degree. “Education is the ticket to a better life,” he said. Diego Espinoza A university staff member’s dedication to helping migrant students inspired Espinoza to honor her memory with a scholarship. For that effort, he will be honored as the Outstanding Young Adult.
Now a senior at CSUMB, Espinoza moved to Salinas from Mexico when he was 12 years old. He encountered the problems many migrant students face – limited English skills, overcrowded housing, exposure to violence in the community.
A counselor with CSUMB’s College Assistance Migrant Program helped him through the application and registration process. That’s where he encountered Carrie Gonzalez, “Miss Carrie” to the students who came into her orbit.
Sensing his strong motivation to help others, Miss Carrie hired Espinoza to be a peer mentor for incoming migrant students. That position brought a sense of fulfillment, and his grades quickly improved. After his sophomore year, however, she died of cancer.
To honor her dedication to students and thank her for the support she provided during his first two years of college, Espinosa is leading the effort to raise at least $5,000 for a scholarship in Miss Carrie’s name. He hopes the recipients will be inspired to pay it forward.
Raising scholarship money is only part of his philanthropic work. He also serves as community service liaison for his fraternity and volunteers as a basketball and soccer coach for youngsters in East Salinas.
National Philanthropy Day is an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of giving and all that it makes possible. The local celebration, now in its 23rd year, is hosted by the Development Executives Network and the Monterey Bay chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Awards are presented to individuals, corporations, service organizations, youth and young adults who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to the community. Nominations are rated by a team of reviewers from the local AFP and DEN chapters, business leaders and leaders of private foundations. For more information, click here. Also being honored at the luncheon: • Outstanding Philanthropic Foundation: ST.A.R. Foundation of Monterey County
• Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation: Chevron North America Exploration and Production
• Outstanding Philanthropic Service Organization: The Agricultural Leadership Council
• Outstanding Philanthropic Youth: Austin Eaton
Should a disaster strike, university officials want campus community members to be prepared, educated on what to do and have the resources and training to be emergency-ready.
A good place to start is the Otter Preparedness Fair, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sept. 11 on the campus quad. The third annual event is sponsored by the Emergency Management, Health and Safety Division of the University Police Department.
Attendees will learn how to prepare themselves, their families, pets, homes and communities for an emergency. They can sign up for first aid, CPR and automatic external defibrillator (AED) training as well as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training.
Information will be distributed, equipment and emergency vehicles will be on display and demonstrations of AED use, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and first aid/CPR will be held.
"In organizing this fair, our primary goal is to empower our community, to bring more people into the preparedness circle and to get them ready for a disaster," said Dick Bower, CSUMB’s emergency manager. "Everyone should be prepared and this fair is really intended for anyone who knows he or she should be prepared but doesn't know where to start."
The fair is supported by several community partners and agencies – including fire departments from Seaside and the Presidio of Monterey; CalFire; American Medical Response; American Red Cross; Monterey County Health Department, Office of Emergency Services and Sheriff’s Department; and local CERT teams – demonstrating the interaction and cooperation needed in emergencies.
CSUMB's efforts to prepare for natural disasters have won recognition from the National Weather Service – the university was named a Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador and a Storm Ready university. Read more here.
Learn about the Division of Emergency Management, Health and Safety at CSUMB
The annual worldwide Coastal Cleanup Day is the largest volunteer event on the planet. Hundreds of thousands of people in more than 100 countries clean up beaches, lakes and waterways. If you’d like to help with the effort, join CSU Monterey Bay’s Return of the Natives (RON) on Sept. 20 to celebrate the day and contribute to a better environment. RON is working in partnership with Save Our Shores on the annual event. This year’s event will include more than two dozen sites in Monterey County, including Upper Carr Lake in Salinas. RON is recruiting volunteers to help clean up trash and remove invasive weeds at the lake from 9 a.m. to noon. Last year, volunteers worked to clean up Natividad Creek and prevented approximately 1,200 lbs. of debris from entering the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, protecting the ocean and keeping flood channels open. More than 80 percent of the plastics and other litter that pollutes the oceans comes from land sources. That means the debris that’s picked up during the cleanup will make a difference. Upper Carr Lake is located off East Laurel Drive between Constitution Boulevard and Sanborn Road. Snacks, water and tools will be provided. Return of the Natives is dedicated to bringing people closer to nature and nature closer to people through hands-on participation in restoring habitats. It is the education and outreach arm of the Watershed Institute at CSUMB. RON events are a great way to learn more about where you live, meet new people and help protect our water supply and natural habitat.??
More information is available here or by calling 582-3686
Students attending CSUMB have unprecedented easy access to campus. . . . CSUMB get an A for its transportation efforts. – The Salinas Californian, Sept. 1, 2014
CSU Monterey Bay professor Juan Luna-Avin works with students in his mural class to map out the new vision mural that they will paint at Inter-Garrison Road and Fifth Avenue. – Monterey Herald, Sept. 2, 2014
The series of skits and guided discussions by acting troupe Catharsis Productions demonstrate that role-playing and blunt talk make more memorable sexual assault training than lectures. – Monterey Herald, Sept. 2, 2014
Here's what a monolingual Mexican child who comes to the United States at age 10 can become: dean at a major university. – Monterey Herald, Sept. 5, 2014
A community health expert and educator is heading the new College of Health Sciences and Human Services at Cal State Monterey Bay. Britt Rios-Ellis is the founding dean of the college. – The Salinas Californian, Sept. 8, 2014
The School of World Languages and Cultures will hold its annual fall tea ceremony on Sept. 17 in the University Center living room. The public is invited to attend.
Tea master Matsui Sensei will prepare the Japanese green tea in the traditional style. The tea ceremony is a culturally enriching experience that demonstrates the elegance and serenity of Japanese tradition.
Seatings will be held at 2 and 3 p.m. To reserve a space, please RSVP by Sept. 12 at wlc@csumb.edu or call 582-4151.
Students in the CSIT-in-3 program know a good opportunity when they see it.
CSIT-in-3 is a collaboration between CSU Monterey Bay and Hartnell College that enables students to earn a bachelor’s degree in computer science in three years. The program started in 2013 and has just admitted its second cohort of 32 students.
The university’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center was notified of an unpaid position for a student volunteer to work with Hopkins Marine Station’s Shark Baselines Project. When students learned of it, many of them wanted to participate.
“They need to have worked on projects to help them get internships,” said Katie Cunningham, computer science education coordinator. “And they know that.”
Hopkins needed people with coding skills, the ability to develop and manage mobile applications as well as develop dynamic web pages. Eight students volunteered for the project. Some wanted to work on the web pages, others liked the idea of developing apps for data collection and presentation.
“I recruited a whole team from CSUMB,” said Dr. Francesco Ferretti, a researcher at Hopkins. “The students are now working on different aspects of SharkPulse.”
SharkPulse is a smartphone app developed to involve citizen scientists in monitoring global shark populations. It allows people to upload their photos – with information about when and where the pictures were taken – to the Shark Baselines Project, where they can be studied.
“Right now we have five working groups: database development and management; IOS app; Android app; web application and front end; and social media mining,” Dr. Ferretti said. Students work with all of the groups.
“I’m happy with the students,” Dr. Ferretti said. “They seem very motivated and energetic.”
A handful of CSU Monterey Bay college students are aiming to produce a creative outlet for women to let their voices be heard. That platform is the Not a Pretty Girl Project, founded by Selena Gonzalez, a human communications major with an emphasis in social action creative writing. – USA Today, Aug. 23, 2014
*Photo by Daniel Lyons (SBS, 2004)*
CSU Monterey Bay alumnus Daniel Jack Lyons will visit campus Nov. 18 and 19 for a pair of presentations on his current work.
Lyons, a 2004 graduate with a degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences, earned a master’s degree in public health from Columbia University before launching a career as a photographer and global health research consultant.
In his human rights and public health work, he employs a technique called photovoice, which combines photography with grassroots social action. Participants in his projects are asked to represent their community or point of view by taking photos, discussing them as a group and then developing narratives to go with the photos. The projects provide insight into how people experience human rights abuses and public health issues and help them understand their circumstances and define their hopes for the future.
On his website, Lyons explained that he also uses photographs and reporting to document the process as well as the lives of participants in his work. Lyons (at left) has held positions and consulted as a researcher for the Foundation for AIDS Research, Columbia University, the United Nations, PCI Media Impact and Vanderbilt University. His work has been published on the Huffington Post website as well as in academic journals such as Culture, Health and Sexuality. He lives in New York City.
DETAILS:
What: *Vision & Voice: Confronting Authorship and Agency Within Community through Photovoice and Photography* presentation by Daniel Jack Lyons When: Nov. 18, 6-7:30 p.m., Ocean Hall, B-120 Nov. 19, Noon-1:30 p.m., Ocean Hall, B-120
Cost: Free Driving directions and campus map Learn about Social, Behavioral and Global Studies at CSUMB
To commemorate Constitution Day, California State University, Monterey Bay Professor David Reichard will present a talk on the topic “Beyond 5 to 4: Understanding How Supreme Court Justices Interpret the Constitution and Why it Matters,” at 8 p.m., Sept. 17.
The talk will be held in the University Center living room. The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue and B Street. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/maps.
While the event is free, a parking permit must be purchased from a machine on the lot.
Please RSVP to Brendan Taylor at bretaylor@csumb.edu.
Constitution Day programs have been required since 2004, when an appropriations bill approved by Congress contained a requirement that every school or university that receives federal money present an annual program on the Constitution.
CSU Monterey Bay’s visiting artist series kicks off Sept. 17 when Los Angeles artists Karla Diaz and Mario Ybarra Jr. visit campus.
Their presentation will get under way at 6 p.m. in Visual and Public Art Building 72 on Inter-Garrison Road at Fifth Avenue. The presentation is free and open to the public.
In 2002, Ybarra and Diaz founded Slanguage Studio in Wilmington, the port district of Los Angeles, Slanguage began modestly as an expanded studio providing work space for the artists as well as an open space for the community to draw, sculpt, dance or just tell stories and hang out. Before it closed earlier this year, Slanguage Studio had evolved into a gallery, a site for workshops and events, as well as a residency that brought in other artists.
Ybarra and Diaz have been in the forefront of many pilot events, exhibition and programs across the globe. Their work has been presented by the Whitney Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the Tate Modern in London, Chicago Hyde Park Center, ARCO Fair in Madrid and was included in the first Made in LA Biennial.
Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/maps. Please note that visitors must purchase a parking permit from a dispenser on the parking lot or online.
For more information, or to request disability accommodations, call 582-4337.
As a Marine lieutenant during the Vietnam War, Karl Marlantes learned what every young officer learns – to fire a rifle, to command a platoon, to fight and to kill. Over the next four decades, he spent his time reading, thinking and writing a memoir that helped him come to terms with that experience.
In his book, “What It Is Like to Go to War,” Marlantes writes that while the Marine Corps trained him to kill, “it didn’t teach me how to deal with killing.”
If the folks at the nonprofit organization Cal Humanities have their way, people will be reading Marlantes’ book this fall. It’s the featured selection of California Reads: The War Comes Home, a program offered by libraries throughout the state. Its goal: to bring people together to think and talk about what it is like to be a veteran.
Marlantes’ book tour as part of California Reads includes multiple stops in Northern and Southern California, at public libraries, colleges and universities, and veterans centers.
Locally, Monterey County Free Libraries will sponsor a discussion with the author on Oct. 10 at 5:30 p.m. in CSU Monterey Bay’s library, Room 1180. While the event is free, attendees must purchase a parking permit from a machine on the lot or online.
The first 100 attendees will receive a free copy of the book.
Marlantes told the Orange County Register that he is flattered to have his book chosen. “California is an immense state with immense diversity from the Oregon border to the Mexican border. To have an organization that’s going to span that much difference – sociologically and geographically – read my book, I’m thrilled,” he told the Register. Monterey County Free Libraries has organized several other activities related to the book. Learn more about them here.
Eight community members have joined the Foundation of CSU Monterey Bay board of directors.
Established in 2011, the Foundation brings community and campus leaders together to foster, encourage and promote the goals and purposes of CSUMB. Board members will advise the president and other university officers and play an active role in philanthropic support.
“In addition to the traditional role of financial stewardship and university advocacy, foundation board members will provide us with important strategic advice and counsel as CSUMB deepens its community engagement and responsiveness to regional needs,” said university President Eduardo Ochoa. “As respected and knowledgeable community leaders, their input will prove invaluable to that purpose.”
Joining the board are:
• Anna Caballero, secretary of the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, former member of the state Assembly and former mayor of Salinas.
• Don Chapin Jr., president of the Don Chapin Company, a regional construction services company.
• Nicole Charles, district director for state Senator Bill Monning. She is the chair of the CSUMB Alumni Association and represents alumni on the board.
• Janine Chicourrat, general manager of Portola Hotel and Spa, board member of the Carmel Chamber of Commerce and president of the Monterey County Hospitality Association.
• David Heuck, executive vice president and chief financial officer of the Pebble Beach Company.
• Steven Packer, M.D., president and CEO of Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.
• Harry Wardwell, executive vice president, retail division manager of Rabobank and the bank’s regional president.
• Rafael Zamora, an alumnus of CSUMB, has worked for Sony and Dell and is now running startups in Silicon Valley
They join continuing members Robert Taylor of Salinas and Robert Johnson of Pacific Grove. Professor Carl Ferguson is the faculty representative; Larenz Tolson is the student member of the board.
President Ochoa, Kevin Saunders, vice president for administration and finance, and Barbara Zappas, vice president of university development and CEO of the foundation, are ex-officio board members.
Philip Glass’ Days and Nights Festival returns to the local area Sept. 25-28, with a big contribution from CSU Monterey Bay.
Enid Baxter Ryce, chair of CSUMB’s Cinematic Arts Department, has planned the daytime portion of the festival, putting together a lineup of films, an animation and puppet workshop, talks and a social event, all free to the public.
At noon on the festival’s opening day, Sept. 25, filmmaker Godfrey Reggio will talk about and screen his short film Evidence – which is scored with music by Glass.
Jaron Lanier, classical music composer, computer scientist and one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people, will also speak at the screening.
The event will be held in the Cinematic Arts studio on campus. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
On Saturday, Sept. 27, Sunset Center hosts a screening of H20 MX, a widely praised documentary about water issues in Mexico City. Compared to An Inconvenient Truth in its attempt to raise awareness, the film makes an urgent plea for action. A discussion with the filmmakers will follow.
At 4 p.m., Soyeon Kim, a professor of animation at CSUMB, will lead a spaceship-themed puppet and animation workshop in Sunset Center’s lobby, followed at 6 p.m. by a pizza party for youngsters.
On the festival’s final day, Sept. 28, Professor Ryce will present Planet Ord History and Ecology – a collection of CSUMB student films that explore Fort Ord from a variety of angles. Showtime is 1 p.m.
In 2013, the CSUMB-based Monterey Bay Film Festival became part of the Days and Nights Festival; its role is to create daytime film programming and workshops to compliment the evening events.
A complete schedule of events can be found here.
Cal State Monterey Bay sophomore Jesus Ochoa Perez has been chosen for a California State University Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement. He and the other award winners were honored Sept. 9 at the CSU board meeting in Long Beach – Monterey Herald, Sept. 14, 2014
CSU Monterey Bay is embracing the spirit of the holiday season with a flurry of charitable activities intended to help the local community.
• Representatives from the Food Bank for Monterey County loaded hundreds of pounds of canned goods into a delivery truck parked at the World Theater on Nov. 13. The haul – totaling more than two tons of people and pet food – was collected a few days earlier when the rock band December People performed at the theater. To earn a discount on the ticket price for the Nov. 8 performance, the capacity crowd was asked to bring cans of food.
The drive was a collaboration between the World Theater and radio station HIPPO 104.3 FM. The donations were given to the food bank, the local SPCA and the Santa Cruz animal shelter.
• Through the generosity of CSUMB students, staff and faculty and the sponsorship of Sodexo, the university’s food service provider, the Stop Hunger drive netted 900 pounds of food in time to reach needy families for Thanksgiving.
Sodexo holds the drive every October and November. Students can contribute non-perishable food items or donate meal plan blocks which campus dining converts into cash, matches the total and uses to purchase bulk items such as bags of rice, beans, canned fruit, canned milk and vegetables.
• The Multi-Cultural Greek Council held a food drive to benefit Dorothy’s Place Hospitality Center in Salinas.
• Anjelica Hererra and her Sigma Theta Psi sorority sisters are collecting all things warm and cozy –¬ coats, sweaters, socks, gloves, scarves and blankets – to be distributed to the homeless in the Chinatown area of Salinas. Donations will be accepted through the end of November. To arrange a pick-up, contact stp.zeta.communityservice@gmail.com.
• The University Police Department is participating in the annual Crime Prevention Officers Association toy drive. New, unwrapped toys can be placed in a barrel in the UPD lobby through Dec. 17. Photos Above: World Theater staff members with food donations collected at the December People concert Photo courtesy of Laurie Roberts Below: Students signed cards to indicate they had donated to the Stop Hunger food drive. The cards are on display in the Dining Commons Photo courtesy of Madeline Britt
Cal State Monterey Bay Professor Dan Fernandez was one of hundreds of electric vehicle buffs who helped the U.S. reclaim a world record Sept. 20 in Cupertino.
The record for the world’s largest parade of electric vehicles was set at a National Drive Electric Week event at De Anza College. Dr. Fernandez’s Nissan Leaf was one of the 507 vehicles in the parade. A Guinness World Record official was on hand to certify that the event surpassed the previous record of a 481-car parade set last May in Stuttgart, Germany.
Dr. Fernandez, who teaches in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy, is the organizer of the university’s FOCUS event, CSUMB’s annual look at sustainability issues. He co-chaired the campus-wide sustainability committee that produced the university’s Climate Action Plan and works to integrate sustainability issues throughout the curriculum. Ironically, the record-setting event wasn’t all good news. “On the way home, I – for the first time – ran out of charge and needed a tow,” Dr. Fernandez said.
Related story: Campus gets two EV charging stations
Middle school students in Monterey County will be better equipped for college thanks to federal grants awarded to Cal State Monterey Bay.
The money will allow 3,620 students to be served in San Ardo, San Lucas, Greenfield, King City, Salinas and Seaside.
The grants, which amount to $2.1 million per year for six years, with another $1.4 million in year seven, were awarded under the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs – GEAR UP – administered by the U.S Department of Education.
GEAR UP aims to increase the proportion of students from low-income areas who are prepared for college. It provides academic and financial aid advising, tutoring, college field trips and other activities that help students prepare for and apply to college.
The project will begin working with seventh- and eighth-grade classes this year and will provide services through their first year of college.
While CSUMB offers a variety of early outreach and support programs for underserved students, this is the first GEAR UP grant for the university.
Learn more about Early Outreach and Support programs at CSUMB
• CSU Monterey Bay received one of 24 grants from the U.S Department of Education to recruit, train and support new teachers primarily in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
The Teacher Quality Partnership grant totals $8.6 million over five years and will allow the university to work with high-need school districts to strengthen teacher preparation programs, ensuring that teachers have the skills to improve student achievement.
CSUMB is partnering with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and 10 school districts in Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties with a total enrollment of 75,000 students.
• Dr. Josh Harrower, a professor in CSUMB's College of Education, will work with the Monterey County Office of Education to implement Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support under a $2.6 million grant awarded to MCOE. PBIS is credited with improving school climate, which leads to better student behavior and improved academic performance. It emphasizes recognition and praise of positive behavior as opposed to punishing students for bad behavior.
CSU Monterey Bay’s concert series resumes on Oct. 13 with a free performance by A/B Duo.
Included in the program is a new piece for contrabass flute and percussion written by Monterey County native Ned McGowan.
A/B Duo – percussionist Christopher Jones and flutist Meerenai Shim – performs contemporary music. Part garage band, part Bang on a Can All Stars, they commission most of the music they perform. It varies wildly in style and instrumentation – from djembe and contrabass flute to Nintendo Gameboy and drum set.
One of the most charming concerts imaginable. . . . The music was bouncy, strange, interesting and fun. A/B Duo is worth seeking out. – Civic Center Blog (San Francisco)
“There are so many possibilities with the combination of flute and percussion, with all of the percussion instruments, and I also have five flutes that I can use – piccolo, flute, alto flute, bass flute and contra-bass flute,” Shim told a reviewer for the website Cleveland Classical.com. “And stylistically speaking, some people describe what Chris and I do as chamber rock. I’ve heard others say it’s a combination of popular music and art music,” Shim said.
“Things We Dream About,” their rock and roll and Gameboy infused extended play record, was released in December 2013. The duo is currently recording its first full-length album, tentatively titled “Ricochet,” to be released in fall 2015. The free concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Music Hall on Sixth Avenue and Butler Street. Driving directions and a campus map can be found at csumb.edu/maps. Please note that a parking permit must be purchased from a machine on the adjacent lot or online.
Learn more about the music program at CSUMB
Soon, CSUMB will introduce one of the country's first sustainable hospitality management programs. Students who earn the bachelor's degree, which will offer concentrations in sustainability and ecotourism, sustainable resort and hotel management, and sustainable event planning and management, will be equipped to build and lead eco-friendly tourism businesses. – Monterey Herald, Sept. 12, 2014
An independent, confidential advocate for survivors of sexual assault will join the support system already in place at Cal State Monterey Bay. – The Salinas Californian, Sept. 23, 2014
Valley of the Heart explores themes that are ever-present in California – immigration, racism, identity – and folds them into a love story and a history lesson.
Playwright Luis Valdez calls it a memory play. As in his own life, a Mexican American sharecropping family takes over a ranch whose Japanese American owners are interned during World War II. The ranch owner’s daughter and sharecropper’s son fall in love in the Valley of Heart’s Delight – now known as Silicon Valley – before Pearl Harbor.
When she becomes pregnant, they marry secretly, only to be separated when her family is sent to Heart Mountain and his family becomes caretakers of the ranch.
"It's a love story. It's a story of two families, it shows the impact of war," Valdez told the San Jose Mercury News. "But the main theme is that it's a story of the heart. Ultimately, all these social problems we have eventually get solved by the human heart."
Valley of the Heart will be performed by Valdez’s company, El Teatro Campesino, at Cal State Monterey Bay’s World Theater at 8 p.m. on Oct. 18 and at 2 p.m. on Oct. 19. The play comes to CSUMB after an eight-week run at El Teatro’s San Juan Bautista theater.
The change of venue to a larger space means the “relationship of the actor to the audience changes,” said Joe Cardinalli, artistic and executive director of the World Theater. “I’ve seen the play three times and each time, I find something new to reflect on.”
The production kicks off the celebration and commemoration of El Teatro’s 50th anniversary year.
“We are pleased to welcome director/playwright Luis Valdez back to the university where he was a founding faculty member,” Cardinalli said.
A special reception with the playwright and cast will be held at CSUMB’s Alumni and Visitors Center following the Sunday matinee. Tickets for the performance and reception are $50.
Ticket prices for Saturday’s show and for Sunday’s performance only are $40 premium, $29 general admission. Discounts are available for students, seniors and military members. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 582-4580. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Photo Back: Randall Nakano; left: Andres Ortiz; right, Melanie Mah Photo by Robert Eliason
When graduates cross the stage at commencement next May, they will join not only the Class of 2015, but also The Class of 3 Million – three million graduates of the California State University system.
It’s one of the largest alumni networks in the world.
To mark this milestone, 2015 graduates as well as alumni from all 23 CSU campuses are invited to “sign” The Class of 3 Million Yearbook. The online yearbook is a way for CSU alums to connect and build relationships with one another.
Everyone who signs the yearbook will be entered to win one of three $10,000 scholarships for a current or future student. All 2015 grads will receive Class of 3 Million silicone wristbands in time for commencement ceremonies.
Sign The Class of 3 Million yearbook
The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) is spearheading a national effort to engage students in the topic of economic inequality and its impact on democracy. CSU Monterey Bay, which has long been a leader in the area of service learning in higher education, is one of 31 institutions participating in the effort.
“AASCU is excited to assemble this group of two- and four-year institutions that together will examine and address the growing economic inequality in this county, a trend that poses a serious threat to our democracy,” said George Mehaffy, AASCU’s vice president of academic leadership and change.
According to Dr. Seth Pollack, director of CSUMB’s Service Learning Institute, Cal State Monterey Bay plans to strengthen its 100-plus service learning courses and curriculum so they are more effective in helping students think about and address issues of economic inequality; develop new partnerships with community organizations to enhance student involvement with local economic development initiatives; and work together with Hartnell and Monterey Peninsula colleges to develop a dialogue about issues of economic inequality in our region.
As part of that dialogue, the next scheduled speaker in the CSUMB President’s Speaker Series will be Dr. Manuel Pastor, professor of sociology and American studies and ethnicity at the University of Southern California. He will discuss issues surrounding income inequality, immigration and economic growth during a series of campus sessions on Jan. 30 and will give a public address starting at 3:30 p.m. in the World Theater.
National network of participating schools The four-year institutions involved include Keene State College, Buffalo State (SUNY); California State University, Chico; Cleveland State University; Dalton State College (Ga.); Ferris State University (Mich.); Indiana University Northwest; Missouri State University; Northeastern Illinois University; Northern Kentucky University; Richard Stockton College of New Jersey; Salisbury University (Md.); Slippery Rock University (Penn.); St. Cloud State University (Minn.); SUNY Cortland; Texas A&M University-Central Texas; University of Houston Downtown; Weber State University (Utah); Western Carolina University (N.C.); and Wright State University (Ohio).
Participating two-year institutions include Mount achusett Community College (Mass.); Allegany College of Maryland; De Anza College (Calif.); Kirkwood Community College (Iowa); Lone Star College, Kingwood (Texas); Manchester Community College (Conn.); Monroe Community College (N.Y.); Moraine Valley Community College (Ill.); Santa Fe College (Fla.); and Tarrant County College, Southeast Campus (Texas).
About AASCU AASCU is a Washington-based higher education association of more than 400 public colleges, universities and systems whose members share a learning- and teaching-centered culture, a historic commitment to underserved student populations and a dedication to research and creativity that advances their regions’ economic progress and cultural development. Photo: Dr. Manuel Pastor
For most startup companies, their intellectual property, including their brand, logo, taglines, documents and innovations, are their most important assets. Those assets need to be protected from competitive infringement.
Business owners can learn how to manage and protect their intellectural property at the fall Entrepreneurship Forum set for Oct. 14 at CSU Monterey Bay.
The free forum, to be held from 2 to 4:30 p.m. in the University Center ballroom, is sponsored by the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development and CSUMB’s College of Business.
This session will feature an industry presentation and a panel of legal experts. Audience members will have an opportunity to interact with the speakers.
For more information, contact MaryJo Zenk at 831-582-3230 or e-mail her at mzenk@csumb.edu.
The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Driving directions and a campus map can be found at csumb.edu/maps. Visitors must purchase a parking permit from the machine on the lot or online at http://parking.csumb.edu/buy-permit
About CSU Monterey Bay’s Entrepreneurship Forums Each semester, the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development in the College of Business hosts an Entrepreneurship Forum. Past forums have addressed topics such as how startups quickly nail the product that sells; advice from lenders; and a look at crowdfunding.
Bernard Green, 20, a student at Cal State University Monterey Bay, was a volunteer at Ciclovia Salinas. He brought a pop-up display of a Protected Bike Lane on behalf of TripWise, the campus transportation program. – *The Salinas Californian*, Nov. 3, 2014
The World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Area has awarded scholarships to two students from California State University, Monterey Bay.
The CSUMB students were among six who received $1,000 Singleton Scholarships, recognizing their interest in international affairs. The students were nominated by their professors, and then submitted resumes, recommendations and personal statements. The WAC scholarship committee made the final decisions.
Scholarship winners from CSUMB:
• Brianna Skinner – A Social and Behavioral Studies major, Skinner expects to graduate in May and intends to pursue a master’s degree in Spanish and become an educator. The award helped her participate in CSUMB’s summer program in Spain.
“She is a remarkable student; talented, organized and with an enviable view of the world and world cultures,” said Skinner’s mentor Dr. Juan J. Gutierrez, who runs the program in Spain.
• Jacob Taylor – A senior Global Studies major, Taylor is interested in geopolitical analysis and the geopolitics of energy security. At CSUMB, he’s vice president of Sigma Iota Rho, an honors organization focused on world affairs.
His plans after graduation are still taking shape and may include a job in the technology sector, or foreign service. He’s also contemplating graduate school.
The students – from Monterey Peninsula College and the Monterey Institute of International Studies as well as CSUMB – were honored at a luncheon on Sept. 30 at Rancho Canada Golf Club in Carmel.
Since 2002, 15 CSUMB students have earned WAC scholarships.
The Singleton Scholarships are made possible by contributions from members of the World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay.
From CSU Voices and Views blog
*By Steven Avila*****CSU Monterey Bay Alumnus****Special Assistant, Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior When I transferred from community college to CSU Monterey Bay in 2009, I thought I knew what I wanted to do with my life: I would study business, graduate and move up to Silicon Valley or New York to pursue a life of big deals and enterprise. But later that year, the most incredible opportunity flashed into my student inbox and it changed my life forever. It was an application for the Panetta Institute Congressional Internship Program. Every year, the program sends one student from every CSU to Washington, D.C., to intern with a member of Congress from the California delegation. It pays for your trip, provides a stipend, and you receive college credit. I remember thinking, “Wow, this is an unbelievable opportunity. Too bad I don’t have a chance.” But one application, several group interviews, and some essays later, I was selected to represent CSUMB in the 2010 Panetta Internship class. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Working on Capitol Hill, living in Washington and being surrounded by the most dedicated, hard-working people I had ever met confirmed to me that I had to dedicate my life to public service.
Read an earlier story about Avila
CSU Monterey Bay has received one of 24 grants from the U.S Department of Education to recruit, train and support new teachers primarily in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
The Teacher Quality Partnership grant totals $8.6 million over five years and will allow the university to work with high-need school districts to strengthen teacher preparation programs, ensuring that teachers have the skills to improve student achievement.
CSUMB is partnering with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and 10 school districts in Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties with a total enrollment of 75,000 students.
The grant allows for the creation of the Central Coast Partnership for Teaching Excellence. The program will provide new and prospective teachers with skills and knowledge to meet the demands of the Common Core State Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards currently being implemented in California.
CSUMB and Cal Poly will work closely to improve teacher credential programs to meet the demands of the new standards; CSUMB plans to add programs that allow students to earn a master’s degree and a teaching credential in 18 months.
The grant also provides for $1 million in scholarships to students who agree to teach in a rural school located between CSUMB and Cal Poly.
The goal is to build a clear pathway for students as they go from a credential program to their first classroom assignment to continuing education for experienced teachers.
“Often, the professional education curriculum of the university does not connect well with professional development and teacher support provided by school districts,” said Dr. Mark O’Shea, a professor of education at CSUMB.
“With this funding, we will plan and implement a coherent and developmental curriculum for teacher candidates and classroom teachers" on the Central Coast.
This is the second grant from the Department of Education CSUMB has received recently. The university was awarded $14 million to start a GEAR UP program that will work with local students as they progress from middle school through high school and into college.
Learn more about teacher education programs at CSUMB.
CSU Monterey Bay’s concert series continues on Oct. 24 when the community is invited to an afternoon of African music and culture with mbira and marimba master Cosmas Magaya of Zimbabwe.
Serious fans of African music may have heard the unique sound of the mbira, an instrument that consists of keys over a bridge on a hardwood soundboard. It’s found in hundreds of varieties, from small versions with one row of keys to much more complex instruments with as many as 52 keys.
While the mbira, sometimes called a “thumb piano,” is found in much of Africa, it has a central place and rich history in Zimbabwe. In the 1500s, Portuguese missionaries noted the instrument being played at the courts of African chiefs. Among the Shona people, it’s used in every facet of life – at weddings and funerals, at rainmaking, thanksgiving and religious ceremonies and in healing.
For more than a decade, Mr. Magaya (pictured at right) has been visiting North America to teach and lecture at universities including Duke and Harvard. He has performed throughout the U.S. and Europe.
The free concert will be held at 2 p.m. in the Music Hall on Sixth Avenue and Butler Street. Driving directions and a campus map can be found at csumb.edu/maps. Please note that a parking permit must be purchased from a machine on the adjacent lot or online.
For more information or to request disability accommodations, call 582-3009. Learn about the music program at CSUMB.
Photo of Cosmas Magaya by Cliff Warner
As part of National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week (NCAAW) Oct. 20–25, CSU Monterey Bay is offering panel discussions, games, displays and other activities to help students understand the ramifications of alcohol and its effect. The activities are designed to reinforce personal responsibility and respect for state laws and campus policies when it comes to the consumption of alcohol. Highlights of this year’s activities include:
• Oct. 20, 8 p.m., Student Center: “You Otter Think Before You Drink,” sponsored by the Multicultural Greek Council, featuring a panel of speakers with different experiences and perspectives followed by an open mic discussion.
• Oct. 21-23, Main Quad: A crashed car display, sponsored by the University Police Department and Monterey Garage, demonstrating the very real consequences of drinking and driving.
• Oct. 22, 8 p.m., University Center ballroom: “Survey Says,” a family-feud style game show with an alcohol awareness theme, sponsored by the Otter Student Union.
• Oct. 23, noon, Main Quad: “Paint to Pledge,” sponsored by Sigma Theta Psi Sorority.
• Oct. 23, 8 p.m., Divarty Quad: Fireside chat, sponsored by the Residential Housing Association, information on being an empowered bystander.
•** Oct. 25, 10 a.m.**: “Make a Difference Day” park clean-up at Natividad Creek Park in Salinas, sponsored by Student Activities and Leadership
• Oct. 30, 7 p.m., Sports Center: “Dodge the Pumpkin” dodgeball tournament, sponsored by the Student Athlete Advisory Council.
NCAAW is the largest single event in all of academia because students take ownership in designing and implementing this observance for their campus communities. This week also provides campuses the opportunity to showcase healthy lifestyles free from the abuse or illegal use of alcohol and to combat negative stereotypes associated with college drinking behavior.
University faculty and staff also play a vital role in working with students to educate them about alcohol.
“NCAAW allows us to show our students here at CSUMB – particularly new students – that most of their peers are not abusing alcohol and most are making healthy and safe decisions,” said Gary Rodriguez, health promotion and prevention specialist for the Campus Health Center.
NCAAW 2014 also highlights the “Aware, Awake, Alive!” program, implemented at CSUMB and all other CSU campuses. The program, which equips students with the tools and knowledge to prevent alcohol-related deaths, was created by Scott and Julia Starkey after they lost their son, Carson, to alcohol poisoning while he was a freshman at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
“This program is ideal for college students because it educates them on the symptoms of alcohol poisoning, creates awareness on the conditions that enable it, and encourages responsibility for one another in situations where alcohol is consumed,” Rodriguez said.
NCAAW at CSUMB is a collaborative effort of Health & Wellness Services, the POWER Peer Education Program, Student Housing & Residential Life, the Residential Housing Association, Athletics, the Student Athlete Advisory Council, Student Activities & Leadership Development, the Office of Judicial Affairs & Community Standards, University Police Department, Conference & Event Services, Sigma Theta Psi Sorority, the Multicultural Greek Council, Associated Students, Otter Student Union, Sun Street Recovery Centers, the Monterey County Rape Crisis Center, Monterey Garage and the California Highway Patrol.
A feature-length documentary that had its California premiere at the Carmel International Film Festival features a CSU Monterey Bay student.
Yajaira, a senior at the university, is one of four young adults profiled in “The Salinas Project” by American University journalism professor and filmmaker Carolyn Brown.
All four of the young people – children of immigrant farmworkers – live in East Salinas, an area where deplorable housing conditions and gang violence are part of daily life. All are succeeding despite their challenging life circumstances, overcoming social, political and economic constraints.
The film follows Yajaira; Fernanda, an activist who spoke in Washington, D.C., about youth efforts to combat violence; Lolo, a musician who played the French horn at Carnegie Hall and studied classical music at Long Beach State; and Angel, who graduated from Fullerton State and returned to East Salinas to help his community.
Yajaira was 18 and starting her first year at CSUMB when filming began. She is on tract to graduate this year, despite working 30-hour weeks at a restaurant and dealing with uncertainty around her family situation and housing.
At the premiere, Brown said she hopes the documentary “helps viewers understand a community that is often misrepresented in the media as many news stories focus primarily on the gang violence.
“My film gives a realistic portrayal of how abundant hope and resilience can defy stereotypes and circumstances,” she said.
At the screening, Brown said the film is scheduled for national broadcast on public television, perhaps as soon as next summer.
Follow “The Salinas Project” on Facebook
The “Greater Vision” series of public forums on topics important to local agriculture and the larger community continues Oct. 22 at California State University, Monterey Bay. The topic is “The Business of Healthy Eating.”
Central Coast agriculture grows fruits and vegetables recommended for a healthy diet. The agriculture industry and public health are working together to protect the environment and prevent diseases such as diabetes. A public-private partnership, uneasy at times, is emerging to address this challenge.
This series will address how the systems of production agriculture and the promotion of public health can work together to provide value-added produce at an affordable price while protecting farm workers and the environment. In three annual sessions, experts will examine this challenge and how it can be addressed through public policy, marketing programs designed to promote the public good, and new production technologies
Congressman Sam Farr will deliver the keynote address, “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.” A panel discussion will follow; panelists include CSUMB professors Brad Barbeau and Trish Sevene; Dr. Lorelei DiSogra of the United Fresh Produce Association; Dr. Edward Moreno, director of public health for Monterey County; and Gina Nucci of Mann Packing.
The event will be held in the University Center on Sixth Avenue and B Street, starting at 2 p.m. The event is free; however, a parking permit must be purchased from the machine on the lot. Driving directions and a campus map can be downloaded here.
“A Greater Vision” is an annual educational event hosted by the Grower-Shipper Association Foundation, and supported by CSUMB and the Central Coast Ag Task Force. It provides a series of public forums featuring speakers and panel discussions including community members, academic researchers, elected officials, public agencies and agricultural representatives. The forums are intended to provide information from diverse points of view.
The day’s schedule:
1:30-2 p.m. – Check-in at the University Center
2 p.m. – Welcome and introductions
2:15 p.m. – Introduction to the series and the session by Linda McGlone of the Monterey County Health Department 2:30 p.m. – Keynote address, “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010” by Congressman Sam Farr 3 p.m. – Panel discussion
4 p.m. – Audience Q-and-A
4:25 p.m. – Closing remarks
Students, faculty and staff are invited to pedal their way around campus, collecting information and prizes as they go.
Want to learn the real rules of the road for cyclists? Wondering how to pump up a tire? Interested in learning shortcuts around campus to avoid hills and obstacles? Otter Pedal 2014 is the chance to get answers, earn prizes and enter a drawing for cycling gear and services.
All participants need to do is visit the main station outside the library and other stations around campus with their bikes and helmets. Representatives from the Otter Cycle Center, the Transportation Agency for Monterey County and local bike shops will be available to answer questions, schedule services and sell gear.
The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The drawing will be held at the library at 2:30 p.m. Event sponsors are the campus Health and Wellness Services and Student Recreation.
Learn more about biking at CSUMB
See what services are available at the Cycle Center
Jesse Reyes of Salinas is determined to go from fixing trails to civic trailblazing when he returns home after an internship in Washington, D.C. The environmental studies major is working and studying at the Office of Surface mining Reclamation and Enforcement in the U.S. Department of the Interior. – The Salinas Californian, Oct. 2, 2014
CSUMB received $8.6 million from the U.S. Department of Education to recruit, train and support teachers over the next five years. They'll be primarily focused on the STEM subjects. – The Salinas Californian, Oct. 3, 2014
Middle school students in Monterey County are the target of $2.1 million in grants awarded to Cal State Monterey Bay, and will be awarded for six years. The money will allow students in South Monterey County, Salinas and Seaside to be served by the GEAR UP program. – Off 68, Oct. 10, 2014
The Rotaract Club of CSU Monterey Bay wants to scare you.
About 15 of the club’s members have volunteered to help at the Castle of the Dead Haunted House in Salinas this Halloween season.
The haunted house promises 6,000 square feet of one scary encounter after another, with the CSUMB contingent doing its part as actors. Other students will work in the adjacent pumpkin patch. Visitors will go from a Steampunk Castle to the Haunted Sanitarium to the Merciless Maze filled with creatures of all kinds. Rotaract is a service club for men and women ages 18 to 30 and is modeled on Rotary International. Its motto: “service above self.” Rotaract brings together college students for the purpose of humanitarian service, networking, building goodwill and promoting peace around the world. “One thing that makes our club unique is that we’re not university-based; instead, we’re community-based. Students from Monterey Peninsula College, Hartnell College, Monterey Institute of International Studies and the Defense Language Institute can join, and we have several members from each of those institutions,” said current member and former president Charn Singh. Castle of the Dead benefits Sun Streets Centers’ STEPS – Safe Teens Empowerment Program. Sun Street Centers works to prevent alcohol and drug addiction by offering education, prevention, treatment and recovery to individuals and families regardless of income. Dozens of volunteers from Salinas area schools will join the Rotaract Club members in staffing the house and pumpkin patch. The house will be “haunted” Oct. 25, 26 and 29-31 at 185 Maryal Drive, next to Rabobank Stadium in Salinas. Hours are: ?• Oct. 25 – 3-10 p.m.? • Oct. 26 – 3-9 p.m. • Oct. 29-30 – 7-10 p.m. • Oct. 31 – 6 p.m.-midnight The CSUMB contingent will be there on Oct. 25. Tickets are $12 and area available at the door. Photos show CSUMB students at last year's Haunted House, courtesy of the Rotaract Club
“Innovators, upstarts and mythmakers: the deep origins of Silicon Valley” will be the topic addressed by Stanford professor Paul Saffo on Nov. 4, when the President’s Speaker Series returns to Cal State Monterey Bay.
Saffo poses the question: Why does Silicon Valley produce one revolution after another? Conventional wisdom credits big visions, great management and a history of success. Conventional wisdom is wrong, he says. Silicon Valley’s unique edge is built on the rubble of failure, poor management and a crucial third ingredient that leads us to innovate relentlessly against the odds. According to Saffo, that crucial element is inextricably tied to the history of Monterey Bay.
Saffo is a forecaster with more than two decades of experience in helping corporate and government clients understand and respond to the dynamics of large-scale, long-term change. He teaches at Stanford, where he is a consulting associate professor in the School of Engineering, and chairs the Future Studies track at Singularity University. He holds degrees from Harvard College, Cambridge and Stanford universities.
His presentation will start at 3:30 p.m. in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue near A Street. A question-and-answer session and a public reception will follow. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Should the theater reach capacity, a live simulcast will be available at the University Center, adjacent to the World Theater.
The community is invited to this free event. No tickets are necessary, but reservations are requested. Please RSVP by calling the World Theater box office at 582-4580, or online.
The theme of this year’s speaker series is “Future Monterey Bay.” During the school year, three speakers will visit campus to address various aspects of the theme.
The speaker series is in keeping with Cal State Monterey Bay’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
While penguins and seals call it home, there are few permanent human residents on Antarctica. But, each year, several thousand people temporarily reside at research stations scattered across the continent. At the moment, two of them are CSU Monterey Bay alumni. Kevin Johnson and Erin Frolli, both members of the Class of 2012, had a chance meeting there recently while working on separate projects. Running into Frolli was an “incredible” surprise, Johnson said via e-mail. “I had arrived a few days ahead of her group and was finishing our required safety training when she walked past me in the hall.” Frolli was equally surprised. "You don't expect to see a fellow UROCer at the bottom of the world," she said.
They see each other often at work and around the town that is McMurdo Station.
After graduating from CSUMB – where both were involved with the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center or UROC – they went in separate directions for graduate school.
Armed with a double major in math and environmental science, technology and policy, Frolli headed to Bozeman, Montana, where she earned a master’s degree in land resources and environmental sciences. That led to a staff position as a scientific associate in the lab of Dr. Lee Fuiman at the University of Texas. Dr. Fuiman’s research on foraging and navigation behavior of Weddell seals took Frolli to Antarctica.
With his prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship – worth $90,000 over three years – Johnson went to UC Santa Barbara to pursue a Ph.D. in marine biology.
At McMurdo Station, he is researching the impacts of climate change – specifically ocean acidification – on the development and physiology of marine invertebrates. Ocean acidification directly impacts the ability of many marine invertebrates to produce calcium carbonate shells; Johnson is measuring these effects on several organisms at the molecular level.
He is “completely blown away” by the stark beauty of Antarctica. “It is a remarkable feeling to drive a snow mobile for an hour out onto the sea ice, drill a hole and then drop a net down to 300 feet,” Johnson said.
On the sea ice, “We are surrounded by icebergs that have temporarily been trapped, forming 40-foot-tall pinnacles of blue ice. Further out looms the presence of Mount Erebus, the southernmost active volcano in the world.
“With everything covered in white, the world takes on a gray-blue scale that is hard to describe,” he said.
Follow the UC Santa Barbara team’s research on Facebook
Learn about McMurdo Station and the U.S. Antarctic Program and view photos from its webcam
Learn about CSUMB's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center
*Photos courtesy of Kevin Johnson Top: Erin Frolli and Kevin Johnson at McMurdo Station in a condition 2 ground blizzard Bottom: Pteropods – swimming snails – that Johnson's team is studying*
La Santa Cecilia is set to rock CSU Monterey Bay’s University Center on Oct. 29.
Coming off its recent Grammy win for “Best Latin Rock/Alternative/Urban Album,” La Santa Cecilia has enchanted its fans with diverse genres, powerful lyrical messages and colorful performances.
Band members are accordionist and requintero José “Pepe” Carlos, bassist Alex Bendaña, and percussionist Miguel Ramirez and lead vocalist Marisol Hernandez, La Marisoul, who sings about love, loss and heartbreak. Their love of music and openness to all genres led them to form La Santa Cecilia in 2007, named for the patron saint of musicians.
Their influences range from Miles Davis to The Beatles, Led Zeppelin to Janis Joplin and Mercedes Sosa to Ramon Ayala.
In 2013, the band released its major label debut Treinta Dias (30 Days), which features a collaboration with Elvis Costello. Their new album, Someday New, features seven new tracks including the moving, and militant, ICE – El Hielo.
The band has emerged as a voice for traditionally voiceless and faceless immigrants. “La Santa Cecilia reflects a pivotal moment in the evolving cultural understanding of undocumented immigrants,” the Washington Post said of the band last year when it performed in the nation’s capital, pressing for reform of current immigrant laws.
Showtime is 7 p.m. in the University Center, located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. General admissions tickets are $20; students $10; children $5. Discounts are available for seniors and military members. Tickets can be purchased on the World Theater website or by calling the box office 582-4580.
Parking permits are required and may be purchased from a machine on the lot or online.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
The event is sponsored by the Cultural Enrichment Committee of Associated Students; Student Activities and Leadership Development; and University Performances and Special Events.
The LA-based quartet ‘La Santa Cecilia’ is at the forefront of a wave of new, young groups that show the multicultural mix and hybrid nature of Latin music in the United States today. – BBC News
La Santa Cecilia has become a critical darling. – The Wall Street Journal
It’s an eclectic mixture meant to get listeners dancing and thinking at the same time. – New York Times
The public is invited to learn about California State University, Monterey Bay's master’s degree program in Instructional Science and Technology at an open house on Nov. 6.
The program prepares students for positions in the fast-changing fields of modern education and training. It enables graduates to advance in their current careers and will position them to assume leadership roles in education and training.
The event will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Alumni and Visitors Center on Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard. Several current students and graduates of the program will share their experience and how they are applying the skills they acquired to their current work.
The 16-month program will start in the fall of 2015. Priority application deadline is Dec. 15; final deadline is March 16.
The blended learning environment – which includes five weekend on-campus meetings and all classes offered online – accommodates both working professionals and traditional students.
More information about the MIST program is available online, by calling 831-582-4790 or by e-mailing mist@csumb.edu.
Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
CSU Monterey Bay students took a first-place award and two seconds at the recent conference of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science.
SACNAS is a 40-year-old nonprofit organization that fosters Hispanic/Chicano and Native American scientists from college students to professionals.
The annual conference – funded in large part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health – is the society’s showcase. It brings together students and professional scientists from around the country as well as university representatives there to recruit students for their graduate programs.
This year, about 3,000 students and 1,000 scientists gathered in Los Angeles; 1,200 students presented the results of their research.
CSUMB was represented by 15 undergraduates, four graduate students and four students from other schools who were part of last summer’s Monterey Bay Regional Ocean Science Research Experience for Undergraduates based at CSUMB. They presented research posters in ecology and evolution, general biology and marine biology.
Earning awards were:
• Alison Aceves, marine science major and McNair Scholar, took first place in ecology and evolution. She spent last summer working at the Hatfield Marine Science Center at Oregon State University, studying host-parasite interactions of salmon in the Columbia River.
• Emily King, marine science major and McNair Scholar, took second place in marine biology. She also spent the summer at the Hatfield Center, researching larval fish behavior.
• Briana Becerra, biology major and McNair Scholar, took second place in ecology and evolution. She spent the summer at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire, researching forest ecology.
• Danielle Perry, a participant in last summer’s Ocean Science REU at CSUMB and a student at the University of New Haven, took first place in marine biology. She spent the summer working at Elkhorn Slough.
All of the students took advantage of professional development opportunities at the conference and attended scientific sessions.
“The conference attendees I spoke with were highly complimentary of our students in how they presented their research, the quality of their work and their overall professionalism at the conference,” said Dr. Corey Garza, associate professor in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy, director of the Monterey Bay Regional Ocean Science REU and the university’s SACNAS chapter adviser.
Learn about the McNair Scholars program and CSUMB’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center
Learn more about the Ocean Science REU at CSUMB
*Photos courtesy of Dr. Garza Top, left to right: Alison Aceves, Briana Becerra, Emily King and Danielle Perry Bottom: CSUMB's contingent at the SACNAS conference*
. . . .Native American Heritage Month events try to inject reality and history via the voices of Native Americans. – Monterey County Weekly, Nov. 13, 2014
In a few years – 2019 is the target date – CSU Monterey Bay expects to launch a new master's degree program that will produce medical professionals known as physicians assistants – people who are trained to handle 70 to 90 percent of the tasks a doctor performs each day. – Monterey Herald, Oct. 12, 2014
School districts in Salinas are lining up in support of a deal to sell the National Steinbeck Center to CSU Monterey Bay. – The Salinas Californian, Oct. 15, 2014
CSU Monterey Bay student Max Everett looks at a sport utility vehicle damaged in a DUI-related crash that was placed in the main quad at CSUMB. The vehicle was part of National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week and sponsored by the University Police Department and Monterey Garage. – Monterey Herald, Oct. 22, 2014
. . . This is the field laboratory of CSUMB environmental science lecturers John Skardon and John Silveus and their six students. They're trying to find better ways to filter the pollutants out of agricultural runoff. – Monterey County Weekly, Oct. 23, 2014
La Santa Cecilia carries on the Los Angeles music tradition at CSU Monterey Bay. – Monterey County Weekly, Oct. 23, 2014
Cosmas Magaya appears at CSUMB on a mission to preserve African music. – Monterey County Weekly, Oct. 23, 2014
Although Darcy Milligan only started as CSU Monterey Bay's women's golf coach a few weeks ago, she is a familiar face at the Otters' home courses of Bayonet and Black Horse. Not only is Milligan an assistant golf professional at the courses, she played for the Otters from 2007 to 2011. –* Monterey Herald*, Oct. 23, 2014
CSU Monterey Bay celebrates Native American Heritage Month in November with talks, a film screening, a poetry reading, photography exhibit, musical performance and panel discussion – all around the theme of “generational voices.”
All activities are free and open to the public but parking permits must be purchased from machines on the parking lots or online.
RSVPs are requested and can be made by e-mailing Brendan Taylor at bretaylor@csumb.edu or by calling 582-3890.
SCHEDULE:
Nov. 3 • 6-8 p.m. – Native American student and ally reception, includes a beading workshop, exhibit of photos by Professor Ruben Mendoza, talk by muralist Guillermo Aranda and screening of “The Legacy of the Grandfather Flute,” with remarks by director Dennis Johnson.
The reception will be held in the West Lounge of the Student Center. The Student Center faces the main quad; visitors can access it from parking lot 12 off Inter-Garrison Road. For more information on this event, or to request disability acommodations, e-mail rita zhang at rzhang@csumb.edu
Nov. 4****• 6-8 p.m. – Keynote speakers Geri Wisner and Ronald Colombe, University Center ballroom, Sixth Avenue and B Street.
Wisner, a tribal court judge and member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, will speak on “A Journey Through Indian Country.” Her talk presents an opportunity to learn about the complex relationship between the U.S. criminal justice system and tribal courts.
Colombe, a Lakota and member of the Rosebud Sioux tribe of South Dakota, will read from his poetry collection “Thoughts Like a Bullet.” He is an internationally known Native American poet and author whose works include “Silent Shouting, Quiet War” and “Thoughts Like a Bullet.” His poetry and storytelling is often political, always inspiring, and entertaining.
Nov. 10****• 1-2 p.m. – Beth Piatote, Nez Perce author of Domestic Subjects: Gender, Citizenship, and Law in Native Literature, will give a talk in the West Lounge, Student Center.
Nov. 12****• 6-8 p.m. – “A Cultural Perspective on Historical and Contemporary Trauma in Native American Communities,” a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Kathryn England-Aytes, Alumni and Visitors Center, Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Inter-Garrison Road.
Panelists include: • Ann Marie Sayers, Mutsun Ohlone, chairwoman of the Indian Canyon Nation and director of the Costanoan Indian Research Center
• Kanyon Sayers-Roods of Costanoan Ohlone and Chumash ancestry
• Gregg Castro, a Salinan T’rowt’raahl founding board member
• Dr. Ruben Mendoza, CSUMB professor
• Dr. George Baldwin, CSUMB professor and recognized member of the Osage and Kansa tribes of Oklahoma
• Dennis Johnson, CSUMB lecturer and Ponca tribal member
Nov. 13****• 6-8 p.m. – “Songs About Indians Tour,” featuring George Baldwin and friends, East Lounge of the Student Center. The Student Center faces the main quad; visitors can access it from parking lot 12 off Inter-Garrison Road.
Each of the musicians shares his or her own view of Indian culture with songs about – and by – Indians. Dr. Baldwin (at right, with Anna Davis) has worked for dozens of Native tribes as a social activist, promoting self-determination through tribal reorganization, integration of new technologies, and education. He is a founding faculty member at CSUMB and a professor in the Social, Behavioral, and Global Studies Division. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
Native American Heritage Month is sponsored by the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies; the Provost’s Special Event Fund; Student Activities and Leadership Development; Associated Students; Otter Cross Cultural Center; the Office of Inclusive Excellence; the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences’s dean’s office; the Teacher Education Department; the Division of Human Communication; the Department of Psychology; and Sigma Theta Psi.
CSU Monterey Bay’s Music and Performing Arts Department will hold its annual winter concert, “A Holiday Parade Around the World,” at 2 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6, in the World Theater. The public is invited. The free event features the university’s chorale, jazz band, chamber strings ensemble and wind ensemble. No tickets or reservations are necessary. While the event is free, a parking permit must be purchased from a machine on the lot or online.
The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue near A Street. Driving directions and a campus map can be downloaded here.
For more information or to request disability accommodations, call 582-3009. Support for the concert comes from CSUMB's Special Events Fund; the World Theater; the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; and the Music and Performing Arts Department.
Fort Ord – once the largest military base in the American West – was a vital center during much of the 20th century. More than a million people lived and worked at the base. But that was two decades ago; now, many people know it only as a ghost town that surrounds CSU Monterey Bay.
That otherworldly quality has inspired Enid Ryce, chair of the university’s Cinematic Arts and Technology Department, to create Planet Ord, a project that explores the contemporary experience and historical echoes of the base. It’s an artist’s view of abandoned buildings and the artwork that adorns many of them; it’s also a tribute to those who served at Fort Ord. Its goal: to understand the fort’s history by immortalizing the buildings and community memories. The Planet Ord project will be on display throughout November at the Seaside, King City and Marina branches of the Monterey County Free Libraries (MCFL). The exhibit features photos and painted maps that depict the fort’s history and showcase the many ethereal murals found there. An interactive portion allows visitors to share their memories of Fort Ord. An artist’s reception and talk will be held at each library.
• Seaside, 550 Harcourt Ave.: Nov. 8, 3 p.m.
• King City, 402 Broadway St.: Nov. 15, 3 p.m.
• Marina, 190 Seaside Circle: Nov. 22, 2:30 p.m At each talk, Ryce will give a multimedia presentation on the long-decommissioned base, and show films made by her students. The Planet Ord exhibits and talks are supported by War Comes Home, an initiative from Cal Humanities. “The images presented by Planet Ord are powerful and evoke emotions that tell the stories of many local veterans,” said Jenna Severson, MCFL programming librarian. Learn more about Planet Ord
Each month during the school year, CSU Monterey Bay’s Institute for Innovation and Economic Development sponsors an informal event that brings together faculty, staff, students and community members to discuss innovative ideas in a particular field.
This month’s Innovation Salon will feature a discussion about the latest in Big Data. Panelists include Dr. Babita Gupta, professor of information systems in CSUMB's College of Business, and Kanav Hasija and Adwait Shashank of Innovaccer in Palo Alto.
Innovaccer’s mission is to “mine the new oil of the world – data,” with an interdisciplinary team of coders, statisticians, domain analysts and designers.
The event is free, but the $1 per hour parking fee must be paid. Permits are available from machines on the parking lots.
Date: Nov. 7 Time: Noon-1:30 Place: Chapman Science Center, Room E127 Cost: Free
About iiED: The Institute for Innovation and Economic Development is hosted by CSUMB’s College of Business. The institute focuses on the need for more job opportunities in the region and for the university’s graduates. It offers programs that help to develop entrepreneurs, and supports innovative ideas that lead to new business opportunities.
For more information, click here
The National Conference on Health Disparities took place Nov. 5-8 in Long Beach, and CSU Monterey Bay was well represented.
President Eduardo Ochoa and Dean Britt Rios-Ellis made presentations alongside several members of Congress and national health experts.
Throughout the conference, presenters emphasized the role of social factors, personal responsibility and prevention in initiatives that reduce disparities.
Dr. Rios-Ellis, founding dean of CSUMB’s College of Health Sciences and Human Services, gave the keynote address on the conference’s opening day. Her topic: Overcoming Challenges to Participation of Underrepresented Populations in Academia. She also moderated a panel later in the week.
President Ochoa is one of five panelists who addressed the impact of health issues on American military personnel.
A contingent of CSUMB students made poster presentations.
• Jade Fackler (at left), a senior kinesiology major, presented her research exploring the ability of a high school mountain biking club to promote physical activity and a healthy lifestyle in underrepresented populations.
• Kinesiology major Kendra Contente presented her work that focuses on eating disorders in college women. Her research suggests that eating disorders may be used as a coping response to social pressures.
• Gabriela Guzman, who is majoring in Collaborative Health and Human Services, presented her work on how immigration status impacts access to health care.
• Monica Nicholas, a CHHS major, presented research showing the percentage of undocumented immigrants who would benefit from the Affordable Care Act if not for their immigration status.
Learn about kinesiology at CSUMB
Learn about collaborative health and human services*Left to right: Jade Fackler, Gabriela Guzman, Monica Nicholas, Dean Britt Rios-Ellis, Congressman Jim Clyburn, Kendra Contente*
CSU Monterey Bay will observe the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 27 and 28.
Classes will resume and offices will be open on Monday, Dec. 1.
Dr. Dawn Chatty, director of the Refugee Studies Centre at the University of Oxford, will speak at CSU Monterey Bay on Nov. 17. The topic of her public lecture is “Forced Migration and the Humanitarian Aid Regime.” She will explore forced migration around the world and the meanings of the terms attached to the label “refugee” in international law. Her talk will also provide an overview of the contemporary refugee regime and the significance of the Middle East. Dr. Chatty is a social anthropologist with long experience in the Middle East as a university teacher, development practitioner and advocate for indigenous rights. She earned a Ph.D. at UCLA and has taught at UC Santa Barbara, San Diego State University, the American University of Beirut and the University of Oxford. The lecture will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. in the University Center living room. The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue and B Street. While the lecture is free, a parking permit must be purchased from a machine on the lot. Driving directions and a campus are available here.
Dr. Chatty’s visit is sponsored by CSUMB’s divisions of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies and Humanities and Communication and theWomen’s International Perspective. For more information or to RSVP, contact Brendan Taylor at bretaylor@csumb.edu.
Cal State Monterey Bay recently received two Department of Education grants to support our efforts to work with local schools and to enhance our teacher preparation programs. – Monterey Herald, Nov. 22, 2014
CSUMB film project tells a story of the once-thriving base – Monterey Herald, Nov. 23, 2014
The Living Earth Show – electric guitarist Travis Andrews and percussionist Andy Meyerson – will perform at CSU Monterey Bay on Dec. 5.
The public is invited to attend this free concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Music Hall on Sixth Avenue. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
The Living Earth Show has been called “a vanguard effort of new chamber music” and “energetically provocative” by the San Francisco Examiner and “a much sought-after presence on the indie classical scene” by the arts website San Francisco Classical Voice.
Andrews and Meyerson have developed a reputation as one of the most versatile contemporary chamber groups on the West Coast. The duo thrives on pushing the boundaries of technical and artistic possibility in its presentation of commissioned electro-acoustic chamber music. The concert is the final event in the Music and Performing Arts Department's lecture/demonstration series for the fall semester.
While the concert is free, a parking permit is required and can be purchased online.
For more information or to request disability accommodations, call 582-3009.
Visual artist Peter Hiers and dancer/choreographer Matthew Nelson will be part of a program at CSU Monterey Bay on Dec. 3.
The free event, “Artistic Reflections on Issues of Sustainability and Systems Thinking,” will be held in the Alumni and Visitors Center starting at noon.
Professor Dan Fernandez will introduce the program, followed by a short presentation on the Real Food Challenge by members of the Associated Students Environmental Committee.
Hiers (pictured at left) will talk on “An Artist’s Sculptural Commentary on Human Survival, the Environment and Mythology.” In his work, he uses fragments of blown tires to explore the interconnected web that provides for human survival, and its contradictory appeals and perils. His work is about our increasing dependence on vulnerable networks of transportation, electricity and finance for our food, clothing, shelter, health and safety needs.
He believes that we need a new ideology that provides a sustainable, balanced means for human survival within the natural world that supports us.
Nelson’s presentation is titled, “Dance, Ecology, Somatics and Permaculture.” He has an MFA in modern dance, has taught, danced professionally and has had his choreography produced by several companies.
His research embodies ecology through movement aesthetics. He explores questions about how we interact with our internal and external environments; can we sense these relationships firsthand by moving, or by witnessing movement? What do our movements reveal about our worldviews?
A panel discussion with the artists will start about 1:20 p.m.
While the event is free, a parking permit must be purchased online or from a machine on the lot. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
CSU Monterey Bay saw a 5.3 percent increase in freshmen applications this year over last year, with approximately 15,391 first-time freshmen applying for admission next fall.
The university’s total number of applicants is 12 percent higher than two years ago when 13,753 applied, said Dr. Ronnie Higgs, the university’s vice president of student affairs and enrollment services
CSUMB also had 3,713 upper-division transfers apply, an increase of 1 percent.
Approximately 44 percent of the applicants will receive admission letters to the university.
Cal State Monterey Bay President Eduardo Ochoa joined President Obama, the First Lady, Vice President Biden and hundreds of college presidents and other higher education leaders in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 4, to announce new actions to help more students prepare for and graduate from college.
The White House College Opportunity Day of Action was intended to support President Obama’s commitment to partner with colleges and universities, business leaders, and nonprofits to support students across the country to help our nation reach its goal of leading the world in college attainment. Participants were asked to commit to new action in one of four areas: building networks of colleges around promoting completion, creating K-16 partnerships around college readiness, investing in high school counselors as part of the First Lady’s Reach Higher initiative, and increasing the number of college graduates in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. CSUMB’s commitment to increasing the number of graduates in STEM fields involves its CSIT-in-3 program with Hartnell College. The program allows students to earn a computer science degree in three years through year-round study.
The program is designed around a cohort model, admitting 30?35 students per cohort. Eighty percent are first?generation college students; 90% are Latino; 43% are women. The first?to?second year retention of the first cohort is 90%. California State University Monterey Bay is currently investigating ways to replicate the program in other STEM fields.
“Increasing access to higher education is at the heart of the mission of Cal State Monterey Bay, and is also central to our nation’s efforts to address issues of income inequality and economic opportunity,” Dr. Ochoa said. “By sharing ideas among higher education and administration leaders at this event, I hope we can continue to find ways to move these initiatives forward.” Dr. Ochoa, who served as assistant secretary for higher education in the Obama Administration before coming to CSUMB as president in 2012, was invited to the event by Cecilia Munoz, President Obama’s domestic policy adviser, and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Top photo: (Left to right) CSU Chancellor Timothy White, CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa, Cal Poly SLO President Jeffrey Armstrong, Fresno State President Joseph Castro. Photo courtesy of Fresno State Bottom photo: President Ochoa
Return of the Natives, the education and outreach arm of CSU Monterey Bay’s Watershed Institute, has a big idea for 2015. RON plans to transform parts of CSUMB’s Seaside campus into a living laboratory of learning and stewardship. It will invite the public to help plant up to 3,000 native plants – grown by students and volunteers from Gateway and Hope centers – on sites where former Army buildings have been demolished. The work, to be done during the rainy months of January, February and March, will help to create an inviting campus. The project is part of Monterey County Gives, a year-end fundraising campaign that supports local non-profit organizations. The six-week campaign ends Dec. 31. Donations to support Return of the Natives can be made online.
RON's environmental goal is to protect the waters of the Monterey Bay through restoration of the waterways and the lands draining in the bay. RON's social goal is to bring people and nature together on restoration and garden projects in the watersheds of the Monterey Bay. Over the past 20 years, more than 75,000 school children, 450 CSUMB students, 6,500 youth and 1,300 Monterey County families have worked with RON.
Learn more about Monterey County Gives
*“Working with RON has given me focus and insights into my future, solidifying a passion and commitment to service . . .* – Hayley Reitman, CSUMB student
At CSU Monterey Bay, all students must complete a capstone project in their final year, publicly presenting and defending the project or portfolio of work that demonstrates what they have learned. They do this each fall and spring at the Capstone Festival, which is organized by academic departments. Capstone projects represent the skills, knowledge and abilities developed over the course of a student's education at CSUMB. They include research presentations, original poetry, oral histories, installation art, photography, tabletop exhibits, films and videos, multimedia works, computer visualizations and more.
This semester’s Capstone Festival will be held Dec. 18 and 19 at locations around campus. A schedule can be found here. The public is invited to attend. While the event is free, a parking permit must be purchased from a machine on the lot or online.
NEW THIS SEMESTER Nursing students will present their capstone projects from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 18 in the Music Hall. The 10 members of the group are part of the first nursing class at CSUMB. They completed three semesters at the university, and then went back to local community colleges to earn associate degrees in nursing last May. They returned to CSUMB this fall to complete the bachelor of science in nursing program.
View a video of last May’s Capstone Festival for students in the Computer Science and Information Technology program.
Two CSUMB professors envision a trail network connecting the former Fort Ord with the sea
. . . Fred Watson teamed with fellow CSUMB professor Scott Waltz and other volunteers to launch a project with long-term vision. They call it the Fort Ord Rec Trail and Greenway, aka FORTAG. – *Monterey County Weekly*, Dec. 4, 2014
President Eduardo Ochoa is in our nation’s capital to take part in the White House College Opportunity Day of Action, an initiative of President Barack Obama to support students across the country to increase college attainment. And he’s tweeting! —Monterey Herald, Dec. 4, 2014
CSU Monterey Bay students took first and second places during the annual SACNAS conference, the largest STEM diversity event in the country. CSUMB was represented by 15 undergraduates, four graduate students and four students from other schools who were part of last summer's Monterey Bay Regional Ocean Science Research Experience for Undergraduates. – *Monterey Herald,* Dec. 7, 2014
A slew of sixth graders descended up Cal State Monterey Bay in the last few days to learn more about what the university has to offer them. – Monterey Herald Dec. 11, 2014
. . . Nicole LeVere will get to cross "graduating from college" off her bucket list – three weeks before turning 40 and 18 years after first being accepted into CSU Monterey Bay – as she presents her capstone project on Dec. 19. – Monterey Herald, Dec. 16, 2014
In partnership with KCBA Fox 35, the university is producing a weekly television program, “Campus to Community.” It’s part of CSUMB’s commitment to serving as a catalyst for positive change – through education, outreach and public service.
The show highlights speakers and issues of interest to the Central Coast. Students, alumni, faculty and staff members are involved in the production of the program. Some installments feature one speaker, others are a magazine format with short segments highlighting various programs and professors.
The hour-long show started in early October and airs every Sunday at 8 a.m.
KCBA can be found on Comcast cable channel 3.
From arts and culture year in review:
CSU Monterey Bay is adept at celebrating diversity with diversity. This one included a visit by Khleo Thomas, a teen idol who's acted with Nick Cannon and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, a discussion of the n-word, and a tag-team poetry du, one of whom worked with KRS-One. – Monterey County Weekly, Dec. 18, 2014
What do Hamlet, Flannery O’Connor and music’s Romantic Period have in common?
They are among a diverse range of classes that will be offered in the spring through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – OLLI – at California State University, Monterey Bay. The courses and speakers are specifically geared for those 50 and better.
OLLI at CSU Monterey Bay, with support from the Bernard Osher Foundation, is part of a national network that recognizes learning and exploration have no age limits. Members are inspired to take a fresh look at themselves, their world, and the possibilities that await them.
Among the course offerings are a variety of writing classes; an examination of David Foster Wallace’s novel Infinite Jest; the spy novels of Graham Greene and Joseph Conrad; Steinbeck’s Mexico; and the wildflowers of spring
New this semester is a look at the near-collapse of the U.S. financial system; an exploration of the literary origins of Frankenstein’s monster; and an introduction to our “new ocean,” drastically altered by higher carbon content, warmer temperatures and reduced oxygen levels.
Former Assemblymember Fred Keeley is back with a three-session class, California Politics: Incubator of Change, that will look at the state’s trend-setting policies and politics in what could be a history-making period for the Golden State.
Also offered is a talk on local environmental issues with Dr. Doug Smith, professor and chair of the Division of Science and Environmental Policy at CSUMB.
Individual class offerings can be purchased, or attendees can sign up for a spring semester membership – which includes up to three courses for $105. Membership includes discounts on World Theater and athletic events on campus.
For more information or to register for classes, call 582-5500 or visit OLLI online.
Spring catalogs will be mailed to current members the week of Dec. 23.
For one group of history-making Cal State Monterey Bay graduates, it’s not about the caps and gowns. It’s all about the pin.
CSUMB’s first class of 10 nursing graduates participated in a pinning ceremony on Dec. 20. Commencement will follow in May.
“The ceremony is a tradition in nursing, where graduates receive a pin unique to that program,” said Dr. Marianne Hultgren, director of nursing at CSUMB. “It dates back to the days of Florence Nightingale, when a pin was a way to identify a nurse.”
Students in the program designed the pin, which can be worn throughout a nurse’s career.
The ceremony marked an important milestone not just for the students, but also for the university. A nursing program was discussed in CSUMB’s early days. Funded by a grant, planning started in 2008; the first students were admitted four years later.
“As a pioneer, I feel like I have helped lay the foundation for future nursing classes,” said Jennifer Riccobono. “The students in our graduating class have set the bar high.” Riccobono wasn’t aware of the possibilities in the profession until she entered the program.
“Nursing is not just caring for the patient at the bedside. Nursing is caring for whole communities; nursing is using technology so that the patient information we collect can be used in a meaningful way. Nursing is working to create health care policies that will benefit generations to come,” she said.
CSUMB offers the only bachelor of science in nursing degree in the tri-county region. The program started in 2012 in collaboration with four regional community colleges. Students begin their education at one of the two-year schools, spend time in a "blended" learning environment, and then complete their studies at CSUMB. They receive an associate degree in nursing from their community college and a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) from CSUMB.
In the summer of 2014, a second track was added that allows already-employed nurses with associate’s degrees to earn a BSN while continuing to work. Classes are offered on campus, online and at local hospitals to make it easier for working nurses.
“The one thing I know for sure about our graduating class is no matter what nursing position we fill in the community, we will put our patient’s needs first and strive to make positive changes in health care,” Riccobono said. Learn more about the nursing program at CSUMB
Photos Top: The 10 members of the inaugural class of nurses at CSUMB
Right: Jennifer Riccobono
The MacArturos – well, some of them – are coming to Cal State Monterey Bay.
Each year since 1981, the MacArthur Foundation has given no-strings-attached grants to individuals who show exceptional merit and promise of continued creative work. The recipients come from all fields. The awards have become known as “genius grants.”
Latino awardees banded together as the MacArturos, with the goal of supporting each other’s activist efforts and sharing their work with la comunidad, according to the website of writer Sandra Cisneros, who organized the first meeting in San Antonio in 1997.
The group originally came together as a reunion, to inspire Latino youth. Over the years, meetings have been held in San Jose, Los Angeles, Toledo and Chicago.
Ten Latino MacArthur Fellows will visit CSUMB on Jan. 26. In a roundtable format at the World Theater, they will provide insight into their influences, inspirations and practices.
Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains, a retired faculty member at CSUMB and a 1992 MacArthur Fellow, invited the group to campus.
“For some time, I have wanted to have the MacArturos come here because I know they will be inspirational for our students – the majority of whom are the first in their family to attend college, and more than a third of whom are Latino,” Dr. Mesa-Bains said.
“I think they are engaging for all students, but serve as special role models for our Latino students.”
The free event will start at 6 p.m. in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue near A Street. The public is invited.
The group will participate in a public event in Salinas before heading to campus. The next day, they will travel to San Francisco for events in the Mission District.
Attendees:
• Amalia Mesa-Bains, artist, educator, cultural rights advocate and professor emerita at CSUMB
• Baldemar Velasquez, farm worker organizer and labor leader
• Camilo Vergara, documentary photographer
• Ruth Behar, cultural anthropologist
• Eva Harris, molecular biologist focused on diseases in Central and South America
• Guillermo Gomez-Pena, performance artist and writer
• Hugo Morales, public media leader, migrant rights advocate, executive director of Radio Bilingue, and member of the California State University Board of Trustees
• Joan Abrahamson, community development leader and director of the Jefferson Institute
• Mauricio Miller, social services innovator
• Natalia Almada, filmmaker
Learn more about the MacArthur Fellows
Photos, top to bottom: Amalia Mesa-Bains, Ruth Behar, Camilo Vergara, Hugo Morales
As most college kids are getting ready for their winter classes, students who want a career in tech are busy preparing for summer. Right now they're interviewing for internships. That's where we find a unique class of college students we first met a year ago. They're from the Salinas Valley, many the children of farm workers or immigrants themselves, who are working toward careers in Silicon Valley. *– KAZU (NPR affiliate)*, Jan. 8, 2015
A new art exhibit that invites spectators to take part in the festivities by "dressing to transgress" is filling galleries, stages and limousines. "Glamorgeddon: The Spectacle," curated by (CSUMB faculty members) Johanna Poethig, Angelica Muro and Hector Dionicio, is nothing short of a sensory extravaganza . . . – *San Francisco Chronicle*, Jan. 7, 2015
Kathryn England-Aytes, a lecturer in psychology, has joined a newly created national organization that serves the needs of children.
Dr. England-Aytes will serve as a consultant with the National Center on Adoption and Permanency, an organization that provides information, resources and services relating to adoption, foster care and child welfare.
Former Kinship Center CEO Carol Biddle is the managing director; Adam Pertman, former president of the Donaldson Adoption Institute, is the founder and president.
Her work with the center “fits into my own research interests on historical trauma and links with contemporary behavior, particularly in educational settings, in Indian Country,” she said.
“I believe this will also be a good fit with my work with the Native American Children’s Alliance (NACA), an inter-tribal nonprofit that works on child abuse prevention and intervention.”
As a board member and trainer for NACA, she has given presentations on child forensic interviewing and cultural awareness in multidisciplinary team settings.
“As a Native educator, my goal is always to honor and integrate the cultures, values and traditions of Native students with learning opportunities for full participation in the larger community,” she said.
In December, Dr. England-Aytes made a presentation at the National Indian Nations Conference: Justice for Victims of Crime, held on the Agua Caliente reservation in Southern California. Along with co-presenters from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the National Children’s Alliance, she talked on “Building Resiliency in Child Abuse Organizations Working with Native Children.”
And good reviews continue to be published about the book “Teaching Truly: A Curriculum to Indigenize Mainstream Education” by Four Arrows, to which Dr. England-Aytes contributed a chapter.
According to a review in Education Review/Reseñas Educativas, her chapter on historical trauma and its prevention in the classroom established the first and most critical part of the book.
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First class of nursing students gets 'pinned'
For one group of history-making Cal State Monterey Bay graduates, it's not about the caps and gowns. It's about the pin. . . . continue reading
CSUMB holds annual Capstone Festival Dec. 18 and 19
Cal State Monterey Bay's fall Capstone Festival will be hld Dec. 18 and 19 at locations around campus. The public is invited. . . . continue reading
An animation celebration
CSU Monterey Bay's Cinematic Arts and Technology Department presents its third Wonderland Film Festival o Monday, Dec. 8. . . . continue reading
President Ochoa attends White House conference_College access topic of education summit_
On Dec. 4, Cal State Monterey Bay President Eduardo Ochoa joined President Obama, the First Lady, Vice President Biden aand hundreds of college presidents and other higher education leaders to announce new actions to help more students prepare for and graduate from college. . . . continue reading
CSUMB sees freshmen apps jump more than 5 percent
CSU Monterey Bay saw a 5.3 percent increase in freshmen applications this year over last year, with approximately 15,391 first-time freshmen applying for admission next fall. . . . continue reading
Become an entrepreneur in 54 hours_CSUMB to host Startup Weekend Jan. 23-25_
Ever wonder what it takes to be an entrepreneur? CSU Monterey Bay will be a great place to find out when the university hosts Startup Weekend Monterey Bay Jan. 23-25. . . . continue reading
CSUMB joins national initiative on economic inequality
The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) is spearheading a national effort to engage students in the topic of economic inequality and its impact on democracy. CSU Monterey Bay, which has long been a leader in the area of service learning in higher education, is one of 31 institutions in the effort. . . . continue reading
Giving back, helping students_Benefactors honored for providing scholarships_
Bob Johnson and Diego Espinoza will be among the honorees at the National Philanthropy Day luncheon on Nov. 21. Both were nominated for awards by CSU Monterey Bay, but they share something much more important . . . .continue reading
Community invited to Dec. 6 winter concert
CSU Monterey Bay's Music and Performing Arts Department will hold its annual winter concert, "A Holiday Parade Around the World," at 2 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6, in the World Theater. The public is invited. . . . continue reading
Anthropologist to speak on migration and humanitarian aid
Dr. Dawn Chatty, director of the Refugee Studies Center at the University of Oxford, will speak at CSU Monterey Bay on Nov. 17. Her topic: Forced Migration and the Humanitarian Aid Regime. . . . continue reading
Vision and Voice_Alumnus speaks on his human rights, public health work_
CSU Monterey Bay alumnus Daniel Jack Lyons will visit campus Nov. 18 and 19 for a pair of presentations on his current work. . . . continue reading
CSUMB celebrates Native American Heritage Month
CSU Monterey Bay celebrates Native American Heritage Month in November with talks, a film screening, poetry reading, photography exhibit, musical performance and panel discussion – all around the theme of "generational voices." . . . continue reading
Thinking outside the borders
La Santa Cecilia – A band with a message
La Santa Cecilia is set to rock CSU Monterey Bay's University Center on Oct. 29. Coming off its recent Grammy win for "Best Latin Rock/Alternative/Urban Album," the band has enchanted its fans with diverse genres, powerful lyrical messages and colorful performances. . . . continue reading
Learn about instructional science graduate progam_Open House scheduled for Nov. 6_
California State University, Monterey Bay invites the public to learn about the master's degree program in Instructional Science and Technology at an open house on Nov. 6. . . . continue reading
Stanford futurist kicks off President's Speaker Series
"Innovators, upstarts and mythmakers: the deep origins of Silicon Valley" will be the topic addressed by Stanford professor Paul Saffo on Nov. 4, when the President's Speaker Series returns to Cal State Monterey Bay . . . . continue reading
Rock . . . honed for the holidays
Kick off the holiday season on Nov. 8 when the December People – Robert Berry, Gary Pihl, Dave Medd, David Lauser and Jack Foster – make an encoure appearance at Cal State Monterey Bay's World Theater. . . . continue reading
A Greater Vision_CSUMB forum on public health and agriculture: In it together for healthy eating_
The "Greater Vision" series of public forums on topics important to local agriculture and the larger community continues Oct. 22 at CSU Monterey Bay. The topic is "The Business of Healthy Eating." . . . .continue reading
Alcohol Awareness Week comes to CSUMB
As part of National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week (NCAAW) Oct. 20–25, CSU Monterey Bay is offering panel discussions, games, displays and other activities to help students understand the ramifications of alcohol and its effect. . . . continue reading
Beyond rhythm_Master of the mbira visits CSUMB_
CSU Monterey Bay's concert series continues on Oct. 24 when the community is invited to an afternoon of African music and culture with mbira and marimba master Cosmas Magaya of Zimbabwe. . . . continue reading
CSUMB lands $8.6 million grant to boost teacher quality
CSU Monterey Bay has received one of 24 grants from the U.S. Department of Education to recruit, train and support new teachers primarily in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). . . . continue reading
CSUMB presents an evening with Lea DeLaria_Orange_ actress visits campus Oct. 15
An evening with Lea DeLaria will highlight Cal State Monterey Bay's celebration of LGBTQ history month. . . . continue reading
Creating a thousand lights_CSUMB joins statewide message of hope_
California State University campuses throughout the state are holding candle-lighting events this month to send a message of support, understanding and comfort to those who have been impacted by suicide or other mental health-related challenges. . . .continue reading
Protecting intellectual property_Entrepreneurship Forum set for Oct. 14_
For most companies, their intellectual property, including their brand, logo, taglines, documents and innovations, are their most important assets. Those assets need to be protected from competitive infringement. . . . continue reading
Valley of the Heart comes to CSUMB's World Theater_Story of love and endurance staged Oct. 18 and 19_
Valley of the Heart explores themes that are ever-present in California – immigration, racism, identity – and folds them into a love story and a history lesson. . . . continue reading
Concert offers an array of new music
CSU Monterey Bay's concert series resumes on Ot. 13 with a free performance by A/B Duo. . . . continue reading
Grants help students GEAR UP for college
Middle school students in Monterey County will be better equipped for college thanks to federal grants awarded to Cal State Monterey Bay . . . . continue reading
Mayan health practices topic of Oct. 6 talk
Professor Bernardo Ca'amal Itzá, the United Nations representative for the Mayan People, will visit Cal State Monterey Bay on Oct. 6 as part of Hispanic Heritage Month. . . . continue reading
A touch of CSUMB at Days and Nights Festival
Philip Glass' Days and Nights Festival returns to the local area Sept. 25-28, with a big contribution from CSU Monterey Bay. Enid Baxter Ryce, chair of CSUMB's Cinematic Arts Department, has planned the daytime portion of the festival, putting together a lineup of films, animation and puppet workshops, talks and a social event, all free to the public. . . . continue reading
Foundation of CSUMB adds board members
Eight community members have joined the Foundation of CSU Monterey Bay board of directors. Established in 2011, the foundation brings community and campus leaders together to foster, encourage and promote the goals and purposes of CSUMB. . . .continue reading
Coming to terms with the experience of combat
As a marine lieutenant during the Vietnam War, Karl Marlantes learned what every young officer learns – to fire a rifle, to command a platoon, to fight and to kill. Since then, he has spent his time reading, thinking and writing a memoir that has helped him come to terms with tht experience. . . . continue reading
Visiting artist series kicks off Sept. 17
CSU Monterey Bay's visiting artist series kicks off Sept. 17 when Los Angeles artists Karla Diaz and Mario Ybarra Jr. visit campus. . . . continue reading
Constitution Day event set for Sept. 17
To commemorate Constitution Day, CSU Monterey Bay Professor David Reichard will present a talk on the topic "Beyond 5 to 4: Understanding How Supreme Court Justices Interpret the Constitution and Why it Matters," at 8 p.m., Sept. 17. . . .continue reading
Sea Otter Awareness Week comes to campus – Talk scheduled for Sept. 24
Sea Otter Awareness Week, the annual recognition of the vital role these marine mammals play in the near-shore ecosystem, will be celebrated Sept. 21-27. . . .continue reading
CSUMB celebrates Chicano/Latino Heritage Month
Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 is Chicano/Latino Heritage Month. During the month, the cultures and traditions of those who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central and South America and the Caribbean are celebrated. CSU Monterey Bay is commemorating the month with a variety of activities and events. . . . continue reading
Coastal cleanup – in Salinas
The annual worldwide Coastal Cleanup Day is the largest volunteer event on the plant. Hundreds of thousands of people in more than 100 countries clean up beaches, lakes and waterways. If you'd like to help with the effort, join CSUMB's Return of the Natives on Sept. 20 to celebrate the day and contribute to a better environment. . . .continue reading
Learn what to do in an emergency
Should a disaster strike, community members need to be prepared, educated on what to do and have the resources and training to be emergency-ready . . . . continue reading
Aspiring math teacher earns CSU award
Cal State Monterey Bay sophomore Jesus Ochoa Perez has been chosen for a CSU Trustees Award for Outstanding Achievement. He will be honored on Sept. 9 at the CSU board meeting in Long Beach. . . . continue reading
Chinese acrobats bring their art to CSUMB_World Theater season opens with Sept. 17 performance_
Acrobatics is an ancient art form in China. Centuries ago, performers combined dramatic folk arts and variety shows with the cultural roots of their civilization, and using common objects as stage props, created an acrobatic art unique to their culture. . . . continue reading
Health sciences, human services dean named
Britt Rios-Ellis, a professor of health sciences at Long Beach State and director of the National Council of La Raza/CSULB Center for Latino Community Health, Evaluation and Leadership Training, has been named the founding dean of Cal State Monterey Bay's College of Health Sciences and Human Services. . . . continue reading
Acting out against sexual assault
Call it an innovative approach to tackling a sensitive subject. On Sept. 2, an acting troupe, Catharsi Productions, will make its first appearance at CSU Monterey Bay in a production called "Sex Signals." . . . continue reading
CSUMB taking applications for spring
CSU Monterey Bay is accepting applications for spring 2015 from upper division transfer students, and from students planning to enroll in the nursing program or the computer science and information technology online program.
MASTERING MATHAlgebra Academy gives middle schoolers a head start
More than 100 incoming eighth-graders will spend the last days of their summer immersed in math at the Bruce W. Woolpert Algebra Academy, which begins Aug. 7 at Graniterock headquarters in Watsonville. . . . continue reading
COLLEGE SENIORSOsher Lifelong Learning Institute starts fall semester
What do Tolstoy, local government and the California condor have in common? They are among the classes that will be offered this semester through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – OLLI – at California State University, Monterey Bay . . . . continue reading
Grant helps migrant students attain college dream
CSU Monterey Bay has received a $2.1 milliion federal grant aimed at enrolling more migrant students in higher education. . . . continue reading
President Ochoa joins coalition in support of Common Core
CSU Monterey Bay President Eduardo Ochoa has joined more than 200 college and university leaders from 33 states in a new coalition, Higher Ed for Higher Standards, to mobilize in support of the Common Core State Standards. . . . continue reading
MSW program earns national accreditation
CSU Monterey Bay's master's degree in social work program passed an extensive accreditation process recently, and is now nationally accredited. . . . continue reading
CSUMB video wins CASE silver medal
A video telling the story of CSUMB has taken a top honor in the CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education Circle of Excellence competition. . . .continue reading
Education dean named at CSUMB
Jose Luis Alvarado who has served as associate dean for the College of Education at San Diego State University since 2010, has been named dean of Cal State Monterey Bay's newly created College of Education. . . . continue reading
'Help others to achieve their dreams,' graduates told_Obama administration official commencement keynote speaker_
On a breezy, sunny morning, Cecilia Muñoz urged the graduates of California State University, Monterey Bay to maintain the quest for learning that brought them to the university . . . . continue reading
Film commission award goes to CSUMB student
Jessica Moss is this year's recipient of the Monterey County Film Commission's student scholarship. . . . continue reading
GOWNS GONE GREEN_Class of 2014 dons regalia made from recycled bottles_
The gowns worn by CSU Monterey Bay's graduates will still be black, but come commencement day on May 17, they'll also be green. . . . continue reading
Proposed admissions changes at CSU Monterey Bay
University moves to end guarantee for admission of out-of-area students . . . .continue reading
CSUMB included in 'green' colleges guide
For the fourth consecutive year, CSU Monterey Bay has been named one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in North America. . . . continue reading
Obama administration official to speak at commencement_Aquarium director Julie Packard to receive honorary doctorate_
Obama administration official Cecilia Muñoz will be the keynote speaker at CSU Monterey Bay's commencement ceremony on May 17. Ms. Muñoz is an adviser to the President and director of the Domestic Policy Council, which coordinates the domestic policy-making process in the White House. . . . continue reading
JAZZ IT UP_Annual Heritage Music Festival has Latin flavor_
The community is invited to an evening of jazz on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay as the annual Heritage Music Festival returns on May 8. . . .continue reading
KAZU wins Murrow Awards
Krista Almanzan, news director of KAZU, has won two regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in electronic journalism. The awards are given by the Radio, Television, Digital News Association . . . . continue reading
Keepin' It Reel
Three days of film showings – part of the 13th annual Reel Work May Day Labor Film Festival – will be held on the campus of Cal State Monterey Bay . . . . continue reading
Undergraduate research pays off big
For the next three years, Allison Moreno won't have to worry about how she will pay for graduate school. The CSUMB senior biology major has received a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship worth $132,000 over three years . . . . continue reading
Annual sanctuary symposium set for April 26 at CSUMB
. . . CSU Monterey Bay's annual Sanctuary Currents symposium – held in collaboration with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary – brings scientists, managers, students and members of the public together to address the most important issues of the day. This year, the topic for the April 26 symposium is Marine Debris: How Do You Pitch In? . . . . continue reading
CSUMB staff member named Broadband Champion
Arlene Krebs, technology development officer at CSU Monterey Bay, has been named a 2014 Broadband Champion by the California Emerging Technology Fund. . . .continue reading
Flute concert set for April 4 at CSUMB
Wayla Chambo will present a program of works for flute at a free public performance April 4 at CSU Monterey Bay . . . . continue reading
Social Justice Colloquium looks at LGBT issues
This year's Social Justice Colloquium at CSU Monterey Bay examines lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, political organizing and the meaning of justice. . . .continue reading
Puppet-based animation demonstrated at CSUMB
Sam Koji Hale, an animator and puppet maker, will visit CSU Monterey Bay on April 10 for a pair of events open to the public. . . . continue reading
On the outside looking in
Short-story writer Lysley Tenorio will read from his work april 8 at CSU Monterey Bay. The public is invited to this free event. Tenorio is the author of Monstress, which binds together eight tales of isolated misfits in San Francisco and the Philippines. . . .continue reading
Profesor creates Fort Ord exhibit
Fort Ord was a vital center during much of the 20th century. Planet Ord explores the contemporary experience and historical echoes of this abandoned city, relating it to the many lost places in contemporary America. . . . continue reading
Striving to reach a bold goal
Jeff Edmondson, managing director of Strive Together, will speak at CSU Monterey Bay on April 9 as the President's Speaker Series concludes for the year. . . . continue reading
Father Serra biographer lectures at CSUMB
Gregory Orfalea, author of Journey to the Sun: Junipero Serra's Dream and the Founding of California, will make a presentation at CSU Monterey Bay on April 3. The community is invited to this free event. . . . continue reading
Their thing: Strings_Eight hands plus one cello = lots of fun_
Stringfever, a London-based string quartet, is a little bit classical, a little bit rock 'n' roll – and humorous. The foursome will perform at 7:30 p.m., April 3, at CSU Monterey Bay's World Theater. . . . continue reading
Workshop examines disability access
The community is invited to a workshop at CSU Monterey Bay intended to increase awareness of people with disabilities. . . . continue reading
Should California have the highest minimum wage in the U.S.?Ethics panel will examine the topic on March 27
Tens of thousands of California's hourly workers will become the best paid in the country when a new minimum wage law goes into effect . . . . continue reading
One man's fight to stop street violence
Dr. David Kennedy of Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government will speak at CSU Monterey Bay on March 28 as the President's Speaker Series continues. . . .continue reading
MENding Monologues returns to CSUMB
Following on the heels of Eve Ensler's "Vagina Monologues," CSU Monterey Bay students continue their campaign to end sexual violence against women with three performances of the "The MENding Monologues." . . . continue reading
Sociologist to speak at CSU Monterey Bay
C.J. Pascoe, whose work explores the terrain of sexuality and gender identity, will speak at CSU Monterey Bay on March 25. She is the author of "Dude, You're a Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High School." . . . continue reading
Provost named at CSU Monterey Bay
Bonnie Irwin, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities and professor of English at Eastern Illinois University, has been named provost and vice president for academic affairs at CSUMonterey Bay. Her appointment follows a national search. . . .continue reading
'Local Connections' concert rocks and rolls onto World Theater stage
The World Theater at CSU Monterey Bay will offer a special treat for its audience on March 8 when it presents a concert featuring Rio Salinas, and opening act Tom Faia and The Juice . . . . continue reading
Tales from the trenches_Entrepreneurship Forum set for Feb. 26_
Four business owners will share their experiences starting and running successful ventures and the lessons they learned along the way at the spring Entrepreneurship Forum set for Feb. 26 a CSU Monterey Bay. . . . continue reading
'Ideas of March' mobile app competition at CSUMB_Opportunity for participants to create the next killer app_
It's innovative, intense and for those who thrive on creative competition, a shot at fame and fortune. It's the "Ideas of March," a three-day Android development competition open to college students with basic programming skills who are interested in producing mobil apps. . . . continue reading
'Flourish Monterey County' focus of speaker series_Kicks off March 4 with talk on economic development_
With the theme "Flourish Monterey County," this year's President's Speaker Series at Cal STate Monterey Bay will get under way on March 4 when Mary Jo Waits visits campus. . . . continue reading
CSUMB reaches out to black community through church visits
In February, a trio of CSU Monterey Bay administrators will be featured speakers at local churches to spread the word about the importance of going to college . . . .continue reading
Online path to computer science degee completion
Did you leave school before you finished your bachelor's degree in computer science? Do you have a college degree but would like to earn a second one in computer science? . . . . continue reading
The hidden health crisis on campus: Eating disorders_Feb. 26 film showing, discussion will address the issue_
. . . To raise awareness of the issue, CSU Monterey Bay's Health and Wellness Services will observe National Eating Disorder Awareness Week with a program on Feb. 26 . . . . continue reading
FOCUS returns to campus
CSU Monterey Bay will host FOCUS, the university's annual look at sustainability issues, on Feb. 12. The seventh annual free event presents speakers and discussion groups that address the topic, "Sustainability and a Sense of Place." . . . continue reading
Adventure awaits at Banff Film Festival_Festival benefits Return of the Natives project at CSUMB_
Experience adventure ont he big screen – from mountaintops to crashing waves to foaming river rapids – when the Banff Mountain Film Festival world tour makes a stop at Monterey's Golden State Theatre on Feb. 28. . . . continue reading
Apply now for instructional science, technology program
CSU Monterey Bay invites the public to learn more about the master's degree program in Instructional Science and Technology at an open house on Feb. 13. . . .continue reading
Working nurses can now earn bachelor's degree at CSUMB
To help meet a growing demand for nurses with bachelor's degrees, CSU Monterey Bay started a nursing program in 2012, partnering with four local community colleges. Starting in June, the program will add a tract for already-employed nurses with associate's degrees who want to earn a bachelor's while they continue to work. . . .continue reading
Monterey resident to lead Cradle to Career Partnership
Cynthia Nelson Holmsky is joining CSUMB in an administrative appointment to be director of the Monterey County Cradle to Career Partnership. She will be responsible for establishing the Cradle to Career Partnership as a catalyst for regional partners to work together to drive better results in education, for every child from cradle to career . . . . continue reading
Record number apply to CSUMB
For the fifth straight year, CSUMB received a record number of freshmen applications. Freshmen hoping to enroll in fall 2014 submitted more than 14,800 applications, 6.4 percent more than last year. . . . continue reading
Open University opens up opportunities
Maybe you’re interested in pursuing your bachelor's degree, preparing for a promotion at work or just want one class while you take some time off from an out-of-town university. Or maybe you want to learn about rock and roll cinema, or how to create 3D characters for video games. There’s an opportunity to do all of those at Cal State Monterey Bay. . . . continue reading
COLLEGE SENIORS_Osher Lifelong Learning Institute brings folks back to school_
What do Woody Allen, nature photography and spy novels have in common? They are among the classes that will be offered this semester through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – OLLI – at California State University, Monterey Bay specifically for those 50 and better. . . . continue reading
Become an entrepreneur in 54 hours
CSUMB to host Startup Weekend Jan. 24-26
Ever wonder what it takes to be an entrepreneur? CSU Monterey Bay will be a great place to find out when the university hosts Startup Weekend Monterey Bay Jan. 24-26. . . . continue reading
CSUMB's Return of the Natives annual event Jan. 18
Volunteers will be out at 7 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 18, looking for hawks, geese, ducks, wrens and a variety of other species at the Watershed Institute's ninth annual winter bird count at Upper Carr Lake in Salinas. Everyone is welcome to help. . . . continue reading
'Jump Rope Sprint' – A gold medal dream_Mockumentary screening to benefit Cinematic Arts at CSUMB_
What started as a silly idea for a movie has become a reality – and may be headed for the Olympics. . . "Jump Rope Sprint" will get its first local showing at Carmel's Sunset Center on Jan. 11, a fundraiser for CSU Monterey Bay's Cinematic Arts community outreach programs. . . . continue reading
• CSUMB Creates! A special venue at First Night Monterey
Works by CSU Monterey Bay students, faculty, staff and alumni will be showcased at First Night Monterey, the family-friendly celebration of New Year’s Eve . . . continue reading
• Community invited to student recitals
The community is invited to a quartet of public performances featuring students in the university’s Music andPerforming Arts Department . . . continue reading
• Student’s artwork promotes First Night Monterey Bay
Images of musicians and dancers are poppingup around the local area as publicity for First Night Monterey. The artwork was produced by CSU Monterey Bay student Carly Allen, the result of a partnership between the university and the event’s organizers . . . continue reading
• TEDdy Talks coming to campusTEDdy Talks – CSUMB’s version of the popular TEDx talks – are coming to campus. On Dec. 14, students from a variety of disciplines will make three- to five-minute presentations summing up their research . . . continue reading
• Annual winter concert set for Dec. 5
The Music and Performing Arts Department will give its annual winter concert at 5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 5, in the World Theater. The public is invited. . . continue reading
• CSUMB receives largest donation in its history
Joel and Dena Gambord of Pebble Beach have made a $10 million gift to California State University, Monterey Bay to establish two endowed professorships, fund student scholarships and set up an entrepreneurship fund . . . continue reading
• Film explores human drama inside Soledad Prison
Seven years, three men, one prison. What happens when a court order and an anti-violence program challenge deeply entrenched prison culture? That’s the issue explored in the documentary, In an Ideal World, shot in Soledad Prison. Filmmaker Noel Schwerin will be on hand when it is screened at 7 p.m. on Dec. 3 at Cal State Monterey Bay’s World Theater . . . continue reading
• Mobile app competition coming to CSUMB
Now is the time to register for the annual Startup Hackathon Monterey Bay. This year’s event will be held Nov. 20-22 on the campus of Cal State Monterey Bay . . . continue reading
• PBS documentary Latino Americans to be shown on campus, in Salinas
CSU Monterey Bay has received a grant to support programming around Latino Americans: 500 Years of History, a public exploration of the rich and varied experiences of the country’s largest minority group . . . continue reading
• Wells Fargo supports College of Business
California State University, Monterey Bay has received a $30,000 gift from Wells Fargo to support two programs in the College of Business . . . continue reading
• New play tells story of the Esselen tribe
A staged reading of 'IYA The Esselen Remember' will be held Nov. 19 and 21 at CSU Monterey Bay’s World Theater . . . continue reading
• Polar ICE
CSU Monterey Bay, in collaboration with Rutgers University, has received a three-year, $1,100,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to fund the Polar Interdisciplinary Coordinated Education – ICE – program . . . continue reading
• Lecture examines the conflict in Palestine
Journalist Ben Ehrenreich will visit Cal State Monterey Bay on Nov. 10 to lecture on “Is This the Third Intifada? Understanding the Conflict in Palestine” . . . continue reading
• Native American Heritage Month celebrated at CSUMB
As part of Cal State Monterey Bay’s celebration of Native American Heritage Month, Dr. Joseph Pierce will visit campus on Nov. 5. His topic: Indigenous identities and native authenticity . . . continue reading
• How is technology transforming agribusiness?
The "Greater Vision" series of forums addressing issues facing the agricultural industry continues Nov. 5 at CSUMB. The program is designed for professionals, students and community members who are interested in the future of agriculture . . . continue reading
• Grant helps students prepare for careers in data science
The National Institutes of Health has awarded Cal State Monterey Bay $1 million to train a diverse workforce in biomedical data science as part of its Big Data to Knowledge (BD2K) initiative . . . continue reading
• ‘A Path Appears’ to be shown at CSUMB
In the documentary, A Path Appears, the subject is gender oppression, violence and solutions. The subtext is how everything is connected: domestic violence, poverty, sex trafficking . . . It’s not easy to watch, but it carries an important message . . . continue reading
• ‘Breathless in Bombay’ author reads at CSUMB
Indian writer Murzban Shroff will visit Cal State Monterey Bay for a special presentation on Oct. 27. . . continue reading
• Korea in Focus
Two upcoming events at Cal State Monterey Bay will focus on the Republic of Korea . . . continue reading
• Disc golf takes flight . . . with help from CSUMB students
Led by women’s disc golf club president Traci Alger, a dozen volunteers – mostly from CSUMB – created a course at Los Arboles Middle School in Marina . . . continue reading
• CSUMB acquires National Steinbeck Center
California State University, Monterey Bay and the National Steinbeck Center have completed a deal that will bring the university to the city of Salinas . . . continue reading
• Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza visits CSUMB Oct. 6
When she visits Cal State Monterey Bay on Oct. 6, Alicia Garza, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, will talk about how #BlackLivesMatter went from a political project to a global movement and how social media served as a platform to elevate the founders’ dreams, vision, hopes and love for humanity . . . continue reading
• Hispanic Heritage Month celebrated with a look at health care
Sept. 30 discussion examines ways to meet health care needs of the Latino community . . . continue reading
• The future of burial: From cradle to compost?
You might take solace in the fact that when you die, your days of polluting the planet are over. But the truth is that the method you choose to dispose of your mortal remains has more of a deleterious impact on the environment than you might think. That’s according to Katrina Spade, founder of the Urban Death Project. The Seattle architect is leading a growing effort in support of a green alternative to caskets and cremation: human composting. She'll visit Cal State Monterey Bay on Oct. 2 to discuss the project . . . continue reading
• U.S. News recognizes CSUMB
University ranked No. 18 among public schools in the West . . . continue reading
• Annual Trustees’ Award goes to aspiring physician
Jason Rodriguez, an aspiring physician and medical researcher from CSUMB, has been chosen for a California State University Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement . . . continue reading
• Biology student lands big scholarship
Second year student Francisco Hernandez Jr. has been awarded a $40,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture scholarship to help him complete his biology degree . . . continue reading
• CSUMB seeks participants for Library of Congress project
Every veteran has a story. CSUMB wants yours. This fall, Enid Ryce, coordinator of the School of Creative Arts, will lead an effort to record the stories of local veterans as part of the Veterans History Project (VHP) . . . continue reading
• Filmmaker John Valadez visits CSUMB
‘The Head of Joaquin Murrieta’ to be screened Sept. 10 . . . continue reading
• Sea Otter Awareness Week comes to campus
Sea otter fans – that’s sea otter as in Enhydra lutris, not Monte Rey – it’s your time of year. CSU Monterey Bay – where the sea otter is the school’s mascot – will host a lecture at 7 p.m., Sept. 24, as part of the activities . . . continue reading
• CSUMB makes magazine's list of top schools
CSU Monterey Bay fared well in the Washington Monthly’s ranking of colleges and universities intended to measure service in the public interest . . . continue reading
• CSUMB developing program to train school psychologists
CSU Monterey Bay has received $1.2 million from the U.S. Department of Education to develop a program to train school psychologists. This program will meet the state and national chronic, critical shortage of school psychologists, who support K-12 students in a variety of ways . . . continue reading
• The Promontory housing project comes online
. . . The three buildings can accommodate a total of 579 students in 174 two-, three- and four-bedroom suites. Each suite has a common kitchen and living room; each bedroom has a private bathroom . . . continue reading
• Federal grants provide support services for CSUMB students
Cal State Monterey Bay was recently awarded a pair of grants from the U.S. Department of Education to help low-income and first-generation college students and students with disabilities complete their education. A new five-year, $1.09 million grant under the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) Program will assist 120 students annually in their pursuit of undergraduate degrees in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. The university also received a five-year, $1.2 million grant renewal for its existing Student Support Services program that serves 160 students . . . continue reading
• Students earn pre-doctoral fellowships
Four CSU Monterey Bay students – whose research interests include gene splicing, agricultural pathogens, population dynamics and computer network security –have been recognized by the California Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Program . . . continue reading
• Poet laureate visits CSUMB
Poets are prominent at this year’s edition of Summer Arts, but the most prominent may be Juan Felipe Herrera, newly named U.S. poet laureate. Herrera will read at the World Theater at 7 p.m., July 21 . . . continue reading
• Commencement throng celebrates with Class of 2015
More than 8,600 well-wishers crowded the stands of Freeman Stadium May 16 for the commencement ceremony at California State University, Monterey Bay. Hugo Morales urged the graduates to remember that they can make a difference. Mr. Morales, founder of Radio Bilingue and a member of the CSU Board of Trustees, was the keynote speaker. More than 1,500 students were awarded bachelor’s and master’s degrees and teaching credentials before the capacity crowd . . . continue reading
• Capping off college with senior projects
At Cal State Monterey Bay, all students are required to do capstone projects that showcase what they have learned over the course of their time at the university. The public is invited to attend the spring semester festival May 13-15 . . . continue reading
• Four undergraduates, alumna earn NSF fellowships
Josh Smith, April Makukov, Christina Villalobos, Andrea Valdez and Lydia Jennings were awarded the fellowships, which provide $138,000 to support three years of graduate education . . . continue reading
• Showcase for budding entrepreneurs
An ag tech business, a company producing a healthy alternative to soda, and an urban homesteader are among the business startup ideas that will vie for cash and services at the Venture Showcase on May 1 at Cal State Monterey Bay . . . continue reading
• Heritage Music Festival celebrates Cinco de Mayo
The community is invited to an evening of jazz on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay as the annual Heritage Music Festival returns on May 5 . . . continue reading
• CSUMB among 'greenest' schools
For the fifth consecutive year, CSU Monterey Bay has been named one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the country by The Princeton Review . . . continue reading
• We Want You! The Rise of Citizen Science
The annual Sanctuary Currents Symposium brings scientists, managers, students and the public together to address important issues involving the Monterey Bay and beyond. This year’s event, scheduled for April 25 at Cal State Monterey Bay, will examine citizen science . . . continue reading
• Keepin' it Reel
The Salinas Project, a feature-length documentary about the lives of four young adults in East Salinas, will be shown at Cal State Monterey Bay as part of the 14th annual Reel Work May Day Labor Film Festival April 28 through May 1 . . . continue reading
• What's the future of California's coast?
California is one of the most beautiful, diverse and fascinating places on the planet. That makes the work of David Helvarg especially important. Helvarg, founder and executive director of the Blue Frontier Campaign, which works for ocean and coastal conservation, will lecture at California State University, Monterey Bay on April 27, as this year’s President’s Speaker Series concludes . . . continue reading
• Cornel West lectures at CSUMB
Cornel West has many roles: philosopher, professor, author, civil rights activist and interpreter ofAfrican American experience, actor (in several "Matrix" movies) and advocate for social justice. He also travels the country delivering lectures. He’ll give one of those lectures at Cal State Monterey Bay on April 24 . . . continue reading
• CSUMB awarded $8 million innovation grants
The innovative work being done by CSU Monterey Bay was recognized by the state through its Awards for Innovation in Higher Education. CS-in-3, a program that allows students to earn a computer science degree in three years, was ranked among the top five applications and was awarded $5 million. A developmental math course was awarded $3 million . . . continue reading
• Enter, stay or go away: Forum examines issues related to immigration
A newspaper columnist and a law school professor will share the podium at the annual Ethics and Responsible Business Forum at Cal State Monterey Bay on March 26. They will address the ethics of illegal immigration and immigration reform from Salinas Valley to SiliconValley . . . continue reading
• Immigration reform examined
“Why immigration reform is so difficult to achieve” will be the topic addressed by Leo Chavez on March 27, when the President’s Speaker Series continues at Cal State Monterey Bay . . . continue reading
• Calling all entrepreneurs
The application deadline is fast approaching for the annual Startup Challenge. The Challenge provides an opportunity for prospective entrepreneurs, start-ups and emerging companies to showcase their ideas and business concepts. The Challenge connects regional entrepreneurs to each other, to funders, consultants, support programs and venture capitalists . . . continue reading
• Research supports targeted trawling
Trawling, a fishing method that involves dragging large nets across the seafloor, has been criticized by environmental advocates for its demonstrated damage to rocky marine habitats and the long-lived animals that occur in them. However, important questions remain about the extent of any damage to sandy and muddy environments. Research by Dr. James Lindholm, James W. Rote distinguished professor of marine science and policy at CSU Monterey Bay, colleagues from The Nature Conservancy and commercial fishermen indicates that the damage may be negligible . . . continue reading
• Japanese diplomat to speak at CSUMB
Nobuhiro Watanable, deputy consul general with the Japanese Consulate in San Francisco, will visit CSU Monterey Bay on Feb. 25. . . . continue reading
• Their own beat
San Jose Taiko will take the stage at CSU Monterey Bay's World Theater on March 7 as the performing arts series continues. . . . continue reading
• FOCUS looks at partnerships in sustainability
World-renowned scientist Fritjof Capra will be the keynote speaker Feb. 11 at FOCUS, Cal State Monterey Bay's annual look at sustainability issues . . . continue reading
• POWERFUL WORDS
The Vagina Monologues returns to CSU Monterey Bay Feb. 12, 13 and 14 . . . continue reading
• Professor earns 'First-Year Student Advocate' honor
Maria Villaseñor, associate professor and coordinator of the First-Year Seminar program at Cal State Monterey Bay, has received national recognition as an outstanding champion for freshmen students . . . continue reading
• Rape Crisis Center taps student's work for race logo
As publicity kicks in for the annual Together with Love 5 and 10K run, colorful posters are popping up around the local area. The artwork was done by CSU Monterey Bay student Diana Mejia in Professor Bobbi Long's introduction to digital graphic design class . . . continue reading
• MacArthur Fellows to visit CSUMB
The MacArturos – well, some of them – are coming to Cal State Monterey Bay . . . continue reading
• University earns community engagement classification
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has once again honored CSU Monterey Bay for its focus on service and public engagement, making it one of only 361 institutions in the United States to hold the classification . . . continue reading
• Another national honor for Service Learning program
The university was recently named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal honor universities can receive for their commitment to service learning and civic engagement . . . continue reading
• Help RON count the birds
Volunteers will be out at 7 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 17, looking for hawks, geese, ducks, wrens and a variety of other species at the Watershed Institute’s 10th annual winter bird count at Upper Carr Lake in Salinas. Everyone is welcome to help during the three-hour count . . . continue reading
• President's Speaker Series continues Jan. 30
"America Fast Forward?: Demographic Shifts, Economic Challenges, and the Future of California" will be the topic addressed by University of Southern California professor Manuel Pastor on Jan. 30, when the President's Speaker Series resumes at Cal State Monterey Bay . . . continue reading
• College students aren’t the only ones being educated at Cal State Monterey Bay
What do Hamlet, Flannery O’Connor and music’s Romantic Period have in common? They are among a diverse range of classes that will be offered in the spring through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – OLLI – at California State University, Monterey Bay. The courses and speakers are specifically geared for those 50 and better . . . continue reading
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The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has once again honored CSU Monterey Bay for its focus on service and public engagement, making it one of only 361 institutions in the United States to hold the classification.
The 2015 Community Engagement Classification documents CSUMB’s “excellent alignment among campus mission, culture, leadership, resources and practices that support dynamic and noteworthy community engagement,” according to the foundation.
Community engagement, as defined by the foundation, focuses on the collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources.
“We appreciate this recognition by the Carnegie Foundation,” said CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa.
“Community engagement has been a cornerstone of CSUMB since our founding and its importance has only grown over the years. We want to continue to build on our tradition of service learning and to seek new and meaningful ways to build partnerships that help move our community forward,” the president said.
In 1970, the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education developed the firstclassification system for American colleges and universities as a research tool to describe and represent the diversity of U.S. higher education. The Community Engagement category was first created in 2006, and the designation was awarded to CSUMB that year. It is one indication of the growing importance of community service and civic engagement as a priority for higher education.
About the university’s community engagement initiatives
CSUMB's community engagement initiatives are diverse and originate from every academic program, emblematic of CSUMB's commitment to active learning and its concern for its role as a "steward of the region."
CSUMB is one of the few universities in the nation – public or private – to have madeservice learning a graduation requirement for all students. Through service learning, all CSUMB academic departments and programs have been able to develop strong relationships throughout the community.
Nearly half of CSUMB students enroll in service learning courses each year, contributing more than 65,000 hours of service to more than 250 schools, non-profit organizations and government agencies in the region.
A few examples of the university’s outstanding accomplishments in service learning and community engagement include:
• CSUMB's Chinatown Renewal Project, which involves over 100 students each year in the revitalization of Chinatown neighborhood in Salinas;
• Return of the Natives environmental restoration project, which works with over 60 students in various environmental efforts;
• The Seafloor Mapping Project, which develops detailed maps for state agencies;
• The Mission Conservation Program, which involves dozens of students in conservation and interpretation projects at the region's historic missions;
• The Algebra Academy and Imagine College, which work directly with local youth in college preparation courses.
The university was honored with another community engagement award in December – the 2014 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, awarded by the Corporation for National and Community Service. CSUMB is the only two-time recipient of the prestigious President’s Award for Community Service in Higher Education.
Students at CSU Monterey Bay will gather on Feb. 13 to protest sexual violence toward women across the globe as part of the “One Billion Rising” movement.
A variety of campus organizations – the Title IX Task Force, the University Police Department, Associated Students, the Asian Pacific Islander Association, the Music and Performing Arts Department and Sodexo, among others – are sponsoring the event, which will be held in the main quad from 2 to 5 p.m.
“One Billion Rising” was initiated by Eve Ensler, the creator of “The Vagina Monologues” – which is performed at CSUMB every year on or around Valentine’s Day. This year’s production is scheduled for Feb. 12, 13 and 14 at 8 p.m. in the World Theater.
According to the One Billion Rising website, the protest was inspired by the statistic that one in three women on the planet will be raped or beaten, which equals 1 billion women.
During the inaugural events on Valentine’s Day 2013, men and women around the world gathered to dance in protest of this statistic.
The university will take part in the campus version of the movement, which focuses on stopping sexual violence on campuses, increasing awareness, and focusing on making student safety a top priority.
“CSUMB and the surrounding community will rise in unity to dance and sing with a singular voice to demand an end to sexual and gender violence in own community,” said Anna Bartkowski, a deputy Title IX officer at CSUMB.
Tentative program:
2-2:10 p.m. – DJ/One Billion Rising music
2:10-2:20 – One Billion Rising video
2:20-2:40 – Performance by Friends of Sironka Dance Troupe
2:40-2:50 – Speaker Kate Daniels of Women's International Perspective
2:50-3 – Performance by Asian Pacific Islander Association dancers
3-3:10 – Excerpts from CSUMB's production of the Vagina Monologues
3:10-3:20 – Performance by CSUMB Lion Dancers
3:20-3:30 – Poetry and Speak-Out
3:30-3:40 – Performance by CSUMB Dance Team
3:40-4 – Performance by students in CSUMB's Music and Performing Arts Dept.
4-4:15 – Performance by Monterey Bay Charter School singers
4:15-4:30 – Performance by DiFranco Dance Project with Samba LeGal
4:30-5 – Dance music and video
San Jose Taiko will take the stage at California State University, Monterey Bay’s World Theater on March 7. Showtime is 8 p.m.
The word taiko is Japanese for drum, and the art of drumming has been a staple of Japanese culture for centuries.
The group was formed in 1973 by young Asian Americans who were searching for an outlet to convey their experiences as sansei or third-generation Japanese Americans. Looking to Japan for inspiration, they were drawn to the empowering sounds of the taiko, an instrument that embodies the spiritual essence and heartbeat of Japan.
By studying with masters of other traditions and cultures, San Jose Taiko musicians have broadened and embellished this traditional art form. Their style joins the traditional rhythms of Japanese drumming with the beat of world rhythms, including African, Brazilian, Filipino, Latin and jazz. The sound is contemporary, exciting and innovative, bridging many styles while still resonant of the Asian soul in America.
Tickets range from $10 to $40 and can be purchased by calling the World Theater box office at (831) 582-4580 or online at csumb.edu/worldtheater. For disability-related accommodations, please contact the World Theater box office no later than 10 days prior to theperformance.
The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue near A Street on the CSUMB campus. Driving directions and a campusmap are available at csumb.edu/maps.
Nobuhiro Watanabe, deputy consul general with the Japanese Consulate in San Francisco, will visit CSU Monterey Bay on Feb. 25.
He will talk on Japan’s contributions to the international community at 4 p.m. in the University Center living room. His talk will be preceded by areception at 3:30.
The public is invited. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/maps. While the event is free, visitors must purchase a parking permit from machines on the lot or online at http://parking.csumb.edu/buy-permit.
The program is sponsored byCSUMB’s School of World Languages and Cultures.
Nobuhiro Watanabe, deputy consul general with the Japanese Consulate in San Francisco, will visit CSU Monterey Bay on Feb. 25.
He will talk on Japan’s contributions to the international community at 4 p.m. in the University Center living room. His talk will be preceded by a reception at 3:30.
The public is invited. Driving directions and a campus map are available at csumb.edu/maps. While the event is free, visitors must purchase a parking permit from machines on the lot or online at http://parking.csumb.edu/buy-permit.
The program is sponsored by CSUMB’s School of World Languages and Cultures.
Maria Villaseñor, associate professor and coordinator of the First-Year Seminar program at Cal State Monterey Bay, has received national recognition as an outstanding champion for freshmen students.
Dr. Villaseñor is one of 10 recipients in the country chosen as “Outstanding First-Year Advocates” for 2014-15 by the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience at the University of South Carolina. She was selected from a group of 116 educators nominated by their colleges and universities.
She was recognized for her commitment to student success at the annual “Conference on the First-Year Experience” Feb. 7-10 in Dallas.
“Professor Villaseñor has distinguished herself as an effective and tireless advocate for first-year students, especially first-generation students and those from disadvantaged backgrounds,” Provost Bonnie Irwin said in her letter o fnomination.
“Students and instructors alike are effusive in their praise of Professor Villaseñor’s work in support of student success.”
Provost Irwin went on to say, “She is present in the lives of her students and faculty colleagues, empowering them to thrive at CSUMB. She is a quintessential teacher, scholar and advocate for students.”
First-year seminars are designed to prepare students for academicand personal success. During the 2014-15 school year, 12 classes were offeredwith a variety of themes, including technology, sustainability, digital media arts, psychology and health and well-being.
A special chamber concert by members of the Monterey Symphony will take place in the Music Hall on Wednesday. Eastern European masterworks will be featured, including pieces by Dvořák, Kodály and Dohnányi.
Symphony concertmaster Christina Mok leads these MontereySymphony Chamber Players. They will perform Dvořák’s String Quartet No.12,“American,” Op. 96; Kodály’s Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7; and Dohnányi’sSerenade in C for String Trio (violin, viola & cello).
Todd Samra will offer a talk at 12:30 p.m. about the composers and the pieces to be performed. Dr. Samra teaches classes for the university’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and is the resident musicologist for the symphony.
A special chamber concert by members of the Monterey Symphony will take place at CSUMB on Wednesday, Feb.11. Eastern European masterworks will be featured, including pieces by Dvořák, Kodály and Dohnányi.
Symphony concertmaster Christina Mok leads the Monterey Symphony Chamber Players. They will perform Dvořák’s String Quartet No.12, “American,” Op. 96; Kodály’s Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7; and Dohnányi’s Serenade in C for String Trio (violin, viola & cello).
The concert will be performed twice – at 1 p.m. for the campus community and again at 7:30 for the public. Both will be held in the Music Hall.
For the evening performance, general admission tickets are $20; students, military members and seniors are $10.
Todd Samra will offer a talk 30 minutes before each performance about the composers and the pieces to be performed. Dr. Samra teaches classes for the university’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and is the resident musicologist for the symphony.
A CSU Monterey Bay business student has been awarded a scholarship by the San Jose-Silicon Valley Chapter of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA).
Kyle Priddy, a senior who will graduate in May, earned one of four scholarships awarded by the chapter. The scholarships are based on individual achievements and recommendations from professors.
The award was presented Jan. 29 at the organization's Honorees Night in San Jose.
Students from DeAnza, Evergreen, Foothill, Gavilan, Mission, Monterey Peninsula College, San Jose City and West Valley community colleges, as well as CSUMB, UC Santa Cruz, San Jose State and Santa Clara universities were eligible to enter the competition.
The California Society of Certified Public Accountants is the nation’s largest statewide association of CPAs. Founded in 1909, CalCPA represents over 34,000 members. The organization’s Silicon Valley/San Jose chapter has awarded more than $400,000 in scholarships over the last 15 years. CSUMB students have earned scholarships annually for the last eight years.
The School of Business at CSUMB added a concentration in accounting in 2004, offering a full spectrum of classes to meet the CPA requirements. The program has grown steadily and is popular with community college transfer students.
California State University, Monterey Bay invites the public to learn about the master’s degree program in Instructional Science and Technology (MIST) at an online open house Feb. 26.
The online event will take place from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. MIST faculty and staff members will explain admission requirements and will describe course content and career options for graduates.
The program prepares students for positions in the fast-changing fields of modern education and training. It enables graduates to advance in their current careers and will position them to assume leadership roles in education and training.
The 16-month program will start in the fall of 2015. Application deadline is March 16.
The blended learning environment – which integrates several days on campus at the beginning of each semester with online classes – accommodates both working professionals and traditional students. A fully online version of the program is also available.
More information about the MIST program is available here, by calling 831-582-4790 or by e-mailing mist@csumb.edu. To RSVP for the open house, please e-mail mist@csumb.edu.
To access the online open house:
• Join from PC, Mac, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/935345654
• Or join by phone: 1-415-762-9988 or 1-646-568-7788 (toll)
Meeting ID: 935 345 654
Bernard Green is helping to create an alternative transportation culture at CSUMB.
Green’s work has earned an excellence award from the Transportation Agency for Monterey County.
The award was among 10 presented at a recent TAMC board meeting; they recognize individuals, groups and businesses for efforts to improve the way people get around in Monterey County.
Green, a junior Human Communication major from Los Angeles, works as the Monterey-Salinas Transit outreach coordinator on campus. He was nominated by his supervisor, Anya Spear, for his “creative and tireless work” to promote alternative transportation and coordinate outreach efforts to nearly 6,700 students and more than 1,000 employees.
“Bernard is helping to create an alternative transportation culture at CSUMB whose benefits, we hope, permeate throughout the county and reach us all,” Spear said.
“When the campus needs expertise, he does the research. If we need student buy-in, he presents at an Associated Students meeting. If there’s no funding, he applies for a grant,” she said.
Among his accomplishments:
• He worked to secure changes to MST routes to better serve the growing student population and then employed creative ideas to communicate those changes to students.
• He helped to identify and convert a small car parking lot into a bike parking area where 14 bike locker stalls and a bike rack were installed. The project helped to remove cars from the campus core.
• He pointed out the need for additional bus stops along Inter-Garrison Road, and helped to identify an accessible location.
• He has proposed a design concept for a series of separated bikeways connecting Main Campus and East Campus, where 3,000 students and employees live.
• He represents the city of Marina on TAMC’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Advisory Committee; is a certified instructor with the League of American Bicyclists and founded the Monterey Bicycle Project.
. . . and comes back from fund-raising gala with $75,000 for the Real Food Challenge
What does it mean to eat healthy, sustainable food? Can universities do a better job of promoting good eating habits while also serving food that is environmentally sound and financially viable?
Stephanie Yee thinks so, and has taken a leadership role in the Real Food Challenge, a national campaign to move colleges and universities away from junk food and toward “real” food.
The junior environmental studies major was a leader in the statewide effort to convince the CSU to approve a sustainable policy that will govern the $100 million spent on food across the 23-campus system. Under the policy adopted by the Board of Trustees last May, each campus has until 2020 to ensure that at least 20 percent of all money spent on food goes to farms and businesses that are local/community based, and the food is fairly traded, ecologically sound and/or humanely raised.
That victory puts the grassroots network of students and universities well on its way to reaching its goal of shifting $1 billion of food budgets from industrial farms and junk food to “real food.”
Real Food Challenge was one of the non-profits nominated for financial support from unite4:good, a foundation that identifies and empowers local heroes who are making a difference in their communities. It earned enough votes – and $25,000 – in on-line balloting last September to qualify for the finals. As the top vote-getter among the six finalists, it received an additional $50,000 grant awarded at the Hollywood gala. on Feb. 19.
“These funds will support campus visits, retreats, research, organizers and our campaigns to shift more dollars to a real food economy,” Yee said.
Learn more about Real Food Challenge
Students found a new addition to their list of campus essentials when the spring semester started: reusable to-go containers at the Dining Commons.
Bernard Green brought the idea to the student government’s environmental affairs committee.
“We liked the idea and spoke with Josh Martin, Sodexo's executive chef of dining services,” said Rachel Sutton, Associated Students environmental senator. “He loved the idea.”
Martin had implemented the program at other campuses where he worked. “It was easy to convince him to work with us to start one here,” Sutton said.
He ordered 500 containers to get the program started. In the first month, 300 students signed up for the program.
Students purchase a reusable to-go container at the Dining Commons for $5, fill it up and take the meal with them. Then, they bring the empty box back to the DC, where it is washed and sanitized. They can get another box to use then, or they are given a card that they exchange for a box the next time they want a to-go meal.
The clear, green-tinted to-go boxes replace disposable containers that had been sent to the landfill.
The Environmental Affairs Committee is working to grow the program. It was recently awarded a $2,000 grant from the California State Student Association’s Greenovation Fund. “With this funding, we will order more containers and give them out to students,”Sutton said.
A variety of other food-related sustainability efforts are in place at CSUMB, including:
"We are extremely conscious of our sustainability practices," Martin said. "We have even hired a sustainability intern, Gerardo Marenco, whose sole focus is to keep us on track and inform every one of the many things we do on a daily basis."
Professor's study finds minimal impacts on some seafloor habitat
Trawling, a fishing method that involves dragging large nets across the seafloor, has been criticized by environmental advocates for its demonstrated damage to rocky marine habitats and the long-lived animals that occur in them. However, important questions remain about the extent of any damage to sandy and muddy environments.
Research by Dr. James Lindholm, James W. Rote distinguished professor of marine science and policy at CSU Monterey Bay, colleagues from The Nature Conservancy and commercial fishermen indicates that the damage may be negligible.
During the three-year study, fishermen trawled patches of the ocean floor off Morro Bay. Those areas were analyzed by underwater photos and video and compared with nearby areas that were untouched.
Their peer-reviewed work, published in the Fishery Bulletin, found that California’s largely soft-bottom seafloor saw little lasting impacts from trawling with a small-footrope trawl.
In a blog post, the researchers say their study adds to a growing body of literature from around the world showing trawling impacts are context-dependent: the impacts depend on the type of gear used, the types of habitats trawled and how often trawling occurs.
The scientists point out that their study does not imply that all soft-bottom habitats should be open to trawling; but, with new research and technology, “we can fine-tune our fishery regulations to protect truly vulnerable habitats.”
Dr. Lindholm has been studying marine ecosystems for 20 years.This fall, he will conduct a similar experiment off Half Moon Bay using trawling nets of different sizes. Commercial fishermen will also be involved.
Five local business owners share their stories at the spring Entrepreneurship Forum March 2.
The owners – whose companies are at different stages including start-ups, a turnaround and 10 years in business – will talk about their experiences in starting and running their companies. A discussion with the audience will follow.
Panel members include:
The free forum, to be held from 4 to 6 p.m. in the University Center ballroom, is sponsored by the College of Business and its Institute for Innovation and Economic Development.
For more information, contact MaryJo Zenk at 831-582-3230, e-mail her at mzenk@csumb.edu or go online.
The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Visitors must purchase a parking permit from a machine on the lot or online.
About CSU Monterey Bay’s Entrepreneurship Forums
Each semester, the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development of the College of Business hosts an Entrepreneurship Forum. Past forums have addressed topics including how startups quickly nail the product that sells; advice from lenders; a look at crowdfunding; and protecting intellectual property.
CSU Monterey Bay’s Global Studies program and the Bahá'í Faith communities of Monterey County will host a screening and discussion of the film, “To Light a Candle.” The free event will be held at 6:30 p.m., March 5, in the University Center ballroom.
The documentary was made by award-winning filmmaker and journalist Maziar Bahari. Through dozens of interviews, it tells the story of Bahá'ís who have lost family members over the last three decades due to ongoing religious persecution. It gives a vivid picture of a community that has been silenced and oppressed for its religious beliefs.
The Bahá'ís are Iran’s largest religious minority. Because of their faith, they are barred from teaching and studying at universities. The Bahá'í Institute for Higher Education was established in 1987, offering classes in homes, via mail and online. The Iranian government regularly raids the classes, arresting students and teachers.
Bahari is a former Newsweek correspondent in Tehran, and the author of the memoir "And Then They Came After Me," which was adapted for the screen by Jon Stewart. Following Iran's 2009 presidential election, Bahari was arrested and detained for more than four months in Iran's most notorious prison. Right after his release, he left Tehran to join his family in London where he continues to live and work.
The screening wil be followed by a discussion with panelists including:
DETAILS:
What: Screening of “To Light a Candle”
When: March 5
Where: University Center on Sixth Avenue
Time: Doors open at 6 p.m., screening starts at 6:30; discussion follows at 7:30
Cost: Free, but attendees must purchase a parking permit from a machine on the lot or online
Information: Professor Charles Fuller, chfuller@csumb.edu
It’s innovative, intense and a shot at fame and fortune. It’s the Ideas of March Hackathon, a mobile app programming competition open to college students with basic programming skills.
The event, which kicks off the afternoon of Friday, March 13, is sponsored by CSUMB’s College of Business and its Institute for Innovation and Economic Development, the university’s School of Computing and Design, and the Monterey County Business Council.
Teams of students and software professionals will work through the weekend to develop prototype mobile applications for local nonprofits, community organizationas and small businesses and then present their work – real, working prototypes – at 2 p.m., March 15, with winners chosen in several categories.
There is no cost to participate, but prospective participants must apply by March 6. Food and beverages will be provided during event hours. Apply here.
The event will be held in the Media Learning Center on the CSUMBcampus. Find driving directions and a campus map.
Ideas for apps must be submitted by March 9. Submit an idea here. For information, call the institute at 582-3230.
Prospective competitors should note that all code created during the competition will be published as open source code.
Anyone new to developing Android apps can learn the basics at a three-hour workshop set for March 6 at CSUMB.
The application deadline is fast approaching for the annual Startup Challenge.
The Challenge provides an opportunity for prospective entrepreneurs, start-ups and emerging companies to showcase their ideas and business concepts. The Challenge connects regional entrepreneurs to each other, to funders, consultants, support programs and venture capitalists.
The Challenge begins with a one-page application and a five-minute first-round pitch presented to judges on March 27. Applicants are then selected to expand their ideas into a full 12-page business plan, which they present to an investor panel at the final event on May 1 at Cal State Monterey Bay.
Download an application at www.thestartupchallenge.org.
The Challenge includes three divisions: Venture, for businesses intended to grow into large enterprises; Main Street, for small businesses; and Student, for high school through graduate students.
WaterCity, a startup that aims to lower residential and commercial water bills, was last year’s winner in the venture category and is working on its first round of funding. Its founders, Jeff Langholz and Maeve Du Toit, hope to launch their company this year.
Katie's Coldpress, a mobile organic food truck planned by Katie Raquel of Seaside, won the Main Street category and launched last fall. The student winner was Construction Connection, a proposal to start a website and use iPhone software to connect contractors locally with workers, and workers with jobs.
The Music and Performing Arts Department at Cal State Monterey Bay invites the public to attend a free master class with the Latin Jazz Collective.
The class will be held at 1 p.m., March 28, in the Music Hall, located on Sixth Avenue near Colonel Durham Road.
LJC is comprised of a core group of six musicians assembled by John Nava and Martin Binder. They use original and established contemporary jazz compositions arranged with Latin rhythms as a foundation.
Group members include John Nava, congas; Kevin McCollough, piano; Faris Jarrah, trombone; Steve Uchello, bass; Martin Binder, drums; and Patt Caison, saxophone and flute. Combined, they have more than 50 years of experience in the studio, on stage and in the classroom; they perform as bandleaders, arrangers and educators throughout the Central Coast and the Bay Area.
LJC members have shared the stage, recorded and taught with Jorge Santana, Malo, Kim Stone (Rippingtons), Webber Iago, Jayson Fann (Ashe Ensemble), Joseph Lucido, Wayne Wallace and many other respected artists.
While the class is free, attendees must purchase a parking permit from a machine on the lot or online.
Upcoming Master Classes open to the public:
• March 7, 1 p.m., guitarist Daniel Weston
• April 30, 2 p.m., Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles
• May 7, 7 p.m., musicians and composers LeBoeuf Brothers
“Why immigration reform is so difficult to achieve” will be the topic addressed by Leo Chavez on March 27, when the President’s Speaker Series continues at Cal State Monterey Bay.
He is the author of Shadowed Lives: Undocumented Immigrants in American Society; Covering Immigration: Popular Images and the Politics of the Nation; and The Latino Threat: Constructing Immigrants, Citizens, and the Nation.
The presentation will start at 3:30 p.m. in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue near A Street. A question-and-answer session and a public reception will follow.
The community is invited to this free event. No tickets are necessary, but reservations are requested. Please RSVP by calling the World Theater box office at 582-4580, or going online.
The theme of this year’s speaker series is “Future Monterey Bay.” During the school year, speakers will visit campus to address various aspects of the theme.
The series is in keeping with Cal State Monterey Bay’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
The University Police Department gets CSUMB's first all-electric vehicle.
CSU Monterey Bay’s Police Department has joined a growing number of law enforcement agencies parking Nissan Leafs next to their Crown Victorias as they go green.
It reflects an international trend – dozens of police departments including several in the United Kingdom, New York City and Abu Dhabi have adopted the fuel-efficient vehicles for various uses.
“We traded in a big gas-guzzling Jeep Cherokee for the Leaf,” Police Chief Earl Lawson said. “We wanted a smaller, more efficient, more environmentally friendly vehicle.” It’s the first all-electric vehicle in the university’s fleet.
Chief Lawson was quick to point out that the Leaf will be used by civilian employees of the department. The Leaf, and two Ford C-Max hybrids the department owns, aren’t suitable for use as patrol cars, but are perfect for other UPD needs, he said.
Commander John Short worked on a grant from the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District that helped to pay for the Leaf. It will be plugged in at the back of the police station until a charging station can be installed.
In honor of the 25th anniversary of Godfrey Reggio’s conservation documentary, “Anima Mundi,” students in CSU Monterey Bay’s environmental filmmaking class have created documentaries that will be shown on March 23 at the Monterey Museum of Art’s La Mirada location.
"Anima Mundi" is a celebration set to music – by Philip Glass – of the diversity among nature and the importance of every species. The quick-moving film deals with life forms moving and standing still.
Made for the World Wildlife Foundation, "Anima Mundi"makes a loud statement without uttering a single word.
The five student documentaries, created by Joey Cloud, Allyson Dudzinski, Cristian Duran, Austin Fontanilla, Megan Mason, Allison Nunes, Annette Prieto, Stephen Terry and Chris Vinson, examine the fate of these species over the last 25 years.
The Environmental Media Arts class attracts science students as well as those enrolled in Cinematic Arts and Technology program. Through a series of explorations and adventures, students in the arts and sciences create media arts projects with environmental themes or topics, while working across disciplines.
The museum is located at 720 Via Mirada, Monterey. The program will get under way at 6 p.m. and run about an hour. General admission tickets are $10; students with ID are free.
The film showing is part of an event at the museum that closes its participatory community exhibit Open Walls: You Are Here.
The Central Coast Unit of the National Association of Social Workers will honor Caroline Haskell, director of Health and Wellness Services at CSU Monterey Bay.
Haskell will receive the organization’s Social Worker of the Year Award March 20 at its annual event to celebrate Social Work Month. Secretary of the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency Anna Caballero will be the featured speaker.
Haskell is a licensed clinical social worker and a Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work. She was the founding director of CSUMB’s Counseling Center when it opened in 1996. She currently oversees 45 employees who assist more than 6,500 students, including 350 with disabilities.
She is the campus affiliate director of the National Coalition Building Institute,an international organization whose mission is to eliminate racism and other forms of oppression.
Her 2013 book, Combined Destinies: Whites Sharing Grief About Racism, co-edited with Ann Jealous, explores the social and emotional consequences of racism for white Americans.
The National Association of Social Workers is the world’s largest professional social work organization. The local unit, covering Monterey and San Benito counties, holds several events each year, including a welcome dinner for incoming master’s level social work students at CSUMB, continuing education events, and the annual social work month celebration.
ELKHORN SLOUGH FOUNDATION PRESENTS $5,000 AWARD
Cal State Monterey Bay graduate student Michael Esgro studies de facto marine protected areas – regions of the ocean that are not formally protected but experience limited human impact nonetheless. Examples include shipping lanes, military training areas and waters adjacent to high security areas such as nuclear power plants.
Esgro, a second-year student in the Applied Marine and Watershed Science master’s program, has undertaken the first study on the West Coast to determine the contribution these areas make to marine conservation.
He is using still photography and video imagery collected by a remotely operated vehicle to compare fish and invertebrate communities inside and outside a military de facto protected area at San Clemente Island in Southern California.
For his work, Esgro is this year’s winner of the James W. Rote Grant for Research in Applied Sciences.
“In the spirit of James Rote’s long career at the interface of science and policy, Michael’s project provides a clear linkage between research and management of the natural world,” said Dr. James Lindholm, the James Rote Distinguished Professor of Marine Science and Policy at CSUMB.
Throughout his career, Dr. Rote held a variety of science advisory positions and helped draft environmental policy at the state and federal levels. He was instrumental in getting Monterey Bay designated as a National Marine Sanctuary.
He joined the CSUMB faculty in 1995, and was a founding member of the university’s innovative interdisciplinary program linking natural science, physical science, technology, economics and policy. Illness forced him to retire in 1997. He died in 2006.
The Elkhorn Slough Foundation, a community-supported conservation organization and accredited land trust, established the scholarship fund to honor the work of Dr. Rote and his colleague, Les Strnad. Both men worked tirelessly to protect and conserve Monterey Bay and the extraordinary natural resources here.
The grant allows students to purchase equipment for their research projects; the equipment remains in the department for use by future students.
Esgro, a Los Angeles native, earned his undergraduate degree at UCLA, where he worked on applying genetic testing to the design of marine protected areas in Indonesia. He decided to attend CSUMB for graduate school to continue his study of MPAs with Dr.Lindholm at the Institute for Applied Marine Ecology.
“I was excited about the opportunities that CSUMB and Dr. Lindholm’s lab provided – especially the prospect of using cutting-edge technology to see what marine protected areas actually look like underwater,” Esgro said.
The Visiting Artist series at Cal State Monterey Bay continues on April 9 with a presentation by Reanne Estrada and Mike Blockstein of Public Matters, a Los Angeles-based social enterprise.
Public Matters works with people to create media about their neighborhoods. The goal is to connect people to the places they live and work and to develop a sense of ownership over these places and a belief that they can directly shape their neighborhoods’ future.The media content reflects and benefits the community that has helped create it, advancing community-defined initiatives (for example, healthy food access in South and East L.A. and increased public awareness of immigrant contributions in historic Filipinotown).
Estrada, creative director of Public Matters, is a visual artist whose work includes installation, performance, video and public art. She worked for nine years as an educator and in cause-related marketing, design, and curatorial programming at Creative Growth Art Center, a studio and gallery for artists with disabilities. Her public art projects emphasize a collaborative approach and focus on community narratives in Asian American communities.
Blockstein, principal of Public Matters, is a visual artist and educator working in public art projects that use a sense of place as a way to address social, cultural and built environments. Connecting artistic processes, leadership development and civic engagement, he has created and led projects with youth, community development and arts organizations.
The talk will be held at 6 p.m. in the Visual and Public Art Complex, Building 72, on Inter-Garrison Road. It’s free, but visitors must purchase a parking permit from a machine on the lot or online. Driving directions and a campus map
This semester’s visiting artist series got under way in February with a visit by Hiroko Kikuchi, an artist whose work deals with cultural identity and social change. On March 26, Rigo, a muralist, painter and political artist, will visit campus. This semester’s series concludes with the April 9 presentation.
The Visiting Artist series at Cal State Monterey Bay continues on April 9 with a presentation by Reanne Estrada and Mike Blockstein of Public Matters, a Los Angeles-based social enterprise.
Public Matters works with people to create media about their neighborhoods. The goal is to connect people to the places they live and work and to develop a sense of ownership over these places and a belief that they can directly shape their neighborhoods’ future.The media content reflects and benefits the community that has helped create it, advancing community-defined initiatives (for example, healthy food access in South and East L.A. and increased public awareness of immigrant contributions in historic Filipinotown).
Estrada, creative director of Public Matters, is a visual artist whose work includes installation, performance, video and public art. She worked for nine years as an educator and in cause-related marketing, design, and curatorial programming at Creative Growth Art Center, a studio and gallery for artists with disabilities. Her public art projects emphasize a collaborative approach and focus on community narratives in Asian American communities.
Blockstein, principal of Public Matters, is a visual artist and educator working in public art projects that use a sense ofplace as a way to address social, cultural and built environments. Connecting artistic processes, leadership development and civic engagement, he has created and led projects with youth, community development and arts organizations.
The talk will be held at 6 p.m. in the Visual and Public Art Complex, Building 72, on Inter-Garrison Road. It’s free, but visitors must purchase a parking permit from a machine on the lot or online.
The Visiting Artist Series is presented by the university's Visual and Public Art Department.
This semester’s visiting artist series got under way in February with a visit by Hiroko Kikuchi, whose work deals with cultural identity and social change. On March 26, Rigo 23, a muralist, painter and political artist, will visit campus. This semester’s series concludes with the April 9 presentation.
Published on March 20, 2015
The innovative work being done by CSU Monterey Bay was recognized by the state through its Awards for Innovation in Higher Education.
CSIT-in-3, a program that allows students to earn a computer science degree in three years, was ranked among the top five applications and was awarded $5 million. CSIT-in-3 is a collaboration between Hartnell College and CSUMB that started in 2013.
It is one of two CSUMB programs that received funding. A developmental math course was awarded $3 million.
The fund, proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown and included in last year’s budget, was doled out to colleges and universities for devising creative and cost-effective ways to get more students to earn degrees in less time.
A total of 58 proposals were submitted by 52 colleges and universities. Fourteen of them were funded; a committee chaired by the governor’s finance director decided how to allocate the money.
The CSIT-in-3 program represents a new model for bachelor’s degree completion as well as for improving enrollment, retention, transfer and graduation for underrepresented students in technology. It’s cohort-based, meaning students who start the program together take all classes, participate in extra-curricular activities and graduate together. Students benefit from workshops, field trips and guest speakers.
“We believe that CSIT-in-3 is the only program of its kind in the country,” said Hartnell President Willard Lewallen. “It’s the most innovative program I’ve been involved with in my 36 years in education.” Lewallen went on to say that the program involves an unprecedented level of collaboration between the two schools.
Math@CSUMB is designed to increase the success of students who are required to take developmental math in their freshman year.
Nationwide, half of all college students need remedial math, and only 50 percent of them pass the class the first time they take it. Math@CSUMB has increased the success rate to approximately 90 percent, and has contributed to a dramatic increase in student retention at CSUMB.
The classes are built around activities and student work rather than traditional lecture formats. They use tutoring, supplemental instruction and a high-tech environment that provides immediate feedback. And university faculty members work with community college and K-12 teachers to implement similar strategies at their schools.
The community is invited to join Cal State Monterey Bay faculty members Deb Busman and Umi Vaughan on April 15 as they celebrate the publication of their most recent books with a reading on campus.
The reading will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Alumni and Visitors Center.
Busman is a fiction/creative non-fiction writer, co-director of CSUMB’s Creative Writing and Social Action program and an associate professor in the Division of Humanities and Communication.
Her book, Like a Woman, was published this month by Dzanc Books. It is a coming-of-age story, revealing the lives of teenage girls on the streets of Los Angeles, trying to hold onto their sense of humanity against a backdrop of racism, poverty, sexism and violence.
Busman told the Santa Cruz Sentinel the project began as a memoir of her own growing up. “It’s easier to tell the truth using fiction, for me. I was more interested in capital-T Truths that I was in my own particular story,” she said. “And I wanted to explore some of the other characters in the story as well.
“As a fiction writer, you get to tell everybody’s story,” she told theSentinel.
Some of the book’s chapters have been published in anthologies of short fiction. Busman told the Sentinel that her students encouraged her to get the book published. “As a professor of creative writing, I started to feel a little hypocritical that I wasn’t even doing what it took to put my own book out into the world.”
Vaughan, associate professor in the Division of Humanitiesand Communications, will read from his book, Rebel Dance, Renegade Stance: Timba Music and Black Identity in Cuba.
As an African American anthropologist, musician, dancer and photographer who lived in Cuba, Vaughan reveals a unique perspective on Cuban society during the 1990s, the peak decade of Timba.
He has conducted extensive anthropological research in Cuba about Afrocuban music and dance. He is co-author of Carlos Aldama’s Life in Batá: Cuba, Diaspora, and the Drum.
The reading is sponsored by the Division of Humanities and Communication; the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Student Activities and Leadership Development; and the Office of Inclusive Excellence.
DETAILS
• WHAT: Renegade! Writers from the Edge with Deb Busman and Umi Vaughan
• WHEN: 6-8 p.m., April 15
• WHERE: CSUMB’s Alumni and Visitors Center
• Cost: Free
• Parking: Adjacent to the building with purchase of a permit from machine near the entrance to the lot
• Driving directions: Available at csumb.edu/maps
• Information/disability accommodations: dbusman@csumb.edu
The annual Sanctuary Currents Symposium brings scientists, managers, students and the public together to address important issues involving the Monterey Bay and beyond. This year’s event, scheduled for April 25 at Cal State Monterey Bay, will examine citizen science.
Management of the marine environment is only as good as the quality (and quantity) of the monitoring data that support it. Traditionally, monitoring of the marine environment was left to academic and government scientists. With the proliferation of environmental problems, increased awareness by the public and the decrease in financial support for monitoring at the state and federal levels, the role of citizen scientists is on the rise.
The public is invited to attend a day of lively presentations and discussions about what it means to be a citizen scientist, programs focused primarily on education and those modeled closely on formal monitoring efforts. Research posters will be on display throughout the day. The day concludes with the Ricketts Memorial Lecture at 2:30 p.m.
Registration for the free event starts at 8 a.m., with the first presentation scheduled for 9:15. All activities will be held in the University Center on the CSUMB campus. The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Parking is free.
Sponsors include CSUMB and its Institute for Applied Marine Ecology; NOAA and the National Marine Sanctuaries; the Monterey Bay Aquarium; and Save the Earth.
"We are excited by the opportunity to discuss the many dimensions of citizen science in a public venue like the Currents Symposium," said Dr. James Lindholm, the James W. Rote Distinguished Professor of Marine Science and Policy at CSUMB.
"While exhibit tables will offer many groups the opportunity to sign up participants for their activities, with our five speakers we strove to cover more broadly the different types of citizen science, ranging from education-based to more research-based. We hope to have a lively discussion."
The day’s schedule:
For more information, visit www.montereybay.noaa.gov/research/currsymp2015 or contact Professor Lindholm at jlindholm@csumb.edu
Members of the campus community are invited to hear presentations by candidates for the newly created position of director of sustainability. The final two candidates will visit campus on March 27.
Each candidate will give a 20-minute presentation. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions after the presentations. Both will take place in the conference room in Mountain Hall A.
• Dianne Anderson – Friday, March 27, 10-10:45 a.m.
Ms. Anderson is New York University's sustainability manager and is responsible for directing and coordinating sustainability programs and initiatives to achieve NYU's numerous sustainability goals. Prior to NYU, she was a resource conservation specialist for the County of San Mateo. She holds a master's of public administration from NYU and a B.S. in environmental studies from San Jose State University and is a LEED Green Associate and Certified Energy Auditor.
• Richard (Trey) McDonald – Friday, March 27, noon-12:45 p.m.
Mr. McDonald has been in the environmental field for over 15 years, working as a whale biologist, environmental scientist and sustainability professional. Observing the pace and scale of development during his time as a wetlands scientist in Florida, he recognized the need to rethink how we approach our relationship with the Earth. He shifted his career focus to sustainability, earning his LEED Accreditation in 2006 and his M.S. in environmental science and policy from the University of South Florida in 2008. His master’s thesis focused on sustainability at university campuses, and examined USF as a case study.
He earned a B.S. in marine biology from Auburn University, and has also studied at the University of British Columbia,the University of Oregon, and Florida Institute of Technology. He served as the first sustainability coordinator for the University of Richmond, leading the development of its Climate Action Plan.
• Lacey Raak, sustainability director at UC Santa Cruz, was interviewed on March 19.
The acclaimed Paul Taylor Dance Company will pay a return visit to California State University, Monterey Bay’s World Theater on April 22.
The visit marks the fourth appearance of the New York-based company at the World Theater.
As both pupil and master, Taylor has a resume that reads like a history of 20th-century dance. He got his start performing under Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham and George Balanchine, and his Paul Taylor Dance Company has featured Twyla Tharp, Laura Dean and Dan Wagoner during its 60-year existence.
He may be 84, but he has no intention of slowing down. At an age when most artists’ best work is behind them, Taylor is acclaimed for the vibrancy, relevance and power of his dances. He continues to tackle some of society’s thorniest issues. He may propel his dancers through space for the sheer beauty of it, or use them to wordlessly illuminate war, spirituality, sexuality, morality and mortality.
"I make dances because that's what I've spent many years teaching myself to do and it's become what I'm best at," he told the Washington Post. "When the dances are good, nothing else brings me as much satisfaction."
At the World Theater, the company will perform three familiar pieces, including the classic “Esplanade.” Also on the program are “Diggity,” a piece first performed in 1978, and “The Word,” dating from 1998.
Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. performance range from $10 to $40 and can be purchased by calling the World Theater box office at (831) 582-4580 or online.
The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue near A Street on the CSUMB campus.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of CSU Summer Arts, and the program – which starts in late June – invites students to register now for this year’s classes.
Summer Arts, which began as a small dance program in 1985, has transformed the lives of more than 12,000 student artists since its inception and has grown into one of California State University’s most dynamic, hands-on programs.
“Many students come to CSU Summer Arts expecting to take classes that will refine their skills, but soon find out our program is life-changing,” said Rachel Nardo, Summer Arts director.
Students master various art forms including dance, music, acting, media arts, fine arts and creative writing. The program – hosted by CSU Monterey Bay – prepares students for workforce success through leading-edge courses and superior teaching. Over a two- to three-week period, students broaden their artistic skills by working with Academy Award-winning professionals, entertainment industry moguls and legendary artists through a series of workshops and courses.
CSU Summer Arts sessions run at varying times between June 29 and Aug. 17. At the end of each session, students exhibit their artwork in a showcase festival that is free to the public.
Additionally, guest artists put on performances and presentations for students and the local community nearly every night throughout the duration of the program.
This year, Summer Arts will offer courses taught by world-renowned guest artists including:
• Broadway director Rob Fisher
• Jazz musicians Dave Pietro and Billy Drummond
• Children’s book author Deborah Underwood
• Contra-Tiempo Urban Latin Dance Theater
• Circus performers Karl Baumann and Stefan Haves
• Sculptors Katie Grinnan and Evan Holloway
• Photographers David Hilliard and Holly Andres
• Video projection artist Yannick Jacquet
• Painters Vincent Desiderio and Ann Lofquist
• Guitarists Eliot Fisk and Scott Tennant
• Cinematographers Vilmos Zsigmond and Bruce Logan
• Solo performers Gin Hammond and Juan Francisco Villa
• Memoirists Lynda Barry and Jimmy Santiago Baca
• Poets Ellen Bass and Juan Felipe Herrera
CSU Summer Arts offers an extensive scholarship program, with almost 80 percent of students receiving scholarship assistance each year.
Information about courses, registration, artists and scholarships is available on the Summer Arts website.
– CSU Public Affairs
Hugo Morales, who built a community radio station for California farmworkers into a national Latino public media network, will be the keynote speaker at CSU Monterey Bay’s commencement ceremony on May 16.
In 1976, Morales organized farmworkers, teachers, students and artists to launch Radio Bilingüe as a single public radio station for the large Latino communities of Fresno and the surrounding San Joaquin Valley.
At the time, Morales, a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, was an adjunct professor of La Raza Studies at Fresno State. Ever since, he has been executive director of Radio Bilingüe and a pioneer and advocate for bilingual and minority-controlled public media throughout the country. The network now includes 11 stations in California, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas.
A Mixtec Indian from Oaxaca, Mexico, he was a child farmworker in Sonoma County. When he was appointed to the California State University Board of Trustees in 2012, he said, “My interest in education is part of my DNA. I know how an excellent college education changed my life, and I know the stakes now for students with the same hopes and dreams that I had for myself and my family.
“Radio Bilingüe itself is first and foremost about education and ensuring access to information for those who are underserved.”
His honors include a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, the Edward R. Murrow Award – public broadcasting’s highest honor – and the Lannan Foundation Cultural Freedom Award.
CSUMB’s 19th commencement will take place at 10 a.m. in Freeman Stadium on the CSUMB campus with President Eduardo Ochoa presiding. Approximately 1,450 students will receive bachelor’s and master’s degrees; about 8,000 family members and friends are expected to attend.
Cornel West has many roles: philosopher, professor, author, civil rights activist and interpreter of African American experience, actor (in several “Matrix” movies) and advocate for social justice. He also travels the country delivering lectures.
He’ll give one of those lectures at Cal State Monterey Bay on April 24.
West focuses much of his work and research on the roles of race, gender and class in American society.
He is best known for his classic books Race Matters and Democracy Matters, and his memoir, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud. His most recent book is Black Prophetic Fire (Beacon Press, 2014). In it, West and scholar Christa Buschendorf provide insight into the work of six African American leaders – Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. DuBois, Martin Luther King Jr., Ella Baker, Malcolm X and Ida B. Wells.
He earned an undergraduate degree from Harvard University and a master's and doctorate from Princeton. He has taught at Union Theological Seminary, Harvard, Yale and the University of Paris.
He has been praised by The New York Times for his"ferocious moral vision" and hailed by Newsweek as "an elegant prophet with attitude."
The lecture will be held at 7 p.m. in the University Center ballroom. Doors open at 6 p.m. Admission is free for CSUMB students, $5 for CSUMB faculty and staff, and $10 for everyone else. Tickets will be on sale at the door; no advance purchase or reservations are available.
For more information or to request disability accommodation, call 582-4070.
The event is sponsored by CSUMB’s Otter Cross Cultural Center; Otter Student Union; and Student Activities and Leadership Development.
To recognize the 20th anniversary of the founding of Cal State Monterey Bay, the university will examine and celebrate its social justice work at a daylong event on April 25.
The community is invited to join students, staff and faculty – including some who were involved at the beginning – for the 19th annual Social Justice Colloquium, which will take a look at these topics:
• Where have we been? An opening panel discussion with some of the pioneers in CSUMB's history about the role of social justice on campus and in the community.
• Where are we now? Breakout sessions focusing on critical social justice issues of our time with local activists, students, faculty and community members. Topics include criminal justice, environmental justice, labor, the arts and education.
• Where are we going from here? A closing session imagining the future of social justice work on campus and in the community.
The free event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., April 25, in the Tanimura & Antle library classrooms. Lunch will be provided.
Other events celebrating social justice at CSUMB include:
• April 23, 8-10 p.m., a poetry slam in the West Lounge of the Student Center
•April 24, 7 p.m., a talk by Dr. Cornel West
Updates will be posted on the Social Justice Colloquium’s Facebook page.
The events are sponsored by CSUMB’s Special Events Funding; the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Science; the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies; the Department of Psychology; the Division of Humanities and Communication; the Otter Cross Cultural Center; Residential Life; Student Activities and Leadership Development; and the Otter Student Union.
In Monterey County, more than one in 10 babies is born too soon. Premature babies often spend their first weeks in a newborn intensive care unit fighting for life, and often have lasting consequences such as vision and hearing loss or learning disabilities.
Walkers in the March for Babies give hope to the more than half a million babies born too soon each year. The money raised through the annual event supports lifesaving research and community programs that help women have healthy, full-term pregnancies and strong, healthy babies.
Cal State Monterey Bay administrators, staff and students will join the effort on Sunday, April 12, when they represent the university at the March of Dimes’ annual March for Babies.
On that day, CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa and his five-member team; Alpha Kappa Psi sorority; the Asian Pacific Islander Association; and the campus Rotaract club will join hundreds of people on a six-mile walk along the Recreation Trail in Pacific Grove.
The walk will begin at 9 a.m. at Lovers Point Park, 630 Ocean View Blvd., Pacific Grove.
“We have chosen March of Dimes and the March for Babies as one of our key charity events of the year,” President Ochoa said. He noted that disparities in health outcomes are a significant problem in Monterey County as well as in California and the nation.
“The human costs can be heartbreaking, especially when our youngest children suffer the impact,” the president said. “Many Hispanic and Latino families are particularly at risk.”
More than 10 percent of the babies born each year inMonterey County are premature. Of those, 29 will not live to see their first birthdays.
March of Dimes is making a difference. The group has given grants for statewide and local programs, such as funding for the Soledad Community Health Care District Foundation’s Well-Baby Program.
“Walking in March for Babies is a great way to raise awareness about the hundreds of thousands of babies nationwide who are born prematurely or with birth defects,” President Ochoa said.
To support one of CSUMB’s teams, click here and type CSUMB in the “Find a Team” window.
Former Foreign Service officer Charles Barclay will visit Cal State Monterey Bay April 14 to present a talk on U.S.-Cuba relations.
The talk will be held from noon to 2 p.m. in the University Center living room. The public is invited to this free event, but reservations are requested and can be made by e-mail to bretaylor@csumb.edu.
Between September 2009 and July 2012, Barclay served as deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Interests Section of the Swiss Embassy in Havana, which occupies the former U.S. Embassy building that was shuttered in 1961.
During his 28 years in the Foreign Service, he held positions across the globe – in Mexico City, Malawi, Sarajevo, Kuala Lumpur and Managua, Nicaragua, as well as Cuba.
A San Luis Obispo native, Barclay moved to Atascadero after retiring from the State Department in 2012.
Looking back on a half-century of U.S. policy toward Cuba, Barclay told The Tribune newspaper in San Luis Obispo that he applauded the Obama Administration's step toward lifting aspects of the economic embargo.
"As a private citizen now, I think the 50-years-plus of the embargo hasn't gotten us what we wanted, and I think other tools are needed to get those things," Barclay told The Tribune.
"But the embargo is an extremely complex legal apparatus and the Cuban government hasn't done much to give the U.S. ammunition to overturn it completely."
That ammunition, he told the paper, would include the end of state-sanctioned targeting of Cuban civil rights advocates and investment in the expansion of the Cuban private sector.
The talk is sponsored by the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies.
For three years, CSU Monterey Bay students have traveled to rural communities in the province of Leon, Spain. The students spend the month of June learning research methods of data collection and analysis and getting service learning experience.
The service learning involves working with the Leon chapter of the Red Cross in a variety of ways.
Mr. Ceferino Gil Benito and Mrs. Mercedes Babé of the Spanish Red Cross, their counterparts from Monterey County, students and faculty members are meeting on campus April 9 to evaluate the summer program and come up with ways to improve it.
The revised program will enable students to develop skills by working with the Monterey County Red Cross and then share those skills with their summer hosts in Spain. Then will also bring back to the local area skills they acquire during the summer.
From the Monterey County chapter, for example, students may learn how to prepare for disasters, and then share that information with volunteers in Spain. They will bring back with them what they learned about assisting the elderly during their month in Leon.
“This experience is a remarkable opportunity for students, community partners and faculty members to enact the best values of our academic community,” said Dr. Juan Gutierrez, director ofthe summer program.
Dr. Gutierrez has a great deal of experience with international programs. He represents CSUMB on the CSU Council for International Programs; led the university’s first international program, in Mexico, in 1996; has promoted exchange agreements with numerous universities in Latin America and Europe; and was resident director of the CSU international program in Spain from 2005 to 2007.
The university community is invited to participate in the workshop from 8 to 10 a.m., April 9, at the Service Learning Institute in Pacific Hall.
On April 10, students from last summer’s program will present a photography exhibit at 11:30 a.m. in the Student Center.
Learn about this year’s summer program in Spain.
California is one of the most beautiful, diverse and fascinating places on the planet. That makes the work of David Helvarg especially important
Helvarg is the founder and executive director of the Blue Frontier Campaign, which works for ocean and coastal conservation. He’s also a storyteller, with a journalist’s eye for detail and personalities. He’s written for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Popular Science and the Smithsonian, been a war correspondent, authored half a dozen books and produced more than 40 documentaries for PBS and the Discovery Channel.
He will lecture at California State University, Monterey Bay on April 27, as this year’s President’s Speaker Series concludes. The presentation will start at 3:30 p.m. in the World Theater. A question-and-answer session and a public reception will follow.
He’ll talk about the state of California’s coastal areas, how they got that way, what it all means for our future and what we can do about it.
Helvarg’s most recent book, The Golden Shore: California’s Love Affair with the Sea was published in 2013. He is editor of the Ocean and Coastal Conservation Guide, and organizer of the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards – named after the author of the novel Jaws. His work as an advocate for the oceans has been honored with Coastal Living magazine’s Leadership Award and the Herman Melville Literary Award.
The community is invited to this free event. Reservations are requested and can be made by calling the World Theater box office at 582-4580, or online.
The theme of this year’s speaker series is “Future Monterey Bay.” During the school year, speakers visited campus to address various aspects of the theme.
The series is in keeping with Cal StateMonterey Bay’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
The Salinas Project, a feature-length documentary about the lives of four young adults in East Salinas, will be shown at Cal State Monterey Bay as part of the 14th annual Reel Work May Day Labor Film Festival April 28 through May 1.
The festival features films that illuminate the lives and struggles of people in the United States and around the world. The programs are sponsored by the CSUMB chapter of the California Faculty Association.
The Salinas Project tells the stories of children of farmworkers who are succeeding in spite of their difficult life circumstances. It introduces us to Yajaira as she starts her first year of college; Lolo, a musician who played the French horn at Carnegie Hall; Fernanda, an activist who spoke in Washington, D.C., about youth efforts to combat violence; and Angel, who decided to return to his hometown after graduating from college to help his community.
Filmmaker Carolyn Brown, an assistant professor of journalism at American University, will be on hand to talk about the documentary, which had its premiere showing at last fall's Carmel International Film Festival. The Salinas premiere will be held at 7 p.m., April 27, at the National Steinbeck Center.
Details of the festival showings on campus:
Tuesday, April 28, 2 p.m., Coast Hall (Bldg. 45), Room 104, on Sixth Avenue between A and B streets, The Salinas Project (86 minutes).
Thursday, April 30, 8 p.m.,Tanimura & Antle Library, Room 1188, Divarty Street and Fifth Avenue, Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony (103 minutes), a 2002 documentary depicting the struggles of black South Africans against the injustices of apartheid through the use of music. The film takes its name from the Zulu and Xhosa word for power. Speaker: CSUMB instructor Karen Davis.
Friday, May 1, noon, World Languages and Cultures-North (Bldg. 49) , Room 106, on Sixth Avenue and A Street, What the Hell is a Labor Union? (57 minutes) shows low-wage immigrant hospitality workers in Los Angeles in a long fight to gain new contracts with Disney and Hyatt. Their battle illustrates the principles of unionism. Across the globe, citizens in Sweden speak about the value of having the world's strongest labor movement. Speaker: filmmaker Paul Russell Laverack.
Admission to all events is free; donations will be accepted. Visitors must purchase a parking permit from a nearby dispenser or online. Driving directions and a campus map are available here.
For a complete listing of this year’s films in Monterey, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties, visit www.reelwork.org. For more information on the CSUMB screenings, contact Jennifer Colby at jcolby@csumb.edu.
Sean Windell, a student in the applied marine and watershed science master’s degree program, has been named one of 17 California Sea Grant Fellows for 2015.
The Sea Grant College program is a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and provides graduate students the opportunity to obtain experience in the planning and implementation of marine and coastal resource policies. Fellows are matched with a host agency and gain on-the-job experience during the 12-month paid fellowship.
Windell has already started working with the Interagency Ecological Program, a collaboration among nine agencies that does long-term monitoring in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. His project involves designing a conceptual life-cycle model for the winter run Chinook salmon, an endangered species.
Windell graduates from CSUMB this spring. For his thesis, he studied the value of habitat diversity in marine reserves, specifically the spiny lobster use of the intertidal zone at the Santa Catalina marine protected area. He worked in Dr. Corey Garza’s Marine Landscape Ecology Lab.
He earned an undergraduate degree at UC Santa Barbara, and then moved to Santa Cruz to work for the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO). “I liked it so much that I wanted to go to grad school in the Monterey Bay area,” he said, and that led him to CSUMB.
He’s not sure what he’ll do after the fellowship ends. “Either job opportunities within this or other agencies, or hiking the Pacific Crest Trail,” he said.
Learn about the Applied Marine and Watershed program.
In a musical genre dominated by men, Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles has been breaking stereotypes and shaping new cultural traditions since 1994
The 12-member all-female group brings sensitivity, beauty and warmth to Mexico’s musical heritage and has earned a reputation in the industry as a pioneer.
Back by popular demand after thrilling sold-out performances the last four years, Mariachi Reyna will return to CSU Monterey Bay’s World Theater for performances on April 29 and 30. Both shows will start at 7:30 p.m.
Now there are other all-female mariachi groups, proving that when maestro Jose Hernandez created Reyna de Los Angeles, it wasn’t a novelty – it was a genre. Reyna has expanded the role of women in mariachi from singers to a full complement of musical performers. In a musical landscape where songs are often written by men and about male perspectives, Reyna has created its own history.
“I knew there were enough excellent female musicians to do it, and I didn’t want guys to say, ‘They play like girls,’ ” Hernandez said. “Now guys from other groups come up to me and tell me that they can’t get over how these women sound so amazing. It’s because they sound like angels, and that’s why they are named after the city of Los Angeles.”
Under Hernandez, the group has released four albums: Solo Tuya (Yours Only); El Mejor Mariachi Femenino del Mundo (The Best Female Mariachi in the World); Companeras, which was nominated for Grammy and Latin Grammy awards in 2009; and Entre Mariachi y Corazon.
The group will be on stage at the World Theater in time for Cinco de Mayo.
Tickets prices: $40 Gold Circle; $29 general admission; with discounts available for senior citizens, students, military and children. They can be purchased by calling the World Theater box office at (831) 582-4580 or online.
The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue between A and B streets on the CSUMB campus.
The community is invited to a free master class with the group at 2 p.m., April 30 in the Music Hall, on Sixth Avenue and Butler Street.
Earth Day, April 22, is really Earth Week at CSU Monterey Bay.
Since the first Earth Day in 1970, people around the world have sought to celebrate the planet through a variety of individual and community activities. But Earth Day is about more than observing the beauty and vitality of nature; it's also about renewing our commitment to saving our living planet.
The Associated Students' Environmental Committee has a variety of activities planned for the week:
CSU Monterey Bay alumna Lisa Fortier was named Rookie Coach of the Year after her first season at the helm at Division I Gonzaga University.
The award was given out at the annual Women’s Basketball Coaches Association meeting at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Tampa.
Fortier graduated from CSUMB in 2004 with a degree in Human Communication. Longtime Otter fans may remember her as Lisa Mispley, an All-California Pacific Conference selection in her two seasons at CSUMB. She was an NAIA All-Academic team member in 2003, and was named CSUMB’s Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2004.
“These awards are about universities, communities, coaching staffs and mostly about players,” she told the Seattle Times. “The young women on our team . . . the way they compete and work to get better is inspiring.”
Fortier, who was promoted after seven years as an assistant on Gonzaga’s staff, led the team to a 26-8 finish and its seventh consecutive NCAA tournament appearance. Her team made it to the Sweet 16, after a pair of upsets as an 11-seed.
Since 2007, Gonzaga has amassed a 232-51 record, including a 114-10 mark in conference play.
Lisa’s husband, Craig Fortier, played for the Otters before graduating in 2003. After 11 years of coaching men’s basketball – at Whitworth and Eastern Washington universities –he joined his wife’s staff at Gonzaga last year.
The couple have three children.
Jazz-playing brothers Remy and Pascal Le Boeuf will present a master class at Cal State Monterey Bay on May 7. The public is invited to join students in the university’s Music and Performing Arts Department at this free event, which will get under way at 7 p.m.
The twins – keyboardist Pascal and saxophonist/clarinetist Remy – are talented musicians and award-winning composers who are a part of the new breed of young artists as influenced by Radiohead as they are by Herbie Hancock.
In 2004, the Santa Cruz natives moved to New York, where they established their musical voices as performers and composers. Their last album, "Le Boeuf BrothersRemixed," has been nominated in the Best Eclectic Album category at the Independent Music Awards.
The Music Hall is located on Sixth Avenue and Butler Street on the CSUMB campus. While the class is free, visitors must purchase a parking permit from a machine on the lot.
Andrea Valenzuela will head to France in May as a participant in the Creative Minds Filmmaker Institute held in conjunction with the Cannes Film Festival.
The festival is home to the largest film market in the world. More than half a million people – celebrities, filmmakers, journalists, industry professionals and fans – descend on the French Riviera town for two weeks every May.
“I’ll have to miss the premiere of my capstone film,” Valenzuela said, “and graduation, but that’s a small price to pay for such a great opportunity.”
The Creative Minds Filmmaker Institute is designed to provide young filmmakers a platform to showcase their product while also educating them on how to capitalize on an international marketplace where films are bought, sold, distributed and financed.
She has to be in France by the festival’s opening on May 11 and will stay through its close on May 25. She’ll attend master classes, workshops and question-and-answer sessions with industry professionals. In past years, icons such as Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese and Sydney Pollack hosted workshops.
In addition, participants will be put into groups and given seven days to complete a five-minute film as part of a competition judged by industry pros. Those films will be shown at the festival.
Valenzuela is hoping to make some connections in the film industry while she is there. “But I also hope to expand my knowledge, better my skills and be a part of the movement that is cinema,” she said.
She always loved movies,but filmmaking wasn’t her first love, acting was. It wasn’t until she came to CSUMB and began her studies in Cinematic Arts and Technology that she realized how much film appealed to her. “Now, writing is my hobby and directing is my passion,” she said. “I want to work with talent, mold them, inspire them.”
When she returns from France, she’ll head home to Southern California to work at the L.A. Film Festival. “After that, I have no idea,” she said.
“But I can’t wait for the weeks ahead.”
For the fifth consecutive year, CSU Monterey Bay has been named one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the country by The Princeton Review.
CSUMB is featured in the 2015 edition of “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 353 Green Colleges.” Published April 16, a few days before the annual celebration of Earth Day, the free guide can be downloaded.
The university is cited for having a “formidable green pedigree.”
The guide noted that CSUMB was an early signatory of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, and is working toward its goal of being carbon-neutral by 2030 through projects such as the six-acre solar installation that is meeting 16 percent of the university’s electricity needs.
Also drawing praise was the university’s food service, which includes organic foods, composting of all pre- and post-consumer food waste, using compostable packaging and serving products and recycling cooking oil.
In 2013, the guide noted, CSUMB achieved an “astonishing” 79 percent waste-diversion rate, due to the ubiquitous blue recycle bins, an end-of-school-year move-out recycling and donation event and the fact that 90 percent of demolition material from former Army buildings is recycled.
Even more impressive, according to the guide, is that 90 percent of campus buildings have undergone energy-related retrofits in the last few years. Custodians use Green Seal Certified cleaning products.
The green learning opportunities, which allow students to take courses in subjects as diverse as environmental writing and food ethics, were also cited.
The guide pointed out that the commitment to green continues all the way to graduation – when students cross the stage to receive their degrees in gowns sewn with material made from recycled plastic bottles.
The guide is based on a survey the company conducted in 2014. It asked administrators at hundreds of colleges about their institution’s sustainability-related policies, practices and programs. Using survey data that covered 25 fields, the guide tallied its “Green Ratings” – scores from 60 to 99– for more than 800 schools. The schools in the guide earned scores of 83 or above.
Throughout 2015, Cal State Monterey Bay will work to update its campus master plan. The master plan provides a road map for growth and renewal of the campus; it considers the academic environment, student and residential life, mobility and infrastructure systems, and connections with our neighboring communities.
Page/BMS Design Group of SanFrancisco has been hired to lead the process.
Student voices are important in this process. Students can share their thoughts on the future of the campus at an open house with the design group from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., April 29, in the East Lounge of the Student Center. Pizza will be provided.
Faculty and staff members are invited to attend one of two sessions on April 30 to share their thoughts. Session one will be held from 11 a.m. to noon; session two will run from noon to 1 p.m. Both will be held in the Alumni and Visitors Center.
More sessions will be held in the fall.
UPDATE: From the April sessions came ways to "tell us what you think!" Email to masterplan@csumb.edu or tweet at @PageThink using #CSUMBmp
Chelsea Amarillas, a senior Cinematic Arts and Technology student, was awarded a $2,000 scholarship in the Monterey County Film Commission’s Director Emeritus Richard Tyler Student Scholarship and Awards program.
Amarillas will use the award to help cover costs for her capstone film, “A Father’s Love.” She describes the story as a dark and enchanting tale that illustrates the importance of family. Filming will get under way in the fall, and she has begun looking for locations in Monterey County, including a Victorian-style house.
“The stylization of the film is modern but with Victorian elements, and this award will allow me to achieve the level of quality production design that I had hoped to,” Amarillas said. “Receiving this scholarship is an honor because I was selected from a group of talented peers, and it is encouraging as a young filmmaker to be recognized and rewarded for the craft that I am just beginning,” she said. “The award will be of great assistance financially in the production of a film that is near to my heart and one that I am very excited to see come to life.”
Amarillas, a Modesto native, has worked on several productions with her fellow CSUMB film students.
The scholarship program was created to provide financial aid and incentive to film students and beginning filmmakers who reside in Monterey County or those enrolled in a college or university in the county. The fund was established as a permanent endowment with the Community Foundation for Monterey County.
The community is invited to an evening of jazz on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay as the annual Heritage Music Festival returns on May 5.
The free concert will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. in the Black Box Cabaret, located on Fourth Street near the intersection of Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Inter-Garrison Road.
The concert features the Latin Jazz Collective, the Sharp Nine Band, the CSUMB Jazz Ensemble and special guest Greg Abate.
Abate is a saxophone and flute player, recording artist, an adjunct professor of Jazz Studies at Rhode Island College and a jazz clinician who travels extensively conducting workshops and master classes.
The Latin Jazz Collective is a seven-member group put together by John Nava and Martin Binder. Members of the combo have decades of combined experience doing studio work, stage performances and musical education. They maintain active roles as band leaders, arrangers and musical directors.
Sharp Nine, named for a chord typically used in jazz harmony, is a new band that originated from a jazz improvisation class in CSUMB’s Music and Performing Arts Department. It was formed to celebrate the synergy of students’ musical talents and their cultural prowess and proudly reflects their rich ethnic backgrounds. The songs celebrate the breadth of the Americas, from the United States to Mexico and Brazil.
The concert is sponsored by CSUMB’s Music and Performing Arts Department; the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; and the university’s Special Events Fund.
While the concert is free, a parking permit must be purchased from a nearby dispenser or online.
For information or disability accommodations, call 582-3009.
A stellar lineup of student films will be shown at the Cinematic Arts Spring Capstone Festival at the World Theater on Thursday, May 14. The matinee screening will begin at 1 p.m.; the program will repeat for the evening show at 6 o’clock.
The screening will feature 20 professional-quality productions spanning a range of genres, including comedic and dramatic live-action films, as well as animation, documentary and experimental work produced by students in the Cinematic Arts and Technology Department.
NOTE: Some films contain mature language or violence.
The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue between A and B streets. For more information, contact Karen Davis at kdavis@csumb.edu. For disability accommodations, contact jbenge@csumb.edu.
The event is co-sponsored by the Monterey Bay Film Society.
New businesses will compete for awards on May 1 at the Venture Showcase.
An ag tech business, a company producing a healthy alternative to soda and sports drinks, and an urban homesteader are among the business startup ideas that will vie for cash and services at the Venture Showcase on May 1. The competition is the final stage of this year’s Startup Challenge new venture competition.
More than 60 applicants presented their ideas to a panel of judges in March. From that group, 23 were selected to develop their ideas further and pitch them to an investor panel at the finals. From that group, three will be selected to compete in the “Otter Tank” competition at the Venture Showcase.
“The idea of the awards is to motivate entrepreneurs and to educate and connect them with the business community,” said Dr. Brad Barbeau, an associate professor of economics and entrepreneurship at the university and executive director of the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development.
The Startup Challenge is an annual competition that provides an opportunity for prospective entrepreneurs, start-ups and emerging companies to showcase their ideas and business concepts. The Challenge connects regional entrepreneurs to funders, consultants, support programs and venture capitalists.
It includes three divisions: Venture, for businesses intended to grow into large enterprises; Main Street, for small businesses; and Student, for high school through graduate students. Fourteen ideas advanced in the Venture Division; five in the Main Street division; and four in the Student Division. The Venture winner will receive $20,000 cash and $10,000 in legal and other services; $7,500 cash goes to the Main Street winner; and the student winner gets $1,500.
“We provide workshops and mentors for participants,” Dr. Barbeau said. “The program gives them the experience of pitching a new business, and you have to think very carefully about your business as you go through the process.”
The public is invited to the Venture Showcase where they will have the opportunity to see contestants’ exhibits, hear speakers on entrepreneurship, network and watch the inaugural “Otter Tank” competition in the Venture Division. While the event is free, attendees are asked to register.
The event will be held in the University Center on Sixth Avenue and B Street.
Schedule:
3 p.m. – Exhibit hall opens.
4-6 p.m. – Main program. Watch the three finalists in the Venture Division compete in the “Otter Tank”
6-7 p.m. – Reception
An ag tech business, a company producing a healthy alternative to soda, and an urban homesteader are among the business startup ideas that will vie for cash and services at the Venture Showcase on May 1 at Cal State Monterey Bay.
More than 60 applicants presented their ideas to a panel of judges in March. Twenty-three were selected to develop their ideas further and pitch them to an investor panel at the Startup Challenge Finals on May 1. From that group, three will be selected to compete in the “Otter Tank”competition at the Venture Showcase.
“The idea of the awards is to motivate entrepreneurs and to educate and connect them with the business community,” said Dr. Brad Barbeau, an associate professor of economics and entrepreneurship at the university and executive director of the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development.
The Startup Challenge is an annual competition that provides an opportunity for prospective entrepreneurs, start-ups and emerging companies to showcase their ideas and business concepts. The Challenge connects regional entrepreneurs to funders, consultants, support programs and venture capitalists.
It includes three divisions: Venture, for businesses intended to grow into large enterprises; Main Street, for small businesses; and Student, for high school through graduate students. Fourteen ideas advanced in the VentureDivision; five in the Main Street division; and four in the Student Division. The Venture winner will receive $20,000 cash and $10,000 in legal and other services; $7,500 cash goes to the Main Street winner; and the student winner gets $1,500.
“We provide workshops and mentors for participants,” Dr. Barbeau said. “The program gives them the experience of pitching a new business, and you have to think very carefully about your business as you go through the process.”
The public is invited to the Venture Showcase where they will have the opportunity to see contestants’ exhibits, hear speakers on entrepreneurship, network and watch the inaugural “Otter Tank” competition in the Venture Division. While the event is free, attendees are asked to register.
The event will be held in the University Center on Sixth Avenue and B Street.
Schedule:
3 p.m. – Exhibit hall opens.
4-6 p.m. – Watch the three finalists in the Venture Division compete in the “Otter Tank”
6-7 p.m. – Reception
KAZU once again dominated the regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in electronic journalism presented by the Radio, Television, Digital News Association. The station has been honored each year since 2010.
The association recognizes work of the highest quality produced by radio, television and online news organizations around the world. "At a time when news reaches people in so many ways, these awards become even more meaningful," said RTDNA executive director Mike Cavender. "It is a tangible reminder of the high quality local journalism being done across the country."
In Region 2, which includes California, Nevada, Hawaii and Guam, the station took top honors in four of the 13 small market categories, including continuing coverage, featuring reporting, news series, and sports reporting.
The winning entries by category:
Regional winners automatically become eligiblefor the national awards competition next month.
KAZU 90.3 FM – NPR for the Monterey Bay Area – is a community service of California State University, Monterey Bay.
Dr. Ruben Mendoza, professor of archaeology at Cal State Monterey Bay, has been invited to Rome to participate in two events focusing on Junipero Serra.
On April 30, he will join three other scholars at a news conference, where they will provide an overview of Father Serra’s life and legacy. Media members from all over the world are expected to attend.
On May 2 at a seminary in Vatican City, he will participate in a symposium examining the canonization of Father Serra. Pope Francis is expected to attend.
“My participation is a result of my, and my students, 20 or so years of archaeological and historical fieldwork in the California missions,” Dr. Mendoza said.
“Given that only four Serra scholars from North America have been invited to present with a host of theologians and other scholars from the Vatican and Europe, I am truly honored to serve in such a capacity.”
Dr. Mendoza is one of the researchers whose work has prompted a reappraisal of Serra, whom Pope Francis is expected to elevate to sainthood in September.
In a March interview, Dr. Mendoza told the Los Angeles Times that he grew up believing that Father Serra, founder of nine of the California missions, imposed a slave system that destroyed the Indians’ way of life.
“Dig a little deeper,” he told the Times, “and you’ll find evidence of a new diverse society flourishing, one that makes California and its Latino culture unique.”
On April 25, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal about 50 miles from the nation's capital and largest city, Kathmandu. The death toll has been estimated at more than 5,000; the earthquake destroyed homes and businesses, leaving tens of thousands homeless and in need of aid.
In the wake of the disaster, the website CharityNavigator, one of the leading resources for evaluating the performance of non-profit agencies, posted a list of seven highly-ranked charities that are mounting efforts to provide relief to the people of Nepal.
For those in the CSUMB community who want to provide help in the wake of the earthquake, here are links to those charities.
· CARE
On April 25, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal about 50 miles from the nation's capital and largest city, Kathmandu. The death toll has been estimated at more than 5,000; the earthquake destroyed homes and businesses, leaving tens of thousands homeless and in need of aid.
In the wake of the disaster, the website CharityNavigator, one of the leading resources for evaluating the performance of non-profit agencies, posted a listof seven highly-ranked charities that are mounting efforts to provide relief to the people of Nepal.
For those in the CSUMB community who want to provide help in the wake of the earthquake, here are links to those charities.
Ania Flatau has taken kickboxing classes. What might surprise you is that she uses a wheelchair.
“I like to try everything once,” she said. “I’ve gained a lot of health benefits and confidence by being able to move and dance.”
She’s also a regular Zumba participant, a fierce basketball player, and has tried wheelchair ballroom and salsa dancing. And she explored acroyoga – an art form that combines yoga and acrobatics – through CSU Summer Arts.
Being visible and participating in community events are both part of Flatau’s lifestyle and connected to her work as an advocate for people with disabilities.
“If I can be part of class and change a perspective by being involved like everyone else, that is seventh heaven,” she said. “There are going to be adaptations, but [my classmates can see] those as a normal way of being.”
Flatau will receive a degree in kinesiology at the commencement ceremony in May, and is applying to graduate schools in occupational therapy. She was born with spina bifida and likes the idea of working with people who have had spinal cord injuries because they are coming from a different perspective.
“I have the body I have, and I’ve learned how to work with it,” she said. “They’re going from one life to another. I think we both would learn a lot from that relationship. But occupational therapy is a broad field – there are a lot of different directions I could go.” Flatau grew up participating in the athletic community, but she really stepped up her advocacy work when she joined Yo! Disabled and Proud, a national organization for disabled youth, just after high school. She worked with Yo! on a campaign to increase the number of schools that celebrate Disability History Week. “At that time, I thought I knew everything and was very independent,” she said. “Through Yo!, I learned a lot about myself and the community. There is a reason we have curb cuts and elevators – because somebody fought for us. That became the reason I do the advocacy work that I do now.” She continued that advocacy on campus as a member of Student Awareness for Disability Empowerment, a student club that provides educational programs, networking and awareness in order to advance the rights of people with disabilities within the campus community.
“I think it’s important for injured people and people with disabilities to be visible,” she said. “It is more than just a pity thing, and it doesn’t have to be something you are embarrassed about. I want to highlight the culture and community.”
Graduate school may be on the horizon, but Flatau has more immediate plans. She’s working to get certified to teach Zumba and U-Jam, another fitness program. And she hopes to earn certification as an inclusive fitness trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine.
And then there’s the dancing. In July, she’ll dance with the American DanceWheels Foundation at the Pan American Games in Toronto.
– Liz MacDonald
Toastmasters club helps students, alumni overcome fear
In 2012, members of a local Toastmasters club walked into the Institute for Applied Marine Ecology.
Oratory Otters will host an open house from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 5, in Room 2150 of the library. All are welcome.
They wanted to start a club at CSUMB and were hoping to find someone who was receptive to the idea. They ran into Ashley Knight, a graduate student in Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy.
Knight saw an opportunity to improve her public speaking skills. She was preparing for her thesis defense, and the idea of presenting her research in front of a large group of people made her uneasy.
Knowing that good public speaking is an important skill for scientists who need to communicate their findings to policymakers and the public, Knight invited her classmates to a trial run of a Toastmasters meeting.
About 20 students showed up for the meeting, which was run by four experienced Toastmasters, including Kristian Crump, a CSUMB graduate (HCom 1999). That was the beginning of Oratory Otters, a Toastmasters International Club of CSUMB.
Speakers work on specific skills, such as organizing a speech, their tonal variety, and using their body language to accentuate important parts of their talk. Members also develop and practice leadership skills as they prepare meeting agendas, run the meetings, and serve on the executive committee.
While all Toastmasters clubs share the mission of providing a supportive and positive learning experience in which members develop communication and leadership skills, each has a unique culture.
Oratory Otters has attracted a diverse group of students, alumni and staff members as well as students and teachers from the Defense Language Institute and local community members. Currently, members represent six nationalities; they often share personal stories of experiences in their native countries.
Toastmasters International has just celebrated its 90th anniversary, with over 313,000 members meeting in 126 countries. Crump believes that the success of Toastmasters lies in each club’s friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
“Speaking in front of an audience can be terrifying, but with the support of friendly faces and supportive feedback, it takes the fear out of giving presentations,” said Crump, who has been a Toastmaster for eight years.
As for Knight, she is currently using her public speaking skills as a naturalist for National Geographic on a cruise to the Antarctic.
– Story and photo by Bart Kowalski
Four undergraduates, alumna earn NSF fellowships
Josh Smith, April Makukov, Christina Villalobos, Andrea Valdez and Lydia Jennings were awarded the fellowships, which provide $138,000 to support three years of graduate education.
All five participated in rigorous research through CSUMB’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC) and demonstrated an elite level of scholarship while at the university.
Smith, mentored by Dr. James Lindholm, researched fish habitat in submarine canyons. His summers were spent at the Center for Coastal Marine Science at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and at Long Marine Lab at UC Santa Cruz. A marine science major, he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz.
Working with Dr. Cheryl Logan, Makukov, a biology major, is investigating the impacts of ocean acidification on rockfish. She has had summer research placements at San Diego State, Hopkins Marine Station and at CSUMB. She will enter the Ph.D. program in biology at the University of Vermont.
Villalobos, a marine science major, was mentored by Dr. Corey Garza. She is studying how certain small crustaeans may be affected by climate change and how that may impact the fish population. Her summers were spent at Friday Harbor Labs at the University of Washington, at Horn Point Labs in Maryland, and at the Shannon Point Marine Center in Washington. She hopes to attend the University of Washington.
Valdez, a biology major, was mentored by Dr. Aparna Sreenivasan. Her research focuses on sea stars with wasting disease, work she plans to continue in graduate school. Her summers were spent at the University of Missouri, Moss Landing Marine Labs and at UC Santa Barbara, where she combined her skills in molecular biology with her passion for marine science in studying sea stars.
Lydia Jennings, a CSUMB alumna, is now enrolled in a Ph.D. program in the Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science at the University of Arizona. Her research centers on finding ways to improve the environmental and public health issues associated with copper mining in Arizona.
The NSF graduate research fellowships went to 2,000 students – from more than 16,500 applicants – across the country; 500 of them were awarded to undergraduates. CSUMB was the largest recipient of undergraduate awards in the California State University’s 23-campus system.
Fifteen CSUMB undergraduates and three first-year graduate students have received NSF fellowships since UROC started in 2009.
Grants Accounting and research compliance need and want your feedback for a campus service assessment.
Staff members from Huron Consulting will be at the Alumni and Visitors Center meeting room from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on May 11, and from 9 to 10 a.m. on May 12 and would like to hear your ideas and concerns.
Please also complete the short survey sent via email, from the vice president for Administration and Finance and the provost, for Post-Award (Grants Accounting) and Research Compliance (i.e.: Human Subjects Research, Animal Care and Use, Biosafety, etc.), reflecting on your experiences and expectations of these administrative services that support your research, scholarship and external funding.
Complete the survey. For more information, please contact Huron’s Michelle Faurot (mfaurot@huronconsultinggroup.com or Marisa Zuskar (mzuskar@huronconsultinggroup.com).
CAPSTONE FESTIVAL SET FOR MAY 13, 14 AND 15
Tyler Garland’s mother, Heidi, is a breast cancer survivor who works to support and empower others with the disease.
To fulfill a CSU Monterey Bay requirement that all students complete a capstone – a creative or research project – Tyler developed a website to help Heidi reach a larger audience with her message of hope, inspiration and education. Heidi’s Heroes took the communication design major a year to create. It’s just one example of the work that will be on display during the Capstone Festival May 13-15.
At Cal State Monterey Bay, all students have been required to do capstone projects since the first graduating class in 1997. Some of those projects are archived in the campus library. During the Capstone Festival held at the end of each semester, the campus takes on the feel of an intellectual marketplace.
At recent festivals, a biology major presented a study of human stem cell proliferation, a social and behavioral sciences major looked at women police officers in American society and a psychology student examined the socialization of sarcasm.
Business students, working in teams, presented strategic business plans for local companies and organizations.
A World Languages and Cultures student gave a 25-minute talk – entirely in Japanese – on the arguments for and against changing Article 9 of the Japanese constitution. A PowerPoint presentation running in the background provided the information in English.
And a music major – with help from his friends – performed a three-movement piece he composed for a brass quartet.
While the projects require a great deal of time and effort, they’re worth it.
Research by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU) has found that capstone projects are a high-impact educational practice. Participation in these practices can be “life-changing,” according to the AACU.
"Increasingly, people want to know what students can do with their learning and how they can apply that learning across all the courses in their college," the AACU’s Carol Grear Schneider told the Los Angeles Times.
In addition, she told The Times, colleges want to do a better job of preparing graduates for the demands of the job market and graduate schools. The capstones, she said, help students "become people who can problem-solve and produce something of high quality."
Research by the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) shows a steady increase in those completing capstones. In 2013, 45 percent of students reported doing such a project compared to nine percent in 2000.
Campus-wide requirements like the one at CSUMB are most common at liberal arts colleges, where 74 percent of students reported completing a capstone project in 2013. At large research universities, 45 percent of students produced capstones that year, according to NSSE.
The capstone festival is scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, May 13, 14 and 15. The public is invited.
The Cinematic Arts and Technology capstone program will be held at 1 p.m. on May 14, with the program repeating at 6 p.m., in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue.
Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) congratulates all the graduates of the class of 2017! Below is a selection of news clips and fun facts related to the 21st annual commencement ceremony scheduled for Saturday, May 20, 2017 in Freeman Stadium.
Farr was a pivotal figure in leading the transition of the former Fort Ord into what is now CSUMB during the early 1990’s. Farr will also be awarded a Doctorate of Law degree from CSUMB in honor of his 40+ years of public service ranging from the Monterey County Board of Supervisors to his 23 years in Congress representing California’s Central Coast.
The Matsui Foundation, in operation since 2004, has donated nearly $5 million in scholarships to students from Monterey County and has been pivotal in the development of the innovative CSin3 partnership program between CSUMB and Hartnell College.
14,400 tickets are printed for friends and family.
210 Event staff are on hand to make your experience as memorable as possible.
The only part of these commencement gowns not made from recycled material is the zipper!
2,000 chairs rented for the ceremony.
Use #MBgrad17 on your posts commemorating this special day!
The third annual Otter Realm Awards, recognizing students who have done excellent work in journalism – print, video, photography and page design – were handed out at a campus ceremony on May 6.
In all, 75 students in Liberal Studies, Global Studies, Visual and Public Art, Communication Design and Human Communication entered 90 submissions.
Entries were judged on storytelling ability, technical quality, aesthetic quality, journalistic value and creativity_._
The winning entries were selected by a panel of judges including Dr. William Freivog, director of the School of Journalism at Southern Illinois University; Dr. Twange Kasoma, faculty member in the School of Communication at Radford University; Doug McKnight, former TV news director and general manager of NPR affiliate KAZU; Cierra Bailey, production and promotions assistant with KOFY television, staff reporter for the Pleasanton Weekly and CSUMB alumna; and Alex Hulanicki, journalism and English instructor at Monterey Peninsula College.
CSUMB’s student newspaper, the Otter Realm, is published six times a semester. It also operates a website where news stories, video and a social media feed are posted. Both the print edition and the website are produced by students in Otter Realm workshop and media production lab classes.
This year’s contest added categories for high school journalists; students from Monterey High, Alisal High in Salinas, and North Monterey County High in Castroville submitted work. Itzet Vazquez of North County High won top honors for the story, What Teachers do Outside of School.
In March, the Otter Romp, a special edition of the Otter Realm that features investigative reporting, was named best special section at the California College Media Association’s annual Excellence in Student Media Awards ceremony. It was one of eight awards earned by the Otter Realm and presented at the annual college journalism conference.
"This is a new phase in the history of the Otter Realm," faculty adviser Estella Porras said at the time. "The awards are opening a new path, a new level of achievement, a new way of envisioning the Otter Realm."
At the May 6 event, editor Elizabeth Hensley explained that the Otter Realm staff is making “a big push with the website and with socia media. We’re live-tweeting events and we’re creating videos for the website” in an effort to go beyond the print edition, she said
This year’s Otter Realm Award winners:
Best opinion piece
Best general reporting
Best feature story
Best photography
Best sports story
Best video storytelling
Best page design
Best piece by a high school journalist
Itzet Vazquez, "What Teachers do Outside School"
(from El Talon newspaper of North Monterey County High)
An online marketplace where students and young professionals can compete for freelance assignments took the top prize in this year’s Startup Challenge. Mooki, as the business is called, won a cash prize of $20,000 and $10,000 in legal and other services.
Two regional entries were runners-up in the venture category. Heavy Connect of Salinas, a company that makes software that can be mounted on tractors and harvesters to help growers lower the cost of managing their fleets, won $1,000 cash and was named the crowd favorite by the 150 people in attendance. Saludos, an e-commerce platform to reduce transfer fees for money sent across borders for health care, also won $1,000.
Venture category judges were Bud Colligan, founder and CEO of South Swell Ventures; Joe Mathai, president of Wells Fargo's Valley Coastal market; and Jamie Strachan, CEO of Green Giant Fresh.
Winner of the main street division – for small businesses – was Eagle Eye Agriculture Technologies, which focuses on putting the most advanced tools in the hands of growers to increase yields while reducing waste and environmental impact. Founder Cliff Hogan of Salinas won $7,500 cash plus $2,500 in advertising and other services.
The student division winner was Cridder Ridder, which developed a poison-free method to get burrowing animals off golf courses. It won $1,500.
More than 60 applicants presented their ideas to a panel of judges in March. Twenty-three were selected to develop their ideas further and pitch them to an investor panel at the Startup Challenge Finals May 1.
About Startup Challenge
The Startup Challenge new venture competition is held at CSU Monterey Bay each year. The Challenge is an opportunity for prospective entrepreneurs, start-ups and emerging companies to showcase their ideas and business concepts, as well as compete for over $50,000 in prizes.
UNIVERSITY PARTNERS WITH LOCAL AGENCIES TO RECYCLE, REUSE
Some useful – and valuable – stuff gets discarded during the rush to clean out residence hall rooms and move home for the summer.
At the start of the annual rite of spring a couple of years ago, one student volunteer found a perfectly good set of golf clubs that had been discarded. He claimed them, and used them.
In addition to sporting goods, electronics, clothing, furniture, lamps, microwaves, food, clothing and toiletries got haphazardly thrown in dumpsters when they could have been donated to organizations that serve the community.
Since 2010, Anya Spear, associate director of campus planning, and student volunteers have worked to change the culture of waste with an event called Move Out. This year’s event runs May 8 through 17, when 1,800 students will vacate their rooms on the main campus. It is CSUMB’s largest waste diversion and educational outreach event of the year.
In 2014, the Move Out event generated 36.9 tons of waste, recycling and donations on main campus alone; 15.9 tons were diverted from the landfill, a 43 percent diversion rate. That’s one percent better than the year before.
This year’s effort includes volunteers to help educate students and convenient places to discard recyclables.
CSUMB’s waste hauler, Green Waste; Hope Services, which collects electronic waste and reusable items to support its programs ands services for people with disabilities; and the Food Bank for Monterey County are working with the university.
“Improving our waste diversion is part of our Climate Action Plan, helps us meet CSU and state recycling requirements and helps our community,” Spear said.
'BECOME ADVOCATES FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION,' GRADUATES TOLD
More than 8,600 well-wishers crowded the stands of Freeman Stadium May 16 for the commencement ceremony at California State University, Monterey Bay.
On a cool, overcast day, Hugo Morales urged the graduates to remember that they can make a difference.
Mr. Morales, founder of Radio Bilingue and a member of the CSU Board of Trustees, was the keynote speaker at the university’s 19th annual commencement. More than 1,500 students were awarded bachelor’s and master’s degrees and teaching credentials before the capacity crowd.
After congratulating the graduates, Mr. Morales reminded them that they are evidence of the value of public education. “I hope that you become advocates for public education; we cannot take public education for granted,” he said. He recounted how, in 1980, he organized farmworkers, teachers, students and artists to launch Radio Bilingüe as a single public radio station for the large Latino communities of Fresno and the surrounding San Joaquin Valley. The network now includes 11 stations in California, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. Those stations provide opportunities for diverse voices, especially young people, to tell their stories. “All of you have stories, and you should be proud of them. You have persevered and defied stereotypes. I encourage you to work to open doors for those following behind you so they can tell their stories.
“As you begin the next chapter of your life, please don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t make a difference. You will find a way. Yes, it can be done. Si se puede. Your graduation today speaks volumes that it can be done.”
President Eduardo Ochoa told the graduates that they came to the university community and built a community of their own. “We hope that is something you can take into the next chapters of your life. No matter where you go from here, there will be issues to face, causes to champion, people to help,” he said. "May you make that next place better than you found it, just as you did here at Cal State Monterey Bay.”
Student speaker Lilyana Gross, winner of the President’s Award for Exemplary Student Achievement, was next on the podium. She reminded her classmates that as graduates of CSUMB, “we have something special to offer.
"We value service, team work, community impact, sustainability and integrity because of our shared values shaped by the amazing individuals around us daily,” she said. “We are an unstoppable entity. Together in the future, we will make our mark on the world.”
The ceremony opened with the traditional welcome in Spanish, Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese, delivered by the members of the faculty.
Dr. Linda Bynoe of the Liberal Studies Department; Dr. Rita Benmayor, Division of Humanities and Communication; Dr. William Head, Division of Science and Environmental Policy; and Dr. Rosalie Strong, School of Computing and Design, were awarded emeritus status acknowledging their service to the university.
Decorated mortarboards were popular with members of the graduating class.
UROCers FAN OUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR RESEARCH EXPERIENCES
For some college students, summer is a time to put the books away for a few months and kick back. That’s not the case with several dozen CSU Monterey Bay students involved with the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center.
Those students are spending their summers conducting experiments, gathering data and summarizing their findings in research papers. They are spread out across the United States and beyond.
Many are working in labs on other university campuses and at research centers; some are working on projects based at CSUMB. And while most are majoring in a field of science, a dozen are pursuing degrees – and research topics – in math, psychology, human communication, global studies and social and behavioral sciences.
UROC helps students make the link between their classrooms and the wider world; provides context for their academic work; and helps them to develop skills for success in graduate school and professional life.
Here's what students are doing this summer:
• Alison Aceves (marine science): Through Maryland Sea Grant’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates, Alison will study plankton blooms in the Chesapeake Bay.
• Briana Becerra (environmental science, technology and policy): At an ecological research site in New Mexico, Briana will study foliage production in several species of trees.
• Charles Farber (biology): Charlie will study embryonic development of Big Skate at Moss Landing Marine Labs
• Elisabeth Carrillo (biology): At UC Santa Cruz, Elisabeth will investigate how alternative gene splicing is regulated in a model organism.
• Elizabeth Alger (biology): At Michigan State University, Elizabeth will study innate resistance to bacterial disease in crops.
Cal State Monterey Bay’s student newspaper, the Otter Realm, has received a $1,500 grant from the California Press Foundation.
The grant can be used to purchase hardware or software, or for upgrades to improve the quality of the publication’s content and delivery. Applicants had to submit copies of two recent issues and an essay describing how the newspaper serves its community.
In the essay, faculty adviser and journalism professor Estella Porras pointed out that while students are practicing online journalism, they "love the print edition and devote long hours to design an attractive paper" that is distributed at 22 campus locations and 10 sites in Monterey County.
The Otter Realm is published six times a semester. It also operates a website where news stories, video and a social media feed are posted. The print edition and the website are produced by students in the Otter Realm workshop and media production lab classes.
According to Dr. Porras, Otter Realm staff members will figure out what the most urgent needs are. High on the list is a camera and lenses.
Members of the 2014-15 staff: editor-in-chief Elizabeth Hensley; production manager Alex Hennessy; advertising and distribution representative Nolan Davis; webmaster Toutoua Vang; multimedia editor Lupe Becerra; and copy editors Johnny Bays and Hailey Vetter.
Earlier story: CSUMB student newspaper honored in eight categories
Nick Sadrpour, who earned a master’s in Coastal and Watershed Science and Policy from CSUMB, has been named a California Sea Grant Fellow for 2015.
He and CSUMB alumnus Sean Windell are among 17 recent graduates to earn the honor.
The Sea Grant college program is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and provides graduate students or recent graduates the opportunity to obtain experience in planning and implementation of marine and coastal resource policies. Fellows are matched with a host agency and gain on-the-job experience during the 12-month paid fellowship.
Sadrpour is working with the California Ocean Protection Council in Sacramento, a part of the state Natural Resources Agency. His work revolves around climate change issues, particularly sea-level rise. “I manage several grants we have issued to coastal cities and counties with the intent that they include climate change in an updated local coastal program,” he said. He also works on a sea-level-rise planning database and with the West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health. Sadrpour is drawn to places where he can dive and surf. From Westchester, a small town south of Los Angeles – “a mile from the ocean,” he says – he went to Loyola Marymount University and then came to CSUMB “to enhance my technical science skills, to bridge my understanding of the land-sea connection, and to gain exposure in the interface of science and policy,” he said. “The fact that Monterey has awesome surfing was a big plus.” At CSUMB, the 2014 graduate served as a teaching assistant for scientific diving courses and worked in Professor Doug Smith’s Watershed Geology Lab, where he measured water quality parameters and calculated the rate of flow in local creeks. “CSUMB is wonderful because it links the watershed aspect with ocean science,” he said.
He’s not sure what he’ll do after his fellowship ends. “I’m open to staying in an agency role or spending more time in the field,” he said. But he’s certain about one thing – he’s moving back to the coast.
“I’m absolutely getting more surfing and diving in.”
It's time for the custodial staff to mop and wax all tile floors, and shampoo all carpeted areas in various buildings. To ensure the floor in each office is adequately done, the custodial staff will need your help.
Please leave office doors unlocked to ensure that the floors get waxed and shampooed.
Please move all items currently located on top of file cabinets or book shelves. (File cabinets and bookshelves will be moved during the cleaning.)
Please remove all items from the floor. It would be advisable to place these items in boxes to prevent them from being misplaced. Place all boxed items on the counter tops. The custodians will move the furniture (such as coat racks, file cabinets, small book shelves, credenzas, etc.) They will NOT move furniture that has files, paperwork, etc., on it.
PLEASE NOTE: DESKS WITH COMPUTERS/PRINTERS/ COPY MACHINES WILL NOT BE MOVED.
Summer It's time for the custodial staff to mop and wax all tile floors, and shampoo all carpeted areas in various buildings. To ensure the floor in each office is adequately cleaned, the custodial staff will need your help.
• Please leave office doors unlocked to ensure that the floors get waxed and shampooed.
• Please move all items currently located on top of file cabinets or book shelves. (File cabinets and bookshelves will be moved during the cleaning.)
• Please remove all items from the floor. It would be advisable to place these items in boxes to prevent them from being misplaced. Place all boxed items on the counter tops.
• The custodians will move the furniture (such as coat racks, file cabinets, small book shelves, credenzas, etc.) They will NOT move furniture that has files, paperwork, etc., on it.
PLEASE NOTE: DESKS WITH COMPUTERS/PRINTERS/ COPY MACHINES WILL NOT BEMOVED.
Two Cal State Monterey Bay students are getting the opportunity to learn how nonprofits operate through a fellowship program with the Carmel Bach Festival, and helping the festival at the same time.
Jessalyn Johnson and Avery Gould started work last September. During the school year, they spent 12 hours a week at the festival office and earned academic credit. During June and July, they become full-time, paid employees.
Dr. Lila Staples, chair of the Visual and Public Art Department, recommended them for the program. She calls it an “incredible opportunity.” “These students are treated as part of the staff and a lot is expected of them . . . It’s invaluable learning for an emerging professional,” Dr. Staples said. They perform a variety of tasks for the festival. “I’m the marketing and development fellow, so I help with advertising, working with donors and fundraising,” Johnson said. She’s also helping to reorganize the festival’s archives, and since it is in its 78th year, “they have lots of work from past years,” she said. Gould is the digital media fellow. She runs the festival’s Facebook and Twitter accounts, and has made the website more informative and interactive. The fellowship is a two-way learning experience – the students learn new skills, and the festival staff gains insight and perspective on how to connect classical music to a younger generation through the fellows’ recommendations.
Johnson and Gould work with local schools, churches and youth choirs to help educate them about classical music. Gould points out that one way to connect young people to classical music is though social media.
The fellowship has been “one of the highlights of my college career,” Johnson said. “Because we start at the beginning of the season and work until the end of the festival, we get to be part of every step, from creating budgets, planning events . . . we’re there for all of it. It’s been an amazing learning opportunity.”
Gould echoed that sentiment.
“I’ve learned how to be diplomatic and deal with people in afriendly yet professional manner. I never knew how much work goes into getting donations and planning events,” she said.
In addition to the fellows, a third student is involved in this summer’s festival. Kai Schoneweis provided artwork and graphic design for “The Underwater Adventure of Leonard and Rasmus,” a family concert scheduled for July 25 at Carmel’s Sunset Center.
His images will serve as backdrops throughout the show, and his work is featured on postcards, flyers and posters promoting the performance.
This is the second year of the CSUMB-Bach Festival partnership. “Our university looks forward to expanding our relationship withthe Carmel Bach Festival,” said CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa. “The festival is truly an outstanding cultural event, and CSUMB is proud to be working closely with its organizers.”
The Carmel Bach Festival will run July 18 through Aug. 1 at locations around the Monterey Peninsula.
. . . They're all part of the inaugural class of CSIT-in-3. It's an intensive, accelerated coputer science degree program targeted at students from the agricultural Salinas Valley.
– KAZU 90.3 FM, NPR for the Monterey Bay area, Jan. 8, 2015
Cal State Monterey Bay's Service Learning program has earned another honor. The program was named to the 2014 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.
– The Salinas Californian, Jan. 12, 2015
It's tough not to be dazzled by "Glamorgeddon: the Spectacle," on view until Feb. 4 in SOMArts' Main Gallery. The group exhibition curated by Bay Area artist Johanna Poethig, along with Angelica Muro and Hector Dionicio Mendoza, brings together work from over 20 artists (including Amalia Mesa-Bains) and performers in SOMArts' first of three Commons Curatorial Residency exhibitions.
– KQED, Jan. 14, 2015
Others such as Ruben Mendoza, coordinator of California mission archaeology at Cal State Monterey Bay, say the canonization is long overdue. "I've always felt the canonization process was stymied through misinformation and politicization, and laying blame and onus on one individual who was actually in constant conflict with governors and military commanders in New Spain over how they were treating Indians." – Seattle Times, Jan. 17, 2015
. . . In the CSIT-in-3 program, 90 percent of the students are Latino, and nearly half are women.
– NPR, Weekend Edition, Jan. 18, 2015
. . .Amalia Mesa-Bains, cultural rights advocate and professor emerita at CSU Monterey Bay, got a MacArthur Fellowship in 1992.
– Monterey County Weekly, Jan. 22, 2015
The health and fitness field is rife with misinformation and myth. Who can one trust? How about a couple of Ph.D.s? Kent Adams is a professor an chair of CSU Monterey Bay's Kinesiology Department and director of the Exercise and Physiology Lab. Trish Sevene is a fellow professor and director of CSUMB's Anatomy and Physiology Lab.
– Monterey County Weekly, Jan. 22, 2015
Maria Villasenor, associate professor and coordinator of the First Year Seminar program at CSU Monterey Bay, has received national recognition as an outstanding champion for freshman students.
– The Salinas Californian, Jan. 25, 2015
Brad Barbeau, associate professor of entrepreneurship at CSU Monterey Bay, said this weekend's event was the best Startup Weekend that the university has hosted, adding that he would love to see a similar future event in Salinas with an agricultural focus.
– Santa Cruz Tech Beat, Jan. 26, 2015
"Now that (CSUMB Education) Dean Alvarado is there, we've begun a discussion to work with him to develop best practices for closing the achievement gap," said Alisal Union Superintendent John Ramirez.
– Monterey Herald, Feb. 1, 2015
Forrest Melton, a remote sensing researcher at California State University, Monterey Bay and the Cooperative for Earth Science Research and Technology at NASA's Ames Research Center collected and analyzed the satellite data from the NASA Earth Exchange.
– San Francisco Examiner, Feb. 2, 2015
The analysis done by Mark O'Shea, coordinator for the credentialing program at CSUMB, revealed that Monterey County has the fourth highest demand for teachers in the state.
– Monterey Herald, Feb. 13, 2015
The icy standoff between fishermen and environmentalists over trawling may thaw a bit thanks to new and more targeted research on its effects. James Lindholm, professor of marine science and policy at CSU Monterey Bay, partnered with commercial fishermen and conservationists to study the effects of bottom trawling near Morro Bay. They found that trawling with a small-diameter net had a negligible impact when fishing in areas with soft, sandy ocean floor.
– Fisherynation.com, Feb. 17, 2015
Researchers from Cal State Monterey Bay, The Nature Conservancy and Pomona College found that California's largely soft-bottom sea floor saw negligible lasting impacts from small-footrope trawling equipment.
–KPCC, Southern California NPR, Feb. 17, 2015
James Lindholm, a professor of marine science and policy at CSU Monterey Bay, partnered with fishermen and conservationists to study the effects of trawling. "A lot of them had in the back of their minds that these habitats weren't being impacted and everyone was using too broad a brush in regulating trawling," Dr. Lindholm said.
– Monterey Herald, Feb. 17, 2015
Austin Rettinghouse is not your typical study-abroad student. He’s male. He’s majoring in Japanese, not humanities — the most popular field among students studying abroad. And he’s going to Asia, when more than half of international students go to Western Europe
The Fresno native will take classes at Nagasaki University this coming school year, thanks to the Benjamin Gilman International Scholarship, a program aimed at helping underrepresented students – those with financial need, students with diverse ethnic backgrounds, and students with disabilities – to study abroad.
The program also encourages applicants to look beyond traditionally popular destinations such as Italy and Australia.
Rettinghouse is one of six CSUMB students to receive Gilman scholarships for the coming year. The competitive program offers grants of up to $8,000 to defray the costs of tuition, room and board, books, local transportation, insurance and airfare. The program, sponsored by the U.S. State Department and administered by the Institute of International Education, awarded more than 860 scholarships to undergraduates for the 2015-16 academic year.
“It is a wonderful opportunity for these students,” said CSUMB’s international programs manager Holly White. “Many of these students would not be able to study abroad without the financial support this program provides.”
The belief that international study better prepares American students to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world is central to the vision of CSUMB’s Office of International Programs.
CSUMB isn’t alone in that belief. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, employers say that international experience matters in hiring decisions. Chief executives fret that today’s graduates lack the skills to succeed in a global economy. Even the U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, recently called global education a “must-have.”
"In the 21st century," Duncan said, "a quality education is an international education."
Most Gilman scholarships award $5,000. Two CSUMB students received an additional $3,000 supplement awarded to exemplary students studying a language on the government’s critical needs list.
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship recipients for next academic year, their majors, travel destinations, and amount of award:
. . . Julio Martinez, a biology major at CSUMB, researches lettuce disease with Carolee Bull, the principal investigator of a plant pathology lab at the USDA Agricultural Research Station in Salinas. HIs father and mother both work in agricultural fields . . .
– Salinas Californian, Feb. 28, 2015
The otters have evolved. Staff of CSU Monterey Bay's Otter Realm student newspaper won seven awards from the California College Media Association.
– Monterey County Weekly, March 2, 2015
On the corner of Fifth Avenue and Inter-Garrison Road, a central intersection on the CSU Monterey Bay campus, the future is getting brighter with every brush stroke.
– Monterey County Weekly, March 5, 2015
A groundbreaking new study recently conducted by California fishermen, The Nature Conservancy and James Lindholm of CSU Monterey Bay indicates that bottom trawling only has a "negligible effect" on the seafloor and fish habitat in certain types of soft sea bottom.
– World Fishing and Aquaculture, March 6, 2015
It's hard to believe that more than 20 years have passed since the founding of California State University, Monterey Bay, but the institution's president, Dr. Eduardo Ochoa, sees his campus as a "butterfly coming out of its cocoon."
–Monterey Herald, March 8, 2015
"Even a 6.7 or a 7 earthquake can be devastating if it's close to an urban center," said Dr. Doug Smith of CSUMB. "Different rock types will shake more or less in an earthquake," he explained.
– KSBW, March 10, 2015
CSU Monterey Bay students got hands-on experience teaching scientific concepts such as Archimedes' principle and Newton's theory of gravity through their application to golf. The future teachers served as mentors in the Chevron STEM Zone, an interactive exhibit that highlights the scientific side of sports.
– American Association of State Colleges and Universities, March 11, 2015
It's an innovative, intense competition for college students with basic programming skills. More than 50 students worked through the weekend to develop a prototype app for local businesses. Professor Miguel Lara said that with growing emphasis on tech in business, more students – especially girls – are signing up for this event every year.
– KION, March 15, 2015
"Where we are headed now is to create a bachelor of science degree in agribusiness (by 2017)," said Dr. Brad Barbeau, associate professor of economics and entrepreneurship. "We will be partnering with Hartnell College to create a 'two-plus-two' program." Sumadhur Shakya, assistant professor of operations management and agribusiness, said that preliminary research suggests there is interest in such a degree from employers and from individuals working in the ag sector.
– Salinas Californian, March 16, 2015
When archaeologist Ruben Mendoza was a boy, his father was prone to outbursts. "Over and over, he claimed Catholic missions were cancers that Spain brought to the New World," said Mendoza, one of the founding faculty members at Cal State Monterey Bay. Mendoza's archaeological research revealed that the real story is more complicated than the caricature.
– Los Angeles Times, March 17, 2015
Daniel Diaz is living the dream of a Dreamer. The 20-year-old is en route to obtaining a bachelor's degree in computer science in the innovative CSIT-in-3 program operated by Hartnell College and Cal State Monterey Bay. But first he'll be spending the sumer in San Francisco in a coveted internship at Uber.
– Salinas Californian, March 19, 2015
"It's easier to tell the truth using fiction, for me," said Deb Busman, a creative writing associate professor at CSU Monterey Bay. "I was more interested in capital-T Truths than I was in my own particular story," she said.
–Santa Cruz Sentinel, March 19, 2015
Two CSUMB graduates embarked on a 3,000-mile cycling trip to raise money for local homeless.
–Monterey Herald, March 19, 2015
CSIT-in-3, a three-year computer science degree program that is a collaboration between CSU Monterey Bay and Hartnell College, has been awarded $5 million prize from the state. A developmental math program at CSUMB was awarded $3 million.
– Monterey Herald, March 21, 2015
A program that allows students to earn a computer science degree in three years, a collaboration between CSU Monterey Bay and Hartnell College, was ranked among the top five applications and received $5 million from the state through its Awards for Innovation in Higher Education. CSUMB also received $3 million for an innovative developmental math course.
– Salinas Californian, March 21, 2015
In future years, the CSIT-in-3 program could serve as a model for accelerated degree programs at other colleges and universities.
– KSBW, March 20, 2015
Daniel Troia and Luke Young rode bikes from Portland to New York City, a 3,500-mile journey, to raise money for Dorothy's Place, an organization that provides food and clothing to homeless people in Salinas.
– KSBW, March 22, 2015
James Lindholm, a professor marine science and policy at CSU Monterey Bay, collaborated with commercial fishermen and environmentalists to study the effects of bottom trawling near Morro Bay. Their partnership revealed that trawling had essentially no effect on habitat when the gear was used over soft, sandy bottom.
– National Fisherman, March 24, 2015
Brad Barbeau not only teaches business – he transforms his students into entrepreneurs as he brings the academic chops and years of real-world experience to help students design business models.
– Monterey County Weekly, April 2, 2015
This fall, CSUMB launches a sustainable hospitality management program with concentrations in sustainable hotel, resort and event management and sustainable ecotourism management.
– Monterey Herald, April 3, 2015
Numerous oral history projects can be found in Monterey County. And part of that can be attributed to CSU Monterey Bay and Rina Benmayor, who established popular classes in the subject as well as an oral history archive at the university.
– Monterey Herald, April 9, 2015
A local scholar is heading to Rome this week to participate in events related to Junipero Serra's impending canonization. "I was a bit in shock, and I was excited at the same time, and I thought, 'Oh my, this is really going to change the equation in terms of how I deal with these kinds of issues,' " said Dr. Ruben Mendoza, who teaches at CSUMB and has spent 20 years studying the California missions. He believes his role at the meetings in Rome will be to share his perspective as a man of Native American descent who has researched the missions extensively.
– KSBW, April 27, 2015
Cesar Chavez Library patrons and CSUMB students celebrated a semester's worth of service learning collaboration with an art opening at the library. Students from CSUMB's Digital Public Art class created a number of new interdisciplinary projects with children and parents.
– Salinas Californian, May 7, 2015
As Ruben Mendoza stood near Pope Francis in Rome last week, the CSU Monterey Bay professor firmly clutched the tattered and electrical tape-mended Bible that once belonged to his grandfather. "It was an important moment for me," said Mendoza, who had been invited by the Vatican to speak on the life of Father Junipero Serra. "It was transformational."
– Monterey Herald, May 7, 2015
Four members of this year's graduating class at Cal State Monterey Bay and an alumna have won National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships. Josh Smith of Clovis, April Makukov of Fresno, Christina Villalobos of Salinas, Andrea Valdez of Ripon and Lydia Jennings of Santa Fe, N.M., were awarded the fellowships, which provide $138,000 to support three years of graduate education.
– Monterey Herald, May 7, 2015
CSUMB students must complete a capstone project in order to graduate, and they will present them to their parents, peers and the public on May 13, 14 and 15. . . I love the capstone projects. They give you a sense of what students have been working on, a truly inspiring experience. Catch some if you can!
– Monterey Herald, May 12, 2015
A CSUMB student has built a sculpture for mourning, celebrating and letting go.
– Monterey County Weekly, May 14, 2015
At the end of every school year, CSU Monterey Bay's graduating seniors have to prove that what they learned sunk in. For students in the Cinematic Arts and Technology program, the proof is in a slate of films that will be shown May 14 as part of the university's capstone festival.
– Monterey Herald, May 14, 2015
Even though she was born with spina bifida, Ania Flatau's parents always made her feel she could do anything she wanted. . . . On May 16, she will be among the more than 1,450 students who will take part in CSUMB's commencement ceremony.
– Monterey Herald, May 16, 2015
Thousands of well-wishers crowded the stands of Freeman Stadium May 16 for the commencement ceremony at CSU Monterey Bay. Keynote speaker Hugo Morales urged the graduates to remember that they can make a difference. "I hope that you become advocates for public education; we cannot take public education for granted," he said.
– Salinas Californian, May 18, 2015
CSUMB graduated its first class of nursing students, making the grads the first to graduate from the area's only four-year nursing program.
–KSBW, May 20, 2015
CSU SUMMER ARTS HIGHLIGHTS ACTIVITIES
Especially on foggy days, visitors can be excused for thinking that CSU Monterey Bay’s campus is quiet during the summer. But don’t let the outward appearance fool you – there’s really a lot going on.
CSU Summer Arts returns to campus with a lineup of 17 classes and 30 public events.
Well-known artists, actors, musicians, filmmakers, writers and dancers will conduct intensive two-week workshops during a pair of sessions in July. Hundreds of students have registered for the classes, which start June 29.
And, as usual during the summer, conferences, teacher training programs, Upward Bound and other outreach activities for youngsters and high school students, reading camps, sport camps – even university classes – are all here.
The Imagine College Summer Scholar Institute, a program for local high school students, returns for its seventh year at CSUMB. A weeklong session will be held in June; attendees can choose to take classes in chemistry or kinesiology. An SAT test preparation class will be offered for students entering their senior year.
High school students can also attend a summer math academy, where they take algebra classes part of the day and participate in leadership development activities.
The Technology Innovation Summer Camp for 14- to 17-year-olds is back. About 70 students, half local and half from Taiwan, will spend 10 days learning to design video games.
Teachers will be here during the summer, attending their own "camp." The Pacific Advanced Placement Institute will hold its annual summer program at CSUMB for the fifth year. Several hundred high school teachers will share best practices in teaching advanced placement classes in art history, biology, calculus, Chinese, Japanese, physics, studio art and other courses.
The sports-minded set – from youngsters to young adults – will be on campus attending baseball, softball, volleyball, basketball, water polo and soccer camps.
The Center for Reading Diagnosis and Instruction will offer a camp of another kind. A weeklong reading camp will be held in July for kindergartners through eighth-graders. And the center is offering summer tutoring sessions for pre-kindergartners through 12th graders throughout June and July.
Girls, Inc., an organization that encourages healthy, smart choices in food and life, will be on campus for a week in mid-June. Upward Bound will host 90 high school students for six weeks in June and July. The students will take college-level classes, learn about the college application process, and spend a week visiting other college campuses.
The younger set – more than 250 fourth- through sixth-graders – will be on campus during July to participate in the Junior Otter program. The migrant students take language arts classes and work with staff members from El Teatro Campesino.
University students also come to campus over the summer. New student orientation for freshmen and transfer students will bring hundreds of students and their parents to campus June 13 through 22.
Also serving university students is the Panetta Institute for Public Policy’s annual weeklong leadership seminar. Student body presidents and other elected student leaders from California State University campuses, Dominican University of California, Saint Mary’s College of California and Santa Clara University come to CSUMB to hone their leadership skills and develop strategies for addressing campus, community and national problems.
More than 175 international students from Mexico, Vietnam, Colombia, Brazil, Korea, Japan, and China will take part in the American Language and Culture Program in June and July, attending classes in English language and American life.
Two new buildings will get finishing touches in preparation for opening in the fall. The Business and Information Technology Building contains classrooms, labs, faculty and department offices for the College of Business and the School of Computing and Design, a student study area and a student lounge. The Promontory, a student housing complex with 570 beds in three buildings, is located just north of the main campus. A pedestrian and bike path from the Promontory to Inter-Garrison Road will be constructed during the summer.
By mid-August, it will be time to gear up for the fall semester, which will start Aug. 24. Students will move into the residence halls Aug. 21-23.
Who knew that a fondness for cartoons as a child would put Nicole Saldana on track to become an international businesswoman some day?
The 23-year-old Salinas native is one of six graduates of CSU Monterey Bay chosen to spend the next year in Japan.
– The Salinas Californian, June 5, 2015
University teachers and students from Mexico are studying American language and culture this summer at CSU Monterey Bay.
The group of 10 is part of Proyecta 100,000, an initiative that aims to have 100,000 Mexican students enrolled at U.S. universities by 2018, and 50,000 U.S. students studying in Mexico.
The program is part of a renewed spirit of cooperation between the two governments under the Bilateral Forum on Higher Education, Innovation and Research that Presidents Obama and Peña Nieto initiated in 2013.
The Mexican government covers the cost of tuition, housing, meals and other expenses. The students are living with local families.
Their intensive English classes– 20 hours a week – include academic writing and editing, reading and oral communication. They will also visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium, San Francisco, a farmers’ market and participate in other activities including a “conversation club.”
The students will be on campus from June 8 through July 3. Their visit was kicked off with a welcome lunch and visit from the Mexican Consul General in San Jose, Javier Aguilar Cuevas, and his colleague Ileana Rossell.
Despite a shared 2,000-mile border and booming international trade, surprisingly few Mexicans study in the United States. Fewer than 2 percent of international students at U.S. colleges and universities are from Mexico; that translated to fewer than 15,000 during the last academic year, according to the Open Doors Report released last November by the Institute of International Education. Their numbers are a far cry from top-ranked China, with more than 274,000, and lower even than countries with smaller populations, such as Korea, Vietnam and Taiwan.
Conversely, U.S. students going abroad are far more likely to study in the United Kingdom, France and Italy — or even in Argentina and Brazil — than in Mexico.
This is the second group of students to visit CSUMB through the Proyecta program. The initial group came last fall, and talked about their experience on this video:
CSUMB graduate David Bennion (Biology, 2012) and his wife, Kristen, got a big surprise June 3 when the phone rang in their Troy, Michigan, home and Ellen DeGeneres was on the other end of the line.
The surprise was magnified when Ellen’s correspondent, Andy Zenor, knocked on the door with a camera crew in tow and said they were going to be part of the show’s recurring segment, “Cash at Your Door.”
The couple was chosen, Ellen said on camera, because Kristen had written to the show more than 30 times in the last year. During their segment, the couple answered a series of questions and performed a “skill” challenge. By the end of the 7-minute segment, the couple had won $15,000.
They plan to use the money to help with school expenses since both are students.
After graduating from CSUMB, David, a Marine Corps veteran, was selected for a full scholarship to the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. He had signed on as an Air Force reservist once his Marine Corps service was completed in order to attend medical school with military benefits. He will serve as a physician in the Air Force once his medical training is complete.
Once in med school, he said his classes at CSUMB had prepared him well.
“Often I see glazed eyes and confusion during instruction, but I feel my education at CSUMB equipped me for the challenge,” he said at the time. “In particular, instruction and counseling from Dr. Aparna Sreenivasan and Dr. Henrik Kibak have been integral to my success.”
Does he have any advice for pre-med students?
“Set goals, don’t give up (EVER), and take Biology 414.”
At the 6:24 mark, you’ll see a reminder of David’s days at CSUMB
Cal State Monterey Bay will host the Better Together: California Teachers Summit for the Monterey Bay region on Friday, July 29, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., in the Tanimura and Antle library.
CSUMB is one of 38 universities statewide that will host the summit. Thousands of pre-kindergarten to 12th-grade teachers will convene across multiple locations in a statewide effort to help them learn from each other and share best practices in implementing the new California Standards. A team that includes CSU faculty experts on the new standards is planning the resources, tools and strategies to be presented.
The following speakers are included for the CSUMB summit location:
Kelly Gallagher, teacher, author, coach and the summit’s first keynote speaker. Gallagher has been dedicated to helping students become better readers and writers since 1985. He is considered one of the leading voices in literacy education.
Jilian Epstein, science educator at El Sausal Middle School in Salinas. Epstein also serves the Educational Director for the Center for Oceanic Awareness, Research, and Education. Her passions include constructing hands-on bilingual science and social justice activities for her students and community.
Alessandro Tani, resource teacher, case manager and department chair for Special Education at Marina High School. Tani’s highest priority is bringing together families and educational communities to develop individualized educational plans.
The free summit is a California State University partnership with the New Teacher Center and the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities and its member institutions.
CSUMB’s College of Education is coordinating the local event.
All California teachers, teacher candidates and school administrators are invited to participate. Registration is available online at cateacherssummit.com
It’s 9:30 a.m. on a Friday – early for many teenagers on summer vacation – and a group of Seaside High students are hunched over worktables in a chemistry lab on the Cal State Monterey Bay campus, thick plastic goggles protecting their eyes.
Beneath a Periodic Table of the Elements, the students are making biodegradable plastic from vinegar, glycerin and tapioca starch.
The class is part of the Imagine College Summer Scholar Institute. The program's goal is to give students a taste of campus life and encourage them to think that college is a realistic possibility. During the weeklong program, the students take a class of their choosing, go on field trips, tour campus, and attend a panel where first-generation college graduates tell their stories.
This summer, they could choose to study kinesiology or chemistry or to take an SAT test preparation class.
Giselle Duenas chose the chemistry class. The junior said she’s interested in science, took biology at Seaside High, and was eager to try a different subject.
“I thought it was going to be in a classroom, with lectures,” she said. “But, every day we have done experiments. It’s been fun.”
Friday’s experiment followed from their visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium the previous afternoon.
“They learned about the problems with plastics and the environment when they visited the aquarium. The experiment we’re doing today makes them aware of their use of plastics,” said Crystal Gonzalez, a CSUMB instructor who is teaching the class.
In the day’s second experiment, they learned about freezing point depression – by making ice cream, which they ate using the spoons they fashioned from their biodegradable plastic.
A lesson earlier in the week involved cosmetics and chemistry, where students made their own lip balm and lotion. Other lessons covered the chemistry of crime science investigation, where they learned about DNA extraction and fingerprint analysis.
“It’s a great program. We’ve gotten to do some cool things I wouldn’t have had a chance to do otherwise, said junior Justin Doolittle.
GRANT SUPPORTS SCREENINGS, ACCOMPANYING PROGRAMMING
CSU Monterey Bay has received a grant to support programming around Latino Americans: 500 Years of History, a public exploration of the rich and varied experiences of the country’s largest minority group.
The $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association will fund screenings of the six-part documentary, Latino Americans, created for PBS in 2013. Programs, lectures and performances will accompany the screenings.
Events are scheduled on campus and in Salinas including:
• Oct. 8, 6 p.m., screening of "The New Latinos" at the CSUMB Music Hall, Sixth Avenue and Butler Street. The film explores the history of migration from Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic to the U.S. in the mid-20th century and the indelible mark that Latinos/as of Caribbean origin have made on the U.S. The film will be introduced with brief remarks by Professor Maria Villasenor.
• Nov. 10, 6 p.m., screening of "The New Latinos" at the Cesar Chavez Library, 615 Williams Road, Salinas. The film will be introduced by Dr. Amalia Mesa-Bains, who will also present a few images of art by Cuban, Dominican and Puerto Rican artists.
• Nov. 18, 6 p.m., screening of "Prejudice and Pride" at the Music Hall. The film details the creation of the proud "Chicano" identity, as labor leaders organize farmworkers in California and as activists push for better education opportunities for Latinos, the inclusion of Latino studies, and empowerment in the political process. The screening will include a guest lecture by Luis Valdez, who narrated the episode.
More events will be scheduled for the spring semester. The tentative schedule includes:
• Feb. 9, 6 p.m., a poetry reading by Professor Diana Garcia will accompany a screening at the Cesar Chavez Library in Salinas.
• March 31, 6 p.m., lecture and performance by Professor Umi Vaughan, an expert on Afro-Latino cultures, will accompany a screening at the Salinas Public Library.
All events are free and open to the public.
Dr. Villasenor was awarded the grant. She worked with Professors Amalia Mesa-Bains and Angelica Muro of the Visual and Public Art Department to develop the programming.
STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN ETHNOGRAPHIC FIELD RESEARCH, GLOBAL SERVICE LEARNING
A group of CSU Monterey Bay students is spending June in Spain, studying the life and customs of people in the northwest part of the country, earning academic credit, and completing service learning requirements.
The ethnographic field research summer school is sponsored by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and CSUMB’s Office of International Programs. This is the fourth year of the program, under the leadership of Professor Juan Jose Gutierrez.
During the first week, students traveled to villages where they are conducting research and living in a field station – a rural house in the community of Bonar in Leon Province. They mapped their communities, met with local people and explored topics that will become the subject of their final reports. During their second and third weeks, students are applying additional methods of ethnographic data collection – observation, interviewing, genealogical charting and field note-taking.
Among the topics students have chosen to investigate are graffiti, local political systems and participation, gender issues, isolation and the elderly, oral histories and informal education, family dynamics and the culture of water.
As for the service learning part of their stay, the students are working with the local chapter of the Red Cross to provide assistance to the elderly and children in bilingual programs. The service learning work was planned at a meeting in April when representatives of the Spanish Red Cross traveled to Monterey.
“The CSUMB International Service Learning Program in Spain is one of a few selected nationally to participate in a survey conducted by the Global Service Learning initiative at Kansas State University,” Dr. Gutierrez said.
The survey data will permit CSUMB to evaluate how well it ismeeting its goals for the program and “will help us continue improving on this and similar experiences.”
The program has also led to formal exchange agreements with the University of the Basque Country and the University of Leon.
Participating students:
Sophie Faulkner, Ishtar Najem, Valerie Sanchez, Jena Barrera, Christine Bergdoll, Susan Dyar (Global Studies majors); Luis Canett, Michell Figueroa, Osanna Bertsch, Selena Miranda (Social andBehavioral Sciences); Alana Daly (Psychology); Karina Ruiz (Humanities and Communication) and Jonah Platt of Humboldt State University
Photo courtesy of Professor Gutierrez
The Rotary Club of Monterey Pacific has established the Nora Walsh Nursing Scholarship at Cal State Monterey Bay.
It will award $1,000 annually to a nurse graduating from Monterey Peninsula College. Selection will be based on academic achievement and volunteer efforts at the RotaCare clinic in Seaside.
The award, the first named scholarship available to CSUMB nursing students, was established to honor Nora Walsh, a nurse for more than 35 years and a charter member of the Monterey Pacific Rotary.
Walsh worked in a private oncology practice in Monterey for more than 20 years. Although she often assumed the responsibilities of nursing management, her passion was the direct care of her patients. She provided education and direct counsel to them and their families, assistance with quality of life, hospice care and end of life issues. Along with her endless hours of serving alongside her fellow Rotarians, her
volunteer efforts included starting a cancer support group, aiding the Relay for Life, and cooking for the homeless at a local church.
The Rotary Club of Monterey Pacific recognizes Walsh’s spirit of community involvement by naming this scholarship in her honor. Her legacy will continue with those who benefit from it.
CSUMB’s nursing program is intended for students who have an associate’s degree in nursing and want to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Classes are designed to accommodate working RNs – held in the late afternoon and early evening. Some classes are face-to-face, some are online. The first class of graduates completed their studies last December.
As a child, Grace Singer explored tide pools on the Monterey Peninsula. She was hooked.
That led to degrees in biology and chemistry at a local community college, an internship at Hopkins Marine Station and volunteer work at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Her goal is to pursue a career in science communication.
With the help of generous donors, Singer is getting a head start on that career with a summer internship at KQED in San Francisco.
The junior biology major is the winner of the Professor and Mrs. Allen Fuhs science communication scholarship and internship, each worth $10,000.
This summer, Singer is working for KQED Science, which provides science and environment coverage from the Bay Area and beyond by the flagship Northern California PBS and NPR affiliates.
“I’ll get a chance to participate in as many projects as I can handle,” she said. She’s primarily working for the video web series, Deep Look. “My responsibilities include researching new ideas, consulting with research specialists, editing, writing and co-producing.” And she’s writing a blog for the KQED Science website.
Her first story explains how researchers from the California Academy of Sciences discovered more than 100 new species of marine animals off the coast of the Philippines.
Singer applied for the scholarship to help with expenses for the international study program in Costa Rica she’ll attend in the fall.
“I’ve always loved writing, editing and filmmaking, so it seemed like the perfect scholarship for my skill set,” she said. “I love working with others to spread awareness where it matters, and being privy to the latest scientific breakthroughs excites and motivates me.”
She plans to apply to the science writing certificate program at UC Santa Cruz after she graduates.
About the donor: Allen Fuhs, Ph.D., is a distinguished professor emeritus at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, where he chaired the mechanical engineering and aeronautics departments. Among his achievements, Dr. Fuhs was an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, one of the most prestigious honors in aerospace.
Published June 11, 2015
PROMONTORY SET TO OPEN IN THE FALL
Rising to the north of campus is a four-story student housing complex, set to open in August. It's the first new housing build at CSU Monterey Bay is more than a decade.
The Promontory will provide nearly 600 beds configured in 176 units in three buildings and will house sophomores, juniors and seniors, much like the North Quad complex.
It offers single rooms in apartment-style living; each bedroom has its own bathroom. Each unit includes a no-pay washer and dryer, dishwasher, microwave, stove and refrigerator.
“It filled up very quickly. It was in high demand,” Christine Erickson, CSUMB’s associate vice president of student affairs and dean of students, told the Monterey County Weekly.
The eight-acre site is located at Eighth Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues, a short walk to the main campus. A pedestrian and bike pathway will link the Promontory to the campus core.
The developer, AMCAL Equities of Agoura Hills, describes the design as “a modern exterior with varied materials and prominent corners.” Public spaces include a fitness center, a community room, landscaped courtyards, bicycle storage and basketball courts. A parking lot for approximately 330 cars is also included.
Links:
• Monterey County Weekly story from April 30, 2015
• Monterey Herald story from July 2, 2013
BYRON RUMFORD CHAMPIONED LANDMARK STATE LEGISLATION
Doug Harris has been making socially conscious films for 20 years. He perfected his media skills by earning a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies at CSU Monterey Bay in 1998.
His latest project is an hour-long documentary, Fair Legislation: The Byron Rumford Story, about Northern California’s first African American member of the state Assembly and, according to Harris, a forgotten pioneer of the civil rights movement.
During his 18-year tenure in the legislature, Rumford’s political advocacy predated the national civil rights movement. He was instrumental in passing the Fair Employment Act of 1959, and the landmark Rumford Fair Housing Act in 1963. They are among the most important state laws for African Americans and all people of color.
The film is targeted for completion this year. It will be premiered at events in the Bay Area and Sacramento and shown on PBS. View the trailer. At CSUMB, Harris combined classes in physical education and Teledramatic Arts and Technology to earn his master’s degree. It allowed him to further his principal passions: helping young people succeed through athletics and producing documentary films of value to the community. The same year he enrolled at CSUMB, he established the Digital Technology Academy through Athletes United for Peace, an Oakland non-profit organization. He served as the executive director of AUP from 1995 through 2009 and has held a variety of media-related positions with government agencies and nonprofits.
In 2010, Harris was named a "CSU Outstanding Alumni," a list compiled in conjunction with the system's Super Sunday initiative to encourage African American youth to go to college.
Other documentaries by Harris include:
Omar Murillo, interim coordinator of the TRiO Student Support Services program, was named a Kika de la Garza Education Fellow for 2015.
The program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is named for the Texas Congressman and former chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.
Faculty and staff from Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) have the opportunity to experience first-hand the policymaking process by meeting with USDA staff members and connecting with federal agencies such as the departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development, and the National Science Foundation.
Murillo will be in Washington from June 17 through July 2.
Learning about government internship opportunities for students is on his agenda. "And I hope to learn about funding opportunities for our campus, and get information on the variety of career opportunities available within the USDA and other government agencies," he said. Kelly Locke, a member of the math faculty and director of Title V grants at Hartnell College in Salinas, is also a Fellow. "Kelly and I are excited to improve collaborations with our institutions – organizing workshops to inform students and the community about funding,
internship and career opportunities."
Murillo came to CSUMB in 2009 as a retention specialist for the TRiO Student Support Services program and assumed his current position in 2014. He holds a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies from CSUMB, a master’s in education with a concentration in counseling from San Jose State University and is pursing a doctorate in educational leadership at San Francisco State.
His previous work experience includes a stint as a content specialist with the Homeland Security Digital Library at the Naval Postgraduate School.
CSUMB’s Student Support Services contributes to the success of first-generation, low-income students and individuals with disabilities by helping them overcome barriers to higher education.
JUAN FELIPE HERRERA TO READ AS PART OF SUMMER ARTS
Poets are prominent at this year’s edition of Summer Arts, but the most prominent may be Juan Felipe Herrera, newly named U.S. poet laureate.
In June, the Library of Congress made him the 21st person to hold that title.When he starts his tenure in September, he’ll be the first Chicano poet laureate, writing and speaking in English and Spanish.
Herrera will read at the World Theater at 7 p.m., July 21. Tickets are $15 and can be reserved by calling the Summer Arts box office at 262-2714 or purchased at the door.
He’s also one of the instructors for Poet’s Metamorphosis: From Page to Stage to Screen, one of 17 classes held on campus during July as Summer Arts returns to CSUMB for the fourth year.
The son of migrant farm workers, Herrera earned an undergraduate degree at UCLA, a master’s degree in social anthropology at Stanford, and a master of fine arts in poetry from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.
He works in many forms: litanies, protest poems, plays, sonnets, books for children and young adults, works that combine verse and other forms.
“He doesn’t stop to explain things so people who aren’t Latino will understand them; he just does what he does. And trusts, correctly I think, that the language and the emotional trajectories of the characters or the bits of narratives in the poems will fascinate you enough that if you’re interested and you don’t get the references, then you can look them up,” Stephen Burt, professor of English at Harvard, told the L.A. Times.
In a 2004 interview at CSU Fresno, Herrera noted the influences of three distinct Californias – the small agricultural towns of the San Joaquin Valley he knew as a child, San Diego’s Logan Heights, and San Francisco’s Mission District – on his work: “all these landscapes became stories, and all those languages became voices in my writing, all those visuals became colors and shapes, which made me more human and gave me a wide panorama to work from.”
His numerous poetry collections include Senegal Taxi; 187 Reasons Mexicanos Can’t Cross the Border: Undocuments 1971-2007; Half of the World in Light: New and Selected Poems; Border-Crosser with a Lamborghini Dream and Crashboomlove, a novel in verse.
Herrera, who lives in Fresno, recently retired from UC Riverside where he taught creative writing for a decade. He just ended a two-year term as California’s poet laureate.
Listen to an interview on NPR
VIDEO IN RUNNING FOR NATIONAL HONOR
Madeleine Maurer moved to Seaside from Houston during her junior year in high school. “When I came here, I was clueless. I had no idea about higher education in California,” she said, adding that she was confused about the difference between the CSU and UC systems.
“Educational Talent Search served as a helping hand, getting me ready to go to college.”
Madeleine is one of nearly 1,200 high school students who start down the path to college each year through the Educational Talent Search program based at CSU Monterey Bay. The students attend seven high schools in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.
Talent Search gives first-generation, low-income students and their families information about college admissions and resources, provides students with academic advising, helps them explore careers, exposes them to cultural events and helps students become college-ready.
The federally funded program was part of President Lyndon Johnson’s Higher Education Act of 1965, established with the goal of seeing that “no American talent is wasted.”
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Talent Search, ETS programs across the nation had the opportunity to create a video to highlight the impact the program has had on students, families, communities and schools. CSUMB’s video was selected as a finalist.
“Please take the time to watch our students’ stories,” said Clementina Macias, ETS program coordinator at CSUMB. “We have until Friday, July 24, to get as many people as possible to LIKE our video on YouTube.”
The winning video will be announced on Aug. 5 and highlighted at the Council for Opportunity in Education’s annual conference Sept. 16-19 in Atlanta.
FAST FACTS ABOUT ETS AT CSUMB
FAST FACTS ABOUT ETS NATIONALLY
The mystery and grandeur of the Yucatan Peninsula has beckoned travelers for centuries. This month, a group of 14 Cal State Monterey Bay students and several faculty members are among those visiting the area.
The CSUMB contingent is supported by a grant from the 100,000 Strong in the Americas, a State Department initiative that encourages student exchanges between the U.S. and other Western Hemisphere countries.
The intent of the grant is to promote study abroad in health and nutrition, with a focus on identifying solutions to help prevent and reduce obesity.
The students – who are earning credit in CHHS 230: Social Justice and Global Health – are visiting archaeological sites, clinics, hospitals and foundations. They are working to access the mental health, nutrition, exercise and water sanitation needs in a Mayan village.
When other students returned to school on Aug. 24, Karla Corres started work in a Congressional office in Washington, D.C., where she will learn first-hand what classroom lectures can only hint at.
The CSU Monterey Bay senior is one of about two dozen students taking part in this year’s Congressional Internship Program through the Panetta Institute for Public Policy. They were selected based on exemplary academic achievement and an interest in policy and public service. Corres will spend 11 weeks in the office of Congressman Juan Vargas, who represents parts of San Diego and Imperial counties. Interns, of course, are plentiful in Washington. The Panetta Institute program stands out because it provides students with intensive preparation during a two-week course at the institute prior to their departure for Washington. They attend classes on key domestic and foreign issues, rules and procedures of debate and lawmaking, White House relations with Congress, and the role of an intern, among other topics.
Corres, a business administration major from Seaside, is interested in public service. “This internship will give me the opportunity to practice two things that I'm passionate about – business and serving my communities," she said. "Mainly, I'm interested in this internship because I want to build a career in the nonprofit or public service sectors.
“As a woman who comes from a minority group, I hope to empower other minority individuals to strive for their goals by taking part in organizations that serve the community.” Corres has served her community since coming to CSUMB. As a member of M.E.Ch.A – Movimiento Estudiantil Chicana/o de Aztlan – she has helped to organize the group’s annual Raza Day Youth Conference, which brings 150 high school students to campus to learn about college. She served as a volunteer tax preparer for the United Way, and completed an internship with the hospitality workers union, UNITE HERE.
While in Washington, the interns will attend regular seminars with government leaders on policy issues including economics, the environment, foreign affairs and other topics. They can earn up to 20 college credits for the 11 weeks they spend on Capitol Hill.
Herschel Walker believes it's his responsibility to help
Former NFL running back Herschel Walker will make a stop at the Gen. Stilwell Community Center on July 15 to share his story about overcoming challenges and building resilience. The Presidio of Monterey’s Army Substance Abuse Program has extended an invitation to the CSUMB community to join them at this free event. An athlete, author and businessman, Walker visits military installations to share his personal story and experience with mental illness while delivering an important message. During a talk at Travis Air Force base last fall, Walker told the crowd, "If you're hurting for something, don't be ashamed to get help. I'm not any weaker or less of a person because I got help." The event will be held from 1 to 1:45 p.m. Walker will sign autographs after his presentation. The Gen. Stilwell Community Center is located at the corner of Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Gigling Road, across from the gas station.
CSU Summer Arts received a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to benefit local youngsters and their families.
This summer, the CSU program is providing the students with enrichment experiences that emphasize the importance of the arts and higher education.
Students are participating in the following arts projects at CSUMB:
Once students complete their course, they are invited to attend performances and presentations put on by guest artists.
“CSU Summer Arts is proud to help today’s college students succeed as artists and prepare tomorrow’s student artists for excellence in higher education,” said Joanne Sharp, assistant director of CSU Summer Arts.
Created in 1985, CSU Summer Arts educates university students on how to master various art forms including dance, music, acting, media arts, fine arts and creative writing.
Four CSU Monterey Bay students – whose research interests include gene splicing, agricultural pathogens, population dynamics in Monterey Bay and computer network security – have been recognized by the California Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Program.
Three of the award winners –Julio Martinez, Elisabeth Carrillo and Avery Thurston – were named 2015-16 Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholars. Each will receive $3,000, with the opportunity to apply for additional research funding during the summer after they graduate in 2016.
Megan Golbek earned honorable mention honors, and will receive $2,000.
The program is designed to increase diversity within the pool of university faculty by supporting the doctoral aspirations of CSU students.
Awards are based on competitive review of applications and made to students who, in the judgment of the review panel, demonstrate academic excellence and are committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level.
The awards can be used for graduate school preparation activities and for summer research.
“These awards are quite competitive and normally go to CSU graduate students moving on to Ph.D. degree programs, so having our undergraduates earn this honor is indeed noteworthy,” Provost Bonnie Irwin said in announcing the winners.
All awardees have worked closely with their mentors and CSUMB’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center to meet their graduate school goals.
Award winners:
• Julio Martinez, biology
Starting in mid-June, Martinez will study human bacterial infections at UC Berkeley. In the fall, he will start a position as a lab technician at the USDA Agriculture Research Service in Albany, Cal. His goal is to obtain a Ph.D. in food safety, funded through a USDA fellowship.
• Avery Thurston, psychology
For eight weeks starting June 1, Thurston, using his training as a marine scientist studying population dynamics, will research the effects of stigma on the LGBTQ+ community with Dr. Cheryl Kaiser at the University of Washington, as a stepping stone to pursue a Ph.D. in social psychology.
• Elisabeth Carrillo, biology
At UC Santa Cruz, Carrillo is investigating how alternative gene splicing is regulated in the organism C.elegans.
• Megan Golbek, math
At Oregon State University, Golbek is working to optimize secure computation protocols to improve network security.
Martinez and Thurston were awarded approximately $5,500 each for their summer work – to cover the cost of housing, meals and a research stipend.
Updated May 12, 2016
Approximately 200 fourth- through ninth-graders are on campus during July for the annual Migrant Junior Otter Academy.
During the four-week camp, students from 11 school districts take classes designed to improve their English skills; learn about college life and what it takes to be a successful student; and get a healthy dose of arts and technology instruction.
Students and their families are eager for the opportunity. “We are not a residential program, so we have students getting on our buses at 6:05 a.m. in San Ardo and returning home around 5 p.m.,” said Carl Del Grande of the Office of Migrant Education, Region XVI.
This year, students are getting technology instruction in the Monterey County Office of Education’s TechMobile, a computer classroom in a converted semi-trailer that is parked next to the World Theater. Groups of students – up to 18 at a time – are using the high-speed Internet workstations to learn computer skills.
The lab is part of this year’s academy thanks to MCOE’s Media Center for Art, Education and Technology Foundation and its board member, Phil Esparza. Esparza, a longtime staff member at CSUMB, “has also been our link to our afternoon visual and performing arts classes with El Teatro Campesino,” Del Grande said.
The theme of this year’s academy is family. “We have some really fun family-based projects for our students,” Del Grande said.
The closing ceremony will be held on July 30, with El Teatro founding artistic director Luis Valdez scheduled to address the students and their family members.
Seven years ago, CSUMB partnered with the Monterey County Office of Migrant Education, Region XVI, to develop the program. In 2010, the National Migrant Education Conference recognized it as an outstanding example of a collaborative effort. In 2012, it was selected for a Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association.
For eight days in July, a computer lab at Cal State Monterey Bay was buzzing with energy. Dozens of high school students were designing video games and working with circuit boards they manipulated by programming a computer.
It was the Technology Innovation Summer Camp, now in its third year on campus.
Thirty-four students from Taiwan attended the camp, along with an equal number of teenagers from Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.
Each student had to submit a profile several weeks ahead of the start of camp. They were carefully matched – one local student paired with an international student.
“They didn’t get to pick their partner,” said Dr. Bude Su, chair of the university’s School of Computing and Design. That was intentional – in order to expose students to a global perspective.
“They’ve bonded really well,” Dr. Su said. “I’ve been impressed.” Some of that bonding took place during morning walks, at the soccer, basketball and disc golf games they played at the end of the day and in the Student Center game room.
Three instructors and eight teaching assistants led the course. They met with Dr. Su for months prior to the camp’s July 7 start. “We really planned this carefully,” she said.
By the end of camp, students knew some basic computer science principles and hands-on skills and had experience working as part of a team.
That’s a point emphasized by Stefan Mayer, who teaches math and computer science at Carmel Middle School and was a camp instructor. “Collaboration and coding are equally important,” he said. “When software is developed, it’s a team effort.”
Mayer said he “loves” teaching at the camp because he comes up with ideas to take back to his middle school classroom.
“This is an exciting time,” he said. “We’re in a whole new world where kids are not just using computers, but actually building them.”
SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN GOES NATIONAL
As a travel destination, few places can compete with the national marine sanctuaries, which protect America’s most iconic natural and cultural marine resources.
Last year, the West Coast region of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries wanted to inform the public about tourism and recreation opportunities at the four sanctuaries off the California coast.
That led to an opportunity for Cal State Monterey Bay graduate Ashley Quackenbush. She spent the summer of 2014 as a coastal tourism intern in the sanctuary’s Monterey office.
Quackenbush, who graduated in 2015 with a master’s degree in applied marine and watershed science, landed the paid position through COAST, CSU’s Council on Ocean Affairs, Science and Technology.
During her 10 weeks at the agency, she planned an innovative campaign to raise awareness about the environmentally friendly activities available to the public. Her “Get Into Your Sanctuary Day”campaign encouraged the public to visit their local sanctuary, take photos and post them on social media using the #visitsanctuaries hashtag. Hundreds of photos were submitted.
“The initial goal of the campaign was to highlight what sanctuaries offered and how the public can use them sustainably, but it turned into something so much more,” Quackenbush said. “We had such a high turnout locally that it inspired our headquarters in D.C. to launch Get Into Your Sanctuary Day nationally.”
Quackenbush is currently working as a research technician with the NASA Ames-CSUMB research cooperative.
A mural by Stephanie Rozzo is now helping visitors to Monterey understand what the city’s natural landscape looked like over 400 years ago.
A 2011 graduate of CSU Monterey Bay’s science illustration program, Rozzo was commissioned to create a 12-foot by 5-foot mural that was unveiled recently between Old Fisherman’s Wharf and Fisherman’s Shoreline Park on the city’s recreation trail.
The centerpiece of the mural is a Coast Live Oak tree. The massive tree provided shelter and a navigational beacon for native people, Spanish explorers and seafaring merchants, according to a news release from the city. Landing ceremonies were held under the oak to celebrate the discovery of Monterey Bay in 1602, and the founding of the Presidio in 1770.
In the mural, the oak is surrounded by native flora and fauna and Junipero Creek, which emptied into the bay.
Rozzo is a portrait and scientific illustrator who specializes in plants, animals, people and geology. Her work has been featured in museums, textbooks and other publications including National Geographic magazine.
She studied native plants and trees to get the proper view of what the area looked like four centuries ago.“I researched everything I could and tried to make it as accurate as possible,”she told the Monterey Herald. “It was a little idealized, but I think that adds to it and makes it a little more fun.”
Cal State Monterey Bay was recently awarded a pair of grants from the U.S. Department of Education to help low-income and first-generation college students and students with disabilities complete their education.
A new five-year, $1.09 million grant under the TRIO Student Support Services(SSS) Program will assist 120 students annually in their pursuit of undergraduate degrees in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.The university also received a five-year, $1.2 million grant renewal for its existing Student Support Services program that serves 160 students.
Both programs will offer eligible students services such as academic advising; tutoring; counseling and career advising. The goal is to provide opportunities for academic development, assist students with basic college requirements and motivate them to graduate.
TRIO programs were created as part of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide more opportunities for low-income and first-generation students to prepare for and enroll in college. The term TRIO was coined to describe the first three programs that were created – Upward Bound, Educational Talent Search and Student Support Services. Other programs have been added over the years; the term "TRIO" now refers to all of these programs.
The grants will start Sept. 1.
Madison Heard applied for a spot in the CSU Monterey Bay-based ocean science summer program as a way to “test the waters of research” for a possible career.
Consider the test a success. “After only a few weeks at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, I am positive I want to continue on this path,” she said. Heard is one of 11 students – she and Catrin Wendt are the only ones from CSUMB – in the 10-week Monterey Bay Regional Ocean Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates program funded by the National Science Foundation. This is the second year of a three-year grant. By the end of the summer, the students will have completed an independent research project under the supervision of a mentor. They will go through the customary steps of scientific research: formulating a thesis, writing a proposal, collecting and analyzing data, and presenting their findings. They also attend professional development workshops and learn skills such as basic GIS.
There’s also time for social events, such as kayaking trips to Elkhorn Slough, barbecues on the beach and a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Students can choose to work with mentors from CSUMB, the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Hopkins Marine Station, MBARI, Moss Landing Marine Labs and the Naval Postgraduate School.
MBARI is a great fit for Heard. “It’s like the NASA of marine science,” she said.
Her project involves studying the impacts of ocean acidification on abalone.
Halfway through the summer, what has she gotten out of the experience?
“ . . . Too many things to count,” she said. “From networking to friendships to having amazing opportunities to go out on the R/V Rachel Carson. . . everything I have done this summer has shaped me into a more confident researcher.
“This experience has been nothing short of life changing, and I am excited to take what I’ve learned and apply it to my path as a marine scientist.”
Follow the students' research on social media.
Summer Arts isn’t just for university students.
On a recent morning, 100 youngsters from the Salinas City Elementary School District came to campus to work with instructors from Summer Arts poetry and dance classes.
Members of CONTRA-TIEMPO Urban Latin Dance Theater helped the migrant students perfect some moves. The children formed a big circle in the University Center ballroom, and with the help of Summer Arts students, learned to integrate basic dance steps with elements of mime, turning to their neighbors to mimic making a phone call or taking a photo.
Then came the music, energizing the dance moves with Latin rhythms.
In another room, poets – including U.S. poet laureate Juan Felipe Herrera – had students repeating words and putting them to music.
The program was provided by agrant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
THE PROMONTORY READY FOR STUDENTS
“We can’t wait for students to fill these buildings with life,” CSU Monterey Bay President Eduardo Ochoa said at the July 23 ribbon-cutting for the Promontory, a housing complex north of campus.
The three buildings can accommodate a total of 579 students in 174 two-, three- and four-bedroom suites. Each suite has a common kitchen and living room; each bedroom has a private bathroom. Amenities include a two-level fitness center, a game room with pool table, study rooms, a cyber café with kitchen, and a theater, all located in the center building. Each building has an interior courtyard. Several speakers at the ribbon-cutting commented on the innovative nature of the project, which involved the city of Marina, the university, and AMCAL, the private developer. The privately funded project was built to LEED silver standards.
A back bear was spotted on Trenton Court in Frederick Park I Sunday night.
Anyone who spots a bear is asked to call the University Police Department as soon as it is safe to do so. Call 911 in an emergency; otherwise, for non-emergencies, call 831-655-0268.
The bear was seen about 9:40 p.m. rummaging through trash cans. It ran out of the rear of the court and into a wooded area.
According to an official with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, bears are looking for food and water due to the drought. A garbage can, bowl of pet food, or an unclean or uncovered barbecue grill can attract the animals.
To protect people and bears, residents should not feed the animals or leave food or garbage where they are accessible.
If you encounter a bear in your neighborhood:
• Do not run; instead, face the animal, make noise and try to appear as large as possible
• DO NOT approach the animal
• Allow the bear plenty of room to pass or withdraw
• Once you are a safe distance away, encourage the bear to leave by banging pots and pans or making other loud noises
• If attacked, fight back
• Keep a close watch on children, and teach them what to do if they encounter a bear
Learn more about local wildlife from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
A black bear was spotted on Trenton Court in Frederick Park I Sunday night.
Anyone who spots a bear is asked to call the University Police Department as soon as it is safe to do so. Call 911 in an emergency; otherwise, for non-emergencies, call 831-655-0268.
The bear was seen about 9:40 p.m. rummaging through trash cans. It ran out of the rear of the court and into a wooded area.
According to an official with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, bears are looking for food and water due to the drought. A garbage can, bowl of pet food, or an unclean or uncovered barbecue grill can attract the animals.
To protect people and bears, residents should not feed the animals or leave food or garbage where they are accessible.
If you encounter a bear in your neighborhood:
• Do not run; instead, face the animal, make noise and try to appear as large as possible
• DO NOT approach the animal
• Allow the bear plenty of room to pass or withdraw
• Once you are a safe distance away, encourage the bear to leave by banging pots and pans or making other loud noises
• If attacked, fight back
• Keep a close watch on children, and teach them what to do if they encounter a bear
Learn more about local wildlife from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
10 MEMBERS Of FIRST GRADUATING CLASS HEADED TO CSUMB
While many teens spent the last days of summer at the beach, more than 115 incoming eighth-graders from Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties hunkered down with calculators and pencils at the sixth annual Bruce W. Woolpert Algebra Academy. The Algebra Academy was held over four days at Graniterock’s corporate office in Watsonville. Then came a field trip to CSU Monterey Bay and a graduation ceremony at E.A. Hall Middle School in Watsonville. The algebra immersion program gives students a solid foundation in math through lessons taught by CSUMB faculty members Dr. Hongde Hu and Lorraine O'Shea and instructors from UC Santa Cruz.
It also offers hands-on practice outside of the classroom, gives students the tools to excel at math and encourages them to think about attending college.
It was started by the late Bruce W. Woolpert, Graniterock’s president and CEO, and corporate counsel Kevin Jeffery, who were passionate about the education of local students. They believed in the importance of students having a strong foundation in math.
In 2010, Woolpert and Jeffery invited Dr. Hu to devise a curriculum and work with students at Watsonville’s Rolling Hills Middle School, and the program has grown since then.
It includes school-based math clubs that keep the program going after the academy ends. Students go on field trips and learn how science and math are used in the workplace.
The Algebra Academy has seen many successes. Forty members of the first class – which numbered 45 students – graduated from high school in June; 10 of them have been admitted to CSU Monterey Bay in the fall. Also, many academy students go on to take algebra II and pre-calculus as high school sophomores and juniors.
At CSUMB on Aug. 11, Dr. Marsha Moroh, dean of the College of Science, told the students, "about 500 of you have come through this academy. How many of you plan to attend college?" Almost all of them raised their hands.
"Bruce loved math. He believed learning algebra at your age is the key to unlocking a successful future," Jeffrey told the students.
Participating schools include Aromas School, E.A. Hall Middle School, Pajaro Middle School, Rancho San Justo Middle School, Rolling Hills Middle School, San Juan Middle School and Tres Pinos Middle School.
In addition, Graniterock has created the Bruce W. Woolpert Mathematics Award for incoming CSUMB math majors who graduated from Watsonville, Pajaro or San Benito high schools. Priority goes to Algebra Academy graduates, though all math majors are encouraged to apply.
College students aren’t the only ones being educated on the Cal State Monterey Bay campus.
What do The Arabian Nights, John Steinbeck and Monterey Peninsula history have in common?
They are among a diverse range of classes that will be offered in the fall through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – OLLI – at California State University, Monterey Bay. The courses and speakers are specifically geared for those over 50.
OLLI at CSU Monterey Bay, with support from the Bernard Osher Foundation, is part of a national network that recognizes learning and exploration have no age limits. Members are inspired to take a fresh look at themselves, their world, and the possibilities that await them.
Among the course offerings are a variety of writing classes; an examination of James Baldwin’s novels and short stories; the plays of William Shakespeare; a professional photographer’s tricks for taking great pictures with an iPhone; and a look at the principles of banking. New this semester is a series designed for the small-space gardener taught by University of California master gardeners; an exploration of the wonders of the sky taught by scientists from the Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy; and a special day of screenings at the Mill Valley Film Festival. Also offered is a talk on the changing lens of nursing by Dr. Savitri Singh-Carlson, chair of the nursing program at CSUMB. Individual class offerings can be purchased, or attendees can sign up for a fall semester membership – which includes up to three courses for $105.
For more information or to register for classes, call 582-5500 or visit OLLI online.
Alumna performs at Pan American Games
Ania Flatau (Kinesiology 2015) doesn’t let anything get in her way.
The wheelchair athlete and dancer has participated in swimming, basketball, kickboxing and other sports since she was a child. As she got older, she added ballroom and salsa dancing.
On July 26, she appeared on her biggest stage yet when she performed with the American DanceWheels Foundation at the closing ceremony of the Pan Am Games in Toronto.
“It was amazing, the best time ever,” she wrote on her Facebook page. “What an unforgettable experience.” Being visible and participating in community events are part of Flatau’s lifestyle and connect to her work as an advocate for people with disabilities. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in occupational therapy. Flatau, 27, was born with spina bifida and she likes the idea of working with people who have had spinal cord injuries.
“I think it’s important for injured people and people with disabilities to be visible . . . I want to highlight the culture and community,” she said in an interview with the CSUMB magazine in 2014.
Watch a video of her rehearsal
COUNTYWIDE PROGRAM COMPLETES ITS SEVENTH SUMMER
“We are all born creators,” Luis Valdez told a group assembled July 30 for the closing ceremonies of the Migrant Junior Otter program at CSU Monterey Bay. “From the instant of your birth, creativity flows out of you as easily as breath.”
Valdez, playwright, director and founder of El Teatro Campesino and an original faculty member at CSUMB, spoke to an audience of several hundreds youngsters, their parents, teachers and administrators from the Monterey County Office of Education.
A collaboration among CSUMB, MCOE and El Teatro, the Junior Otter program involves youngsters in grades four through nine from school districts throughout Monterey County.
Each day during July, the youngsters came to campus – from as far away as San Ardo – where they received instruction in language arts and math in the morning. Every afternoon, they participated in theater activities, including music, dance and art, taught by staff members of El Teatro.
The idea is not just to offer enrichment classes for migrant students, who have different needs than students who stay in one place, but also to show them that college is a possibility.
“This is a special program because it includes a pathway to the university that includes artistic expression,” said MCOE administrator Faris Sabbah. “The idea is to help students find their cultural identity . . . and think of themselves not only as students but as university students.”
After the opening remarks, the youngsters showed off their work. This year’s theme was “family.” The younger students performed “corridos” or ballads around the theme. The older students made a four-minute video.
“Let us release the power of the imagination of our niños,” Valdez said. “The future belongs to those who can imagine it.”
CSUMB's College of Education hosts local gathering
Approximately 15,000 California teachers came together on July 31 at dozens of locations across the state, including Cal State Monterey Bay, for a first-of-its-kind event led by teachers, for teachers. As California leads the way to implement new, more rigorous standards, Better Together: California Teachers Summit provided an opportunity for teachers to share best practices and build a network of colleagues to support future collaboration.
The 200 teachers who attended the CSUMB event were welcomed to campus by Dr. Cathi Draper Rodriguez, chair of the Department of Teacher Education. Keynote addresses were delivered via video stream by actress and teacher advocate Yvette Nicole Brown and astronaut and STEM education pioneer Leland Melvin. They spoke about the potential of teachers to spark curiosity, creativity and a love of learning in their students.
Based on the EdCamp model of professional learning, the summit featured breakout sessions where teachers shared ideas and innovative strategies that are working in classrooms across the state. Teachers also heard talks by local teachers who offered perspectives on their successes with implementation of the California Standards.
The New Teacher Center partnered with California State University, the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities and its member institutions to organize this event. The free summit was co-sponsored by the California Department of Education and supported by grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the S.D. Bechtel Jr. Foundation and the Silver Giving Foundation.
Learn about the College of Education at CSUMB
Breanna Orozco is about to start graduate school at the University of Southern California, and she’s already winning awards.
Orozco (Kinesiology, 2015) received a USC Latino Alumni Association Graduate Scholarship to help with tuition.
She is pursuing a master’s degree in biokinesiology with a focus on exercise oncology research at the university’s Women’s Health and Exercise Lab. She is interested in studying the physiological benefits of exercise to improve survival rates among those with breast cancer, especially Latina breast cancer survivors.
While at CSU Monterey Bay, Orozco was a McNair Scholar, a member of the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program and winner of the 2015 Alumni Vision Award. She made presentations at numerous conferences and had three peer-reviewed journal articles published on her workplace health promotion research. In 2014, she was one of only two students in the country who were awarded the ACSM Lawrence Golding Health and Fitness Scholarship. She spent winter breaks and summers working in the women’s health lab at USC through CSUMB’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center.
Her goals are to become a research professor, to serve Latino communities and to act as a mentor to aspiring Latino researchers.
FEDERAL GRANT PROVIDES FUNDING
CSU Monterey Bay has received $1.2 million from the U.S. Department of Education to develop a program to train school psychologists.
This program will meet the state and national chronic, critical shortage of school psychologists, who support K-12 students in a variety of ways.
The school-age population of the Central Coast includes large numbers of English language learners and students from migrant backgrounds. With that in mind, the new program will ensure that the school psychologists trained at CSUMB will have specific expertise in supporting those students. Students in CSUMB’s new credential program will work in partnership with the university’s school social work program, also in development. They will be cross-trained to work within the context of culture, specifically with Hispanic and Latino families. CSUMB will partner with more than 100 area schools that have been identified as high-poverty and with a majority of English learners.The hope is that the experience of working in those schools will encourage credential students to stay in the area and serve local schools.
When students complete the three-year program, they will have earned a master’s degree in education; a Pupil Personnel Services: School Psychology credential; and a certificate in Behavior Analysis.
The program is in development and will be offered once all appropriate approvals are secured. The first two classes will consist of 30 students; 24 of them will receive scholarship funding. The program has funding for five years.
For information, contact Dr. Cathi Draper Rodriguez, chair of the Department of Teacher Education, at cdraperrodriguez@csumb.edu.
For the 11 students who spent the summer conducting research through the Ocean Sciences Research Experiences for Undergraduates program based at CSU Monterey Bay, Aug. 14 was graduation day.
The students – including two from CSUMB and two from local community colleges – presented their work to a group of their peers, faculty and administrators, and mentors from the collaborating agencies at the Summer Research Symposium.
“Today’s event represents our commitment to undergraduate research,” said Dr. Marsha Moroh, dean of the College of Science. “Other campuses in the California State University system are looking to CSUMB as a model of how to do it,” she said.
Dr. Corey Garza, a professor in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy and director of the program, referred to it as a distributed REU model. “Within 14 miles, students can choose to work at five research institutions as well as CSUMB,” he said. Those institutions are Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve; Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University; Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute; Moss Landing Marine Labs; and the Naval Postgraduate School. Among the research topics presented: the effects of climate change on development of red abalone; how seaweeds defend themselves from being eaten by urchins; ballasting autonomous underwater vehicles; and the distribution of crab species in Elkhorn Slough.
In addition to presentations by the REU students, about 40 students from CSUMB’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center presented posters highlighting the work they did over the summer.
The research symposium was the first event held in the university’s newly opened Business and Information Technology Building. “We’re calling this the shakedown cruise,” Dr. Moroh said.
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For the 11 students who spent the summer conducting research through the Ocean Sciences Research Experiences for Undergraduates program based at CSU Monterey Bay, Aug. 14 was graduation day.
The students – including two from CSUMB and two from local community colleges – presented their work to a group of their peers, faculty and administrators, and mentors from the collaborating agencies at the Summer Research Symposium.
“Today’s event represents our commitment to undergraduate research,” said Dr. Marsha Moroh, dean of the College of Science. “Other campuses in the California State University system are looking to CSUMB as a model of how to do it,” she said. Dr. Corey Garza, a professor in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy and director of the program, referred to it as a distributed REU model. “Within 14 miles, students can choose to work at five research institutions as well as CSUMB,” he said.
Those institutions are Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve; Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University; Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute; Moss Landing Marine Labs; and the Naval Postgraduate School.
Among the student research topics presented:
In addition to presentations by the REU students, about 40 students from CSUMB’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center presented posters highlighting the work they did over the summer.
The research symposium was the first event held in the university’s newly opened Business and Information Technology Building. “We’re calling this the shakedown cruise,” Dr. Moroh said.
CSUMB will test its new outdoor emergency notification system at 11:50 a.m. today.
Like all of the university's emergency communication tools, the outdoor notification system will be tested on a regular basis to ensure it is working properly and to help familiarize the campus community with how it will operate in an emergency. Tests will be held on the fourth Friday of each month, around 11:50 a.m.
During the test, the system will broadcast a tone, followed by a voice message over speakers located near the World Languages and Cultures North building, the Dining Commons and the Aquatic Center. The alert tones are loud and distinct and should be easily heard by anyone who is outdoors on the main campus.
Other emergency communication methods the university has in place include OtterAlert text messages, emergency messaging via the web, e-mail distribution, and a telephone hotline featuring a recorded message at 582-5044.
Trish Sevene, associate professor of kinesiology, has been honored with a teaching award sponsored by the Community Foundation for Monterey County.
Dr. Sevene received the Allen Griffin Award for excellence in teaching at the post-secondary level. Faculty members from Monterey Peninsula College, the Defense Language Institute and the Naval Postgraduate School were also honored.
Established in 1982, the Griffin Award was created by a bequest from the late Col. Allen Griffin, former publisher of the Monterey Herald and one of the founders and former board president of the Community Foundation. The award honors teachers who have a record of sustained excellence in the classroom and who have made a significant impact in the community.
Dr. Sevene joined CSUMB in 2005. Her primary area of interest is evolutionary biology and health, and she has a “passion for teaching students the value of science-based evidence when making choices,” she said.
In addition to teaching, mentoring and advising students, she directs the university’s anatomy and physiology lab. In the community, she has worked with the Fitness and Sports Training Academy at Salinas High Academy and the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Young Women in Science program. She frequently talks to community groups. She holds a Ph.D. in ecology, evolution and behavior from the University of Louisville. Former Griffin Award winners from CSUMB include Aparna Sreenivasan, Kent Adams, Pat Tinsley McGill, Scott Waltz and Kate Lockwood. The award was given annually until 2011, when the Community Foundation changed to an every-other-year schedule.
The campus community is invited to the Day of Welcome event this afternoon, featuring President Ochoa’s State of the University address.
The event will be held in the World Theater starting at 3 p.m. The afternoon will include a welcome for new employees and recognitions for current employees.
Light refreshments will be served.
For those unable to attend, the State of the University address will be streamed.
Caroline Haskell, director of health and wellness services at CSU Monterey Bay, has been named social worker of the year by the California chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. The award recognizes her years of service in improving the lives of CSUMB students and the community.
Haskell is founding director of the university’s Personal Growth and Counseling Center; she has been the center's director since 1996. In addition, she oversees the campus health center and the office of Student Disability Resources.
At CSUMB, she created the Postpone Project, a service learning program for students to become peer mentors to reduce teen pregnancy. She is co-author of the 2013 book Combined Destinies: Whites Sharing Grief About Racism and, in 2012, was appointed to the Monterey County Mental Health Commission, where she acts as an advocate for local mental health services. Haskell earned a master’s of science degree in social work from Columbia University School of Social Work and a bachelor of arts in comparative literature from UC Berkeley. She has an Advanced Graduate Certificate in Contemplative Clinical Practice from Smith College School for Social Work; is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with the California Board of Behavioral Science Examiners; and a Board Certified Diplomate with the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work.
She has also been awarded the status of Certified Diplomate by the American Psychotherapy Association, and has been a certified cognitive behavioral therapist and certified addictions specialist with the National Board of Cognitive Behavioral Therapists.
She will be honored at NASW’s annual conference Oct. 9 in San Francisco.
ANNUAL STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY ADDRESS KICKS OFF SCHOOL YEAR
President Eduardo Ochoa delivered an upbeat State of the University address Aug. 20 at the World Theater as he noted school achievements as well as plans for the future.
“Overall, it has been an outstanding year for Cal State Monterey Bay,” President Ochoa said. “The signs of progress are all around us.”
Twenty years ago next month, President Bill Clinton attended the dedication of the university. He told the crowd, “Think about possibilities, not problems. Believe in the future.” President Ochoa struck that theme in his remarks. “Today – two decades after President Clinton’s speech – I believe the future is here for Cal State Monterey Bay,” he said. “While we cannot totally discount any problems, I would like to echo President Clinton’s remarks from that momentous day. “Think about possibilities. Believe in the future.” He sketched out his vision for the next decade, in which the university will be at the heart of a flourishing and sustainable community. That vision includes: • Serving as a catalyst and a partner to strengthen the region’s economy, and developing programs such as sustainable hospitality and ag management in collaboration with local industry leaders;
• Enhancing the university’s distinctive programs including marine science, business, math, education, nursing, health sciences, the arts, and others;
• Working with all sectors of education – pre-kindergarten to community college – to raise the educational achievement of local youth;
• Supporting local organizations through service learning and community engagement, and partnering with leaders of all social sectors to help share the region’s future.
President Ochoa pointed to signs of progress that include new classrooms, expanded programs, new housing, planning for a new student union, more international students, increases in enrollment, retention and graduation rates and grant funding. “All these are unmistakable signs of a maturing university,” he said.
And he talked with pride about the $8 million in state innovation awards the campus earned last spring – 16 percent of the available pool of money. “That is why I have taken to referring to us as the most innovative public university in California,” he said. The grants went to the CS-in-3 program, a three-year bachelor’s degree in computer science, delivered in partnership with Hartnell College, and to a developmental math program.
The president said he hopes to have an announcement soon about the university’s pending agreement with the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. “Our presence in the Steinbeck Center offers a tremendous opportunity for us to extend our outreach into Salinas and the Salinas Valley,” he said. “While our plans have not been finalized, we see it as having great potential as a site for professional education and conferences, degree completion programs and admissions and counseling activities.”
He ended by reminding the audience that the university was created to be a driver of innovation and progress for the area and the state.
“We have a clear, worthy mission; institutional structures that align with that mission; and a culture that is open and welcoming of innovation and change,” he said. “These three elements are essential for transformative institutions. And CSUMB is a transformative institution. We are ready to take the next step.
“Twenty years ago, the audience that gathered to hear President Clinton speak could only imagine how far Cal State Monterey Bay might come.
“Now, we begin our third decade.
“Think about possibilities. Believe in the future.”
As the program continued, employee service awards were presented to 51 people who have been with the university for five years; 10-year pins were awarded to 37 staff members; 32 people were acknowledged for 15 years of service; and 28 employees were presented with 20-year pins.
Also acknowledged were the faculty members who had been granted tenure and promoted to associate professor. They are:
• Mr. Luis Camara, CinematicArts and Technology
• Dr. Judith Canner, Mathematics and Statistics
• Dr. Arlene Haffa, Division of Science and Environmental Policy
• Dr. Aparna Sreenivasan, Division of Science and Environmental Policy
In addition, Dr. John Berteaux, Division of Humanities and Communication, and Dr. YoungJoon Byun, School of Computing and Design, were promoted to full professor.
Hundreds of excited students carried, dragged and wheeled their belongings into the residence halls at CSU Monterey Bay on Aug. 21, the first day of the three-day move-in weekend.
By the time classes start on Aug. 24, approximately 3,700 students who live on the main campus, in East Campus and in the newly opened Promontory will be settled into the rooms and apartments that will be their home for the next year. All the activity happened with the help of dozens of staff, faculty and students who had volunteered for the Otter Welcome Team. They answered questions, carried boxes and gave directions to the new arrivals, most of whom were accompanied by parents and siblings. With the help of his parents, Saxson Ahern of Sacramento moved enough equipment – control board, mixer, condenser – into his room to set up a mini studio. Saxson came to CSUMB because of the opportunity it provided for him to follow his passion for recording technology. “I never thought I would be majoring in any sort of music thing, but I am, and I’m really happy with it,” he said. “In my heart, I just want to be making music. The music tech major at CSUMB really prepares you for what’s going on.” Then he sounded a familiar refrain: “The weather alone would win me over!”
Saxson’s mom, Lisa, was impressed with the facilities. “To have a bathroom in the dorm room, where else do you get that?”
Sophomore Amanda Barnes moved into the Promontory, the complex of three buildings adjacent to campus. “Last year, I had two roommates in one single room, and now I have my own room and my own bathroom, and it’s awesome,” she said. “I love it.”
The incoming class includes 1,026 freshmen and 850 transfer students. Total enrollment is approximately 7,000, with 53 percent of them living on campus.
The university scheduled a week’s worth of activities to help the new students get acquainted with each other and connect to the campus. An ice cream social, a comedy and magic show, and a late-night DJ in the Student Center got the week rolling on Friday evening.
University is recognized on measures of research, service, social mobility
CSU Monterey Bay fared well in a ranking of colleges and universities intended to measure service in the public interest. The Washington Monthly’s annual College Guide and Rankings, released Aug. 24, assesses institutions based on:
CSUMB was rated in the top 12 percent of schools in the master’s degree-granting category. Overall, the university ranked 78th among the 673 schools in the category. Its best rating – ninth – was in the category of service, which includes participation in community service and hours served.
The Washington Monthly ranking is different from other prominent listings such as the one compiled by U.S. News, which places more emphasis on a school’s financial endowment, academic reputation and selectivity in admission.
“We rate colleges on who’s offering the best value, so students and taxpayers get a bigger bang for their buck,” the magazine’s editors said.
WORLD THEATER SEASON OPENS WITH SEPT. 15 PERFORMANCE
In past years, CSU Monterey Bay’s World Theater has brought Chinese acrobats and circus performers to the area. This year, it’s acrobats and the circus.
On Sept. 15, the National Circus and Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China will kick off this year’s Performing Arts series. The company, founded in 1953, combines elements of Peking opera and martial arts, introduced the concept of a circus without animals, and inspired the pioneers of Cirque du Soleil.
The program features “Peking Dreams.” It was performed at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and has been presented in Europe and Asia. This year, it’s touring North America and the World Theater was successful in securing the Central California tour date. The whole family will enjoy the feats of balance, juggling, flying and contortion put on by the ensemble of gymnasts, jugglers and dancers who bend and flex their bodies in ways that seem to defy human anatomy. Dazzling costumes and music add to the spectacle. “We booked the circus to bring an art form to our audience that has been part of the Chinese culture for centuries,” said Joe Cardinalli, artistic and executive director, University Performances and Special Events. “The circus performances were once reserved for emperors and their courts, and now we can be astounded by the performances right here on the Cal State Monterey Bay campus. “This is the World Theater's 15th year of presenting acts from around the world. This performance is part of the Golden Passport Series, giving our audience the opportunity to see international shows. It’s how we celebrate the world’s arts here at the World Theater," Cardinalli said.
Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 831-582-4580.
IF YOU GO:
Sea otter fans – that’s sea otter as in Enhydra lutris, not Monte Rey – it’s your time of year.
Sea Otter Awareness Week, the annual recognition of the vital role these marine mammals play in the near-shore ecosystem, will be celebrated Sept. 20-26.
Each year, universities, zoos, aquariums, marine institutions, researchers, educators and the public participate in events and activities highlighting sea otters, their natural history and the conservation issues facing them.
CSU Monterey Bay – where the sea otter is the school’s mascot – will host a lecture at 7 p.m., Sept. 24, as part of the activities. The public is invited to this free event, held in the University Center living room on Sixth Avenue and B Street. "Crush, smash or bite: Feeding performance and specialization in southern sea otters" will be the topic presented by Chris Law, a graduate student in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Santa Cruz.
Judith Flores Carmona continues to demonstrate the service and leadership she first exhibited while a student at CSU Monterey Bay.
Dr. Flores Carmona was named chair-elect of Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social (MALCS/Women Active in Letters and Social Change) at the organization’s annual meeting in July.
Next year, she will move into the position of chair, and then complete her three-year term as ex-officio. MALCS is an organization of Chicanas/Latinas and Native American women working in academia and in community settings with a common goal: to work toward the support, education and dissemination of Chicana/Latina and Native American women’s issues. She was part of CSUMB’s Service Learning Student Leadership program in 1998. After earning her bachelor’s degree in Human Communication, she worked as the Service Learning Institute’s first graduate fellow while completing her master’s degree in multicultural education.
She went on to earn a doctorate in sociology of education from the Department of Education, Culture and Society at the University of Utah. In 2012, she accepted a position as assistant professor at New Mexico State University’s Honors College and Department of Curriculum and Instruction.
Last year, she returned to CSUMB to deliver the keynote address for the Service Learning Institute’s annual Spotlight on Service program.
‘THE HEAD OF JOAQUIN MURRIETA’ TO BE SCREENED SEPT. 10
Filmmaker John Valadez will screen his latest project, The Head of Joaquin Murrieta, at CSU Monterey Bay on Sept. 10.
Valadez will show the film and answer questions starting at 4 p.m. in the Cinematic Arts and Technology studio (Bldg. 27) on Sixth Avenue. The public is invited to this free event.
Valadez has been writing, producing and directing award-winning documentaries for 16 years. Two of his films: War and Peace, about Latinos in World War II, and Prejudice and Pride, about the Chicano movement, aired on the landmark PBS documentary series Latino Americans. His films have tackled subjects including the false imprisonment of a leader of the Black Panther Party; Latino gangs in Chicago; segregation in America’s schools; and the genocide of Native Americans in the Southwest. He is currently completing a companion book to his Emmy nominated PBS documentary The Longoria Affair. Film synopsis: For over a decade filmmaker John Valadez searched for the remains of Joaquin Murrieta, a legendary Mexican outlaw who blazed a trail of revenge and rebellion
following the theft of his land, and the rape and murder of his wife. In the summer of 1853, Murrieta was killed by bounty hunters, who put his head in a jar and displayed it across California, charging people a dollar to see their “trophy.”One hundred and sixty-two years later, Valadez is convinced he finally has the head. He embarks on a quixotic, cross-country road trip through history, memory, and myth to bury the head of Joaquin Murrieta, and finally lay to rest a dark and troubled past – one that has chilling parallels with the filmmaker's own family story.
The Head of Joaquin Murrieta is an irreverent, entertaining and often disturbing tale that uses both fiction and documentary storytelling devices to tear open a painful and long ignored history: the lynching of Mexican Americans in the southwest.
COMPUTER SCIENCE STUDENT EARNS PRESTIGIOUS SCHOLARSHIP
When Anita Garcia started college, she was unsure of her career path. Then she heard about the CS-in-3 program, and researched opportunities for computer science graduates.
“I quickly realized that there is a demand for someone like me, a Latina, to learn this set of skills,” Garcia said. “I thought it a wise decision to study computer science because it would allow me to make the most impact in today’s world.”
Now in her second year in the award-winning three-year program that leads to a bachelor’s degree in computer science, she’s taking most of her classes at Hartnell College in Salinas. She’ll be on campus at CSUMB in the spring. The flexibility in terms of work location and the variety of opportunities in the field appeal to her, she said. “Computer science allows for my curiosity not to be confined to one specific domain. “For example, I have had the opportunity of working on an application for a nonprofit; I have developed an application that detects diseases on apples; explored the creation of an automated irrigation system; and started an all-women’s computer science club, herScript. They all seem to be unrelated, but have the common denominator of computer science.” She’s just gotten some help in pursuing her goals from two sources – scholarship aid and all-expenses-paid trips to a pair of professional conferences.
Garcia is one of about 100 students nationwide chosen for a Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Award scholarship of $2,000, and a trip to the organization’s conference in Pasadena Oct. 17 and 18.
Earlier in the month, she’ll travel to Houston to attend the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing. With more than 8,000 attendees, it’s the largest gathering of female technologists in the world. Her costs are covered by a grant from Bank of America.
Garcia is already looking to – and planning for – the future. Since her CS-in-3 program costs are covered, she intends to save her scholarship money to help pay for graduate school.
EVERY VETERAN HAS A STORY. CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, MONTEREY BAY WANTS YOURS.
This fall, Enid Ryce, coordinator of the School of Creative Arts, will lead an effort to record the stories of local veterans as part of the Veterans History Project (VHP). Created by Congress in 2000 as part of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, the VHP collects, preserves and makes accessible the personal accounts of American wartime veterans so that future generations may hear their stories and better understand the realities of war. Some of the stories will also be featured in museum exhibits at the Monterey Museum of Art and at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Ryce was invited to create a special collection for the Library of Congress because of her ongoing Planet Ord project. The collection will be presented at a ceremony at the library in 2017. Anyone who would like to help with story collection is invited to attend an oral history workshop led by CSUMB instructor Kristin LaFollette. Workshops will be held at noon on Sept. 16 on the CSUMB campus and at 2 p.m., Sept. 21, at the Pacific Street facility of the Monterey Museum of Art. Veterans’ stories will be collected on Oct. 10, 17 and 24 at the museum, or by appointment. Eligible to participate are U.S.military veterans who served in any capacity from World War I through the present and who are no longer serving. Civilians who served in support of a U.S. war effort in a professional capacity also are welcome to participate. For more information, contact Enid Ryce at ebryce@csumb.edu
Second year student Francisco Hernandez Jr. has been awarded a $40,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture scholarship to help him complete his biology degree.
The scholarship was funded through a grant received by Dr. Arlene Haffa and Dr. Sharon Anderson to help train the next generation of scientists to work in fields related to the USDA’s mission of providing leadership on food, agriculture and natural resources. Hernandez is interested in pursuing a career in plant breeding or genetics.
The award includes career mentoring, research and travel experiences related to his studies.
“Francisco is a hard-working student who epitomizes the spirit of the USDA Hispanic Serving Institutions education grants program," Dr. Anderson said. "He will benefit from the hands-on learning associated with the scholarship.”
The Army plans to conduct two prescribed burns – carefully controlled fires – on former Fort Ord lands sometime over the next three months.The exact timing is based on weather; the proper weather conditions typically exist in September and October.
The area is a habitat reserve for Central Maritime Chaparral, which requires periodic fires to maintain a healthy ecosystem. The areas to be burned are located 3 miles south of the main campus and 3.5 miles south of East Campus.
The Army cleanup office offers a direct notification program. Residents who register for the program will be notified by phone, text or e-mail when a burn is imminent, when it is started and when it is complete. To register, call 242-7383 or go online at www.FortOrdCleanup.com
An aspiring physician and medical researcher from CSUMB has been chosen for a California State University Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement.
Jason Rodriguez, a senior biology major from the San Fernando Valley, will be honored on Sept. 8 at the CSU board meeting in Long Beach.
The Trustees’ Awards are the highest recognition of student achievement in the California State University system and are accompanied by a scholarship. Awardees must demonstrate superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, community service and financial need.
“These trustees’ scholars are leaders on their campus, in the community and among their peers,” said CSU Chancellor Timothy White.“Their stories of drive, commitment and perseverance – often overcoming great odds – serve as testaments to the indomitable spirit of CSU students.”
Jason is a senior at CSUMB, majoring in biology and preparing for graduate school. He works in the university’s Academic Skills Achievement Program, where he tutors other students. He felt a great deal of pressure to succeed in college as a first-generation student from a single-parent home. A lifetime of financial struggles motivated him to prepare for a career that will allow him to help support his mother while also being able to help other people. To pursue his passion for using science to improve the lives of others, Jason plans to pursue a combined M.D.-Ph.D. program, a goal solidified by his summer research experience at Dartmouth College’s School of Medicine. He wants to be a practicing physician who also does bio-medical research. He hopes to attend UCLA or UC San Francisco. Approximately 460,000 students attend the 23 campuses of the CSU system.
Only one student from each campus is honored with the Trustees’ Award. The program began three decades ago with scholarships endowed by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. Since then, the generosity of current and emeritus CSU trustees and many other supporters has allowed the program to expand.
CSU Trustees’ Scholars are nominated by their campus presidents.
Ten years ago, Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast, drowning New Orleans and the surrounding areas. Many universities were forced to close their doors just as the fall semester was starting, displacing thousands of students.
More than 300 of those students transferred to CSU campuses. Among them was a student from the University of New Orleans, Staci Caccioppi, who came to CSUMB.
“I can still recall feeling so scared when I first arrived,” she recounted in an email. “I thought I was crazy for leaving my friends and family behind while I flew off to beautiful Monterey, leaving them to clean up the mess and devastation Katrina left the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.” She enrolled in Teledramatic Arts and Technology classes. She liked the program so much she stayed for seven semesters, completing a capstone film in the fall of 2008. After working for a production company in Culver City for two years, Staci returned to New Orleans. “I wasn’t a fan of the Los Angeles area and I missed my family,” she said. It was a good move for her. A job as a talent coordinator/junior agent led her to discover her true passion – the casting side of the industry. “I can honestly say that I really enjoy what I do for a living,” she said.
She’s also concentrating on a feature film script she has in the works.
Even though she left campus in 2008, she keeps in touch with friends she made here.
“I cannot express how much my experience at CSUMB has meant to me. The faculty was so welcoming and helpful from the beginning. I learned so much not only about the film industry, but also a lot about myself.
“I met so many great friends who inspired me and allowed me to view the world differently. Sounds dramatic, but it’s so true," she said.
“Though I am still saddened by the devastation and lives lost by Katrina, I am also beyond grateful because it allowed me the opportunity to live in Monterey and attend CSUMB.”
University ranked No. 18 among public schools in the West
Cal State Monterey Bay is one of the top public universities in the Western United States, according to the 2016 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges edition released this week.
CSUMB is ranked 18th among Western public universities by the magazine,which based its assessments on critical indicators such as graduation and retention rates, faculty resources and financial resources.
Regional universities offer a full range of undergraduate programs and some master’s programs. U.S. News ranks colleges that grant doctoral degrees, such as those in the University of California system, in a separate category. The West region includes 15 states.
U.S. News also highlighted CSUMB for diversity. Using its “diversity index,” the magazine rated the university among the most diverse schools in the West. The diversity index factors in the total proportion of minority students and the overall mix of groups. The university also ranked high in the magazine’s category of economic diversity in its region, with 57 percent of students receiving Pell grants – federal financial aid that usually goes to students with family incomes under $20,000. This year's U.S. News Best Colleges edition includes data on nearly 1,300 colleges and universities. Schools are ranked on as many as 16 measures of academic excellence to help families compare schools, narrow their searches and make informed decisions.
You might take solace in the fact that when you die, your days of polluting the planet are over. But the truth is that the method you choose to dispose of your mortal remains has more of a deleterious impact on the environment than you might think.
That’s according to Katrina Spade, founder of the Urban Death Project. The Seattle architect is leading a growing effort in support of a green alternative to caskets and cremation: human composting. She'll visit Cal State Monterey Bay on Oct. 2 to discuss the project.
She is working with a team of engineers and scientists on a process that would allow corpses to decompose into nutrient-rich fertilize rover a period of a few months, according to a Kickstarter page set up by the nonprofit. Spade proposes to set up a network of facilities where loved ones could bring their nitrogen-heavy deceased to decompose naturally in carbon-abundant piles composed of materials like wood chips and sawdust for roughly $2,500 per body, The New York Times reported. Every year, Americans who bury relatives in coffins commit to the ground an amount of metal sufficient to construct a new Golden Gate Bridge, wood that could be used to build 1,800 single-family homes and an amount of carcinogenic embalming fluid adequate for filling eight Olympic-size pools, Spade estimates. Cremations emit 600 million pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually — the fossil fuel equivalent of 70,000 cars driving for a full year, she notes.
“In other words, the very last thing that most of us will do on this Earth is poison it,” Spade says in the Kickstarter video. “But the truth is our bodies are full of potential.” At CSUMB, Spade will discuss the current funeral industry and why it matters that we do better. She’ll talk about the trajectory of the Urban Death Project from its inception as a thesis she did while in architecture school to the current plan for a new type of architecture for our cities where we can honor the dead and contemplate our place in the natural world. The public is invited to this free event. Visitors will need to purchase a $1 parking permit from a machine at the entrance to the lot. Details:
Sept. 30 discussion examines ways to meet health care needs of the Latino community
The community is invited to join Cal State Monterey Bay’s College of Health Sciences and Human Services in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a discussion on Sept. 30.
Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati and Zoila Escobar will share vital information on programs and strategies to meet the health care needs of the Latino community.
Dr. Baezconde-Garbanati is a professor at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. Her work focuses on community-based research and public health initiatives that explore the role of culture in health behaviors, with an emphasis on the elimination of health disparities.
Ms. Escobar is vice president of strategic development and community support at AltaMed Health Services Corp., a non-profit that delivers health care to underserved communities in Southern California. She also serves as president of the AltaMed Foundation.
Pete Delgado, CEO of Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital, will moderate the discussion.
The free event will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. in the World Theater. A reception will follow the discussion. Visitors must purchase a parking permit from a dispenser on the lot.
CSUMB works to make events accessible to everyone. For disability accommodations, call 582-4580.
The event is sponsored by Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, Doctors on Duty, Natividad Medical Center and Carmel Mission Inn.
Co-founder Alicia Garza visits CSUMB Oct. 6
When she visits Cal State Monterey Bay on Oct. 6, Alicia Garza, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, will talk about how #BlackLivesMatter went from a political project to a global movement and how social media served as a platform to elevate the founders’ dreams, vision, hopes and love for humanity.
Outraged by the 2013 acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, Garza took to social media to express her anguish and love for the black community. Ending her message with Our Lives Matter/We Matter/Black Lives Matter, Garza, together with Opal Tometi and Patrisse Cullors, turned those powerful last words into a Twitter hashtag. Immediately prompting activism nationwide, #BlackLivesMatterhas evolved into the banner under which this generation’s civil rights movement marches. An established social activist committed to challenging society to recognize and celebrate the contributions of all individuals, specifically black people and gay communities, Garza’s activism is rooted in connecting individuals and emerging social movements.
Her work also involves advocating for an open Internet to provide a space for these movements to emerge.
She has earned a variety of honors, including two Harvey Milk Democratic Club Community Activist Awards for her work fighting gentrification and environmental racism in San Francisco's largest black community.
Currently the special projects director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Garza previously served as executive director of People Organized to Win Employment Rights, where she led the charge on significant initiatives, including organizing against police violence in black neighborhoods.
The talk will be held at 7 p.m. in the University Center on Sixth Avenue and B Street. Tickets are $10 and will be sold only at the door.
The Associated Students of CSUMB, the Otter Cross Cultural Center and the Otter Student Union are sponsors of the event.
For information or to request disability accommodations, contact Shanna Kinzel at skinzel@csumb.edu.
DETAILS:
Professor Ruben Mendoza was among those in attendance as Pope Francis celebrated Mass and canonized Father Junipero Serra.
The canonization took place Sept. 23 in the Basilica of Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. It completed a years-long process to recognize Father Serra as a saint.
Dr. Mendoza, a professor of archaeology at CSU Monterey Bay, has studied Father Serra’s life for 20 years. He is one of the researchers whose work prompted a reappraisal of the Franciscan friar who founded the first nine of 21 Spanish missions in California.
He was once a critic, but has come to respect Father Serra.
“Being of Native American ancestry – Yaqui Indian – I don’t give a pass to colonialism,” he told a reporter for Voice of America. “On the other hand, when you look at the life of Serra very specifically, you will see that he was not only a man of his time,but he was a man well ahead of his time in that he was an advocate for native peoples.” The last six months have been busy ones for Dr. Mendoza, who has been much in demand for interviews and presentations. In late April, he joined three other scholars at a news conference in Rome where they provided an overview of Serra’s life and legacy to news media from around the world. Several days later, at a seminary in Vatican City, he participated in a symposium that examined the canonization. In June, he traveled to Spain for a conference.
In July, he testified before the state Assembly regarding the proposed removal of the Serra statue from Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C. According to Representatives from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, his testimony was decisive in the Legislature’s decision to table the bill.
And he’s done dozens of interviews, with ABC television, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, CNN, Public Radio International and many other publications, television networks and radio stations. He’s also found time to work on a host of documentaries produced by the Vatican and other media sources.
California State University, Monterey Bay and the National Steinbeck Center have completed a deal that will bring the university to the city of Salinas.
Under terms of the deal, negotiated among the university, the Steinbeck Center and the city of Salinas, CSUMB’s corporation purchased the building for $3 million. In addition, CSUMB paid the city $100,000 for the land beneath the building.
The Steinbeck Center will remain as a tenant, with an 80-year lease.
“This is our front door to Salinas and we’re going to use this as a way to connect to the community and respond to their needs,” said CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa.
The University Corporation at Monterey Bay is a non-profit 501(c)(3) auxiliary organization that operates as the business arm of the university. It provides direct support for a number of university programs and activities.
The university is considering how to use the space. Possibilities include cultural and educational programming and outreach by staff members from CSUMB’s admissions and financial aid offices. In addition, the space will continue to be available as a resource for the community.
“We are planning on engaging the campus and our partners in Salinas in discussions of how we might best advance the mission of the university and meet community needs,” said CSUMB Provost Bonnie Irwin.
Published Sept. 25, 2015
Led by women’s disc golf club president Traci Alger, a dozen volunteers – mostly from CSUMB – created a course at Los Arboles Middle School in Marina earlier this month.
Alger worked with the city and the local Rotary Club to build the nine-hole course. When the school isn’t using it, the course will be available to the public, free of charge. School officials told the Monterey County Weekly they might add another nine holes if the course proves popular. The Otter women won the National Collegiate Disc Golf championship last April in North Augusta, South Carolina, beating the University of Oregon by a single throw. It was the closest match in the championship's nine-year history. Disc golf isn't an NCAA sport, so these student-athletes study, practice and compete in near obscurity. The sport is growing in the college ranks – the 2015 national championships attracted 61 men’s teams and six women’s teams. CSUMB has two full-length disc golf courses on campus.
Cal State Monterey Bay students recently got hands-on experience teaching scientific concepts such as Archimedes’ principle and Newton’s theory of gravity through their application to golf.
The future teachers served as mentors in the Chevron STEM Zone, an interactive exhibit that highlights the scientific side of sports through a variety of hands-on learning stations for youngsters. The idea is that sports can make science more engaging. When the STEM Zone made a stop at the Nature Valley First Tee Open golf tournament at Pebble Beach Sept. 24-27, three dozen CSUMB students worked with 1,300 elementary, middle and high school students over the four days of the tournament. The STEM Zone travels to sporting events throughout the state. At nearly every stop, CSU students from that area are invited to serve as exhibit mentors. Faculty members prepare them to highlight scientific and engineering practices, depending on the sport. A $1 million grant from Chevron has helped to develop the CSU’s teacher training programs for science, technology, engineering and math.
Two upcoming events at Cal State Monterey Bay will focus on the Republic of Korea.
Korea’s consul general in San Francisco, Han Dong-Man, will visit campus on Oct. 15 to reflect on his most recent book, The Next 10 Years of Korea. He’ll discuss South Korea’s economic development and his country’s relationship with North Korea and the United States. He’ll also touch on the popularity of Korean culture in the U.S. A career diplomat, Mr. Han earned a bachelor's degree at Yonsei University in Korea and a master's degree in International Organization Law at the Pantheon-Sorbonne University in Paris. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1985 and has held posts in Algeria, the United Kingdom and Australia, as well as in the office of the president in Korea. He has also held positions in Washington, New York and, since 2013, San Francisco. The free event will be held from 4 to 6 p.m., in the University Center living room. The public is invited.
On Nov. 2, Gwyn Kirk, a member of the organizing committee of Women’s Walk for Peace in Korea, will visit campus.
Last May, 30 women from around the world joined Korean women to walk across the two-mile-wide Demilitarized Zone that separates North and South Korea. They called for an end to the unresolved Korean conflict and for a reunified country. Kirk, a scholar and activist concerned with gender, racial and environmental justice, participated in the walk and will report on it. She is co-editor of Women’s Lives: Multicultural Perspectives (McGraw-Hill), which is used in classrooms across the country. She holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the London School of Economics. The free event will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. in the University Center living room. The public is invited.
Both events are sponsored by the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies.
Visitors are reminded that parking permits must bepurchased from machines on the University Center lot. Cost is $1 per hour.
For information on both events, or to request disability accommodations, call Brendan Taylor at 831-582-3890.
There's a movement under way to transform the nursing profession. The Institute of Medicine has made several recommendations including higher levels of education and training, and an equal voice for nurses alongside doctors in redesigning health care. Dr. Savitri Singh-Carlson is intimately familiar with this new direction. Join her for a revealing examination of the nursing profession as well as a discussion of the future of CSUMB's School of Nursing, which serves as the area's only Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.
Date: Friday, Oct. 9
Time: 10-11:30 a.m.
Place: OLLI@CSUMB (Bldg. 201, corner of Inter-Garrison and Sixth Avenue)
Fee: Free - all welcome!
Dr. Savitri Singh-Carlson is the department chair and a professor in the School of Nursing at Cal State Monterey Bay. In 2010, Dr. Singh-Carlson was one of 50 people nationally to receive a prestigious fellowship from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
California State University Chancellor Timothy White continued a tour of the system’s 23 campuses when he visited CSUMB on Oct. 7. It was his fifth trip to the campus since he became chancellor in December of 2012.
During the visit, he took questions from students, faculty and staff at an open forum; met with reporters from the Otter Realm; visited with students to learn about their work through the university's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center; met with faculty members to learn about the university's innovative teaching; and talked with a group of staff members.
“In an office, you don’t have the same finger on the pulse,” White said. “Going to each campus, I get to sit down with students and faculty and really understand the innovations that are occurring.” At CSUMB, he wanted to get “a deeper understanding of the innovative excellence on this campus. “CSUMB is on the leading edge of innovation," he said. That was a reference to the $8 million the university was awarded last spring from Governor Brown's $50 million pool of money to reward schools that are using innovative ways to improve student success.
White cited three “touchstones” that guide his work:
• Quality
• Engagement with the community
• Diversity
He noted that the CSU is woven into the communities where campuses are located. “Under President Ochoa, CSUMB has taken a big step in this direction. I hear from community leaders that CSUMB is hitting its stride in that regard.” He went on to say that, “In my three years as chancellor, what has happened at CSUMB is pretty spectacular.” At a meeting with student reporters, he defined the CSU’s greatest challenge in a single word – “resources.” While the system has had “a degree of success in Sacramento getting our budget fully funded, we still have fewer resources than we had 20 years ago – when we were serving 20,000 fewer students,” he said. He was equally succinct in responding to a question about the system’s greatest potential – “an educated California.” White plans to visit each of the 23 campuses during the current academic year.
Science fiction writer Frank Herbert captured the imagination of readers with Dune, his book about a planet on which it never rained and water was the scarcest resource. That was 50 years ago. It has sold almost 20 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling science fiction novel of all time.
CSU Fullerton, where Herbert’s papers are archived, is mounting a 50th anniversary celebration with an exhibit and lecture series. Cal State Monterey Bay Professor Dan Fernandez was invited to participate. His talk – Every Last Drop: Extracting Water from Fog – is based on research he has conducted since 2005. “I think about Dune a lot,” Dr. Fernandez told the science magazine Nautilus. “I wasn't quite aware that the regional fog work I am doing was going to be compared so closely to Frank Herbert's novel. I welcome the interest.” It’s not hard to understand the reason for that interest. Dune is set thousands of years in the future, but for California, in the fourth year of a drought, the future is now. Fog catchers – remarkably Dune-like devices – are relatively low-tech constructions that pull water from the marine layer by means of polypropylene mesh attached to a frame.
The mesh intercepts fog; the tiny droplets of water that make up fog drip down into a steel trough. On a good day, Dr. Fernandez said, a single fog catcher can capture up to 8 gallons of potable water in 24 hours. Because of the prolonged drought in California, Dr. Fernandez gets several calls a week about fog catchers. Currently, he’s working with the FogNet project, a collaborative effort among CSUMB, UC Santa Cruz, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Humboldt State Marine Labs, Bodega Bay Marine Labs, San Francisco State University, Pepperwood Preserve and the U.S. Geological Survey. The goal is to measure output from fog catchers and analyze the chemical composition of the captured water. Dr. Fernandez and his students have set up 20 fog catchers around California, along with gauges to measure the accumulation of water. He points out that the devices won’t make a meaningful difference in the drought. Californians consume too much water – fog catchers couldn’t meet the demand. They make sense only at the margins.
“Let’s look at how much water we are using, and how much water we could get back from fog,” he told Nautilus. “That might give us another perspective on our own water use.”
For the past four years, CSU Monterey Bay students have spent June in Spain, studying the life and customs of people in the northwest part of the country, earning academic credit, and participating in service learning projects.
The Social, Behavioral and Global Studies ethnographic field research summer school in Leon Province is sponsored by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and CSUMB’s Office of International Programs and is led by Professor Juan Jose Gutierrez
According to Dr. Gutierrez, the program has two goals: to give students experience in ethnographic field research methods, and to make a contribution to the region by generating knowledge and appreciation for the cultural legacy of the area.
Photos taken in Leon by more than a dozen students will go on display Oct. 23 in the main lobby of Heron Hall (Bldg. 18). From 4 to 7 p.m., the community is invited to hear Dr. Gutierrez and students talk about their ethnographic findings and service learning experiences. The reception and exhibit are sponsored by the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies; Department of Psychology; Service Learning Institute; International Programs; and World Languages and Cultures. Information: psychology@csumb.edu
Work by faculty members in the Visual and Public Art Department will be displayed in the Balfour Brutzman Gallery starting Oct. 28.
Artists whose work will be exhibited teach in the areas of mural and painting, installation, sculpture, art education, photography and museum studies. The exhibit features a wide range of visual practices that span a variety of genres and media within the Visual and Public Art Department. An opening reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., Oct. 28, in the gallery located in the art department, Bldg. 71, on Inter-Garrison Road. The exhibit will be on display through Dec. 18. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On Saturday, Oct. 17, several campus roads will be closed for the Dance Dash 5K event, a fundraiser for Children’s Miracle Network. Drivers should expect traffic delays and detours.
From 6 a.m. to noon, the following road closures will be in effect:
• Divarty Street will be closed from Second Avenue to parking lot 1 and from parking lot 205 to the roundabout.
• Starting at the roundabout, A Street will be closed to Seventh Avenue.
• Sixth Avenue will be closed from B Street to the Eighth Street Cutoff, but note that the intersection at Inter-Garrison Road and Sixth Avenue will remain open with traffic control.
Yo Azama (MAE 2015) has earned another award for his work in the classroom and in promoting language study.
Azama, who earned a single-subject credential at Cal State Monterey Bay as well as an M.A. in education, has received the Elgin Heinz Teacher Award from the United States-Japan Foundation. The award recognizes exceptional teachers who further mutual understanding between Americans and Japanese. It was presented during a ceremony at Stanford University.
It is named for Elgin Heinz, a pioneer in educating American students about Asia. It includes a $2,500 cash award and $5,000 in project funds. Azama has taught Japanese at North Salinas High School for many years. He believes “language connects us and as a result it binds us into the global family that we are.” In addition to teaching, he’s a team leader of the Monterey Bay World Language Project and serves as a College Board adviser for the Advanced Placement Japanese Language and Culture Development Committee.
He also teaches a modern language method course in CSUMB’s teacher education program.
The Elgin Heinz award is just one of his many honors. In 2012, the Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language named him National Language Teacher of the Year.
Indian writer Murzban Shroff will visit Cal State Monterey Bay for a special presentation on Oct. 27.
Shroff has published fiction in more than 50 journals in the United States and the United Kingdom. His debut story collection, Breathless in Bombay, was published in 2008 to great critical acclaim – it was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize – for its ability to capture the lives of the invisible and show a city in the throes of seismic modernization.
The book is a mosaic of 14 short stories, each presenting a picture of life in one of India’s busiest cities. Shroff uses vivid imagery and powerful, descriptive prose; the reader is transported to Bombay (Mumbai), with all its beautiful chaos and energy. Reviewer Zarine Hakim Austin noted that “each story opens our eyes to another way of life, and though these lives may differ from our own, we feel a deep connection to the human condition . . . ” At CSUMB, Shroff will talk on the topic “Breathless in Bombay – Challenges of Writing Outside One’s Milieu.” The talk will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. in the University Center ballroom. He’ll read from Breathless in Bombay and another one of his stories and will answer questions from the audience. A reception will follow. Shroff spent 16 years in advertising, at multinational agencies Ogilvy & Mather, McCann Erickson, and Grey Advertising, and then started his own company. A “lack of fulfillment” motivated him to return to writing.
A post-modernist novel set in Mumbai will be released later this year; he is currently at work on a third short story collection and a series of novellas.
The talk is sponsored by the College of Business; the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; and the College of Health Sciences and Human Services. Please RSVP for this free event. For more information or to request disability accommodations, call 582-4232.
TWO SCREENINGS SET FOR OCT. 23
In the documentary, A Path Appears, the subject is gender oppression, violence and solutions. The subtext is how everything is connected: domestic violence, poverty, sex trafficking . . . It’s not easy to watch, but it carries an important message.
Based on a book by journalists Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, A Path Appears tracks celebrity activists including Jennifer Garner, Ashley Judd, Eva Longoria and Alfre Woodard to Colombia, Haiti, Kenya and throughout the U.S. The third episode of the documentary, Violence and Solutions, will be shown at CSU Monterey Bay Oct. 23, in the World Theater. The free screening is sponsored by the Domestic Violence Coordinating Council of Monterey County, CSUMB’s Police Department and the World Theater. The film’s approach is intentionally upbeat, highlighting the successes, offering hope, and affirming that there are opportunities and it is possible to transform lives. The message is one of empowerment: “Our future is in the hands of women everywhere.”
The film will be shown at 4 p.m. and will be followed by a panel discussion with Deputy District Attorney Elaine McCleaf, YWCA Executive Director Cheryl McCormick and Monterey County Rape Crisis Center rape prevention educator Corrina Hatzidakis. The film will be screened again at 7:15. While the screening is free, visitors must purchase a parking permit. Community Service Officers will be on hand to assist visitors. For information or to request disability related accommodations, call 582-4580.
Schedule:
• 4-5:30 p.m. – First screening
• 5:45-6:30 p.m. – Panel discussion
• 6:30-7 p.m. – Reception
• 7:15-8:45 p.m. – Second screening
GRANT HELPS STUDENTS PREPARE FOR CAREERS IN DATA SCIENCE
The National Institutes of Health has awarded Cal State Monterey Bay $1 million to train a diverse workforce in biomedical data science as part of its Big Data to Knowledge (BD2K) initiative.
Biomedical data science is the application of statistics and computer science to biomedical problems. It has hundreds of applications, from providing personalized health advice to tracking disease outbreaks.
There is a growing demand for new ways to store, manage, analyze and use the massive amounts of electronic data being generated, especially medical data.The five-year grant will help to train professionals for that field and will target students from historically underrepresented and low-income backgrounds.
The grant will support research experiences for students and faculty as well as curriculum development. It will be used for three major efforts: • To establish a summer research program for CSUMB students at the Center for Big Data in Translational Genomics at UC Santa Cruz. The center works to help the biomedical community use genomic information to better understand human health and disease. Visiting CSUMB students will spend the summer working side-by-side with UCSC scientists and data specialists, learning research skills to manage and interpret genomic data.
• To develop new programs, such as an interdisciplinary statistics major, that will include math, statistics, biology, behavioral and computer sciences to prepare students for graduate school and careers in research or industry.
• To create opportunities to extend CSUMB faculty training and research in biomedical data science in collaboration with UCSC faculty members and researchers.
“The collaboration promises to create deep connections with UCSC and to create an educational pipeline for our students to achieve graduate degrees in biomedical data science,” said Dr.Judith Canner, associate professor of math and statistics and principal investigator on the grant.
“We are excited by this opportunity to strengthen our ties to CSUMB. The new BD2K partnership will increase collaboration between our faculties, and will help to attract talented CSUMB students to our graduate programs,” said Dr. Zia Isola, director of diversity programs at UCSC’s Genomics Institute.
HOW IS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORMING AGRIBUSINESS?
The “Greater Vision” series of forums addressing issues facing the agricultural industry continues Nov. 5 at California State University, Monterey Bay. The program is designed for professionals, students and community members who are interested in the future of agriculture.
The broad theme to be examined over the next three years is technology. This year’s topic is Emergent Technologies: How is Technology Transforming Agribusiness? Technology’s impact on energy and water use will be examined in years two and three of the series. The series is intended to build a continuing conversation from the Forbes AgTech Summit held in Salinas last July. That event was part of an effort to merge the technological expertise of Silicon Valley with local agriculture.
Tom Rolander will deliver the keynote address. Rolander, who works for AgSoft Consulting, is a former CIO/software architect for Ecopia Farms, an indoor urban vertical farm in Silicon Valley.
A panel discussion will follow the keynote address. Panelists include Kevin Murphy, chief executive officer of Driscoll’s; Lorri Koster, CEO of Mann Packing; and Dr. Bob Whitaker, chief science and technology officer at the Produce Marketing Association. Dennis Donohue, president of Royal Rose, will serve as facilitator.
The event will be held in the University Center, on Sixth Avenue at B Street, starting at 9 a.m. The forum is free, but visitors will need to purchase a parking permit from a machine on the lot.
New this year is an expo that will showcase ag tech companies. Reserve a space at the expo here.
“A Greater Vision” is sponsored by the Grower-Shipper Association Foundation and CSUMB. The forums are intended to provide information from diverse points of view.
The day’s schedule:
8-9 a.m. – Check-in at the University Center; expo opens
9-9:10 a.m. – Welcome and introductions by CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa and Dean of the College of Business Shyam Kamath
9:10-9:45 a.m. – Keynote address by Tom Rolander
9:45-11 a.m. – Panel discussion
11-noon – Q-and-A moderated by Dennis Donohue
Noon-2 p.m. – Expo reopens
There isn’t an earthshaking reason to close 1.6 miles of city streets in Salinas on Oct. 25 – no hometown hero is visiting, no sports team won a championship – but the city is doing so anyway.
Thanks to CSU Monterey Bay student Bernard Green,the university will be represented as the city celebrates Ciclovia, part of a global movement to get residents outdoors for biking, walking, roller-skating, skateboarding – any kind of people-powered transportation – on motor vehicle-free streets.
Green, the university’s student transportation coordinator, will build a pop-up protected bikeway between two intersections along the route. He’ll explain the benefits of protected/separated bikeways and related projects that are planned or under way in Monterey County. “Last year’s protected bikeway demonstration drummed up a healthy discussion among residents, news outlets and elected officials about how we can reallocate public space to accommodate all modes of transport,” he said. Green has been cycling for years, starting as a competitive cyclist at the Los Angeles Velodrome. After a year of track racing, he felt the competition was taking away from the joy of riding. He shifted gears, became a bicycling advocate and focused on sharing that joy with others. He's also a certified instructor with the League of American Bicyclists. His goal is for CSUMB to be officially recognized by the League of American Bicyclists as a bike-friendly campus by the time he graduates in 2016. After graduation, he’s thinking about moving to the Pacific Northwest and studying urban planning in graduate school.
As part of Cal State Monterey Bay’s celebration of Native American Heritage Month, Dr. Joseph Pierce will visit campus on Nov. 5. His topic: Indigenous identities and native authenticity.
Dr. Pierce is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and an assistant professor of Latin American literature at Stony Brook University. His research focuses on kinship, gender and sexuality in Latin America and on the intersection of Latin American and North American approaches to citizenship and belonging. His talk will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Black Box Cabaret on the CSUMB campus, near the intersectional of Inter-Garrison Road and Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard. The event is free, but visitors must purchase a parking permit. For more information, or to request disability accommodations, contact Valerie Amoin at vamoin@csumb.edu.
Journalist Ben Ehrenreich will visit Cal State Monterey Bay on Nov. 10 to lecture on “Is This the Third Intifada? Understanding the Conflict in Palestine.”
“Intifada” is an Arabic word that is often translated into English as “uprising,” “resistance,” or “rebellion.” In the Palestinian context, with which it is usually associated, the word refers to attempts to "shake off" the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Ehrenreich studied religion at Brown University, and eventually moved to Los Angeles, where he still lives. He has reported from Afghanistan, Haiti, Cambodia, El Salvador, Mexico and all over the United States. His articles and essays have been published in LA Weekly, Los Angeles Magazine, the Village Voice, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and many other publications. His awards include the PEN Center USA Literary Award in Journalism, National Magazine Award, GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Magazine Article, and an artist residency at the Sundance Institute Writing Program. His talk will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. in the conference rooms of the University Center, located at Sixth Avenue and B Street. The event is free, but attendees must purchase a parking permit from a machine on the lot. The lecture is sponsored by the Division of Humanities and Communication; the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies; and the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. For more information, to request disability accommodations or to RSVP, contact Brendan Taylor at bretaylor@csumb.edu.
CSU Monterey Bay, in collaboration with Rutgers University, has received a three-year, $1,100,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to fund the Polar Interdisciplinary Coordinated Education – ICE – program.
Polar ICE works to connect scientists with broader audiences to further the impact of their research, while connecting teachers and students from grade 5 through college with data and cutting-edge science right in their classrooms. It focuses on sharing the story of how polar science is done by highlighting science skills and practices, exploring data and making meaning from scientific information.
The grant will provide:
The goal of the project is to produce instructional materials and trainings that engage more teachers and their classrooms in polar science. It will bring real-world data, models and simulations into the classroom and make information about polar research widely available. And it will engage underserved students in scientific research. Principal investigator is Dr. Corey Garza, associate professor in CSUMB’s Division of Science and Environmental Policy.
“In addition to our Ocean Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, this new polar science program places our marine science program as a lead campus on two national, NSF-funded education, research and outreach programs in the ocean sciences,” Dr. Garza said.
In partnership with local TV station KCBA, the university plans to produce a weekly program, “Campus to Community,” starting in January.
The plan is to produce short segments that highlight campus programs, faculty research, student success, campus life and CSUMB's presence in the community. Each program will consist of several segments.
The segments will be produced by University Communications staff members, with help from student assistants. While we already have lots of ideas for stories, we’re asking the campus community to share their ideas for people, stories or programs that you think should be highlighted.
Post your story ideas and contact information on a Google doc.
A staged reading of 'IYA The Esselen Remember' will be held Nov. 19 and 21 at CSU Monterey Bay’s World Theater.
The new play was written by Luis “Xago” Juarez of local theater company Baktun 12 and directed by Ruben C. Gonzalez. It addresses past and present issues surrounding the people of the Oholone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation.
OCEN Tribal Chairwoman Louise J. Miranda Ramirez said it’s important to tell the stories of OCEN people through creative mediums.
“How will you, the audience member, or anyone know how important our ancestors are to our lives today unless we look for ways to tell you?” said Ramirez. “We must share how we feel; how we feel the pain of colonization that affected our ancestors and continues for our people today.”
IYA The Esselen Remember incorporates the tribe’s creation myth, historical accounts depicting the Spanish Mission period, the Mexican-Californio era, and the U.S. occupation and settlement. Set on the Monterey Peninsula, IYA The Esselen Remember is a story about love and the importance of keeping the sacred traditions and culture of the Esselen people alive and thriving. In the play, the lives and complex realities of six family members are intertwined as they gather for their traditional “survivors supper,” a celebration honoring their resistance to the Thanksgiving holiday as well as the survival of their identity as natives to this region.
Recognizing the importance of their coming together and gaining a better understanding of cultural preservation, the cousins are faced with making serious choices to protect, preserve and maintain the peace of their ancestors. Their collective experience inspires them to recover the sacred remains of an Esselen child unearthed at a local construction site and re-bury them in a sacred, and protected burial ground. But at what cost?
In addition to English, the Esselen and Spanish languages will be spoken to indicate the past and present, native and colonial, histories of the Central Coast.
Organizations collaborating on the project include the Ohlone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation, Baktun 12, the San Francisco International Arts Festival and CSU Monterey Bay.
Staged readings of the play take place at 7 p.m., Nov. 19, and 2 p.m., Nov. 21, at the World Theater located on Sixth Avenue between A and B streets. Admission is free, but attendees must purchase a parking permit from a machine on the lot.
More information is available from Rafael Garcia at 831-204-8797 or baktuntwelve@gmail.com
California State University, Monterey Bay has received a $30,000 gift from Wells Fargo to support two programs in the College of Business.
The gift will support the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development as well as a program that helps prepare students for the business world.
“Wells Fargo has been a wonderful supporter of the College of Business,” said Dr. Shyam Kamath, dean of the College of Business, noting that the bank has contributed to CSUMB over the years.
The Institute for Innovation and Economic Development provides leadership in creating a vibrant and globally connected entrepreneurial community in the Monterey Bay region.
The Diamond Key Program helps students develop the professional skills, poise and confidence needed for today’s competitive job market with a set of experiences woven into the academic curriculum.
In appreciation for the generous gift, a space in the university’s newly opened Business and Information Technology Building was named for the bank.
“I love this campus,” said Joe Mathai, president for Wells Fargo’s Valley Coastal Market. “We support the College of Business because it provides future small business owners and entrepreneurs the foundation they need to thrive in a competitive business environment and, in turn, they will help make our communities strong and successful.”
CSUMB’s student newspaper has earned a Pacemaker award, the highest honor given by the Associated Collegiate Press. The award was presented at the group’s annual meeting in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 31.
Awards are given for online publications, newspapers, yearbooks and magazines. Entries are judged by teams of professionals based on coverage and content, quality of writing and reporting, leadership, design, photography and graphics.
“Our favorites could pass as typical community papers – they tackled investigative stories, had an active role in breaking news, combined with excellent writing, photography and graphics/design,” the judges said. The Otter Realm was one of 12 newspapers honored in the four-year, non-daily category. Other winners in their category included George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and Temple University in Philadelphia. “It’s great to be recognized by the Associated Collegiate Press, and win alongside universities with larger staffs and departments,” said Alex Hennessey, Otter Realm production manager. “I’m so proud of our past Editor in Chief Elizabeth Hensley, and the rest of the staff.”
Mac Clemmens (TMAC 2005) got to hang out with a presidential candidate recently.
On Nov. 4, the CEO of Sacramento web development firm Digital Deployment attended a $2,700-a-plate fundraising lunch for Hillary Clinton, where the two chatted about tax policy.
As reported in the Sacramento Business Journal, Clemmens – who started his company in 2004 as his capstone project at CSUMB – told Clinton that he pays "three times more" in taxes than Apple. According to Clemmens, who recounted the experience in a Facebook post, the talk apparently struck a nerve with the Democratic frontrunner. Clinton later mentioned him during a speech at the fundraiser and used his example to outline her plan to make things easier for small businesses. Clemmens was clearly wowed by the encounter, according to the Business Journal, posting that Clinton's "focus and retention of issues is quite stunning.” Digital Deployment has grown into a multimillion-dollar business. It has helped clients such as Google – which hired the company to build a website for its
Smithsonian exhibit – the California Bankers Association, CalSTRS, the United Way and the Graduate School of Management at UC Davis, from which he earned an MBA in 2007.
In 2013, the Business Journal named him one of Northern California’s most promising CEOs under 40.
Nov. 5, 2015
Now is the time for students to register for the annual Startup Hackathon Monterey Bay. This year’s event will be held Nov. 20-22 on the campus of Cal State Monterey Bay.
The hackathon is an intense three-day mobile app development competition where students design, develop and demonstrate innovative mobile applications using Android technology.
Teams of students, with help from mentors, produce real, working prototype applications for local nonprofits or small businesses. The event kicks off on Nov. 20 at 4 p.m., when Monterey Bay organizations propose ideas for apps. Teams come together to choose an idea and have the rest of the weekend to build a working prototype app before presenting their work to the public on Sunday afternoon.
The competition is open to students from all colleges in the region. Students may enter as individuals and join a team during the event, or enter as already-existing teams. The event will be held in the university’s new Business and Information Technology building, located next to the Tanimura & Antle library. Cost is $20. Food will be provided during the weekend. Organizers are also looking for app ideas from local nonprofit organizations and small businesses. Last year, apps were created for Sun Street Centers and Save Our Shores. To pitch an idea, register here.
Get more information or register to participate
Cal State Monterey Bay Provost Bonnie D. Irwin will preside over a vigil to mourn the passing of the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris, including Nohemi Gonzalez of Cal State Long Beach. The vigil will also allow the campus to extend condolences to our French exchange students enrolled at CSUMB.
Nohemi, 23, was killed during the attacks in and around Paris on Nov. 13. A resident of El Monte, she was a senior at CSULB studying design and attending Strate College of Design during a semester abroad program. Flowers and other items to memorialize those lost in the attacks can be placed at the base of the flagpole on the main quad.
WHEN/WHERE:
5 p.m., Monday, Nov. 16, on the main quad.
The university’s efforts to create a safe and sustainable environment continue as demolition moves to the northeast area of campus.
On Nov. 17, work will start on the corner of Inter-Garrison Road and Seventh Avenue. Fencing will be installed around the demolition site; that will create minor changes in the traffic flow on parking lot 201.
Last spring, demolition of eight buildings began between Sixth and Seventh avenues and Butler Street and Col. Durham Road.
The contractor is obliged to reuse and recycle 90 percent of the materials from the demolished structures. Concrete recovered from the demolition will be pulverized and reused to create permeable surfaces that reduce storm water runoff.
FILM EXPLORES HUMAN DRAMA INSIDE SOLEDAD PRISON
Seven years, three men, one prison. What happens when a court order and an anti-violence program challenge deeply entrenched prison culture?
That’s the issue explored in the documentary, In an Ideal World, shot in Soledad Prison. Filmmaker Noel Schwerin will be on hand when it is screened at 7 p.m. on Dec. 3 at Cal State Monterey Bay’s World Theater. The public is invited to this free event.
The film gives us an intimate and stirring portrait of three men – a warden, a white separatist and a black ex-gangbanger – on the front lines of power and race in America as it goes deep inside the prison to explore, and honor, the human drama at the core of America’s locked-down racial order. It’s told first hand, without outside experts or narration. Over many years, John, Sam and the warden have learned how to navigate prison’s violent and deeply entrenched, racially divided culture, but then they find themselves on the cusp of potentially radical change. For the first time, a novel mixed-race workshop offers inmates alternatives to violence, just as a U.S. Supreme Court order presses California to stop segregating its cells, reversing decades of official policy and upsetting the racial high wire.
A panel discussion featuring representatives of the incarcerated community as well as corrections, restorative justice, drug and mental health support groups, community-based violence and gang reduction and diversion programs will follow the 83-minute film.
The event is sponsored by the Cinematic Arts Department and the World Theater.
DETAILS
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Noel Schwerin has written, produced and directed award-winning films, including the PBS specials Bloodlines, and the two-hour A Question of Genes. She has received awards and grants from the MacArthur Foundation, the Sundance Documentary Fund, the Society of Professional Journalists and the California Council for the Humanities. In 1998, she founded the nonprofit educational media company Backbone Media.
Published Nov. 18, 2015
Joel and Dena Gambord of Pebble Beach have made a $10 million gift to California State University, Monterey Bay to establish two endowed professorships, fund student scholarships and set up an entrepreneurship fund.
In recognition of the gift, the CSU Board of Trustees has approved the naming of CSUMB’s newest academic building as the Joel and Dena Gambord Business and Information Technology Building.
“Our campus is very honored by this generous gift from Joel and Dena Gambord, the largest gift ever given to CSUMB,” President Eduardo Ochoa told the board. “Joel and Dena Gambord together have been successful in real estate development in California, applying their tenacious work ethic, entrepreneurial spirit and strong sense of community responsibility.” An endowed professorship in Joel Gambord’s name will be established in business entrepreneurship; the endowed professorship in Dena Gambord’s name will be in nursing.
“We feel we have been blessed by the good fortune during our lifetime to have the resources to create an opportunity to assist others in our community," the Gambords said in a statement. “The goal of our gift to CSUMB is to provide the university with the ability to expand and enhance its entrepreneurial program where students will learn to start and maintain a successful business enterprise, giving employment to themselves and others.”
The gift will create an entrepreneurship fund for students, to help them research, build and launch products from concept to market.
“In addition, we are eager to supplement the already established nursing program at CSUMB that trains RN and BSN nurses for the health care needs of both a growing and aging population.”
President Ochoa added: “We are grateful for this generous and extraordinary gift. It will have a transformative impact on our campus for many years and generations to come.”
The Gambords are longtime California residents from modest backgrounds.
Dena's family moved from Oklahoma in 1936, during the Dust Bowl era, and settled in Carmel Valley. Her mother worked in the sardine canneries in Monterey and her father worked as a carpenter building Fort Ord.
Joel’s family came from Eastern Europe to America through Canada just before the turn of the century. They moved to the United States, settling in Los Angeles in 1901.
Joel worked at the family meat packing business before being drafted into the Army during the Korean War. He spent time in boot camp at Fort Ord.
Joel said, “As the 40’s were ending, we began looking to the future of a growing country. California was booming, people were coming from all over the country to the Golden State where opportunity was everywhere.”
After his release from the service, Joel began his career in real estate development and construction. He was a director of the National Association of Home Builders and also served in the International Executive Service Corp., a function at that time of the Agency for International Development.
In Los Gatos after they were married, Joel and Dena lived for over 30 years in the Monte Sereno home that John Steinbeck and his wife Carol built in 1936. It was where Steinbeck wrote “Grapes of Wrath” and “Of Mice and Men.”
All through the years they lived in Monte Sereno, Dena wanted to get back to the Monterey Peninsula where her life in California began. In 2000, they discovered what was to be their new home in Pebble Beach. This is where they live today in retirement.
Family real estate holdings, investments and their business ventures have allowed the Gambords to build their philanthropic base. They have been active with the Community Foundation of Monterey County since 2013, establishing a charitable foundation focused on support of organizations involved in training and placing service dogs.
Published Nov. 19, 2015
TAKE A SELFIE WITH SANTA!
The Music and Performing Arts Department will give its annual winter concert at 5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 5, in the World Theater. The public is invited.
The concert features the university’s chorale; jazz, strings, wind and guitar ensembles; gospel choir; and Sharp Nine, a band that originated from a jazz improvisation class. Santa will also make an appearance. No tickets or reservations are necessary. While the concert is free, a parking permit must be purchased from a machine on the lot. The World Theater is located on Sixth Avenue near A Street.
The concert is sponsored by CSUMB’s Special Events Fund, World Theater, Music and Performing Arts Department and the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
For more information, call 582-3009.
The public is also invited to these upcoming events:
All events will be held in the Music Hall on Sixth Avenue near Butler Street. All are free, but a parking permit is required.
Published Nov. 23, 2015
Each holiday season, the Crime Prevention Officers Association of Monterey County collects toys for children in need throughout the area.
Again this year, CSUMB’s police department is participating in the toy drive, and reaching out to the campus community for help. Anyone who would like to contribute can bring a new, unwrapped toy to the Police Department (Bldg. 82E) and place it in the barrel located in the lobby. Toys may be dropped off through Dec. 16 during normal business hours. Last year’s drive provided more than 1,600 toys to brighten the holiday season for Monterey County youngsters. Published Nov. 24, 2015
A feature film written and directed by a pair of CSU Monterey Bay graduates will compete at the 2016 Film Independent Spirit Awards.
In nominations announced Nov.23, Robert Machoian (TAT 2007) and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck (TAT 2009) received a nod in the Someone to Watch category for God Bless the Child, a 94-minute narrative feature film. The category recognizes filmmakers of “singular vision who have not yet received appropriate recognition,” according to the event’s website. The winner will receive a $25,000 grant.
God Bless the Child features Machoian’s five children, who range in age from 1-year-old Jonah to 13-year-old Harper, as a quintet of kids left to their own devices when it appears their mother may have abandoned them. Harper, the only girl, looks after her brothers as their day descends into fantasy and chaos. The film premiered at the South by Southwest festival and subsequently won Best Narrative Feature at the Atlanta Film Festival. It has been screened at festivals in Copenhagen, Torino and Geneva, among others.
The New York Times called it “extraordinary,” and the Wall Street Journal praised the “adroit direction of the filmmakers.” Machoian and Ojeda-Beck met as students in the Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department. They had different styles but found a third when working together. Charlie and the Rabbit, a film they collaborated on, screened at Sundance in 2010 and at more than 30 festivals. Three years later, Machoian returned to Sundance with two short films. In 2013,the pair’s first feature, Forty Years from Yesterday, premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival and was shown at the Locarno festival in Switzerland. Machoian currently teaches photography and film in the Art Department at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Ojeda-Beck teaches in CSUMB’s Cinematic Arts and Technology Department. The Independent Spirit Awards ceremony will be held Feb. 27 in Santa Monica.
Interviews with the filmmakers:
The film is available on Netflix
Published Nov. 25, 2015
“The Wall of Birds will be finished next week.”
Jane Kim’s announcement on Facebook, posted Dec. 1, heralded the completion of her two-and-a-half year project at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, N.Y. – a mural that depicts the evolution and diversity of birds.
The 2010 graduate of CSU Monterey Bay’s science illustration program has painted one representative example from every bird family in the world – all 271 of them – including extinct species. The project is called “From So Simple a Beginning,” after a passage Charles Darwin wrote to sum up his view of evolution in The Origin of Species. It is located in the lab’s visitor center, and covers an enormous space – 40 feet high and 3,000 square feet. The birds are painted true-to-size against the silhouette of the continent where they originated. In order to complete the project in time for the lab’s centennial celebration, she had to paint a bird a day. Kim, 34, spent a year sketching the birds on paper at her studio in San Francisco before starting to paint in 2014. That required her to spent most of her time in Ithaca, with only occasional visits home. “Other projects, different techniques allowed me to create off-site and then install. But this being completely hand-
painted directly on the wall requires me to be here full-time," she told the Chicago Tribune. This week, Kim is finishing the last section – dinosaurs and prehistoric species. On Dec. 7, she’ll give a seminar at the lab on “The Marriage of Art and Science: A One-of-a-Kind Mural of Birds.” For those who can’t visit in person, the lab plans an interactive feature where viewers will be able to find high-resolution images of the mural. South America! This was one of the most challenging and exciting continents to paint, simply because of the beauty and abundance of biodiversity! – Jane Kim
Published on Dec. 1, 2015
Images of musicians and dancers are popping up around the local area as publicity for First Night Monterey. The artwork was produced by CSU Monterey Bay student Carly Allen, the result of a partnership between the university and the event’s organizers.
Since 2004, First Night has worked with students in Professor Bobbi Long’s design class to develop the art that goes into the buttons, posters and on the Web to promote the annual New Year’s Eve festival.
“The theme this year is Art Connecting Communities,” Allen said. “I wanted to approach it in a bit more of a literal sense, and Bobbi helped steer me toward the idea of using actual figures to represent the arts.” Allen, a third-year student from Walnut Creek, is studying in Gjøvik, Norway, this semester. After graduation, she hopes to return there to pursue a master’s degree in interaction design. She’s partially self-taught in the language, and is taking classes primarily in Norwegian. According to its website, First Night Monterey seeks to foster the public's appreciation of visual and performing arts through an innovative, diverse and high-quality program which provides a shared cultural experience accessible and affordable to all.
The centerpiece of First Night Monterey is its alcohol-free celebration on New Year's Eve in downtown Monterey. It has been held annually since 1993. (Photo taken in Oslo, Norway. Courtesy of Carly Allen) Published Dec. 2, 2015
In January, Dr. Yoshiko Saito-Abbott will become president of the American Association of Teachers of Japanese. She was elected to the position after serving two years as vice president-secretary of the organization. Dr. Saito-Abbott is professor and chair of the School of World Languages and Cultures at CSU Monterey Bay, where she has been on the faculty since 1996. “My primary assignment for the past two years was to strengthen 24 affiliates in the U.S.,” she said. As president, she will coordinate with other language teaching associations “to promote world languages and cultures nationwide.” The American Association of Teachers of Japanese works to promote study of the language and broaden knowledge and appreciation of Japan and its culture. Its 1,500 members represent every state as well as Canada, Australia, Europe and Japan. Dr. Saito-Abbott earned a Ph.D. in foreign language education at The Ohio State University. She has taught all levels of Japanese language and culture courses. Published Dec. 4, 2015
A shortage of fish in the ocean, combined with human population growth, means global shortfalls for traditional food sources. Squid may help to fill the gap.
That’s according to Michael Navarro, a National Science Foundation post-doctoral scholar in Science & Environmental Policy at CSUMB.
Navarro recently presented his research at the Cephalopod International Advisory Council (CIAC) conference in Hakodate, Japan. The event is widely considered the most important international conference for cephalopod (or squid) science, with more than 240 participants from 30 countries in attendance. Navarro’s presentation supported conference efforts for a new research paper on the critical role of cephalopods in the global food supply chain. Cephalopod fisheries are increasingly viewed as a viable alternative. This research is aligned with Navarro’s primary focus at CSUMB.
After earning his Ph.D. from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Navarro came to CSUMB and the Marine Ecology Lab managed by Corey Garza, a CSUMB associate professor in Science & Environmental Policy. Navarro was interested in Garza’s research, which focuses on the latest Geographic Information System methods to test hypotheses on which spatial scales and habitat types drive ecological/species patterns. In other words, why are animals seen where they are seen?
Surprisingly, questions like this haven't been rigorously tested for many ecologically and economically important species, according to Navarro. “This type of research provides the foundation of needed ecological information as new challenges arise. Our oceans continue to be affected from climate change and the human population continues to grow,” he said.
Along with CSUMB, other institutions represented at the CIAC conference included UC Berkeley, UCLA and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Published Dec. 8, 2015
Approximately 500 sixth-graders filled the ballroom of CSU Monterey Bay’s University Center on Dec. 8, radiating energy and enthusiasm.
As master of ceremonies, it was up to admissions office staff member Victor Torres to get them focused on the reason for their campus visit. Torres, a CSUMB graduate, handled the task masterfully, using a combination of games and positive reinforcement.
The youngsters came from six schools in the Salinas City Elementary School District – Loma Vista, Natividad, El Gabilan, Boronda Meadows, Kammann and Laurel Wood – to participant in the University Promise program, held annually since 2009.
The idea is to get them thinking about and planning for college, even though it’s six years away.
Director of Admissions David Linnevers administered the University Promise oath. The students promised to show respect for their parents, do their best in school, graduate from high school and attend college, and be the best person they can be.
In return, Linnevers promised that the university would save a spot for them if they complete high school and meet other basic requirements. As part of the promise, the university will work with the students and their parents to provide support and help arrange financial aid.
The students received a packet containing a poster that explains what they need to do to prepare for college on a year-by-year basis starting in the sixth grade; a certificate for them to sign acknowledging their promise to prepare for and attend college; information on the outreach and support programs available at CSUMB; and a letter to their parents explaining the event and asking them to frame and display the certificate.
And they received a Junior Otter card, with a space for their signature. The card reminds the students of their promise. University students led the youngsters on a tour of campus, visiting the science building, the library, the Business and Information Technology Building and other spots.
Over six days ending Dec. 9, approximately 3,200 youngsters from Alisal Union, Gonzales Unified, Monterey Peninsula Unified and Salinas City Elementary school districts visited CSUMB. Since the program began in the spring of 2009, nearly 20,000 Monterey County sixth-graders have visited campus.
The program was developed by CSUMB officials and Salinas City Elementary administrators as a way to help youngsters recognize opportunities, make choices that they may not have known existed for them, and keep them motivated for success.
Published Dec. 8, 2015
Cal State Monterey Bay students are offering the gift of music this holiday season.
The community is invited to a quartet of public performances featuring students in the university’s Music and Performing Arts Department. The schedule: • Dec. 11, 6 p.m., piano recital by eight students of Professor Carlos Tottress • Dec. 12, 1 p.m., piano recital by students of Professor Christopher Pratorius • Dec. 12, 5 p.m., voice recital by 22 students of Professor Tottress • Dec. 14, 7 p.m., concert by jazz band Sharp Nine, directed by Professor Enrique Rios-Ellis All events will be held in the Music Hall on Sixth Avenue near Butler Street. All are free, but a parking permit is required. For disability accommodations, call 582-3009.
A project to improve lighting and overall conditions in campus parking lots started last summer. The upgrades are being done to improve safety for everyone on campus.
The work will continue over the winter break; it requires the closure of six parking lots from Dec. 19 to approximately Jan. 15.
Affected lots include 12, 16, 18, 30, 45 and 201.
• PARKING LOT 12, adjacent to the Student Center, Cypress Hall and Willet Hall, will be closed with entrances blocked at Inter-Garrison Road and Fifth Avenue. Alternate parking area is lot 71, adjacent to the Visual and Public Art buildings.
• PARKING LOT 16, behind the Student Center, Starbucks, Otter Express and Dining Commons, will be closed with the entrance blocked at Inter-Garrison Road. Alternate parking area is lot 71.
• PARKING LOT 18, adjacent to Heron Hall, will be closed with the entrance blocked at Fourth Avenue. Alternate parking area is lot 80, adjacent to Health and Wellness Services, or lot 903, near the corner of Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard and Divarty Street.
• PARKING LOT 30, adjacent to the Music Hall, will be closed with the entrance blocked at Sixth Avenue. Alternate parking area is lot 29, adjacent to the University Center.
• PARKING LOT 45, to the east of World Languages and Cultures South, Student Services Building, Harbor Hall, Coast Hall and Pacific Hall, will be closed with entrances blocked at A and B streets.
Alternate parking area for World Languages and Cultures, Student Services Building and Harbor Hall is lot 28, adjacent to the World Theater; for Coast Hall, alternate parking is lot 28 or lot 29; for Pacific Hall, alternate parking is lot 29 or lot 42, adjacent to IT Services.
NOTE: Closing lot 45 will also affect parking for Green Hall. Alternate parking is lot 13, adjacent to the Science Research Lab Annex, or lot 28.
• PARKING LOT 201, to the east of the University Corporation Building (201), Science Instructional Lab Annex and World Languages and Cultures North, will be closed with entrances blocked at Inter-Garrison and A Street. Alternate parking area for University Corporation is lot 71; for Science Instructional Lab Annex, alternate parking is lot 13; for World Languages and Cultures North, alternate parking is lot 13 or lot 28.
For more information, contact Michael Tebo, project manager, Campus Planning and Development, or Sgt. Stacie Russo, University Police Department.
PRESIDENT'S HOUSE GOES GREEN
University House, the on-campus home of President and Mrs. Ochoa, has gone solar.
The 21 roof-mounted photovoltaic cells were installed recently by Western Sun Systems and produce 6.9 kilowatts of power. That’s enough electricity to meet about 80 percent of the total power need for the house.
“The commitment to living in an environmentally sensitive way goes back to my personal experience growing up in Oregon,” Holly Ochoa said. “As a result of the national energy crisis in the early 1970s, my parents installed a solar water heating system, so I knew firsthand that it worked well.”
Solar panels capture natural energy from the sun and convert it to electricity, which serves as a clean alternative energy source. “Ideally, someday every home will come with solar systems, whether hot water, photovoltaic, or both,” President Ochoa said. “The sun is shining even on cloudy days, so to me, it’s an obvious way to consume less fossil fuels.” It’s the second solar project at CSUMB. In 2010, a 6.4-acre solar array – consisting of approximately 3,900 panels – was constructed on the
southeast edge of campus. Last year, it provided 16 percent of the university’s power needs. And it’s not the only solar project at an East Campus residence. Professor Dan Fernandez just installed a solar system on his house. “The solar panels seem to be a great way for me to minimize my monthly energy bill and reduce my impact on the environment,” he said.
Learn about sustainability at CSUMB.
Reporting by Jacob Barnett
Published Dec. 14, 2015
Works by CSU Monterey Bay students,faculty, staff and alumni will be showcased at First Night Monterey, the family-friendly celebration of New Year’s Eve.
CSUMB Creates! will include music, visual art and film and will be held at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies’ McGowan Center at Pacific and Franklin streets in downtown Monterey. The theme for First Night is “art connecting communities.” Many of the CSUMB offerings represent the arts being taught in the Liberal Studies class “The Arts in Schools and Communities,” including the multicultural dance moves led by staff member LaTanya Wilson. Music performances include alumni in the African drumming group Tam Tam Sacre, and guitarists led by Music and Performing Art student Timothy Patchin with youth from Guitars not Guns playing American standards. The Visual Art exhibit features a project “Posts for Peace and Justice” that CSUMB students participated in with local elementary schools. From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., First Night revelers can participate in hands-on art activities at the McGowan Center. A collection of animated short films produced by students in the university’s Cinematic Arts and Technology Department will also be shown. New Year’s Eve performers aren’t the only CSUMB community members involved with First Night. Carly Allen designed the art that goes into the buttons, posters and on the web to promote the annual festival. Schedule • 6:15-6:45 p.m. – Abdoulaye Diallo & Tam Tam Sacrée, multicultural performance group playing traditional West African rhythms • 7-7:30 and 7:45-8:15 p.m. – Kids and adults learn multicultural songs and movement • 8:45-9:15 and 9:30-10 p.m. – Student guitarists from Music and Performing Art with youth from Guitars not Guns •6:30– 9:30 p.m. ongoing – Visual art created by students in the university’s Liberal Studies and Visual and Public Art departments in community collaborations. Includes an opportunity to participate in visual arts activities. • 6:30 – 9:30p.m. ongoing – A collection of animated short films by students in the Cinematic Arts Department.
About the photo:
"Post for Peace and Justice – Art Will Save the World" created by students at San Lucas School with CSUMB Gear Up staff, Liberal Studies students and artists Jennifer Colby and Kira Corser
Cal State Monterey Bay experienced a year of transformative change and growth.
From a $10 million gift – the largest in school history – to new buildings and acknowledgement of innovative programs, 2015 was a banner year for the university.
Students' educational experiences spanned the classroom, the lab, the Internet and the globe, from a freshman seminar on youth and protest in the arts to fieldwork on tropical biodiversity in Costa Rica.
The community gathered to discuss important issues, to hear noted speakers such as poet laureate Juan Felipe Herrera and professor and civil rights activist Cornel West, and to celebrate annual traditions such as alumni weekend, commencement and the Have a Heart for Students scholarship fundraiser.
Here are some of the highlights:
– $1,100,000 three-year grant from the National Science Foundation to fund ICE – the Polar Interdisciplinary Coordinated Education program.
– $1 million five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to train a diverse workforce in biomedical data science as part of its Big Data to Knowledge (BD2K) initiative.
– $1.2 million five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education to develop a program to train school psychologists.
– $1.09 million five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education under the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) Program to assist 120 students annually in their pursuit of undergraduate degrees in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
– $1.2 million five-year grant renewal from the U.S. Department of Education for the existing Student Support Services program that serves 160 students.
Because the CSU understands the importance of safety information, each campus is now required to disclose statistics regarding a range of crimes as well as information on:
• the availability and location of security personnel and how to summon help;
• special safeguards that have been established for particular facilities or activities;
• actions taken in the last 18 months to increase safety, and any changes in safety precautions expected to be made during the next two years.
To meet this requirement, CSUMB’s police department has prepared a report on campus safety, called the California Safety Plan Report.
The report must be posted online each year by Jan. 1 and copies made available on request.
The 2015 report is now available for download.
Professor James Lindholm was featured in a story about what lies beneath the Monterey Bay, and about his work that allows researchers to measure the impacts of climate change.
– Carmel Magazine, Summer/Fall issue
. . . Professor of science and environmental policy Dan Fernandez has been building fog catchers for scientific purposes. He said they are used in arid communities throughout the world.
– Monterey Herald, Aug. 15, 2015
Professor Ruben Mendoza was interviewed for a story on how Native Americans view Serra, who will be canonized during a papal visit to the U.S.
– Voice of America, Sept. 3, 2015
“There is no documentation or evidence that shows Father Junipero Serra abused or killed anyone,” Professor Ruben Mendoza told the Orange County Register in a story about the canonization of Serra.
– Orange County Register, Sept. 19, 2015
“This is College done right,” said Professor Sathya Narayanan, co-director of the CS-in-3 program and associate professor of computer science at CSUMB.“We’re getting students to where they need to be and giving them a high-quality education.”
– Insight Into Diversity, October 2015
Forrest Melton, CSUMB researcher with the NASA collaboration, was interviewed for a story about how satellite data is being used to help the state’s growers deal with the drought.
– Salinas Californian, Oct. 28, 2015
. . . Professor James Lindholm of CSUMB studies the ways fishing methods alter habitat. In a study published earlier this year, he analyzed the impacts of trawling on the sandy floor of Morro Bay.
– The Salinas Californian, Oct. 31, 2015
What started with Professor Enid Ryce’s curiosity about art in abandoned buildings has grown into collaborations with the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, the Monterey Museum of Art and the local Veterans Transition Center.
– Monterey Herald, Nov. 10, 2015
Professor Louis Zeidberg explained that higher temperatures may be altering the briny buffet of krill and other small crustaceans that market squid eat, forcing their numbers down.
– San Jose Mercury News, Nov. 25, 2015
Research by Professor Fred Watson was featured in a story on using wetlands to curtail nitrate levels in local rivers and streams.
– The Salinas Californian, Nov. 27, 2015
Research conducted by Jarrett Bachman of CSUMB’s College of Business reveals that Laguna Seca Raceway contributed more than $60 million to the Monterey County economy in 2015.
– The Salinas Californian, Nov. 28, 2015
As part of C-SPAN's nationally televised American history series, Professor Ruben Mendoza gave a tour of the Carmel Mission and talked about Father Serra, who founded the mission.
– C-SPAN, Dec. 5, 2015
Professor Mark O’Shea was featured in a story about new K-12 science standards. With support from a federal Dept. of Education grant, Dr. O’Shea is helping to train South County teachers to implement the new curriculum.
– Monterey Herald, Dec. 15, 2015
The work of Professor Dan Fernandez, was cited in a story about capturing fog for a water source. The story pointed out Dr. Fernandez has developed and deployed dozens of “fog catchers" throughout the region, testing their effectiveness with different materials and in different coastal areas. Fernandez has taught and researched sustainability issues for many years on topics ranging from clean energy to large-scale composting, as well as water conservation.
– Bay Nature, Dec. 30, 2015
The Weekly profiled Professor Deb Busman, who teaches creative writing at CSUMB and is co-director of the university’s Creative Writing and Social Action program. She talked about her most recent book, like a woman, a novel about a teenager and her friends in L.A. trying to escape poverty.
– Monterey County Weekly, Dec. 31, 2015
Professor Ruben Mendoza was quoted in a story in the New York Times about the canonization of Father Serra.
– New York Times, Sept. 19, 2015
For many, especially students and people in academia, summer can signal a time to slow down and relax. At CSUMB, it’s the start of frenetic activity.
– Monterey County Weekly, June 25, 2015
Those involved say there is much to be proud of when talking about The Promontory – the multi-million dollar 579-bed student housing project about to open at CSUMB.
– Monterey Herald, July 15, 2015
Blending music, theater, dance and over 100 children just can’t help being fun.And so it was at CSUMB when members of CONTRA-TIEMPO Urban Latin Dance Theater held an inventive workshop with young migrant students from the Salinas City Elementary School District.
– The Salinas Californian, July 23, 2015
The Matsui Foundation is awarding more than $1 million in scholarships to students enrolling in CS-in-3, an innovative computer science bachelor’s degree program offered by CSUMB and Hartnell College.
– The Salinas Californian, July 28, 2015
Mas de 300 estudiantes provenientes de veinte del Condado de Monterey celebraronla clausura del programa “MESA Junior Otters” en la Universidad Estatal de la Bahia de Monterey. Uno de los oradores del evento fue el fundador del Teatro Campesino Luis Valdez.
– KSMS-67, July 31, 2015
According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, 50 percent of high school students admitted to CSU campuses require remedial math. This is not news to Hongde Hu, chair of the math and statistics department at CSUMB. Hu has been seeking ways to improve math performance among incoming freshmen for nearly a decade.
– Santa Cruz Sentinel, Aug. 6, 2015
. . . Despite odds stacked against him, Ricardo Mata, 27, proudly made the dean’s list during his first semester at CSUMB.
– The Salinas Californian, Aug. 7, 2015
. . . Professor of science and environmental policy Dan Fernandez has been building fog catchers for scientific purposes. He said they are used in arid communities throughout the world.
– Monterey Herald, Aug. 15, 2015
Dozens of high school students – 34 from Taiwan and an equal number from the local area – attended the annual Technology Innovation summer camp at CSUMB, designing video games and learning to program.
– American Association of State Colleges and Universities, Aug. 12, 2015
CSU Monterey Bay has received $1.2 million from the U.S. Department ofEducation to develop a program to train school psychologists.
– Monterey Herald, Aug. 17, 2015
An upstart, home grown ag tech company has its product out working farmland in the Salinas Valley with plans to broaden its product line. And two students from the CS-in-3 program run by CSUMB and Hartnell had a strong hand in designing the software.
– The Salinas Californian, Aug. 20, 2015
Eduardo Ochoa itemized numerous signs of significant progress, and outlined his vision of the future of a “transformative university” when he delivered his annual State of the University address to a large audience at the World Theater.
– Monterey Herald, Aug. 21, 2015
Bright-eyed students and emotional parents unloaded vehicles in the parking lot of CSUMB, an annual ritual at an institution that enters its 20th year with a record enrollment of more than 7,000.
– Monterey Herald, Aug. 22, 2015
When CSUMB officials last updated the campus master plan in 2007, enrollment was expected to cap at 8,500 students. Fast forward to 2015, with an enrollment of 7,000 students and a revised expected growth of 12,500 by 2020.
– Monterey Herald, Aug. 29, 2015
CSUMB is one of the top public universities in the Western United States, ranked 18th, according to the 2016 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges edition. The assessments were based on critical indicators such as graduation and retention rates, faculty resources and financial resources.
– Monterey County Business Council, Sept. 18, 2015
More than a year after it was first proposed, the purchase of the National Steinbeck Center by CSUMB has been finalized. “This is our front door to Salinas and we’re going to use this as a way to connect to the community and respond to their needs,” CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa said.
– Monterey Herald, Sept. 25, 2015
Faculty and administrators at CSUMB and nearby Hartnell College, a two-year school, are removing obstacles that keep students from completing computer science degrees, such as stereotypes about who should be in these classes.
– Insight Into Diversity, October 2015
. . . two presenters were offered by the College of Health Sciences and Human Services; the goal was to highlight the importance of services in the medical community that are culturally and linguistically appropriate.
– Monterey Herald, Oct. 1, 2015
Chancellor Tim White paid his fifth visit to CSU Monterey Bay, and if one word could be used to summarize most of the concerns expressed to him, it would be resources.
– Monterey Herald, Oct. 8, 2015
Thanks to a $1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, CSUMB will soon train its students in the hot new field of biomedical data science.
– Santa Cruz Sentinel, Oct. 23, 2015
Researchers at Cal State Monterey Bay have teamed with NASA to interpret satellite data to better understand the effects of the drought on the state’s agriculture.
– The Salinas Californian, Oct. 28, 2015
. . . CSUMB is now offering a bachelor’s degree in Sustainable Hospitality Management. The major, headed by John Avela, provides students with a broad foundation in hospitality, sustainability, leadership and management, operations, marketing and information technology.
–Monterey Herald, Nov. 5, 2015
Communications major Bernard Green had a revelation in his teens that set him on his current path: make whatever world he lived in more bikeable and walkable.
– Monterey County Weekly, Nov. 19, 2015
Student activists at CSUMB are demanding more healthful local food on campus. They are navigating the bureaucracy to rethink the CSU food system.
– Monterey Herald, Nov. 21, 2015
. . . The PartyOn team was one of nine teams competing at the fifth Startup Hackathon Monterey Bay competition at CSUMB.
– Monterey Herald, Nov. 23, 2015
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca contributed more than $62 million in direct economic benefit and more than $5 million in taxes during this year’s major racing season, according to a study by a CSU Monterey Bay professor.
– Monterey Herald, Nov. 25, 2015
CSUMB has announced a $10 million gift from Joel and Dena Gambord of Pebble Beach – the largest gift in the university’s 20-year history. It will create two endowed professorships, a fund to help students research, build and bring products from concept to market and fund scholarships.
– Philanthropy News Digest, Nov. 28, 2015
Research conducted by Jarrett Bachman of CSUMB’s College of Business reveals that Laguna Seca Raceway contributed more than $60 million to the Monterey County economy in 2015.
– The Salinas Californian, Nov. 28, 2015
Estudiantes del sexton grado del distrito escolar de Salinas, visitan la Universidad Estatal de Monterey como parte del programa, University Promise, el cual los invita a que prometan que continuaran sus estudios hasta llegar asistir y graduarse de una universidad.
– KSMS-67, Dec. 9, 2015
What do U.S. foreign policy, Don DeLillo and the physiology and disorders of sleep have in common?
They are among a diverse range of classes that will be offered in the spring through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – OLLI – at California State University, Monterey Bay. The courses and speakers are specifically geared for those 50 and better.
And the classes are filling up quickly.
OLLI at CSU Monterey Bay, with support from the Bernard Osher Foundation, is part of a national network that recognizes learning and exploration have no age limits. Members are inspired to take a fresh look at themselves, their world, and the possibilities that await them.
Among the course offerings are a variety of writing classes, an examination of two Shakespearean comedies, several film classes – from documentaries to Raymond Chandler – and a wildlife adventure at Elkhorn Slough. Former Assemblymember Fred Keeley is back with a three-session class looking at the primary election in California. New this semester is a look at climate change, and an examination of brain chemistry and behavior. Also new: three events will be held at the Steinbeck Center in Oldtown Salinas, a facility recently acquired by Cal State Monterey Bay. They include a lecture on the ancient Greeks, a writing workshop, and a three-session series featuring an insider’s view of the key challenges within local government.
Individual class offerings can be purchased, or attendees can sign up for a spring semester membership – which includes up to three courses for $105. Membership includes discounts on World Theater tickets and athletic events on campus. For more information or to register for classes, call 582-5500 or visit OLLI online at csumb.edu/olli.
CSUMB Partners with Mann Packing to establish College of Business Scholarship
Cal State Monterey Bay has signed an agreement with Mann Packing to provide a scholarship for the CSUMB College of Business. The Mann Packing Scholarship is committing $10,000 per year for the next five years.
CSUMB hosts Better Together: California Teachers Summit on July 29
Thousands of pre-kindergarten to 12th-grade teachers will convene across multiple locations in a statewide effort to help them learn from each other and share best practices in implementing the new California Standards.
Cal State Monterey Bay’s Upward Bound program continues to grow. The program is hosting nearly 100 under-privileged youth from North Monterey County, Soledad and Watsonville high schools, the largest summer group ever for the Monterey Bay region.
CSUMB technology camps offered this summer for middle and high school youth
Looking for something fun and educational for your middle school and/or high schooler? Cal State Monterey Bay is offering two, unique technology day camps this summer
Final installment of President's Speaker Series addresses transportation and marks grand opening of CSUMB @ Salinas City Center
Mark your calendars for the final installment of the 2015-2016 President Speaker Series, "Transportation, Imagining the Path to Success!"
CSUMB students win film commission scholarships
Brianna Beavers and Rose Mercurio, seniors in the Cinematic Arts and Technology Department at Cal State Monterey Bay, were awarded $1,500 scholarships in the Monterey County Film Commission's Director Emeritus Richard Tyler Student Scholarship and Award Program.
KAZU honored for excellence in journalism
KAZU has won two regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in electronic journalism. The awards are given by the Radio, Television, Digital News Association.
BuriedAbove Ground, a documentary that tracks the lives of three people trying to recover from post-traumatic stress disorder, will be screened at CSUMB's Black Box Cabaret on May 11.
The College of Education at Cal State Monterey Bay will hold a colloquium with members of local school boards on April 28.
CSUMB presents Monterey Bay Art and Film Festival for Youth
Three days of film screenings, music, art workshops and artists talks are on tap April 28-30 at the Monterey Bay Art and Film Festival for Youth at Cal State Monterey Bay and the Greenfield Cultural Arts Center.
Art in the service of science
Illustrating Nature, the annual exhibit of work by students in the CSU Monterey Bay Science Illustration program, will be on display at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History May 7 through June 12 . . . continue reading
Program marks National Minority Health Month
The community is invited to join Cal State Monterey Bay’s College of Health Sciences and Human Services on April 26 to mark National Minority Health Month. A pair of speakers will focus on farmworker and immigrant health . . . continue reading
Undergraduate research pays off big
A pair of biology majors have received National Science Foundation fellowships in the amount of $138,000 to cover the costs of three years of graduate school . . . continue reading
CSUMB students earn prestigious scholarships in STEM fields
Two students will receive Barry M. Goldwater scholarships for their work in math and science . . . continue reading
MENding Monologues returns to CSUMB
Following on the heels of Eve Ensler's "Vagina Monologues," CSUMB students continue their campaign to end sexual violence against women with three performances of "The MENding Monologues" . . . continue reading
Need help with technology?
Computer science students will provide free assistance to members of the community weekly starting March 11. At the Digital Otter Center, students will provide a variety of technology services on a drop-in basis to individuals, startups and non-profits . . . continue reading
Artificial intelligence: The end of humanity as we know it?
The annual Ethics and Responsible Business Forum will take a look at artificial intelligence. Is it, as Stephen Hawking has suggested, the end of the humanrace? Or is it a new age of 'superintelligence' in which smart devices and machines will extend human capabilities? Join guest speakers and panelists to examine the issue on March 16 . . . continue reading
Photo exhibit highlights turbulent times
Work by photojournalist Bob Fitch will be displayed at Cal State Monterey Bay for three months starting March 3. Approximately 50 images that depict historical events and intimate moments from the peace, social justice and cultural movements of the 1960s and '70s will be displayed . . . continue reading
Making college 'super'
Parishioners at two local churches will get more than a sermon at the Feb. 28 services. They'll get a pitch for the value of a college education - straight from the pulpit. CSUMB administrators will visit churches in Seaside that day as part of a CSU program called Super Sunday . . . continue reading
Living Memorial for Women and War
Three academic departments at Cal State Monterey Bay have joined forces to present a “Living Memorial,” a series of public art installations, performances and discussions called “Songs for Women Living with War” . . . continue reading
Flamenco comes to the World TheaterThe acclaimed Madrid-based Spanish company Noche Flamenca, led by the husband-and-wife team of Martin Santangelo and Soledad Barrio, will perform at CSU Monterey Bay's World Theater on March 12 . . . continue reading
Former NAACP head to speak at commencement
Ben Jealous, former head of the NAACP, will be the keynote speaker at CSU Monterey Bay's commencement ceremonies May 21 . . . continue reading
Science dean named at CSUMB
Andrew Lawson, interim dean of Science and Mathematics at Fresno State University, has been named dean of Cal State Monterey Bay’s College of Science. He will begin his new duties July 1 . . . continue reading
CSUMB joins effort to re-imagine freshman year
Cal State Monterey Bay is one of 44 colleges selected for a pilot program, Re-imagining the First Year of College, that aims to transform the freshman year in order to improve students’ chances of success in school and in the 21st century workplace . . . continue reading
CSUMB expands its presence in Salinas
Cal State Monterey Bay has leased the main building vacated by last year’s closure of Heald College in Salinas and will begin offering classes in that facility later this year . . . continue reading
Panel examines issues around workforce development
Building the workforce of the 21st century will be the topic addressed by a panel of experts on March 2, when the President’s Speaker Series resumes at Cal State Monterey Bay . . . continue reading
Former Congresswoman visits CSUMB Feb. 24
CSU Monterey Bay’s College of Health Sciences and Human Services celebrates Black History Month with a lecture by physician and former Congresswoman Donna Christensen on Feb. 24 . . . continue reading
Challenges facing women entrepreneurs topic of forum
This semester’s Entrepreneurship Forum at Cal State Monterey Bay features a discussion on the challenges and rewards women face in participating in startups and tech companies . . . continue reading
POWERFUL WORDS – Monologues tell women's stories
The Vagina Monologues returns to CSU Monterey Bay Feb. 11, 12 and 13. CSUMB's production is directed and produced by students, and features 22 student actors . . . continue reading
New degree offered in Human Development and Family Studies
CSU Monterey Bay’s College of Education has announced a new Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) undergraduate degree program, scheduled to begin in fall 2016 . . . continue reading
Latino Americans screenings continue Feb. 9
“Prejudice and Pride,” part of the Latino Americans: 500 Years of History documentary series, will be screened Feb. 9 at the Cesar Chavez Library in Salinas. A poetry reading by CSUMB Professor Diana Garcia will accompany the film showing . . . continue reading
Student's artwork tapped for race logo
As publicity kicks in for the annual Together with Love 5 and 10K race, colorful posters are popping up around the local area. The artwork was done by CSU Monterey Bay student Andrew Bailey in Professor Bobbi Long’s introduction to digital graphic design class . . . continue reading
Exhibit explores art, symbolism of Fort Ord
Cal State Monterey Bay and the Monterey Museum of Art are collaborating on a community-based project featuring the voices and artwork of military veterans. Insignias of Fort Ord: Art in Everyday Military Life opens Feb. 11 at the museum’s Pacific Street location. A series of talks and film screenings will accompany the exhibit . . . continue reading
Applications soar for fall enrollment
A record number of students applied to attend CSUMonterey Bay in the fall 2016 semester. The university received 16,182 freshmen applications by the Nov. 30 deadline to apply. That’s up almost 5 percent from the previous year . . . continue reading
Students help with one city’s move toward a more sustainable future
The city of Salinas city chosen as the partner for CSUMB’s first Sustainable City Year Program, a collaboration involving a handful of classes working with city officials toward a more sustainable, livable city . . . continue reading
Birds of a feather count together
Volunteers are needed on Saturday morning, Jan. 16, to look for hawks, geese, ducks, wrens and a variety of other species at the Watershed Institute’s annual winter bird count at Upper Carr Lake in Salinas. Experienced birders and novices are welcome to help during the three-hour count . . . continue reading
Learning for the fun of it
What do U.S. foreign policy, Don DeLillo and the physiology and disorders of sleep have in common? They are among a diverse range of classes that will be offered in the spring through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – OLLI – at California State University, Monterey Bay. The courses and speakers are specifically geared for those 50 and better . . . continue reading
RETURN OF THE NATIVES' ANNUAL BIRD COUNT SET FOR JAN. 16
Volunteers are needed starting at 7 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 16, to look for hawks, geese, ducks, wrens and a variety of other species at the Watershed Institute’s annual winter bird count at Upper Carr Lake in Salinas. Experienced birders and novices are welcome to help during the three-hour count.
The lake, on East Laurel Drive between Constitution Boulevard and Sanborn Road, is a resting stop for migratory birds. In 2015, volunteers from CSU Monterey Bay’s Return of the Natives project identified more than 70 species, including American coots, yellow-rumped warblers, a few egrets and several varieties of hawks. Participants will be provided with a data sheet on the birds of Monterey County, published by the Monterey Peninsula Audubon Society, and a pair of binoculars. After the bird count, volunteers are invited to help clean up the lake from 10 a.m. to noon. Tools, water and snacks will be provided.
Carr Lake has become an inviting habitat for birds, which emphasizes the purpose of the second half of the morning – to keep Upper Carr Lake clean and healthy so that the birds keep coming back.
The local bird survey is one of 2,100 similar counts over the last month. As many as 55,000 National Audubon Society volunteers from Guam to Labrador and from Alaska to Chile slog through the woods, find their way up mountains or look out their kitchen windows for the squawking, quacking and tweeting flocks.
Return of the Natives will submit the information it gathers to California eBird, the Audubon Society’s online database.
For more information, contact Lauren Krohmer at lkrohmer@csumb.edu or call 582-3686.
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Students help with one city’s move toward a more sustainable future
The city of Salinas is getting help from Cal State Monterey Bay students and faculty members.
The city was chosen as the partner for CSUMB’s first Sustainable City Year Program, a collaboration involving a handful of classes working with city officials toward a more sustainable, livable city.
“Students bring enthusiasm and get real-world experience, faculty members bring expertise,” said Professor Dan Fernandez, who is coordinating the yearlong effort. In addition, the program provides opportunities for community engagement and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Several topics were tackled during the fall semester:
• Professor Fernandez’s Environmental Studies 375 class, Sustainability Systems, looked at and modeled aspects of traffic congestion on West Alisal Street, examining different models of road modifications.
• Dr. Bhupendra Patel’s Social and Behavioral Sciences 361 class in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) helped city officials address challenges they face with driving and parking infrastructure.
• Students in Professor Jennifer Dyer-Seymour’s Psychology 395 special topics class looked at the role smartphones play in affecting the quality of communication between parents and their children in public venues.
Spring classes will continue to look at traffic congestion, walkability and bikeability along West Alisal Street, the use of GIS to inform the sustainable development of downtown Salinas, and the ways in which Salinas parents and children effectively communicate. The project is conceptual in principle, but the hope is that it provides insight to the city, while giving students exposure to challenges facing local governments. The Sustainable City Year Program started at the University of Oregon in 2009 when several faculty members, knowing the pressures that cities face with limited budgets, outdated infrastructure and ailing urban centers, saw an opportunity.
Since then, the idea has spread to other universities, including San Diego State, which has had dozens of classes participate each year on multiple city-related projects.
While the program is in its first year at CSUMB, Dr. Fernandez wants it to continue. “I hope the Sustainable City Year Program goes on indefinitely,” he said.
Published Jan. 12, 2016
A record number of students applied to attend CSU Monterey Bay in the fall 2016 semester.
The university received 16,182 freshmen applications by the Nov. 30 deadline to apply. That’s up almost 5 percent from the previous year. The number of transfer students applying to attend CSUMB increased 15.3 percent to 4,182.
Current enrollment is 7,102.
The entire California State University system received a record number of applications for fall, with more than 830,000 submitted by prospective students, marking a 4.8 percent increase and more than 40,000 applications over last year’s total.
“CSUMB has become a first-choice institution,” said Dr. Ronnie Higgs, vice president for student affairs and enrollment services. “Students from the region, California and beyond know that CSUMB will prepare them for success.”
Published Jan. 13, 2016
Insignias of Fort Ord opens Feb. 11
Cal State Monterey Bay and the Monterey Museum of Art are collaborating on a community-based project featuring the voices and artwork of military veterans.
Insignias of Fort Ord: Art in Everyday Military Life opens Feb. 11 at the museum’s Pacific Street location. A series of talks and film screenings will accompany the exhibit.
Professor Enid Baxter Ryce, chair of the university’s Cinematic Arts and Technology Department, created the exhibition in collaboration with the Veterans Transition Center (VTC) of Marina and CSUMB students to explore the art and symbolism of Fort Ord. It includes original works by members of the VTC and the CSUMB community, student films and Professor Ryce’s artwork.
The work produced by members of the VTC is part of an art therapy program where veterans engage in hands-on art activities led by Professor Ryce – the museum’s artist in residence – intended to introduce them to the healing power of art.
The student films tell the stories of local veterans and were collected as part of the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress.The films will be shown at the Smithsonian’s National Gallery Theater in 2017.
In an interactive area, museum visitors will be able to create and leave personal insignias that say something about their life, family or community
The public opening will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Feb. 11; the exhibit runs through April 18. The museum is located at 559 Pacific Street in downtown Monterey.
These programs will be held in conjunction with the exhibit:
As publicity kicks in for the annual Together with Love 5 and 10K race, colorful posters are popping up around the local area.
The artwork was done by CSU Monterey Bay student Andrew Bailey in Professor Bobbi Long’s introduction to digital graphic design class.
This is the fifth year the Monterey County Rape Crisis Center, sponsor of the annual race that is held near Valentine’s Day, has worked with CSUMB to develop the logo that is used in marketing materials – in print ads, on television, online and on coffee mugs – and on the T-shirts given to the 1,200 race participants.
The challenge for students is to come up with a design that combines the “Together with Love” theme, the date of the race and MCRCC’s full name, and that communicates the purpose of the event. Staff members from the center made several visits to the class to introduce the project, work with the students, and provide feedback. “We so appreciate Professor Long inviting us to be a part of her class and the work of the students who put together some really great designs,” said Clare Mounteer, Rape Crisis Cente rexecutive director. “We love this partnership with CSUMB and hope it goes on for many years.”
Published Jan. 20, 2016
Talk by director Ray Telles will accompany the film showing
During the 2015-16 school year, Cal State Monterey Bay has been showing films and offering public programs to celebrate Latino Americans: 500 Years of History, an exploration of the rich and varied experiences of the country’s largest minority group. The six-part documentary was created for the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in 2013. The local screenings are made possible through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association. At 6 p.m., Feb. 17, another installment in the series will be shown at the CSUMB Music Hall on Sixth Avenue and Butler Street.
“Peril and Promise" takes viewers through the years from 1980 to 2000. It examines how the nature of the Latino Diaspora changed, with a second wave of Cuban refugees and hundreds of thousands of Central Americans fleeing death squads and mass murders. By the early 1990s, a political debate over illegal immigration had begun.
Globalization, empowered by NAFTA, means that as U.S. manufacturers move south, Mexican workers head north in record numbers. A backlash ensues, but a sea change is under way – the coalescence of a new phenomenon called Latino American culture – as Latinos spread geographically and make their mark in music, sports, politics, business and education.
A talk by director and producer Ray Telles will precede the screening.
The event is free and open to the public.
Published Feb. 10, 2016
The university's outdoor emergency notification system will be tested today at approximately 11:50 a.m.
During the test, the system will broadcast a tone, followed by a voice message over speakers located around campus. The alert tones are loud and distinct and should be easily heard by anyone who is outdoors on the main campus.
Like all of the university's emergency communication tools, the outdoor notification system is tested on a regular basis – the forth Friday of each month – to ensure it is working properly and to help familiarize the campus community with how it will operate in an emergency.
Other emergency communication methods the university has in place include Otter Alert text messages, emergency messaging via the web, e-mail distribution, and a telephone hotline featuring a recorded message at 582-5044.
For more information on emergency preparedness, visit the university's emergency web page
Sign up for emergency text message alertshttps://csumb.edu/police/personal-safety-0
CSU Monterey Bay kicked off the spring semester on Jan. 25 with a staff and faculty appreciation breakfast, and even a massive snowstorm didn’t derail the event.
President Eduardo Ochoa and Provost Bonnie Irwin were forced to miss the breakfast when their flights were cancelled due to the storm that hit Washington, D.C., where they were attending an academic conference. Other administrations filled in and the breakfast went on as planned.
Honorees include:
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS 5 years • Naseem Badiey, Social, Behavioral & Global Studies • Jennifer Benge, Cinematic Arts & Technology • John Cusick, Social, Behavioral & Global Studies • Jason Filice, Technology Support Services • Joseph Haselton, College of Business • Annette LeTourneau, Liberal Studies • Andrew Walling, Network Services • Heather Wilde, Psychology 10 years • Jennifer Bliss, Sponsored Programs • Haven Brearton, Health, Human Services & Public Policy • Irene Casas-Ruiz, World Languages & Cultures • Elizabeth MacDonald, Technology Support Services • Jacinto Salazar III, Center for Advising, Career and Student Success • Monica Soto, Academic Skills Achievement Program • Mary Jo Zenk, Institute for Innovation & Economic Development 15 years • William Jones, Liberal Studies • Lianne Minemoto, Conference & Event Services • Ann Riley, Social, Behavioral & Global Studies 20 years• Susan Alexander, Science & Environmental Policy • Jeffrey Froshman, College of Business • Lilly Martinez, Psychology • Martha Strolle, World Languages & Cultures
ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE 5 years • Andrea Olsen, Payroll Services 10 years • Michael Lerch, Facilities Services & Operations • Abe Pedroza, Accounting 15 years • Patrick “Andy” Sierra, Plant Operations 20 years • Timothy Riggs, Plant Operations UNIVERSITY CORPORATION 5 years • Joseph Chiappa, Student Housing & Residential Life • Lamberto Figueroa, Early Outreach & Support Programs 10 years • Gayleene Badiango-Rullan, Student Housing & Residential Life • Victor Salas, University Corporation Accounting 15 years • Natasha Oehlman, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center STUDENT AFFAIRS & ENROLLMENT SERVICES 5 years• Jasmine Alcones, Admissions 10 years • Monyca Drone, Campus Service Center • Maria Angeles Fuentes, Financial Aid • Fernanda Vazquez, Financial Aid UNIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT 5 years • Clarisa Avila, Corporation and Foundation Relations PRESIDENT’S OFFICE 5 years • Natalie Lockwood, University Personnel 10 years • Laura Tantillo, University Personnel Faculty honorees • Enid Ryce, CSUMB’s nominee for the Wang Family Excellence Award in Visual and Performing Arts and Letters • Yoshiko Saito-Abbott, the campus nominee for the U.S. Professor of the Year Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
Reading remarks prepared by Dr. Irwin, Dean Ilene Feinman told the group that everyone plays an important role in helping students succeed and thrive “whether you see students every day or not. Some of you rarely see a student, yet the work you do allows that student to get their classes, access the Internet, have a place to live and learn, see a concert, pay their bill, work out an academic or personal problem.”
Kevin Saunders, vice president for Administration and Finance and head of the University Corporation, reminded the gathering “my groups are the unsung heroes. They’re behind the scenes, but they keep the university humming.” He was referring to the campus police department, parking, facilities, campus planning and development, payroll, housing and dining services, among others.
VP for Student Affairs and Enrollment Services Ronnie Higgs sounded a similar theme. “When we do our jobs well in Student Affairs, you don’t hear about us,” he said. Among the offices he mentioned were the Campus Service Center, Financial Aid, Student Conduct and the Dean of Students.
Barbara Zappas, vice president for development, shared that her division brought in over $5 million in philanthropic support in the last year, a 25 percent increase.
Andre Lewis, associate vice president for University Affairs, brought the breakfast to a close. “I hope that each of you can find a little time in your busy day to reach out to a colleague who is doing good work, and tell him or her that those efforts are appreciated,” he said.
Published Jan. 25, 2016
Patrick Mulcahy, a 2015 graduate of CSU Monterey Bay’s master’s program in applied marine and watershed science, has been named a California Sea Grant Fellow for 2016. He is one of 21 recipients of the prestigious fellowship, awarded annually to highly qualified graduate students and recent graduates. For 12 months, the fellows get on-the-job experience at a host agency involved with marine policy, environmental quality and resource management. Mulcahy’s assignment takes him to Sacramento, where he’ll work with the State Lands Commission. He’ll research and communicate the history and potential impacts of natural oil and gas seeps.
While at CSUMB, he served an internship with Dr. Corey Garza’s Marine Landscape Ecology Lab, researching a spatially explicit predictive GIS model of climate change.
Previously, he interned with the Center for Ocean Solutions, working in graduate education and outreach.
The Spanish spoken in the Salinas Valley has shown a remarkable degree of resilience, complexity and prowess that merits closer study, according to a pair of CSU Monterey Bay professors.
That’s the conclusion of Dr. Juan José Gutiérrez of the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies, and Dr. Gabriela Zapata of the university’s School of World Languages and Cultures, who are currently conducting research there. Their work is sponsored by a faculty grant.
The project originated with preliminary research by Dr. Zapata on the Spanish language spoken in the Salinas Valley, and Dr. Gutierrez's work on the cultural and social capital of local Spanish-speaking communities.
The resilience of the Spanish language is remarkable and deserves study, according to the researchers, because of the distance of the Salinas Valley from the border and because it shows a second generation of speakers who have not received formal training in the language, yet command a level of Spanish that is comparable to that of children growing up in regions where it is the first language.
According to the researchers, the project explores the specific ways in which the Spanish language plays a role in the economic, cultural and social life of many communities in California.
Dr. Gutierrez was recently interviewed about this work in Querétaro, Mexico, where he was visiting researchers from the University of Queretaro. The Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro is the first university with which CSUMB had a formal student exchange program.
During the interview, Dr. Gutierrez explained that combining fields of expertise – such as linguistics and cultural anthropology – brings perspective to complex research projects such as the work in the Salinas Valley.
Published Jan. 27,2016
CSU Monterey Bay’s College of Education has announced a new Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) undergraduate degree program, scheduled to begin in fall 2016.
The HDFS bachelor of arts program will teach students about human growth and change through all stages of life, focusing on how families develop and grow in specific contexts and environments. Students will learn about the diversity of families and how culture and community can define appropriate practices across the lifespan.
That approach, evaluating how those factors define developmental practices, is what makes this program unique, according to Deanne Perez-Granados, department chair and associate professor in the Liberal Studies department. It’s particularly valuable for teachers.
“The HDFS program is excellent preparation for students pursuing careers in early childhood education, covering transitional kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade, and will offer community Head Start teachers an academic pathway to a B.A. degree, meeting federal and state mandates for education and training of early care and education professionals. The program also prepares professionals in adult education, health education, parent education, and post-secondary education,” she said.
Teaching and education aren’t the only professions that could be potential career paths for HDFS graduates. Social work and counseling are other options, along with non-profit and health, or careers in business and research. Regardless, students will be well prepared. The HDFS program includes course work, fieldwork, service learning, and a capstone project.
“Given the high demand for professionals in these critical areas,we expect our new HDFS major to grow and thrive in the coming years,” Perez-Granados said. “The HDFS program at CSUMB is timely; it fills needs from the academic campus and community workforce.”
For more information on the HDFS program, contact Deanne Perez-Granados at (831) 582-4322 or at human_development@csumb.edu.
Published Jan. 27, 2016
Starting Feb. 1, the frequency of custodial services on campus will change.
Common areas and classrooms will be cleaned five days a week instead of three times a week. Offices will continue to be cleaned once a week.
Carpets will be shampooed twice a year instead of annually.
The attached document gives more details on the campus custodial services, and a service schedule.
For more information, contact Alfredo Corona, operations and service contracts manager, at ext. 3706 or acorona@csumb.edu
Do physiological factors drive exercise addiction? Does substance abuse play a role?
CSU Monterey Bay kinesiology professors Brian Cook and Ryan Luke will present research to address these questions, among others, at the International Conference on Behavioral Addictions in Geneva, Switzerland, March 14-16.
Drs. Cook and Luke, along with CSUMB kinesiology professors Lisa Leininger and Joanna Morrissey, authored the conference abstract focusing on physiological factors that may explain differences between being addicted to exercise and simply exercising a lot. The relationship between drug/alcohol use and exercise dependence (or addiction) was examined in a sample of 197 people, or “regular exercisers,” as stated in the abstract. According to Dr. Cook, the research methodology analyzed group differences in exercise amount and intensity, sedentary behavior and substance abuse. “It would be helpful to identify a pattern of addictions that are similar,” Cook said. “This would suggest that a similar underlying mechanism, such as brain physiology, would contribute to exercise dependence.”
Their results: exercise dependence had no association with substance abuse. However, effects of strenuous, intense exercise show increased stimulus in those at risk for exercise dependence. To put it simply, Dr. Cook said, some people are wired differently to respond to hard exercise. They get more of a “high” from increased endorphin release. Further research is needed to explain why, he said.
Published Feb. 1, 2016
The Vagina Monologues returns to CSU Monterey Bay Feb. 11, 12 and 13. The play has received rave reviews in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. Written by Eve Ensler, the Vagina Monologues tells the stories of a variety of women, their connections with each other and with the world. CSUMB's production is directed and produced by students – Annette Prieto and Mirella Leyva, respectively – and features 22 student actors. The monologues dive into the mystery, humor, pain, power, wisdom, outrage and excitement buried in women’s experiences. They address issues such as rape, birth, sex and relationships; some are serious, some are funny, all are enlightening and explore new and interesting viewpoints for both men and women. Benefit performances are scheduled around the world in connection with Valentine's Day. The CSUMB production is put on by EMPOWER, a student organization that educates the community about violence against women. The proceeds will be donated to the Monterey Rape Crisis Center and Dorothy’s Kitchen. Parents, please note the mature content and graphic language used in the play.
The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament begins Feb. 10. The campus community should be aware of the increased traffic in the area during tournament week.
Spectators and volunteers will park in two locations: the northwest end of campus and north of the pool.
Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard will be closed north of Inter-Garrison Road during this time. However, the North Quad parking lots will remain accessible.
Looking for a way to reduce the stress of tax season? CSU Monterey Bay students and faculty working with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance – VITA – program may have an answer.
Until the end of tax season, approximately 40 student and three faculty volunteers from the College of Business will provide free assistance with state and federal income tax preparation.
The VITA program is sponsored by United Way Monterey County.
CSUMB volunteers are working at all nine county locations, including the Marina library. Volunteers must complete a 30-hour training class and pass a rigorous Internal Revenue Service examination to participate.
Families and individuals who earned less than $54,000 in 2015 are eligible. Filers must bring photo identification, Social Security card or ITIN card for workers, their W-2 and 1099 forms and a blank check for direct deposit. Appointments are not necessary.
Tax forms will be filed electronically. If a refund is due, it will be deposited in the taxpayer's account.
“It’s a good service learning opportunity for students. The first year – 2010 – five students participated. In 2014, the number of student volunteers was 24, and now it’s about 40, all contributing their expertise to help local families,” said Dr. Cathy Ku, professor of accounting at CSUMB and a volunteer tax preparer.
There is no charge for the tax preparation, no charge for direct deposit to the taxpayer’s bank account and no hidden fees. A list of community locations, dates and hours, is available on the United Way website.
Published Feb. 5, 2016
This semester’s Entrepreneurship Forum at Cal State Monterey Bay, set for Feb. 11, features a discussion on the challenges and rewards women face in startups and tech companies.
The small number of women in tech companies and startups has been the subject of much discussion in the media and in the companies themselves. The increasing importance of the technology sector in the economy makes this a challenge that must be addressed. The forum will look at ways to encourage women and to create more opportunities to participate in these companies.
Panel members include:
• Theresa Ream, owner of Disaster Kleenup Specialists, Excel Carpet Care, Cypress Cabinets and Floor Store USA
• Catherine Mikkelson, founder of Brain Parenting; partner of BrindleLabs; co-founder of The Memphis Project
• Catherine Hambley, Ph.D., senior consultant to the Academy of Brain-Based Leadership; coach of several TED talk presenters; executive coach/facilitator/trainer at the NeuroLeadership Institute
The free forum, to be held from 4 to 6 p.m. in the University Center ballroom, is sponsored by the College of Business and its Institute for Innovation and Economic Development.
For more information, contact MaryJo Zenk at 831-582-3230 or e-mail her at mzenk@csumb.edu
The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Driving directions and a campus map can be found here. Visitors must purchase a parking permit from the machine on the lot or online.
About CSU Monterey Bay’s EntrepreneurshipForums
Each semester, the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development of the College of Business hosts an Entrepreneurship Forum. Past forums have addressed topics including how startups quickly nail the product that sells; advice from lenders; a look at crowd funding; and protecting intellectual property.
Published Feb. 7, 2016
CSU Monterey Bay’s College of Health Sciences and Human Services celebrates Black History Month with a lecture by former Congresswoman Donna Christensen on Feb. 24.
Dr. Christensen, the first female physician to serve in Congress, was a non-voting delegate from the Virgin Islands to the U.S. House of Representatives from 1996 to 2014.
She was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus’ Health Braintrust, which oversees and advocates for minority health issues, and was instrumental in the development of the Affordable Care Act. She believes health care is the civil rights issue of the 21st century.
The American Medical Association honored her with its Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service. Dr. Christensen will talk on “The Affordable Care Act: Health, Civil Rights and Job Creation.” The lecture will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue between A and B streets. A reception will follow the presentation. While the event is free, visitors must buy a parking permit from a machine on the lot. The lecture is sponsored by Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital, Natividad Medical Center, Doctors on Duty and the Visiting Nurses Association. What: “The Affordable Care Act, Health, Civil Rights and Job Creation,” by Dr. Donna Christensen When: Feb. 24, 3-5 p.m. Where: CSUMB’s World Theater, Sixth Avenue between A and B streets Cost: Free, but a parking permit is required Information/disability accommodations: Kaylee Rivera, 582-3736 Published Feb. 8, 2016
Building the workforce of the 21st century will be the topic addressed by a panel of experts on March 2, when the President’s Speaker Series resumes at Cal State Monterey Bay.
A thriving Monterey Bay region requires a skilled, educated workforce to power future high-tech, high-value, sustainable industries of the 21st century. How can we identify what skills academic and vocational institutions should teach their students to help us achieve these goals? What are the new educational and training models that leverage technology to connect students and workers with the jobs and companies of the future?
Panelists include:
This year’s speaker series is made possible by a generous contribution from Bud and Rebecca Colligan.
The discussion will start at 3:30 p.m. in the World Theater on Sixth Avenue near A Street. A question-and-answer session and a public reception will follow.
The community is invited to this free event. Reservations are requested and can be made by calling the World Theater box office at 582-4580, or online.
To request special accommodations or for more information, call the box office.
The speaker series is in keeping with Cal State Monterey Bay’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
Published Feb. 8, 2016
CLASSES TO BE OFFERED AT NORTH MAIN STREET LOCATION
Cal State Monterey Bay has leased the main building vacated by last year’s closure of Heald College in Salinas and will begin offering classes in that facility later this year.
The lease, which went into effect Feb. 1, is for a 25,000-square-foot building located on North Main Street off Alvin Drive. The building includes 11 classrooms, several of which can serve as labs, and a number of offices. The facility will be known as CSUMB @ North Salinas.
“Leasing the building previously occupied by Heald College will allow us to increase our outreach and our course offerings to Salinas and the Salinas Valley,” said CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa. “With the space crunch on our main campus, and the need to expand higher education opportunities in Salinas, this seemed to provide an ideal opportunity.” The building has been vacant since last April, when the for-profit college’s parent company Corinthian Colleges, Inc., announced it was closing its remaining campuses.
Last week, university officials, faculty and staff visited the building and began the discussion of what courses could be offered there.
CSUMB currently works with Hartnell College in Salinas on a number of academic programs, including nursing, the CS-in-3 computer science program, and agriculture technology. Some of those classes could be offered in this building.
As CSUMB has grown to its current enrollment of about 7,100, academic leaders have also discussed launching new programs. For example, courses toward a potential new criminal justice major could be housed in the new building.
Office space is available for enrollment, financial aid and other outreach programs as well. The university will announce more specific plans as their development moves forward.
The first CSUMB classes to be available at the facility will be through Extended Education, with other academic classes likely to be available for the fall semester, which begins in August. Extended Education offerings could include summer session courses, non-credit professional development workshops and certificate programs, and master’s degree completion programs.
Meanwhile, the university is also moving forward with its plans for the National Steinbeck Center’s building in downtown Salinas, which was purchased by the University Corporation last year. Renovations are continuing on the building, to be known as CSUMB @ Salinas City Center. (The National Steinbeck Center remains the name of the non-profit organization that manages the Steinbeck Museum and affiliated programs, which will continue to occupy about half of the downtown structure.) The university’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) will hold two programs in the Salinas City Center facility in early March. Other CSUMB plans for the building include:
Published Feb. 9, 2016
SCHOOLS WILL TEST PROGRAMS FOR HELPING STUDENTS SUCCEED
Cal State Monterey Bay is one of 44 colleges nationwide selected for a pilot program coordinated by the Association of American State Colleges and Universities (AASCU).
The three-year program, Re-imagining the First Year of College (RFY), aims to transform the freshman year in order to improve students’ chances of success in school and in the 21st century workplace. It is funded through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and USA Funds.
“We are honored to be involved in such a prestigious and worthwhile project,” said CSUMB Provost Bonnie Irwin. “The Re-imagining the First Year of College project will allow CSUMB to continue to work on student success on campus and it will align nicely with Monterey County's cradle-to-career partnership, Bright Futures.”
The first year of college is a critical barrier to student success, the point at which schools experience the greatest loss of students. The goal of the RFY is to help the 44 participating colleges implement changes that enhance the first-year experience, increase retention and improve graduation rates, particularly among historically underserved populations – low income, first generation and students of color.
AASCU has put together a list of what it calls “the most promising practices” based on tested strategies from across the country. Each campus has to commit to at least one strategy at four levels: institutional, curriculum, faculty/staff, and students.
CSUMB will also participate in a learning community with the other colleges and universities selected for the RFY.
By the end of three years, the goal is for each campus to have a better strategy for student success with measurable results on things such as retention and credits earned, plus a broader support network. AASCU will have a repository of best practices to share with the higher education community.
“Our graduation rates are rising,” Dr. Irwin said, “but with this extra effort and the collaboration of our colleagues across the country, we will be able to provide even better support for students. The CSUMB project team is passionate about this work and excited to get started.”
Published Feb. 11, 2016
Dr. Stephanie Anne Johnson, professor of Visual and Public Art, was awarded a writing residency in Atlanta last fall. During that time, she wrote a second play, Mrs. Reiff and The Counterfeit Shop. This autobiographical play about the relationship between a black teenager and a Holocaust survivor was presented to a standing-room-only audience at the East Bay Jewish Community Center in January. She co-curated the Black Love exhibit at the JanRae Gallery in Oakland, recently served as a juror for The Art of Living Black, and was a review panelist for the San Francisco Art Commission.
Andrew Lawson, interim dean of Science and Mathematics at Fresno State University, has been named dean of Cal State Monterey Bay’s College of Science.
He will begin his new duties July 1. Prior to his current position, Dr. Lawson served as a faculty member, chair of the Department of Plant Science and associate dean at Fresno State. “Dr. Lawson has an excellent record of teaching and research, is a successful grant writer and fundraiser, and has ample experience in accreditation and assessment,” said CSUMB Provost Bonnie Irwin. Dr. Lawson earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and a Ph.D. in entomology from the University of California, Berkeley, where he did post-doctoral work in entomology, focusing on the use of natural enemies to control urban forest insect pests. He has been active in university service at Fresno State as chair of the University General Education Committee, the University Assessment Committee and the accreditation committee. Dr. Lawson said he is "excited to join a college committed to student success in the sciences and to build on the innovation that has allowed the university to distinguish itself in research and engagement." He replaces Marsha Moroh, a founding faculty member who had been dean of the college since 1996. Dr. Moroh retired in December.
Published Feb. 12, 2016
By the end of the semester, the capstone project of two Visual and Public Art students will grace a wall of CSUMB’s Dining Commons.
UPDATE: An opening reception and artists' presentation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., May 11 in the Dining Commons
Tanya Carbajal and Mercedes Maciel won the Earth Award, an opportunity to create a 7 feet by 20 feet mural and a stipend to pay for the materials. Professor Dio Mendoza worked with the Dining Commons staff to create the award.
Carbajal and Maciel had to complete a rigorous application process that included a 10-image portfolio, letters of recommendation and a letter of intent. The VPA faculty selected the winners.
The design will focus on sustainability as it relates to the food industry and will depict the cycle of food – from the fields to the kitchen to the table to compost and back to the fields.
The topic resonated with both students. “Food sustainability interested me due to my job as a banquet server,” said Carbajal. “I had to dispose of copious amounts of food and it made me more aware of how wasteful we can be. “I hope not only to educate myself about food sustainability, but also to share my knowledge to create awareness about the topic,” she said. For Maciel, the theme was even more personal. “My father, a migrant worker, has spent most of his life working for a food cannery, and my mother is a cook for restaurants and catering. They taught me to appreciate the hard work that goes into the food process,” she said. “With this mural, my goal is to invite the young viewers who visit the Dining Commons to think about the importance of this topic while honoring the people whose hard work makes the food cycle possible.” The design has what the artists call a “humanistic tone.” “We have chosen to depict the agricultural workers, kitchen staff, students,” Maciel said.
The mural will be completed in the VPA complex – painted on several tyvek panels – and installed in the Dining Commons the first week of May.
Cal State Monterey Bay and the Monterey Museum of Art have collaborated on a community-based project featuring the voices and artwork of military veterans.
“Insignias of Fort Ord: Art in Everyday Military Life” opened Feb. 11 at the museum’s Pacific Street location. Professor Enid Baxter Ryce, chair of the university’s Cinematic Arts and Technology Department, created the exhibition in collaboration with the Veterans Transition Center (VTC) of Marina and CSUMBs students to explore the art and symbolism of Fort Ord.
Among the related events is a talk by Dr. Tomás Summers Sandoval on “The Invisible History of the Vietnam War in Mexican America,” to be held at 7 p.m., March 7, in CSUMB’s University Center. The public is invited to this free event.
Dr. Summers Sandoval, an associate professor of history and Chicano/Latino Studies at Pomona College, has led an oral history project that examines the impact of the Vietnam War on Latino communities. He told radio station KQED that the sacrifices of Latino Vietnam War veterans have never been fully measured. “During the war, the military didn’t keep separate data on Latinos. Latinos were not considered their own racial ethnic category; they were just folded into the white population.” At that time, around 10 percent of U.S. residents were Latino but Latinos made up 20 percent of all U.S. troops killed in Vietnam, according to research done at Cal State Los Angeles. That research covered only the first few years of the conflict, he said. He’s going
further, scrutinizing census data and casualty reports to learn the true number of those lost.
It’s estimated that more than 200,000 Mexican Americans fought in the war. For those who returned home, the war altered the course of their lives, reshaping their economic and educational trajectories, as well as their notions of identity, nation and world.
In his talk, Dr. Summers Sandoval will explore the long-term impact of the war on Mexican American communities in the late 20th century.
While the event is free, visitors must purchase a parking permit from a machine on the lot. The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. For more information, or to request disability accommodations, call 582-3743.
The event was organized by CSUMB's Division of Humanities and Communication, and is co-sponsored by the Cinematic Arts and Technology Department, the School of World Languages and Cultures, the Office of Inclusive Excellence, the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the Columbia University master's program in oral history.
Published Feb. 15, 2016
Faculty member, students join Library of Congress staff members Feb. 25
“Insignias of Fort Ord: Art in Everyday Military Life” opened Feb. 11 at Monterey Museum of Art's Pacific Street location and will be up through April 18. Professor Enid Baxter Ryce, chair of the university’s Cinematic Arts and Technology Department, created the exhibition in collaboration with the Veterans Transition Center of Marina and CSUMB students to explore the art and symbolism of Fort Ord. The exhibit includes oral histories of local veterans collected by Professor Ryce and her students. Those histories will be included in the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress.
Rachel Mears, section head for Collections Access, Preservation and Analysis, and Megan Harris, reference specialist, will visit on Feb. 25 from the Library of Congress to help illuminate the Veterans History Project collections, speak to both the elemental and universal importance of place-based memories expressed in the collections, and answer questions about participation.
Harris and Mears will talk at noon in the Cinematic Arts Building on Sixth Avenue and at 6 p.m. at the Monterey Museum of Art’s Pacific Street location. They will be joined on a panel by Professor Ryce, students who worked on the project and veterans.
The Veterans History Project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the firsthand remembrances of U.S. war veterans from World War I through the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.
Completely reliant on the voluntary participation of people around the country interviewing the veterans in their lives and communities, the project, now 15 years old, holds more than 99,000 individual stories.
Read a blog post about the Veterans History Project and Fort Ord
Published Feb. 16, 2016
Two ceremonies will be held May 21
Ben Jealous, former head of the NAACP, will be the keynote speaker at CSU Monterey Bay’s commencement ceremonies May 21.
This year marks two milestones for CSUMB – the university celebrates its 20th commencement, and for the first time, two ceremonies will be held.
Graduates from the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Business will be celebrated at 10 a.m. The 3 p.m. ceremony will honor graduates from the College of Education, the College of Health Sciences and Human Services and the College of Science. Both will be held at Freeman Stadium on campus.
Mr. Jealous, who grew up on the Monterey Peninsula, is one of the country’s most influential leaders on issues of civil and human rights. He graduated from Columbia University, and then earned a master’s degree from Oxford where he was a Rhodes Scholar. At age 35, became the youngest leader of the NAACP in the organization’s long history. He strengthened the NAACP financially and became its public face, taking a thoughtful and prominent role in the ongoing discussions of racial justice, civil and human rights. In 2014, Mr. Jealous became a senior partner at Kapor Capital, which works with tech firms to lay the groundwork for progressive social change. He also is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. CSUMB will award him an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
Sylvia Panetta, the co-chair and CEO of the Panetta Institute, will also be awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters degree. Mrs. Panetta has been instrumental in helping to develop the institute into a widely respected advocate for civic involvement. The institute works to attract young people to lives of public service, helping them expand their knowledge of the policy process and develop their skills as future leaders. It sponsors Congressional internship and leadership programs for college students and coordinates the Monterey County Reads program. Published Feb. 17, 2016
Anthony Prado (TMAC ’00) has been recognized with the Career Firefighter of the Year Award by the Monterey County Fire Chiefs Association.
Prado always knew he wanted to be a firefighter. Now a fire engineer with the Marina department, Prado spent years in Silicon Valley working for Cisco before he made his dream a reality. He returned to school and attended the Monterey Peninsula College Fire Academy in 2006, graduating at the top of his class before he was hired full time in 2007. He was promoted to fire engineer in 2009.
As an engineer, Prado drives the fire engines, is responsible for the engine’s equipment and operates the engine’s pump, a duty that requires quick mathematical skills and extensive knowledge of hydraulics during an emergency call. Along with these regular duties, Prado plans and oversees the Fire Prevention Open House, serves as the department’s IT/system administrator, coordinates with local schools to bring in students to help with fire department functions and teaches at the MPC Fire Academy. A father of three, Prado thought at one point when working in Silicon Valley that his dream of becoming a firefighter had slipped away. “I never stopped dreaming or talking about it. I was meant to be helping people and working with my hands,” he said. “However, a chance meeting with Monterey Division Chief Stewart Roth let me know it was not too late to follow my dream.” Since 1982, the Monterey County Fire Chiefs Association has presented annual awards to persons who have distinguished themselves among their peers and to their organization as individuals who have gone above and beyond the call. They have demonstrated skills, character, and achievements that deserve special recognition. To honor and recognize these individuals, the Monterey County Fire Chiefs Association hosts a special awards ceremony in their honor. Awards are presented in three categories: Career Firefighter of the Year, Volunteer Firefighter of the Year and Support Person of the Year.
SPANISH DANCE COMPANY PERFORMS AT WORLD THEATER MARCH 12
The acclaimed Madrid-based Spanish company Noche Flamenca, led by the husband-and-wife team of Martin Santangelo and Soledad Barrio, will visit California State University, Monterey Bay’s World Theater on March 12. The performance will start at 8 p.m.
Flamenco is wild and ancient, an art form crafted during the Spanish Inquisition by the country's outcasts: gypsies, Jews, Moors and Muslims. It's the soul of Andalusia, the southern region of Spain, and the voice of an entire nation.
Barrio’s graceful and passionate dancing, along with standout cantores – singers – and guitar players have made the company a must-see for fans of one of Spain’s best-known exports. New York Times dance critic Alastair Macaulay has called Barrio “an intensely dramatic dancer,” noting that her skilled footwork expresses “the brilliance and color of flamenco rhythm.” And, he adds, “I can think of no current ballet dancer in the world as marvelous as she.” Her husband is a choreographer and former dancer, and Noche Flamenca’s artistic director. He and Barrio met at a dance company in Spain in the early 1990s, founded Noche Flamenca in 1993 and married in 1995. They live in Madrid, but New York is their second home. The company tours the world, including regular seasons in New York and Buenos Aires, performances in Greece and Egypt and annual tours of North America. Tickets are $40 premium, $29 general. Discounts are available for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 831-582-4580.
The presentation of Noche Flamenca featuring Soledad Barrio was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Dance Project.
IF YOU GO
Published Feb. 18, 2016
Three academic departments at Cal State Monterey Bay have joined forces to present a “Living Memorial,” a series of public art installations, performances and discussions called “Songs for Women Living with War.”
The Visual and Public Art, Global Studies and Humanities and Communication programs are collaborating on the semester-long project.
“I picked this theme because there are so many public memorials that commemorate wars, victors – primarily men. Though women suffer so much in conflict, there are hardly any public sites that acknowledge this,” said Johanna Poethig, who teaches in the Visual and Public Art Department.
“The inspiration was the work of writer M. Evelina Galang, who has documented the testimonies of the World War II comfort women in the Philippines,” Professor Poethig said. “This issue is still relevant in that the comfort women in South Korea and the Philippines want an apology from the Japanese government, which they still have not received to their satisfaction.” The consequences of poverty, conflict and sexual violence and how to organize against it and create works of art and creative actions will be explored at these events: • Feb. 23, 6-8 p.m., University Center living room on Sixth Avenue Panel discussion with Gwyn Kirk of Women for Genuine Security; Deborah Pembrook of the Coalition to End Human Trafficking; and Bonita Rivera of the United Farm Workers These feminist activists will localize this issue, and refer to"war" as many kinds of conflicts, intersecting with crime, poverty, imperialism and sexual violence. Organizational strategies to address sexual assault in military zones and as trafficked women will be discussed. • March 15, 6-8 p.m., University Center living room “Amidst Three Empires: The Philippines Under Spain, the United States and Japan, 1565-1945," a presentation by Vicente Rafael, a professor of history and Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Washington.
• March 17, 6-8 p.m., University Center living room
Presentation by visiting artist/scholar Lila Ramos Shahani. She has many roles – journalist, head of communications for the Human Development and Poverty Cabinet Cluster of the Republic of the Philippines, and spokesperson for the Advocacy and Communications Group of the Inter-Agency Council against Human Trafficking.
• April 5, 6-9 p.m., Black Box Theater
Reading by M. Evelina Galang of her work including LOLA’S HOUSE: WOMEN LIVING WITH WAR, stories of the surviving Filipina WWII “comfort women.” The program includes presentation of the public art installation Songs for Women Living with War.
For more information, contact Professor Poethig at jpoethig@csumb.edu.
Published Feb. 19, 2016
Paper earns 10 awards – including a trio of firsts
For the second straight year, the Otter Romp, a year-end issue of the Otter Realm that features investigative reporting, was named best special section at the California College Media Association’s annual Excellence in Student Media Awards ceremony on Feb. 20.
It was one of nine awards – and three first-place honors – earned by CSU Monterey Bay’s student newspaper and presented at the annual college journalism conference. Members of the paper’s staff, along with faculty advisers Estella Porras and Sam Robinson, attended the conference and awards ceremony at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Los Angeles. Taking first place for best non-breaking news story was the team of Danny Simon, Katie Kishiand Stefan Farhner, whose story headlined “CSUMB tries to tighten spigots on East Campus, but water district still wants the cash to flow” appeared in the Otter Romp. The contest judge referred to the reporters’ “deep and dogged investigative work.
“They took what would seem a mind-numbing topic – campus water costs – and uncovered a fascinating story of how the local water district had been over-charging the university for years. . . The reporters show a talent for investigative reporting and the persistence and patience it requires,” the judge said.
Achelle Reynoso, beat reporter for the College of Science, won first place in the best headlines competition.
While CSUMB competes in the less-than-weekly category, the Otter Realm showed that it can hold its own with the large schools by taking second place in the podcast category – where it was up against schools of all sizes and publication schedules.
The award went to Raquelle Miller and Porras for the podcast, “Tired, Very Tired.” The judge described it as a “compelling first-person piece, especially as it rolls out the details of this very busy student’s life. . . I loved the determination and hope in this commentary.”
The high quality of coverage and design was also recognized by the Associated Collegiate Press as the Otter Realm won third place in the Best of Show competition. The Otter Realm is published six times each semester. It also operates a website, where stories, videos and podcasts are posted on a regular basis. Students in HCOM 387 and HCOM 389 produce both. Otter Romp is produced by students in HCOM 388. Awards won by the Otter Realm (in the less-than-weekly category unless noted) •Best Non-Breaking News Story: first place Danny Simon, Katie Kishi, Stefan Farhner, “CSUMB tries to tighten spigots on East Campus, but water district still wants the cash to flow,” story about CSUMB’s overpayment of water bills, appeared in the Otter Romp, spring 2015 • Best Special Section: first place Otter Romp, a special investigative reporting issue • Best Headlines: first place Achelle Reynoso, College of Science beat reporter • Best News Series: second place Alex Hennessey, Yuri Lara, Caemen Amelio, Mackenzie Handy, “Feeding the Future,” a look at the high tech revolution taking place in agriculture and why people should pay attention to it, appeared in the Otter Romp, spring 2015 • Best photo illustration: second place Achelle Reynoso, accompanied a story about breast cancer awareness • Best podcast: second place (all categories) Raquelle Miller and Estella Porras, “Tired, Very Tired,” detailed the very busy life of a first-generation student. • Best feature photo: third place Andres Hernandez, photo of a monkey that accompanied “Monterey Zoo: Who’s the real animal?” • Best column: honorable mention Elizabeth Hensley, editor’s column • Best website: honorable mention The judges complimented the site’s “clean design” and “inviting and visually pleasing” dominant art Published Feb. 23, 2016
COLLEGE IS FOR YOU, ADMINISTRATORS TELL CHURCH MEMBERS
Parishioners at two local churches will get more than a sermon at the Feb. 28 services. They’ll get a pitch for the value of a college education – straight from the pulpit.
Cal State Monterey Bay administrators will visit churches in Seaside that day as part of a California State University program called Super Sunday.
At approximately 11:15 a.m., President Eduardo Ochoa is scheduled to address the congregation at Greater Victory Temple. At 11 a.m., Associate Vice President for University Affairs Andre Lewis will speak at New Hope Baptist Church. They will discuss the importance of getting a college degree for today’s competitive job market, when to start planning for college, programs offered at CSUMB, financial aid and parent involvement. Following the services, staff members from CSUMB and church education advisers will provide information on the application and admission process, including virtual tours through CSUmentor, the websitet hat helps students apply for college. One of the publications to be distributed during the visits is the “How to Get to College” poster, which provides middle and high school students and their parents with step-by-step information on the path to college. Now in its 11th year, Super Sunday is part of an educational outreach led by the CSU African American Initiative – a partnership with churches – to increase college preparation, student enrollment and graduation rates among African American students. More than 110 churches throughout the state will host CSU representatives during February. For more information, contact CSUMB’s Office of Admissions at 582-3738.
Published Feb. 25, 2016
SCIENCE ILLUSTRATION GRAD WINS VIZZIE AWARD
Each year, the National Science Foundation and Popular Science magazine team up to issue a challenge: Can people visualize a scientific idea, concept or story in an arresting way?
Stephanie Rozzo, a 2011 graduate of CSU Monterey Bay’s science illustration program, took the challenge last year, and it paid off. A panel of experts chose her illustration of the weedy seadragon life cycle as tops in the illustration category. (Other categories in the Vizzies Visualization Challenge include photography, posters and graphics, games and apps, and video – which cover just about every way to communicate science visually.) While a volunteer at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Rozzo helped clean the seahorse exhibit. Over time, she found herself enchanted by their colors and movements. The Monterey resident knew she had her next illustration subject when one male began carrying eggs (as males of the species do). She rendered a pair of seadragons – native Australian fish closely related to seahorses – in acrylic paint with their seaweed habitat in graphite. The work depicts the species’ life stages from embryonic fry through adulthood.
A team of experts at the NSF and Popular Science pared hundreds of submissions down to 50 finalists – 10 in each of the categories. From those 50, a panel of outside experts picked a winner in each category. The first-place honor included a prize of $2,500 and publication of her work in the March issue of Popular Science, on its website, and on the National Science Foundation website.
Published Feb. 25, 2016
EVENTS FROM PEACE, SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVEMENTS BROUGHT TO LIFE
"Movements for Change," an exhibit featuring work by photojournalist Bob Fitch, will be displayed in the Tanimura & Antle library for three months starting March 3.
Approximately 40 images on loan from the Bob Fitch Photography Archive at Stanford Libraries will be exhibited. They depict historical events and intimate moments from the peace, social justice and cultural movements of the 1960s and ’70s – shining a spotlight on critical events in American history.
Professor Richard Bains has worked for two years to bring the exhibit to campus. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for students and the local community to see these photos,” Professor Bains said. Ignacio Ornelas, a CSUMB alum (SBS 2001), played a role in getting the archive created. “Ignacio, who knew Bob through his research, arranged for him to meet Roberto Trujillo, curator of special collections at Stanford,” Professor Bains explained. “Through Roberto, the entire collection was acquired by Stanford – some 275,000 images including film negatives, contact sheets, prints, color slides, digital files and supporting non-photographic materials – and the Bob Fitch Photography Archive was established.”
Fitch trained to be an engineer, and then a Protestant minister. But, he says, “Photojournalism seduced me. It is a compelling combination of visual aesthetics, potent communication and story telling. It is a way to effectively support the organizing for social justice that is transforming our lives and future.” In 1966, while working as staff photographer for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, he took what has become an iconic shot of Dr. King. The photograph served as the model for the Martin Luther King Monument in Washington, D.C. Taken in Atlanta, it captured Dr. King with his arms crossed, staring to his right. An illustration of Mahatma Gandhi hangs nearby.
Another Fitch photo served as the model for the Cesar Chavez commemorative postage stamp. His work has been featured in two Smithsonian traveling exhibits and been reproduced globally.
He has captured images of the farm worker movement, Dorothy Day and the Catholic Workers, and Joan Baez and the peace movement, as well as the Civil Rights movement.
Fitch,77, lives in Watsonville. In 2012, he visited CSUMB to talk on “My Eyes Have Seen: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Black Civil Rights Movement” as part of Black History Month.
The photos will be displayed throughout the second and third floors of the building. Library hours are 8 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. to midnight Sunday.
The exhibit will open with a reception from 4 to 6 p.m., March 3, sponsored by the library and the Office of Inclusive Excellence. It will be held in the third floor study area.
Published Feb. 25, 2016
Annual Ethics and Responsible Business Forum set for March 16
Physicist Stephen Hawking recently made headlines when he said, “The development of full artificial intelligence (AI) could spell the end of the human race.” Bill Gates, Elon Musk and other business and technology leaders have come out against AI and its likely impact on inequality, unemployment and the human condition.
On the other hand, some people are trumpeting a new age of “superintelligence” in which AI-embedded smart devices and machines will exponentially extend human capabilities and lead to breakthroughs in science, education, economics and health.
These issues will take center stage when the ethics of artificial intelligence is the topic of CSU Monterey Bay’s 14th annual Ethics and Responsible Business Forum, to be held from 3 to 5 p.m., March 16, at the University Center on Sixth Avenue and B Street.
The forum’s goal is to enhance our understanding of the ethical issues and dilemmas that people, as employees, employers, entrepreneurs and citizens face as AI and smart machines become ubiquitous.
The forum will have a debate format with speakers representing both sides of this complex issue. Dr. Jerry Kaplan of the Center for Legal Informatics at Stanford will take the position that AI poses no threat given that it makes no sense to talk about machines as being “intelligent.” Dr. Stuart Russell of UC Berkeley’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science will take the opposite view.
They will field questions from panelists including:
In conjunction with the forum, a Cool Tech expo will be held from 1 to 3 and 5 to 7 p.m.
The event is free, but a parking permit must be purchased from a machine on the lot.
The expo and forum are sponsored by CSUMB’s College of Business and School of Computing and Design with support from Associated Students.
Published March 1, 2016
Dr. Stephanie Anne Johnson, a professor in Visual and Public Art, was mentioned in Sam Hurwitt’s review of the play Exit Cuckoo (Nanny in Motherland).
“Stephanie Anne Johnson’s lighting shifts markedly as Ramirez shifts from one persona to another . . . ”
– San Jose Mercury News, Feb. 17, 2016
Cal State Monterey Bay students are bringing health care to the homeless in the Chinatown area of Salinas.
In collaboration with Dr. Kenneth Gjeltema of Peninsula Primary Care, CSUMB’s chapter of the American Medical Student Association and students from a biology service learning course launched a “suitcase clinic” in the fall of 2015.
Modeled on similar projects at UC Berkeley and UC Davis, and building on Dr. Gjeltema’s 15 years of experience with the Berkeley project, students learn to work sensitively with the homeless and other marginalized patients, taking medical histories and making presentations to the doctor.
The Berkeley project started in 1989 by first-year students in the UC Berkeley-UC San Francisco joint medical program as a mobile clinic that traveled directly to homeless clients. The program was named for the suitcases in which the students carried their supplies.
The upper division biology service learning course, BIO 378S, taught by Professor Henrik Kibak, places seven to nine students at the clinic for about five months of the year. The AMSA chapter guarantees staffing between semesters and during the summers, allowing for year-round operation of the clinic. That’s critical in order to develop and maintain trusting relationships with the patients, many of whom have a history of mistreatment and have developed a deep distrust of service providers.
Each Tuesday evening at 5:15, students set up the clinic and begin intake of patients. The doctor arrives at 5:30 and sees patients until 6:30. From 6:30 to 7, a debriefing is held and then students take down the clinic and return to campus. CSUMB staff members are on site at all times for safety and logistical reasons.
The clinic has been busy every week. It provides valuable access to health care in Chinatown, and it's also proving to be an inspiring learning experience for the students, especially the aspiring doctors.
Many of them are first-generation college students with minimal exposure to physician role models; the experience puts them in close contact with a doctor over an extended period of time. Because of the venue, it also provides an authentic “story to tell” for their medical school applications, helping to make them more competitive.
The students hope to expand collaborations with other campus departments, including nursing, and add medical and social services such as optometry, public health, nutrition, dentistry and mental health counseling.
The suitcase clinic is the newest initiative to be launched at the CSUMB Chinatown Community Learning Center, and is part of the university’s expanded focus on health and wellness in the neighborhood. Since 2006, CSUMB students have helped to support a variety of programs in Chinatown, focusing on job training, computer training and access to social services.
Published March 4, 2016
This story, by Professors Seth Pollack and Henrik Kibak, originally appeared in the spring 2016 issue of Reflections, the newsletter of the Service Learning Institute. Used with permission.
Digital Otter Center offers pro bono assistance to community
Computer science students will provide free assistance to members of the community weekly starting March 11.
At the Digital Otter Center, Cal State Monterey Bay’s newest community outreach program, students will provide a variety of technology services on a drop-in basis to individuals, startups and non-profits. High school computer clubs and senior centers are also invited to take advantage of the service.
Free services include:
The Digital Otter Center will be held in the Business and Information Technology Building on Divarty Street, next to the Tanimura & Antle library, from 4 to 7 p.m. every Friday from March 11 to May 6.
Students will be on hand in the first floor of the building to greet visitors and direct them to the appropriate location for the service they need.
Community members are asked to complete a brief survey so CSUMB can fine-tune the services available.
Please note that while the service is free, visitors must purchase a parking permit from a machine on the lot.
For more information, contact Cassandra Humphrey at chumphrey@csumb.edu or Dr. Eric Tao at etao@csumb.edu
Published March 7, 2016
Colonial history of the Philippines topic of annual event
This year’s Social Justice Colloquium at CSU Monterey Bay examines the colonial history of the Philippines.
Vicente Rafael, professor of history and Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Washington, will talk on “Amidst Three Empires: The Philippines Under Spain, the United States and Japan, 1565-1945.”
The talk will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., March 15, in the University Center.
The Social Justice Colloquium, now in its 20th year, is an annual event featuring activists and scholars discussing timely questions of social and environmental justice. The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are requested and can be made by calling 582-3890. The University Center is located on Sixth Avenue at B Street. Please note that, while the event is free, a parking permit is required and may be purchased from a machine on the lot. For more information or for disability accommodations, call Brendan Taylor at 582-3890. Published March 4, 2016
Professor Deb Busman’s novel Like a Woman is a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award. The awards, in multiple categories, celebrate achievement in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender writing published in 2015.
Busman is a fiction/creative non-fiction writer, co-director of CSUMB’s Creative Writing and Social Action program and an associate professor in the Division of Humanities and Communication. Like a Woman is a coming-of-age story, revealing the lives of teenage girls on the streets of Los Angeles, trying to hold onto their sense of humanity against a backdrop of racism, poverty, sexism and violence. In an interview with the Santa Cruz Sentinel last March, Busman said the project began as a memoir of her own growing up. “It’s easier to tell the truth using fiction, for me. I was more interested in capital-T Truths that I was in my own particular story,” she said. “And I wanted to explore some of the other characters in the story as well. “As a fiction writer, you get to tell everybody’s story.”
Several of the book’s chapters have been published in anthologies of short fiction. Busman told the Sentinel that her students encouraged her to get the book published. “As a professor of creative writing, I started to feel a little hypocritical that I wasn’t even doing what it took to put my own book out into the world.”
The Lambda award winners will be announced in June.
Published March 8, 2016
Do you tense up when speaking in front of a group? Does the thought of your capstone presentation terrify you? Are you a scientist who needs to communicate your findings to policymakers and the public?
If so, Oratory Otters, CSUMB’s Toastmasters Club, is here to help.
The mission of Toastmasters is to empower people to become more effective communicators and leaders. It provides a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills. If you would like to boost your confidence, learn specific tools to captivate your audience, or get feedback on your class or work presentation, check out the Oratory Otters. The group will hold a "showcase" meeting from 6 to 7:15 p.m., March 14, in Room 3145 of the library. The meeting will provide an opportunity to ask questions, network with current Toastmasters members, and listen to an entertaining presentation.
More information is available at 229-6969 or on the Oratory Otters Toastmasters Facebook page.
Published March 8, 2016
The 'O Team' changed Natasha Daly's life
Pursue a career in archaeology or student affairs? That’s the question facing Natasha Daly.
Daly was recently recognized with a regional Undergraduate Student Leader award from NODA, the Association for Orientation, Transition and Retention in Higher Education.
She received the award at the Region II conference at Cal Poly Pomona. It recognizes undergraduates for their creativity, energy and enthusiasm – the backbone of successful orientation programs.
Samantha Glazer, first-year experience coordinator at CSUMB, nominated Daly for the award. “Throughout the last 18 months, Natasha has been the constant in a whirlwind of staff transition within Student Activities & Leadership Development,” Glazer said in her nomination letter. “While there was no full-time professional staff dedicated to overseeing the program, there was Natasha – a devoted student orientation intern. Natasha served as the glue of orientation through her dedication, passion for helping students and excellent communication skills.” Daly’s first campus job was in the Student Center. She was quickly recruited to join the “O Team” as an orientation leader. “That changed my life,” she said. “I was hooked on the feeling I got after completing the job.” From there, she moved up to be the first-year experience intern, supervising 30 orientation leaders. “Natasha can inspire and motivate those around her by displaying high levels of integrity and honesty. She is a mentor to her fellow students,” Glazer said. Will the senior from the Sacramento area consider a career in student affairs? She hasn’t made up her mind. Daly is majoring in social and behavioral sciences with a concentration in archaeology. “Becoming an archaeologist
was my dream since I was a third grader,” she said. But then . . .
“I feel that I fit nicely in Student Affairs. It’s a rewarding job. There is definitely a big possibility that it will be my career path; however, I am finding it a little difficult to give up my first dream and love for archaeology.
“It’s a big decision for me, and I’m job searching now for potential positions in both fields.”
The experience at the NODA conference may have helped with the decision. “It felt good to have our university walk away with two of the four awards. Our goal was to put CSUMB on the map and to showcase the work we’ve been doing. Overall, it was a very fulfilling experience,” she said.
As she prepares to graduate in May, Daly has some advice for CSUMB students.
“The best thing you can do is to ignore that voice inside that says you aren’t worthy or capable. The less you listen to that voice, the more you will succeed and find happiness.”
INNOVATION PROGRAM AWARD
CSUMB was also honored by NODA for improvements to the orientation registration system that significantly improved access for low-income students.
Prior to 2015, few low-income students attended orientation, despite the fact that a partial fee waiver was available. Requesting the waiver was a cumbersome process that required identifying themselves as low-income. Student Life and Information Technology employees collaborated on a system that allowed automatic waivers as part of the orientation registration module.
The impact was immediate – more than 96 percent of eligible students took advantage of the waiver compared to 12 percent who used it before the process was automated.
Published March 9, 2016
Diana Garcia, a professor in the Division of Humanities and Communication, joined U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera and others in a reading March 9 at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.
The poetry reading commemorated the groundbreaking exhibition honoring United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta.
The exhibit runs through early May. It is part of the gallery’s “One Life” series highlighting people who have made significant contributions to life in the United States. Huerta is the first Latina to be included in the series.
The exhibit’s opening last July coincided with the 50th anniversary of the 1965 grape strike and boycott that lasted five years. Those actions resulted in the farmworker union’s first contract with growers. Last fall, while she was in Washington to preview the exhibit, Robert Casper, director of the Poetry and Literature Center at the Library of Congress, invited Garcia to record some of her poems for the library’s archive as part of its growing body of Hispanic literature. Garcia is the co-director of the Creative Writing and Social Action Program at CSUMB, and her own work is influenced by an awareness of the issues that affect impoverished, often minority, communities. In her first collection of poems, When Living Was a Labor Camp – which won an American Book Award – she tells the stories of migrant-worker life. Her poems are attuned to the sensory details of migrants’ lives, as well as the political ramifications of their experiences. Published March 11, 2016
Packages now delivered by self-driving vehicle
CSUMB, meet Carry.
Carry is a small, self-driving delivery vehicle developed by Dispatch that moves in pedestrian spaces. Since early March, Carry has been traveling campus walkways to help deliver packages to various offices.
At about three feet long and tall, and not as wide as a wheelchair, it’s small enough to easily navigate the campus. Carry is electric powered and moves at a maximum of 4.5 miles per hour, but always at a pace that ensures the safety of those surrounding it while still completing deliveries efficiently.
A company representative monitors the unit within 40 feet, and can stop it if needed.
Similar to the way self-driving cars navigate roads, Carry uses its sensors to understand and interact with the environment around it.
South San Francisco-based Dispatch is working to expose Carry to different environments and situations. A college campus like CSUMB allows the company to test the vehicle’s autonomous navigation technology in areas with pedestrian and bicycle traffic.
The project will run at CSUMB through mid-August, and as part of the collaboration, the Dispatch team is working with the CST 499 class and mentoring a student capstone project.
Questions? Feel free to reach out directly to the Dispatch team at info@dispatchrobotics.com.
Published March 17, 2016
“Unique Event Management Opportunity” read the flyer. “Unique” may be an understatement.
The flyer was recruiting hospitality students to help staff the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s annual policy conference in Washington, D.C., March 20-22. More than 16,000 people are expected to attend.
To help with such a big conference, Precision Meetings and Events, an Alexandria, Va.-based company, recruited approximately 250 students from across the country. Ashley Williams and Caitlyn Cinelli, seniors in Cal State Monterey Bay’s sustainable hospitality program, applied, were interviewed and accepted. Business administration major Katie McKoane – who has taken a number of hospitality management courses – was also selected. Their travel expenses, food and lodging are covered by Precision and they receive an honorarium for their efforts. They attend a daylong orientation on the Saturday before the conference starts. If past years are a guide, the students will work 16-hour days setting up, giving directions, managing crowd control and doing whatever else needs to be done. How important is the conference? Vice President Joe Biden is among the speakers.
Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and John Kasich are also speaking.
Published March 18, 2016
Cal State Monterey Bay President Eduardo Ochoa was on hand March 20 when Campus Compact celebrated the signatories on its action statement during a summit of presidents and chancellors in Boston.
Over 350 Campus Compact member presidents and chancellors, including President Ochoa, have signed the document, which contains strong language about the public obligations of higher education that commits campuses to take specific steps to deepen their engagement for the benefit of students, communities, and the public.
The document concludes with a commitment by each signatory to create a campus civic action plan that will be shared publicly. Campus Compact’s focus is on supporting campuses in the work they do that advances the health and strength of communities and American democracy, both by preparing students for lives of engaged citizenship and by building partnerships to advance community and public goals. Following the summit, the organization held its 30th anniversary national conference, with more than 650 attendees.
Published March 21, 2016
Bacone College in Muskogee, Okla., will host a symposium on March 23 with a decidedly CSUMB feel.
The symposium, "Beyond 1492: Inter Caetera, a Papal Bull, the Requiremento and the Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery,” is sponsored by the college’s Center for American Indians. CSUMB archaeology professor Ruben Mendoza is the keynote speaker.
Dr. Mendoza has explored the American Southwest, Europe, Mexico and Central America documenting pre-Columbian and Colonial era sites. He recently traveled to Rome to participate in events to examine the canonization of Father Junipero Serra. He is an expert on American Indian science, technology, medicine and modern material cultures. Following his address, Dr.Kathryn England-Aytes, a lecturer in CSUMB’s Psychology Department, will be part of a panel discussion featuring Native scholars and students. She works with the Native American Children’s Alliance (NACA), an inter-tribal nonprofit that works on child abuse prevention and intervention. As a board member and trainer, she has given presentations on child forensic interviewing and cultural awareness in multidisciplinary team settings.
Her chapter on historical trauma and its prevention in the classroom appeared in the well-received book “Teaching Truly: A Curriculum to Indigenize Mainstream Education” by Four Arrows.
Dr. Jim Raines is the winner of this year’s Gary Lee Shaffer Award for Academic Contributions to the Field of School Social Work.
The award was given by the School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) at its annual conference in Baltimore on March 12.
Gary Shaffer was a faculty member at the University of North Carolina and a passionate advocate for children and the field of school social work. He passed away in 2009. Later that year, the SSWAA established the award program “to commemorate his contributions through an annual recognition of a university faculty member who has made significant contributions to the field.”
Dr. Raines joined Cal State Monterey Bay in 2010. He has served as a professor, interim director of the Master of Social Work program and chair of the Department of Health, Human Services and Public Policy.
He earned a Ph.D. in social work from Loyola University in Chicago, an advanced certificate in social work (clinical practice) from New York University, a master of social work from Columbia University and a master of divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary.
Published March 22, 2016
On Friday, March 25, at 9 a.m., IT and UPD will test the automatic door locking system on campus. All doors controlled by card access will be remotely locked and then unlocked 10 to 15 minutes later. We will work to minimize the disruption as much as possible.
During the test, people will be able to exit the buildings, but card keys will not unlock the doors.
This test will help us to lock campus buildings in the event of an emergency or other campus closure.
Please direct any questions to Michael Greene, A&F Analyst Programmer, at mgreene@csumb.edu or Earl Lawson, Chief of Police, at elawson@csumb.edu
Dr. Corey Garza is committed to increasing diversity in the geosciences.
He was one of 30 participants invited by the National Science Foundation to attend the GEO GOLD – Geoscience Opportunities for Leadership in Diversity – workshop March 20-24 in Annapolis, Md.
The event is part of an effort by the NSF to develop and implement new programs to increase diversity in the geosciences – ocean science, geology, atmospheric science and related disciplines. These disciplines lag other STEM fields in student diversity and the total number of students who pursue degrees in them. The goal of the workshop is to design and test a professional development curriculum to train geoscientists to be “champions” of diversity. The program will also train a new generation of faculty level geoscientists who are experts in engaging and bringing diverse student groups into the disciplines. The workshop participants will be asked to submit three to five proposals to be funded by the NSF. Those grant proposals must be submitted by June 2. “These projects have the potential to put our campus and marine science program in the middle of a nationally coordinated effort to initiate long-term increases in student and faculty diversity in the geosciences,” Dr. Garza said. Published March 23, 2016
Event highlights excellence in student research
Outstanding research by CSU Monterey Bay students on topics ranging from the effects of climate change on red abalone to visitor engagement in California Mission museums will be presented at a system-wide competition next month.
Nine student projects were selected by the Faculty Senate’s Postgraduate Studies and Research Committee to represent the university at the 30th annual CSU Student Research Competitionat Cal State Bakersfield April 29 and 30. Students will make 10-minute oral presentations before juries of professional experts from major corporations, foundations, public agencies, colleges and universities in California, and then respond to questions. The judges will also review each student’s abstract. The purpose of the competition is to focus attention on the outstanding
accomplishments of students engaged in significant research and creative activity in all academic disciplines across the 23-campus CSU system.
One graduate student and nine undergraduates from CSUMB will present their work. Those students, their degree programs, research topics and their faculty mentors are:
Published March 29, 2016
Of the 7,100 students enrolled at Cal State Monterey Bay last fall, fewer than 1 percent identified themselves as Native American.
With support from Dr. Browning Neddeau, a professor in the Liberal Studies Department, some of those students have organized Native American Students United (NASU). Dr. Neddeau and Mark Alabanza, assistant director for academic personnel, are club advisers. The group meets monthly and is open to Native American students, faculty and staff.
NASU has invited a group of students from McKinleyville High School in Humboldt County to visit campus on April 11. “To my knowledge, this is the first time that CSUMB has hosted a Native high school student club visit,” Dr. Neddeau said.
“Our CSUMB Native students and potentially faculty and staff will help with the tours and talking circle at the end of the day,” he said.
The club meets the third Tuesday of the month, from 6 to 7 p.m., in Bldg. 2, Room 111.
A Native Advisory Council (NAC) has also been formed, with 16 students, staff, faculty and community members.
NAC serves three purposes:
As word spreads about NAC, the number of active participants is expected to grow. The current outreach efforts include connecting with various tribes that represent CSUMB students.
Both the club and the advisory council are supported by the Office of Inclusive Excellence.
Follow the group on Facebook
Published March 29, 2016
Dr. Shannon Snapp, who teaches psychology at Cal State Monterey Bay, has been working with researchers at the University of Texas, Austin, and the Equity Project at Indiana University to expand knowledge about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth.
In a report released March 28 by the Equity Project, “Documenting Disparities for LGBT Students,” Dr. Snapp and four colleagues say that school districts across the United States have made significant strides in addressing racial disparities in school discipline, but the same attention needs to be paid to disparities for LGBT students. The first step – just as it was in addressing racial discipline disparities – is to start collecting data that illuminates the extent of the problem, the researchers say, adding an extensive review of federal, state and local reporting requirements demonstrates that’s not happening today. “LGBT students remain largely outside the bounds of available data on education and schooling,” notes the report. This data collection gap “makes it impossible to fully understand the extent of the problem, much less generate and evaluate strategies for remediation.”
Previous research has found clear evidence that LGBT students are more likely to experience bullying and verbal or physical harassment than other students. A national study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that adolescents reporting same-sex attraction were 1.4 times more likely to be expelled from school than their heterosexual peers.
Recognizing that the privacy issues are different for LGBT students compared to gathering statistics by race, the researchers argue two federal surveys already administered anonymously by school districts could be modified to obtain crucial data.
The study has attracted widespread media attention, including:
Northeast Indiana Public Radio (also here)
A developmental psychologist, Dr. Snapp specializes in adolescent health and sexuality.
Published March 29, 2016
Play explores gender violence issues from male perspective
Following on the heels of Eve Ensler’s “Vagina Monologues,” CSU Monterey Bay students continue their campaign to end sexual violence against women with three performances of “The MENding Monologues.”
Performances will be held at 8 p.m., April 7, 8 and 9, at the World Theater, located at Sixth Avenue between A and B streets.
Both a bookend and male response to Ensler’s play – which has been produced at CSUMB for 15 years – Derek Dujardin’s production borrows the monologue format, featuring stories of how men are affected when violence is waged against women.
Using first-person monologues, sketch comedy and poetry, men take the audience on an emotional and educational roller-coaster ride through relationships and gender issues to create a healing experience. The show includes pieces from women and transgender people.
The all-student production is directed by Aly Macdeo and produced by Joe Meeker. Danielle Danielson is the co-producer.
Tickets are $7 for students and $10 for everyone else. An American Sign Language interpreter will be available at Friday’s performance.
For more information or to request disability accommodations, contact Meeker at jmeeker@csumb.edu.
The play is sponsored by the student club EMPOWER, which works to raise awareness of sexual assault and gender violence and to promote a positive and safe place for survivors, allies and friends to connect, share stories and educate the community.
How pervasive is the issue of violence against women?
The National Institute of Justice found that about one in five women and 6 percent of men are victims of sexual assault while in college. According to data collected under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Crime Statistics Act in 2012, college campuses reported 3,900 forcible sex offenses. (Source: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights)
Video created by Margo Flitcraft for the San Diego production of The Mending Monologues 2014
Awards given to students who plan to pursue careers in STEM fields
Two students at Cal State Monterey Bay will receive Barry M. Goldwater scholarships for their work in science and math.
Juan Cerda and Jordan Collignon, who will be seniors in the fall, are the first students in the university’s history to earn the prestigious awards. Both are involved with the university’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC).
The Goldwater scholarships were established by Congress in 1986 and are awarded to undergraduates working toward degrees in engineering, math or the natural sciences. The goal of the program is to encourage a source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers by awarding scholarships to students who intend to pursue research careers in these fields. Cerda, a biology major from Hollister, plans to pursue a Ph.D. in genomics or molecular and developmental biology, conduct research at the university level, and eventually become a university professor. As a UROC scholar last summer, he worked with plant pathologist Dr. Timothy Miles to develop molecular tools to detect a fungal species in crops. Collignon, from Seaside, is a math major who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in applied mathematics. Last summer, he spent eight weeks at Valparaiso University in Indiana where he performed simulations involving the reintroduction of the passenger pigeon, a bird that went extinct in 1914. The Goldwater scholarship, named for former U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater, helps recipients cover the costs of books, room and board, and tuition up to $7,500 for their remaining period of study.
More than 1,100 students were nominated for the scholarships; 252 were awarded.
“Needless to say, the competition for this honor is fierce, and earning it is quite an accomplishment,” said Dr. John Banks, UROC director. “Notably, Juan and Jordan were the only 2016 Goldwater awardees in the entire CSU system.”
Published April 4, 2016
“Archaeology on the Edge of Empire,” an exhibit of photographs by Professor Ruben Mendoza, is on display in the Student Center.
Dr. Mendoza calls the exhibit a “special tribute” to the many CSUMB students who, over two decades, have worked on projects sponsored by the archaeology program.
“This tribute was organized to highlight some of the many contributions and discoveries made by our project teams since 1995,” he said.
Dr. Mendoza and his student teams have added to the archaeological, scientific and historical record of the Monterey Bay. Discoveries include the earliest Serra Chapels at Monterey, 1770-72; the neophyte plaza, soldiers’ quarters, baptistery and women’s quarters at Soledad, ca. 1800; the earliest chapel at Mission San Juan Bautista, 1797-1802; and the solar geometry of the California missions. The exhibit will be on display through May 13. It includes 45 color and black-and-white, 16-inch by 20-inch photos selected by students. An archaeologist, photographer and scholar with 140 articles and books to his credit, Dr. Mendoza has generated a collection of 800,000 images pertaining to archaeology, historic preservation and service learning.
The exhibit is sponsored by the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies and the Special Events Funding Program.
Two students earn prestigious NSF fellowships
Thanks to the National Science Foundation, a pair of CSU Monterey Bay students won’t have to worry about how they will pay for graduate school.
Beth Alger and Elisabeth Carrillo have received NSF’s Graduate Research Fellowships. The awards support students in science, technology, engineering and math-related fields. For three years, each will receive an annual stipend of $34,000 and a $12,000 cost-of-education allowance to their universities, for a total grant of $138,000.
They participated in rigorous research and scholarship through the university’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center or UROC. They won research awards, published their findings and presented their work at professional conferences. Alger, who was mentored by Dr. Timothy Miles, will graduate in May with a major in biology. She will pursue a Ph.D. in plant genetics and breeding at Michigan State University.
Carrillo, who was mentored by Dr. Aparna Sreenivasan, will graduate in May with a major in biology. She plans to attend graduate school at UC Santa Cruz in the molecular, cell,developmental biology program. The fellowships were awarded to 2,000 students – from more than 17,000 applicants – across the country; about 600 of them went to undergraduates. Past recipients include Nobel Prize winners, former U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, Google co-founder Sergey Brin and author Steven Levitt. Alger and Carrillo are examples of how undergraduate research prepares students for life after CSUMB.
“UROC helped me develop confidence as a researcher and a scholar,” Alger said. “I feel prepared to succeed in graduate school and my future career because of the time I spent in this program.”
Carrillo echoes that sentiment. “UROC has been an invaluable resource and has inspired me to continue my education to earn a Ph.D. in molecular biology. They prepared me to enter a graduate program and provided a support system.”
Since UROC was established in 2009, 20 students have earned Graduate Research Fellowships. That’s one of the reasons UROC has earned a national reputation for excellence, achievement and leadership.
Published April 5, 2016
Kathryn England-Aytes, a lecturer in psychology at Cal State Monterey Bay, will travel to Oklahoma in June to participate in a conference on tribal issues.
The annual Sovereignty Symposium features tribal leaders and cultural and legal experts from across the country. Sponsored by the Oklahoma Supreme Court, it provides a forum where ideas concerning Indian law can be exchanged in a scholarly, non-adversarial environment.
This is the first year she has been invited. "It is my privilege to participate in the symposium this year with so many of my heroes – extraordinary men and women who work tirelessly to address the unique and complex issues facing Indian Country today,” she said. Dr. England-Aytes will join the Truth and Reconciliation panel’s discussion on historical/generational trauma healing. The topic fits with her research interests on historical trauma and links with contemporary behavior, particularly in educational settings, in Indian Country. Her work in Native communities is extensive and longstanding and involves the academic and the practical. She has collaborated with nationally recognized experts in the field including Dr. Dee BigFoot of the Indian Country Child Trauma Center at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, and Dr. Patti Jo King of the Division of American Indian Studies at Bacone College in Oklahoma. Dr. England-Aytes works with the Native American Children’s Alliance (NACA), an inter-tribal nonprofit that works on child abuse prevention and intervention, as well as the National Center on Adoption and Permanency, a nonprofit agency which provides information and consultation on adoption, foster care and child welfare.
She has given many presentations on cultural awareness in multidisciplinary team and forensic settings. Her chapter on historical trauma and its prevention in the classroom appeared in “Teaching Truly: A Curriculum to Indigenize Mainstream Education” by Four Arrows.
Born and raised in Oklahoma, Dr. England-Aytes received bachelor of science in psychology and master of science in social science degrees from Southern Oregon University and an Ed.D. from Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara.
“As a Native educator, my goal is always to honor and integrate the cultures, values and traditions of Native students with learning opportunities for full participation in the larger community,” she said.
CSUMB student Mykayla Latronica has been selected to receive a $30,000 USDA Scholarship to help complete her degree in biology with a minor in mathematics.
Latronica grew up in Los Banos and worked in sales for the Morningstar Packing company. Her family also works in the agriculture industry. “I was exposed early on, and know that biology or food production is definitely my interest,” she said.
She is currently considering pursuing a career as an Agricultural Science Research Technician. This scholarship includes career mentoring, and research and travel experiences related to her studies.
Robert Chapman, the spouse of Patricia Tynan Chapman, passed away at home recently. He was 91 years old.
Patricia and Robert Chapman were the lead donors for the Chapman Science Academic Center, a 68,000-square-foot facility the CSUMB College of Science now calls home. The Chapmans, Salinas residents and community leaders donated $2.5 million toward construction costs for the state of the art facility.
Opening in fall 2003, the Chapman Science Academic Center was CSUMB’s first new building since the university’s founding. The structure integrates sustainable materials and is cited as a successful and important first step toward realizing the master plan for the future design of the campus.
The University Affairs team has officially welcomed Noah Rappahahn to serve as the new Public Affairs and Media Relations Manager for CSUMB.
Noah previously served as a Public Affairs Officer for the U.S. Marine Corps where he worked on a wide array of media relations and communications initiatives across the Asia-Pacific region.
Noah holds a Master of Arts in Mass Communication and Media Studies from the School of Journalism & Media Studies at San Diego State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Eastern Connecticut State University. He has recently earned the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) designation from the Public Relations Society of America.
Noah is in the process of setting meetings with the campus and greater Monterey Bay communities and excited to start promoting the important work being done at CSUMB.
Please join the CSUMB College of Health Sciences and Human Services in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, focusing on the topic of “Community Health Workers as Catalysts for Wellness: Advancing Capacity for Promotores in the Tri-County Region.” The event is scheduled Thursday, Oct. 6th, 3 to 5 p.m., at the World Theater.
Three speakers will be featured:
Hector Balcazar, dean of the College of Science and Health at Charles R. Drew University. Belcazar has extensive experience as a leader in public health education, research, service and community outreach.
Maria Lemus, founding executive director of Visión y Compromiso, a non-profit committed to supporting Promotoras and Community Health Workers (P/CHW) to achieve healthy and dignified lives for Latinos.
Carlos Ugarte, director of health programs for Farmworker Justice in Washington, DC has been on the cutting edge of immigrant health program development for decades and is known throughout the U.S. for his work in creating and supporting community health worker programs.
Norma Ahedo, coordinator of the Promoters Program and the Strong Families Program at the Center for Community Advocacy. She is a CCA-trained neighborhood leader who served as a volunteer promotora comunitaria for her neighborhood.
For questions or special accommodations, contact Riley Tinney at rtinney@csumb.edu or ext. 3736.
SEASIDE, Ca., Sept. 23, 2016 -- CSUMB will be the first California State University and West Coast academic institution to be part of a National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Science Center. The center will conduct research to support NOAA's research mission and prepare students, particularly those from underrepresented groups, to engage in NOAA related careers.
CSUMB is one of six universities across the nation who will benefit from the new five-year, $15.5-million Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems. The funds will be used to educate and graduate students who pursue degree programs with applied research in NOAA mission-related scientific fields.
According to Garza, graduate students will be eligible for two years of funding; including a yearly stipend of $20,000 and funding to cover the full cost of tuition. Graduate students will also receive a $10,000 scholarship to support their research (supplies,vessel time, travel) and summer funding up to $5,000 to support research activities at a NOAA facility. Undergraduates funded through the center will receive one year of stipend support up to $12,000 and a research account of$1,000. Faculty who mentor students through the center will have access to funding to support the purchase of supplies and non-capital equipment for their respective groups. Access to NOAA vessel time and postdoctoral funding will also be available.
Research topics covered bythe center will be broad and will cover the needs of both NOAA and the National Ocean Service (NOS). Research topics include, but are not limited to: fisheries, eco-forecasting, terrestrial impacts on coastal systems, climate change, ocean acidification, ocean engineering, ocean observing networks and big data analysis.
Recruiting for the first cohort of graduate students will begin fall of 2016 and recruiting for undergraduates will begin spring 2017. For information about how to becomeeligible please contact professor Corey Garza or Megan Bassett.
SEASIDE, Ca., Sept. 23, 2016 -- CSUMB is one of six universities across the nation who will benefit from a new five-year, $15.5-million National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems. NOAA has approved a total of $3 million to be awarded this year for the first phase of the new NOAA Cooperative Science Center.
Florida A&M University will serve as the lead institution for the center along with partners Bethune-Cookman University (Florida), CSUMB, Jackson State University (Mississippi), Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi and University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The center will conduct research to support NOAA's research mission and prepare students, particularly those from under represented groups, to engage in NOAA related careers.
“With CSUMB's portion of thefunding we will be able to support between six and eight students per year on our campus,” said CSUMB School of Natural Sciences Associate Professor, Corey Garza, Ph.D.
According to Garza, graduate students will be eligible for two years of funding; including a yearly stipend of $20,000 and funding to cover the full cost of tuition. Graduate students will also receive a $10,000 scholarship to support their research and summer funding up to $5,000 to support research activities at a NOAA facility. Undergraduates funded through the center will receive one year of stipend support up to $12,000 and a research account of $1,000. Faculty who mentor students through the center will have access to funding to support the purchase of supplies and non-capital equipment for their respective groups. Access to NOAA vessel time and postdoctoral funding will also be available.
Research topics covered by the center will be broad and will cover the needs of both NOAA and the National Ocean Service (NOS). Research topics include, but are not limited to: fisheries, eco-forecasting, terrestrial impacts on coastal systems, climate change, ocean acidification, ocean engineering, ocean observing networks and big data analysis.
Recruiting for the first cohort of graduate students will begin fall of 2016 and recruiting for undergraduates will begin Spring 2017. For information about how to become eligible please contact professor Corey Garza or Megan Bassett.
SEASIDE, Ca., Sept. 27, 2016 -- California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) is one of six univeristies across the nation who will benefit from a new five-year, $15.5-million Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has approved a total of $3 million to be awarded this year for the first phase of the new NOAA Cooperative Science Center.
Florida A&M University will serve as the lead institution for the center along with partners Bethune-Cookman University(Florida), California State University Monterey Bay, Jackson State University (Mississippi), Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi and University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
The center will conduct research to support NOAA's research mission and prepare students, particularly those from underrepresented groups, to engage in NOAA related careers.
“The Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems creates are search and student training alliance that will promote and foster NOAA-based science research opportunities,” according to CSUMB School of Natural Sciences Associate Professor, Corey Garza, Ph.D.
For more information about this grant see the recent articleon the CSUMB News page. To schedule an interview with Dr. Corey Garza please contact Noah Rappahahn. Formore information regarding the NOAA grant please refer to the NOAA press release.
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CSUMB selected to receive $5.6M STEM grant under the Department of Education's Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program.
SEASIDE, Ca., Sept. 28, 2016 -- California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) has been selected to receive funding under the Department of Education’s Hispanic-Serving Institutions (STEM) Program in the amount of $5,622,466. The award, expected to span over a total of five years, will be used to improve CSUMB’s capacity to serve Hispanic and other low-income students.
“CSUMB greatly appreciates Rep. Sam Farr's continued leadership on education issues. We share his belief in the importance of opening up opportunities in the STEM fields to the broadest cross-section of students,” said CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa.“These funds will augment our efforts and will make a difference to students and to institutions of higher education all along the Central Coast.”
The funding comes at a time when CSUMB, in conjunction with 44 campuses nationwide, joins the Association of American State Colleges and Universities’ (AASCU) Reimagining the First Year of College project, which will work in concert with this HSI-STEM grant. The award supports CSUMB’s commitment to increasing retention and graduation of Hispanic and low-income students in STEM by supporting a suite of high-impact educational practices to include first-year seminars, common intellectual experiences, learning communities and undergraduate research.
Unexpected road closure on 7th Ave from Butler to Col Durham. Expected to last today only. Please find alternate route.
The CSUMB Emergency Management Health and Safety division of the University Police Department now provides more than 70 Automated External Defibrillator (AED) units across campus, nearly one in every building. With an AED located within walking distance from any location on campus, students and employees are encouraged to complete a free AED/CPR training to become certified in AED and Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) use.
The certification course prepares users to perform life-saving adult, pediatric and infant CPR and AED procedures in the event of a cardiac emergency. While employees and students are not required to use these live-saving devices, all are encouraged to learn about their use to ensure rapid response in case of an emergency.
“The AED units use simple audio and visual commands to ensure successful application by any person,” said campus health and safety specialist Arianne Tucker. “It is important to get familiar with the AED unit and locations to ensure you’re ready to act in case of an emergency. You should also encourage your friends and coworkers to learn about AED procedures in case it’s you who is in need of assistance.”
The expansion of the AED program was made possible with funding from the Student Fee Advisory Committee. The free training is offered monthly through UPD and taught by the POM Fire Department.
Visit UPD’s AED use page for more information about how to familiarize yourself with AED use, view the new locations on a campus map, or to sign up for the free certification training program.
CSUMB and San José State University will co-host the semi-annual “CSU Counterparts” conference Oct. 12-14, 2016 at the Asilomar Conference Grounds with representatives from all 23 CSU's.
Camp Counterparts is a regularly held gathering for the extended, professional, international, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), and continuing education units from each CSU campus. It is an opportunity to share best practices, learn about the newest methods and techniques in the industry, and network with cross-campus counterparts.
Representatives from all 23 CSU campuses will be in attendance, totaling more than 325 participants.
“We are really proud to co-host this year’s conference,” says Tim Angle, Dean of the College of Extended Education and International Programs at CSUMB. “Counterparts is a great opportunity for campus colleagues from across the state to come together to compare notes, identify similar challenges, and come up with innovative solutions as a team. It’s good to remember that we are one unified institution, even though each campus has its own flavor.”
The three-day event will feature 50 professional development sessions led by CSU staff and external subject matter experts. Keynote speakers include CSUMB President Eduardo Ochoa and Guardian Quest Inc. CEO, Angie Taylor.
SEASIDE, Ca., Oct. 7, 2016 -- The 2016-2017 President's Speaker Series kicks off Thurs. Oct. 27 when President Ochoa hosts best-selling author and MSNBC analyst Richard Wolffe. The topic of conversation: Impacts of globalization on the Monterey Bay region and beyond.
Richard Wolffe is a best-selling author, journalist and digital media executive with extensive experience covering politics and foreign policy across multiple platforms.
“We are excited to welcome Richard Wolffe to begin our President’s Speaker Series on globalization,” said President Ochoa. “Mr. Wolffe is an outstanding international journalist who can offer a fresh perspective on the challenges and opportunities that result from living in a more closely interconnected world.”
The speaker series is in keeping with Cal State Monterey Bay’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
The event will take place at the CSUMB World Theater Thursday October 27, 2016 at 3:30 pm. A reception will immediately follow the presentation. Your RSVP confirms your attendance at both the presentation and reception. To RSVP or for more information please visit our President’s Speaker Series homepage.
A joint venture between Hartnell College and Cal State Monterey Bay aims to tackle the critical teacher shortage in the region with plan to "grow our own."
José Luis Alvarado, dean of the College of Education at CSU Monterey Bay presented iPads to 23 Hartnell College students at the King City Education Center Monday, Oct. 10, 2016. The students, all residents of South Monterey County, represent the first cohort enrolled in the joint Teacher Pathway program aimed at addressing the teacher shortage in South Monterey County.
The Teacher Pathway program, graciously funded by the Claire Giannini Fund, will prepare students to make a significant and lasting impact on the quality of education that is afforded to youth in South Monterey County. Hartnell College and CSUMB have built this plan with an eye towards sustainability; ensuring this project continues to prepare fully qualified elementary and special education teachers well into the future.
“The goal of this joint venture with Hartnell College is to grow our own talent and produce teachers who are from the community and want to teach in or near their home towns in the future,” said Alvarado. “The iPads are to ensure all students have accessibility to technology that is an essential component of this project.”
Students will first earn their Associate Degrees for Transfer (AA-T) in Elementary Teacher Education at Hartnell over the next two years. In fall of 2018, CSUMB will begin to offer coursework in South County for students to complete their BA in Liberal Studies. Once that is completed, a one-year certification will allow the students to be prepared to teach. All the classes will be held at the King City campus of Hartnell College, even when students begin taking CSUMB classes.
“Students should see it as a seamless program. They’re students of this program, and this is a joint partnership committed to supporting the students,” Alvarado explained.
Recruitment efforts are underway for fall 2017 cohort. Paraprofessionals who are working in the schools are also encouraged to reach out for more information. For more information, contact Gabriela Lopez at glopez@hartnell.edu.
SEASIDE, Ca., Oct. 17, 2016 -- Cal State Monterey Bay’s newest community outreach program, the Digital Otter Center, provides a variety of free technology services on a drop-in basis to students, business owners and residents in Monterey County.
The Digital Otter Center’s free services are available every Friday from Sept. 30 to Dec. 2 between 4-7 p.m. at the Joel & Dena Gambord Business and Information Technology Building.
The mission of the Digital Otter Center is to develop knowledge, expertise and resources needed to create and support a vibrant entrepreneurial community. This mission falls in line with the CSUMB Service Learning Institute and their goal to foster and promote social justice by connecting students, faculty, staff and the surrounding tri-county community.
During the 2015-16 academic year, 2,840 students in 118 courses provided 97,220 hours of service in 350 community agencies and schools throughout Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey counties through CSUMB's Service Learning Institute. For more information about the Service Learning Institute please contact the staff or faculty of the Service Learning Institute.
The Digital Otter Center can be contacted at digital.otter.center@gmail.com for any additional questions regarding the services they provide.
SEASIDE, Ca., Oct. 21, 2016 -- Cal State University Monterey Bay will host the 5th annual Startup Hackathon weekend featuring 80 students from Monterey Peninsula College, Cabrillo College, Hartnell College and CSUMB Nov. 4-6, 2016.
This year’s event, held at the Joel and Dena Gambord Business and Information Technology Building, will focus on the use of technology to solve community concerns such as safety, education, parking, emergency management and other emerging community dilemmas.
The Hackathon is calling for organizations with interesting and challenging community issues to submit their proposals as possible topics to be addressed at the hackathon. Interested organizations may submit their proposals through the iiED Startup Hackathon website.
The CSUMB Institute for Innovation and Economic Development (iiED), housed in the College of Business, hosts events such as the hackathon to promote entrepreneurship in the Monterey Bay region and foster the development of a vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystem in the region.
SEASIDE, Ca., Oct. 25, 2016 -- This fall Cal State Monterey Bay joined libraries from throughout Monterey County to support the National Endowment for the Arts' Big Read. Your fellow students have designed book covers and now we need your vote to determine the best book cover!
This year's Big Read is Sun, Stone, and Shadows is a collection of short stories by Mexican authors. CSUMB students have been encouraged to engage with the book by creating a design for a book cover for one of the stories in the anthology.
Next Tuesday the winners of both the Jury Award and the People's Choice Award will be announced at VPA's Day of the Dead celebration. All students, staff and faculty are encouraged to participate in the People's Choice Award by voting for their favorite book cover. Vote here!
SEASIDE, Ca., Oct. 28, 2016 -- CSU Monterey Bay’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is now the only Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited program in the tri-county region.
Bachelor-prepared registered nurses (RN’s) advance the nursing profession and qualify RN’s for advanced professional career opportunities in a wider array of healthcare settings.
While there is no direct entry BSN program at CSUMB, partnerships and pathway programs with local community colleges facilitate a seamless transition from associate degree in nursing (ADN) and RN programs to the CSUMB BSN program. By earning a BSN, RN’s are also prepared to pursue a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN).
According to Singh-Carlson, the CSUMB Department of Nursing hopes to submit a proposal for a MSN degree in 2017 with hopes that the degree could be offered in 2018.
The CSUMB Department of Nursing is a community-focused, student-centered program whose mission is to educate nurses for professional practice in diverse healthcare settings that is influenced by global health.
For more information on CSUMB BSN’s program please refer to the Department of Nursing BSN homepage.
SEASIDE, Ca., Nov. 8, 2016 -- President Eduardo Ochoa is one of 25 leaders recognized by Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education’s “Hispanic Leaders and Role Models in Higher Education.”
During Dr. Ochoa’s tenure as president at CSUMB, enrollment has grown significantly in student numbers and diversity. From fall 2011 to fall 2016, Latino enrollment has increased by 84 percent and African-American enrollment has increased by 91 percent. As a result, current CSUMB enrollment more closely reflects the demographics of its three-county service area.
In 2015, the university was the only public university in California to receive two awards in the California Innovation Grants program, which was designed to recognize universities who found creative and cost-effective ways to get more students to earn degrees in less time. Receiving awards were the CS-in-3 program, a partnership with Hartnell College through which a diverse cohort of students earns a bachelor’s degree in computer science in three years, and the Math Huge program, a successful model for teaching students developmental math.
Under Dr. Ochoa's leadership, CSUMB has also made significant progress in improving the four and six-year graduation rates of its incoming classes, along with the graduation rates for transfer students.
CSUMB students took their knowledge, applied it to research and presented the results to potential employers recently.
The CSUMB School of Natural Sciences and the Department of Mathematics & Statistics hosted an Internship Showcase & Networking Conference at the University Center this week, an event that hosted more than 20 potential employers of graduates in science and math-related fields.
The event kicked off with a message from College of Science Dean Andrew Lawson. Student presentations from their internships followed. Internship sites included the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, SPCA Wildlife Rehabilitation and the California Department of Food and Agriculture Fertilizer Research and Education Program.
An employer panel followed the student presentations. The event concluded with a networking session.
For more information about this event and future School of Natural Sciences events, contact Gabriela Alberola at galberola@csumb.edu or go online to csumb.edu/naturalsciences.
Friday Nov. 11, 2016
Since its inception, the CSUMB community has consisted of students, faculty, and staff committed to inclusiveness, empathy, and diversity. Our founding vision statement captures this well when it describes us as “…a model pluralistic academic community where all learn and teach one another in an atmosphere of mutual respect and pursuit of excellence.” Our campus has never wavered from this vision, and we continue to live and be guided by it today.
In this context, the results of the presidential election and the campaign leading up to it have been very distressing to many in our community. The level of vitriol and personal attacks during the campaign were unprecedented in recent memory, and the outcome was all the more stunning for being unexpected. In particular, the disparaging remarks towards women, members of the LGBT community, and ethnic and religious minority groups have generated real fear among some members of our campus community.
I am writing to reassure you that our university—and the entire CSU—remain unwavering in our commitment to the values that are fundamental to our institution. All human beings are valued regardless of differences; reasoned, respectful discussion and debate in the search for truth are our touchstones. We are here to provide a positive, transformational learning experience for all of our students. Their success and their flourishing is our shared goal. Acts of hate and bigotry, should they surface, will not be tolerated.
Notwithstanding all this, national developments are momentous, will have uncertain consequences, and many of us feel a need to meet and discuss their implications. I understand our students are planning an event on Monday evening to do this. I will not be able to attend, as I will be at the CSU Board of Trustees meeting, where I am sure some of these issues will be discussed. However, we will hold a University Forum upon my return, on Thursday, November 17, from 2 to 4 pm, at the University Center Ballroom to meet and discuss these issues further. All University community members—students, faculty, and staff—are invited to attend.
It is also important to note that there were some positive aspects to this election. While one-half of the country may be despondent, the other half is feeling good about the outcome. In spite of fears among some quarters preceding the event, the United States once again held clean, peaceful, orderly, uncontested elections. The peaceful transfer of power is once again taking place, a testament to the fact that our institutions of governance remain sturdy. And the candidate elected by one-half of Americans will soon be the President of all Americans. It will be up to all of us to encourage him to live up to that charge, and to insure that he remains faithful to the solemn oath he will take on January 20: to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
SEASIDE, Ca., Nov. 18, 2016 -- California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) is one of four CSU campuses to be awarded a two-year, $1.28 million grant from the California Mathematics Readiness Challenge Initiative (CMRCI). Administered by the California Department of Education, the grant has enabled CSUMB to partner with local K-12 school districts, community colleges and non-profit agencies to provide professional development for high school teachers improving college-level math readiness among high school seniors.
According to Joanne Lieberman, CSUMB Associate Professor of Mathematics and Statistics, one of the major impacts of this program will be the development of a new fourth-year high school mathematics course for students deemed not yet ready for college-level math.
The newly formed Monterey County Consortium for Mathematics Readiness (MCCMR) has allowed CSUMB to partner with Hartnell College, the Monterey County Office of Education, the Monterey Bay Area Mathematics Project at UC Santa Cruz and six school districts across Monterey County. This comprehensive project will address the severe under-preparation for college mathematics that is pervasive in the county and help support the success of the CSU's Graduation Initiative 2025.
For further information about MCCMR or how this program will be implemented please contact Joanne Lieberman at jlieberman@csumb.edu.
Dec. 1, 2016 --Whether you’re looking to donate toys or time, here is a list of all the opportunities around CSUMB to help everyone in our community enjoy this 2016 holiday season.
The University Police Department is hosting a holiday toy drive in conjunction with the Crime Prevention Officers' Association of Monterey County (CPOAMC). Toys from this drive will be given to those in need residing in the Salinas area.
University Personnel invites you to participate in the 2016 Giving Tree project, which is run in support of the Monterey County Salvation Army.
Our Information Technology Services department is participating in a Community Partnership for Youth's Angel Program. Community Partnership for Youth is a prevention program in Seaside, CA providing positive alternatives to gangs, drugs and violence while reinforcing individual strengths.
The CSUMB Student-Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) encourages your to bring a new toy to the home basketball games on Friday, Dec. 2 and receive free admission to the game.
The CSUMB Psi Chi Chapter asks for you to help in supporting Dorothy's Place Holiday Drive: Women Alive! This drive will be collecting toiletries, laundry, soap, gently used/new shoes and clothing and women's hygiene products.
The Alumni Association is hosting a Holiday Gift Wrapping event Tuesday, December 13 at the Boys and Girls Club of Monterey in Seaside where they will be wrapping gifts for families in need this holiday season.
In case you missed it, there have been many other organizations across campus that have been in the giving spirit over the past few months. The Associated Students Food Pantry has been very proactive in addressing food insecurity by hosting five food pantry events between September 7 and Dec. 1.
On Nov. 17, CSUMB student Tony Colin walked barefoot for more than 10 miles from Dorothy's Place to campus to raise awareness of homelessness in Monterey County. Tony worked with the Guardian Scholars and Early Outreach and Support Programs to collect 128 pairs of shoes for clients of Dorothy's Place in Salinas.
The World Theater's “Classic Rock Christmas” event brought in 8 barrels of food to be donated to the Monterey County Food Bank along with 2 barrels of pet food to be donated to the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter.
SEASIDE, Ca., Dec. 8, 2016 – California State University Monterey Bay and Universidad de Leon, Spain signed a memorandum of understanding today creating an international partnership that opens great possibilities for exchange of students, professors and educational resources.
Universidad de Leon Delegates President Juan Francisco Garcia Marin, Professor Oscar Fernandez and Professor Eduardo Compadre toured the CSUMB campus, met with students, faculty and staff for an official welcoming and signing ceremony to commemorate the new international partnership between the two universities.
The new alliance will allow the exchange of undergraduate students between both universities during certain academic periods and will facilitate the opportunity to help each other learn a second language, study a new culture through personal interaction, and share best teaching practices in a variety of subject areas.
View photos from the signing.
The beauty and diversity of the Asian Pacific Island cultures will be celebrated at Cal State Monterey April 25-29.
“We create events to educate students about the API culture and traditions we share,” said Matt Menor, president of the campus Asian Pacific Islander Association. “We would like to showcase our culture to students so they are aware of our traditions and beliefs, and to make sure that they are educated on who we are,” he said.
Here's the schedule:
• April 25: Showcase, 6-8 p.m., East Lounge of the Student Center
The week gets under way with an opportunity to learn about CSUMB’s Asian Pacific Islander Association, see arts and crafts from Asian cultures and learn about various Asian countries from campus clubs. The APIA dance team will perform.
• April 26: Holi Festival, noon-4 p.m., Main Quad
Holi celebrates spring in the Indian culture. Said Menor: “This is an important event to us because many people have the misconception that Asian counties are only the ones they know – China, Japan, Philippines. Many forget that India is part of Asia.”
• April 27: Faculty panel, 2-4 p.m., West Lounge of the Student Center
API faculty members are invited to tell their stories of the traditions they had growing up.
• April 28: Luau, 5-8p.m., Dining Commons
Kalua pig and mahi mahi will be on the menu. “This gives students the opportunity to be a part of our ‘ohana’ (extended family) and share in our culture of food” while watching multicultural performances, Menor said.
• April 29: Dialogue, 2-4 p.m., West Lounge of the Student Center
All students are invited to participate in an open dialogue. Club members will discuss their identity and culture and issues facing API students.
For more information or disability accommodations, contact csumbapia@gmail.com
Published April 8, 2016
Cal State Monterey Bay is ranked among the top colleges for the length of time its students spend abroad, according to the 2015 Open Doors reports.
The report, “Leading Institutions by Long-Term Duration of Study Abroad,” ranks CSUMB No. 8 among its peer institutions – master’s degree-granting colleges and universities.
The Institute of International Education defines “long-term” as an academic or calendar year. According to Open Doors, long stays account for just 3 percent of all study abroad participation; CSUMB students stay that long 35 percent of the time.
Studying abroad for longer periods encourages cultural immersion and provides more opportunities for world travel, overseas internships and a stronger sense of academic stability.
CSUMB students can study abroad for a few weeks in the summer or winter, for a semester, a year, or even multiple times over the course of their academic career. The university partners with more than 60 universities worldwide, in addition to many CSU systemwide partners, providing students opportunities to study or intern through more than 200 programs around the globe.
About Open Doors: Open Doors, supported by a grant from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, gathers and publishes information about international students in the United States and U.S. students studying abroad.
Published April 8, 2016
In July, 10 students from Cal State Monterey Bay will head overseas as participants in the Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program, better known as JET.
The program is an effort by the Japanese government to promote internationalization at the local level by bringing young, college-educated people to work in communities throughout the country.
Heading to Japan are Christian McGlothlin-Clason, Kiara McLaurin, Alexander Castillo, Addie Gingold, D’Andre Thompson, Andrew Ramirez, Andrew Elisalde, Mary McElroy, Kristen Simonsen and Selena Miranda. All but Simonsen and Miranda are Japanese Language and Culture majors.
“This is a record-breaking number for CSUMB,” said Professor Shigeko Sekine. “We had a 100 percent acceptance rate from our study group, and I'm proud of them.”
Participants work as language teachers or in government offices.
Gingold will serve as a coordinator for international relations (CIR) at a government office, the first CSUMB student to be accepted in that role. CIRs interpret for foreign officials and visitors and work on sister-city relations, among other duties.
The other nine students will work as assistant language teachers, helping with English classes, working on teaching materials and assisting with extracurricular activities such as English clubs.
The initial placement is for one year, although it can be renewed.
While language proficiency isn’t required for the teaching positions, all of the CSUMB students have studied Japanese at the university. Some of them have already spent time in Japan and are eager to return.
“What appeals to me most is being able to live among Japanese people,” Thompson said. “When I studied in Japan for a year, I had one of the best adventures of my life. To be able to live and work there was my goal. And I wanted to make my Sensei (teacher) proud.”
McGlothlin-Clason is another student who has experience in Japan. “After spending a year studying at Okayama University, I fell in love with the country,” she said. “I have enjoyed sharing my love for language and culture with people, so I look forward to helping children to learn a foreign language.”
Placements are competitive. According to the JET website, 2,695 Americans served with the program last year.
Published April 11, 2016
The community is invited to join Cal State Monterey Bay’s College of Health Sciences and Human Services on April 26 to mark National Minority Health Month.
A pair of speakers will focus on farmworker and immigrant health:
• Gil Cedillo, a member of the Los Angeles City Council and former state senator and assemblyman. As father of the California Dream Act and the legislation that allowed undocumented immigrants to get driver’s licenses, Cedillo has paved the way for justice among California’s most vulnerable populations. He will address needs to create health equity among the migrant population. • Carlos Ugarte, director of health programs for Farmworker Justice, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit organization that seeks to empower migrants to improve their living and working conditions. Known for his efforts in creating and supporting community healthworker programs, Ugarte will share challenges and solutions to achieve farmworker health equity. A question-and-answer session and a reception will follow the presentations. The event will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. in the World Theater on the CSUMB campus. While the program is free, visitors must purchase a parking permit from a dispenser on the lot. For more information or to request disability accommodations, contact Kaylee Rivera at karivera@csumb.edu or 582-3736.
The event is sponsored by Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas, Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, Doctors on Duty, Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice, Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Natividad Medical Center and Casa Munras.
Published April 12, 2016
On Saturday, April 23, several roads adjacent to campus will be closed for most of the day to accommodate training exercises by Monterey County law enforcement and fire personnel.
Between 6:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., Colonel Durham Street from Malmedy Road to Sixth Avenue, and Lightfighter Drive east of General Jim Moore Boulevard will be closed to through traffic.
For more information, contact Ken Folsom, CSUMB's emergency manager, at ext. 3589.
Science illustration students exhibit work at P.G. Museum
If you’ve ever wondered about the artwork that illustrates science textbooks, field guides, and interpretive signs in parks and nature preserves, you have the opportunity to learn about it at an exhibit in Pacific Grove.
Illustrating Nature, the annual exhibit of work by students in the CSU Monterey Bay Science Illustration Program, will be on display at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History May 7 through June 12. The museum is located at 165 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove.
The opening reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on May 6.
The framed illustrations and several field sketchbooks in the exhibit depict all manner of wildlife – even an extinct creature, tyrannosaurus Rex – created using a variety of media including colored pencil, watercolor, gouache, acrylic and digital media.
A demonstrationof science illustration methods and techniques will be held at the museum from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 21.
Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is free for Monterey County residents.
In 2009, the science illustration program relocated from UC Santa Cruz Extension to CSUMB. One of the most prestigious programs of its kind in the nation, it prepares students who are sought after by scientific institutions and publications around the world. Graduates are working at the Smithsonian Institution; New York’s American Museum of Natural History; the LosAngeles Museum of Natural History; the Monterey Bay Aquarium; and National Geographic, Scientific American and Nature magazines. The exhibit is made possible by a grant to the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History from the Arts Council for Monterey County. Published April 18, 2016
Three days of film screenings, music, art workshops and artists talks are on tap April 28 through 30 at the Monterey Bay Art and Film Festival for Youth at Cal State Monterey Bay and the Greenfield Cultural Arts Center.
Through art activities designed to celebrate creativity, the Monterey Bay Art and Film Festival for Youth (MAFFY) brings the world of imagination to young minds. Children, youth and professional artists will collaborate to exchange ideas and help build a culturally diverse global art community through their exploration.
Selections from the Children’s Film Festival Seattle will be screened, along with the pilot episode of The Adventures of Catty Wompus, a children’s television show that blends fantasy with life lessons.
All screenings and events are free and open to the public. Most will be held on the CSUMB campus; films from the Seattle festival will be shown at the Greenfield Cultural Arts Center, 215 El Camino Real, on April 30.
Schedule:
April 28, World Theater at CSUMB
2-4 p.m.
• Art exhibition from workshops held at MontereyPeninsula United School District's After School Academy
• Art workshops and music performance outside the theater
3:30-4:40 p.m.
• Best of the Fest: Children's Film Festival Seattle (Part 1)
• World Premiere of 'The Adventure of Catty Wompus' TV show pilot episode
April 29, Cinematic Arts Studio at CSUMB (Bldg. 27, Room 119)
2:30- 4:30 p.m.
• CSUMB Cinematic Arts' collection of thesis films and Open House
6:30-7:30 p.m.
• Best of the Fest: Children's Film Festival Seattle (Part 2)
April 30, Cinematic Arts Studio at CSUMB (Building 27, Room 119)
12:30-1:30 p.m.
• World Premiere of 'The Adventure of Catty Wompus" TV show pilot episode
• Free raffle to win a box of Catty swag
2-3 p.m.
• Screening of Cartoon Network's animated show 'WE BARE BEARS' with the creator Daniel Chong
• Display of artwork of 'ICKLE & LARDEE'S ADVENTURE' with the author/artist Inhae Lee, followed by autograph and book-signing event
3-4:40 p.m.
• Visiting artists talk and Q-and-A with Daniel Chong and Inhae Lee, followed by critique/feedback session on student animations
April 30, Family Fun Film Series, Greenfield Cultural Arts Center
3 p.m.-4:15 p.m.
• See The World, Feed Your Mind: Animated Shorts from the Children’s Film Festival Seattle
6:30-7:50 p.m.
• See The World, Feed Your Mind: Live Action Shorts from the Children’s Film Festival Seattle
Published April 19, 2016
Puppet 'Ivan' designed by Jenn Branch; background design and animation by Todd Hemker
Annual summit teaches students about college requirements
More Santa Cruz County students are preparing for college, and Cal State Monterey Bay is part of the process.
On April 22, half of the county’s seventh-graders – about 1,400 students – will visit CSUMB to attend a summit on college eligibility requirements and to learn about the college experience. The university’s office of Early Outreach and Support Programs will host the visit to campus. The rest of the seventh-graders in the county recently attended a similar event at UC Santa Cruz.
The Seventh-Grade College and Career Summit, now in its third year, is part of the Santa Cruz County College Commitment (S4C). Partners include CSUMB, Cabrillo College, UC Santa Cruz and school districts throughout the county. The summit is intended to foster a college-going culture and to promote the higher-ed campuses in the area.
S4C is a collaboration of educators started in 2011 and sponsored by the county Office of Education. Ray Kaupp, S4C’s executive director, told the Santa Cruz Sentinel that the collaborative approach helps students meet certain milestones on the path to college and career.
“In fourth grade, they decide to go to college. In seventh grade, they decide to take the classes they need to get into college, and in 11th grade, they choose their school,” Kaupp told the Sentinel.
Workshops will focus on the coursework needed to be college-eligible, referred to as the A-G requirements. The seventh-graders will also attend a CSUMB student panel and will be provided with information and resources to help them prepare for college.
State education department data shows that 48.5 percent of Santa Cruz County high school graduates completed their A through G requirements in 2013, up from 40 percent in 2011.
A-G requirements:
Published April 20, 2016
Public invited to talk with decision-makers
The College of Education at Cal State Monterey Bay will hold a colloquium with members of local school boards on April 28.
The event will be held at 5 p.m. in the University Center living room on Sixth Avenue and B Street.
Officials from Gonzales, Aromas, Santa Cruz and Monterey will discuss how boards run and what issues are currently shaping schools in the region. Panelists will answer questions from the audience, providing an inside view of how district decisions are made. Panelists include: • Sonia Jaramillo, Gonzales school board president • PK Diffenbaugh, Monterey Peninsula School District superintendent • Jennifer Colby, Aromas school board member • Deane Perez-Granados, Santa Cruz school board member For more information, contact Scott Waltz at swaltz@csumb.edu Published April 22, 2016
Director will attend May 11 campus screening
Buried Above Ground, a documentary that tracks the lives of three people trying to recover from post-traumatic stress disorder, will be screened at CSUMB’s Black Box Cabaret on May 11. Showtime is 6 p.m.
The showing is sponsored by CSUMB’s Health & Wellness Services and Veterans Services Center. The public is invited to this free event.
The film, directed by Ben Selkow, follows an Iraq war veteran, a survivor of domestic abuse and an evacuee from Hurricane Katrina over a six-year period as they try to unburden themselves from the crippling lock of their past traumas. Their personal battles illuminate a global health condition that is misunderstood, underreported and often left untreated.
At the conclusion of the film, a panel featuring Selkow and local experts will discuss issues addressed in the movie. The presentation will include a resource fair featuring information about local services for those suffering from PTSD.
CSUMB is co-sponsoring this screening and one the next day at Maya Cinemas in Oldtown Salinas with NAMI Monterey County, Monterey County Behavioral Health Department, the Veterans Transition Center of Monterey County, and YWCA Monterey County.
The presentations are made possible with funding from the California Mental Health Services Authority and the Each Mind Matters initiative in observance of Mental Health Awareness Month.
For additional information about the CSUMB screening or to request disability-related accommodations, please contact Gary Rodriguez at 831-582-4437 or grodriguez@csumb.edu.
Published April 27, 2016
Cesar Velazquez, coordinator of Cal State Monterey Bay’s Upward Bound program, has been honored by his peers in the Western Association of Educational Opportunity Personnel.
The Steve Holeman Award, presented to Velazquez at the association’s annual conference in April, honors the memory of one of its founders. It recognizes a director’s dedication to educational excellence and equity, concern for developing students’ potential and professionalism in administration.
"It's a great honor to receive this award, especially because so many of my past mentors and Upward Bound staff and alums contributed to the nomination," he said. Velazquez has been coordinator of the Upward Bound program at CSUMB since its inception in 2000. The program assists low-income, first-generation students to further their education beyond high school. During the school year, the students receive tutoring, academic advising, college and career exploration and financial aid mentoring from Upward Bound staff members during school visits. During the six-week summer session, the students live in CSUMB residence halls and participate in academic, social, recreational and cultural activities. The CSUMB program serves students attending Watsonville, Soledad, Pajaro Valley and North Monterey County high schools. About 97 percent of participants go on to enroll in college. In nominating Velazquez for the award, former Upward Bound participants and colleagues emphasized his concern for students as well as his willingness to serve as a mentor and role model:
Velazquez grew up in the Salinas Valley and worked in the fields before attending Hartnell College and transferring to CSUMB. His entire professional career has been spent working in TRiO programs.
"I'm most proud of serving in the programs that guided me toward college, especially because I'm a Talent Search TRiO alum," Velazquez said.
Four high school students gathered around a table at CSU Monterey Bay on April 29, brainstorming ideas for a business. They decided to design an app to help users of the local public transportation system.
They and 25 other students from Monterey and Seaside high schools had four hours to research and develop effective, real-world business plans for a new enterprise of their own design. Seven teams took part.
The competition was the culmination of a program that started earlier in the year at the high schools. CSU Monterey Bay business majors and community volunteers presented Junior Achievement’s seven-week classroom-based program, “Be Entrepreneurial,” preparing the students for the Business Plan Challenge.
Junior Achievement is a hands-on program that teaches work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. Students learn about finances, supply chain, customer service and marketing. The Business Plan Challenge allowed them to implement what they had learned.
“JA helps students understand how an idea becomes a practical venture,” said Taran Barca-Hall, regional director of Junior Achievement of Northern California. “It’s very much a real-world entrepreneurship program.
“We realize most students won’t be entrepreneurs, but the program teaches them to think critically, like an entrepreneur. It will help them in the future.”
With $40,000 funding from AT&T, the pilot project got under way this year. The plan is to expand to more schools and include more students – high school students and CSUMB business majors – starting in the fall. The program was the vision of Dr. Bettye Saxon, a long-time supporter of Junior Achievement who currently chairs the organization’s board. She had long wanted to bring high schools, CSUMB and the non-profit together, she said. Saxon is area manager, External Affairs at AT&T. When she submitted the grant application, “It went through flawlessly,” she told the students. “I’m happy I got to see a vision come together.” Top finishers at the Business Plan Challenge:
1st Place: “MST Go”
To improve public transportation inMonterey County and provide Monterey-Salinas Transit riders with easy-to-access tools and information, the students behind “MST Go” proposed a transportation app to be rolled out in cooperation with MST. The user-friendly system would provide bus tracking via GPS and a virtual bus card to enable payment via credit or debit card. The app would provide real-time updates on bus locations, arrival times and schedules as well as interactive route guidance to help riders better plan routes and transfers.
Team members: Vidal Ballesteros Martinez, Seaside High; Elena Garcia, Monterey High; Jacqueline Blythe Mayes, Monterey High; Bryan Martinez Vasquez, Seaside High
2nd Place: “Pandora’s Box”
Subscription-based delivery service shipping quality foreign candies to customers who are curious about savoring treats from around the world.
Team members: Jonathon Cabrera, Monterey High; Tatiana Cabrera, Monterey High; Nicole Peterson, Seaside High; Fernando Avina, Monterey High
3rd Place: “Picasso Paintballing”
Re-purpose former military facility in Seaside to develop a paintball center to provide a safe and fun recreation alternative for customers of all ages, with a particular focus on youth and teens.
Team members: Joaquin Ortega, Seaside High; Mari Carmen Diaz, Monterey High; Michael Cortez, Monterey High; Marion Ramos, Seaside High; Justin Doolittle, Seaside High
Fishackathon brings coding and creativity together
“Speakers to winners, an Otter theme ran throughout,” said John Wood, product manager at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Wood was referring to Cal State Monterey Bay's mascot at Fishackathon 2016, held over Earth Day weekend. The aquarium was one of dozens of sites on six continents to host the annual event.
The initiative, now in its third year, is led by the U.S. Department of State.
From April 22 to 24, about 50 people with skills in data science, software coding, design and marine science converged at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. They were there to help protect marine life and the billions of people who look to the sea for their next meal by using creative applications of technology.
The Cal State Monterey Bay team of Joshua Kling, Sarah Anderson, Ryan Green, Bryan Huynh, Zach Leids, Andrea Perez, Gregory Greenleaf, Nate Pincus and Karen Tafolla took first place with an app, Fish Ops, to help fishermen in the Philippines identify and avoid protected areas. The app also provides a way for the government to locate hotspots where extra resources might be needed to enforce no-fishing zones. And– bonus! – it alerts fishermen to dangerous weather conditions.
Another CSUMB team came in second with an app, “Rogue Net,” to track lost, abandoned fishing gear.
Fish Ops will now compete for the top international honor and the $10,000 cash prize that goes with it. The winning entry will also receive support from the State Department to bring its app to reality. The winner will be selected by a panel of global judges and announced on World Oceans Day, June 8.
Students weren’t the only CSUMB representatives to shine. Dr. Glen Bruns, an assistant professor in the School of Computing and Design, gave a well-received talk at the event’s plenary session.
“Besides having an awesome sleepover experience next to the fish tanks, our teams won the top two places, competing against teams that had students from UC Berkeley, Stanford and other UC campuses,” said Dr. Bude Su, chair of the School of Computing and Design.
Fishackathon by the numbers:
On the weekend of May 28 and 29, electrical service to many buildings on the main campus will be shut down in order to complete much-needed improvements to the system.
Service to these buildings will be shut down from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days.
These dates provide the best opportunity to accomplish this important work with minimal impact to campus. It is advisable to shut down all office computers, printers, copiers, etc., at close-of-business on May 27. For more information, contact Michael Tebo of Campus Planning and Development at mtebo@csumb.edu. The following buildings will be affected: Building 1 – Administration Building Building 2 – Playa Hall Building 3 – Del Mar Hall Building 4 – Wave Hall Building 6 – Surf Hall Building 8 – Sand Hall Building 10 – Dunes Hall
Building 11 – Telecommunication Shelter Building 12 – Student Center Building 14 – Otter Express Building 16 – Dining Commons Building 18 – Heron Hall Building 80 – Health & Wellness Services Building 81 – Black Box Cabaret Building 82 – Valley Hall Building 84 – Mountain Hall Building 86 – Ocean Hall Building 90 – Otter Sports Center Building 97 – Alumni & Visitors Center
Building 98 – Meeting House Building 202 – Cypress Hall Building 203 – Asilomar Hall Building 204 – Willet Hall Building 205 – Manzanita Hall Building 206 – Yarrow Hall Building 208 – Avocet Hall Building 210 – Tortuga Hall Building 211 – Sanderling Hall Building 301 – Strawberry Apartments Building 302 – Pinnacles Suites Building 303 – Vineyard Suites
Outstanding research by CSU Monterey Bay students on topics ranging from bat foraging to visitor engagement at museums was presented at a competition in late April at CSU Bakersfield.
The CSU Student Research Competition is held each spring to promote excellence in undergraduate and graduate scholarly research and creative activity by recognizing outstanding student accomplishments across the 23 CSU campuses.
Marine biology student Madison Heard took second place with her research on the impacts of ocean acidification on abalone. She started the work last summer as part of CSUMB’s 10-week Monterey Bay Regional Ocean Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program funded by the National Science Foundation. Student projects were selected by a committee of CSUMB’s Faculty Senate. At the competition, students made 10-minute oral presentations before juries of experts from major corporations, foundations, public agencies, colleges and universities. The judges also reviewed each student’s research paper. One graduate student and nine undergraduates from CSUMB were among the 200 students who presented their work in 20 categories.
CSUMB students, their degree programs, research topics and their faculty advisers:
Undergraduates
Briana Bercerra, environmental science, technology and policy, “Productivity of Juniper and Pinyon Woodlands in La Joya, New Mexico,” faculty mentor: Dr. Suzy Worcester
Jordan Collignon, mathematics, “Simulating the Reintroduction of the Extinct Passenger Pigeon,” faculty mentor: Dr. Lipika Deka
Jesirae Collins, marine science, “Impact of seafloor structure on adominant marine organism of the sandy habitat,” faculty mentor: Dr. Corey Garza
Gina Dabbah, biology, “Field observation of ascospore discharge ofmonilinia vaccinii-corymbosi in northern highbush blueberries,” faculty mentor: Dr. Tim Miles
Charlie Farber and Carl Thacker, biology, “Utilization of in vivo Plasmid Assembly in the Transformation of S. Cerevisiae,” faculty mentor: Dr. Aparna Sreenivasan
Madison Heard, marine science, “Effects of Climate Change on the Larval Development of Haliotis rufescens (red abalone),” faculty mentor: Dr. Corey Garza
Elizabeth Hensley, human communication, “Stop the press: A case study using critical race theory to unpack and challenge the barrier of whiteness in newspapers,” faculty mentor: Dr. Sam Robinson
• Bethany Schulze, environmental science, technology and policy, “Modeling and mapping habitat suitability for bat foraging activity,” faculty mentor: Dr. Fred Watson
Graduate student
• Jewel Sean Gentry, Master of Arts in Education, “Measuring visitor engagement in the mission museums,” faculty adviser: Dr. Kerrie Chitwood
On the evenings of Tuesday and Wednesday, June 7 and 8, electrical service to some buildings on the main campus will be shut down in order to complete much-needed improvements to the system.
Service to these buildings will be shut down from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. on both days.
These dates provide the best opportunity to accomplish this important work with minimal impact to campus.
For more information, contact Michael Tebo of Campus Planning and Development at mtebo@csumb.edu.
The following buildings will be affected:
KAZU has now won 16 regional Edward R. Murrow Awards since 2010.
The awards are given by the Radio, Television, Digital News Association and honor the best journalism produced by radio, television and online news organizations around the world.
KAZU’s 2016 awards winners:
• Feature reporting: UCSC Linguists Use Modern Technology to Study Ancient Language. Reporter: Doug McKnight
• Sports reporting: End of an Era: Famed Aptos Mountain Biking Dirt Jumps Close. Reporter: Samantha Clark
KAZU competes in Region 2 small market radio, which includes similar size stations in California, Guam, Hawaii and Nevada. The winning entries move on to the national competition.
Edward R. Murrow was one of the most highly respected television and radio journalists of the 20th century. He earned international acclaim for his broadcasts from London during World War II.
About the station: KAZU 90.3 FM – NPR for the Monterey Bay Area – is a community service of California State University, Monterey Bay.
Published May 12, 2016
Topics currently available:
Innovation in Higher Education
Higher education is facing challenges in an era of increased demand, changing demographics and declining state support. American colleges and universities will need to adopt new educational approaches and technologies to serve more students while maintaining quality. CSUMB is addressing this through a variety of ways: a new three-year computer science degree developed in partnership with Hartnell College; creation of an Institute for Innovation and Economic Development; and exploring the potential to use technology for online programs.
– Dr. Eric Tao
From iPhone Apps to Flying Drones – Computing and Engineering Education at CSUMB
– Dr. Eric Tao
Science with a Mission at CSUMB
The CSUMB Science Division includes experts from both terrestrial and marine realms. Their common mission is to use sound science to solve environmental problems in the tri-county area. They use cutting-edge technology and student power for the good of the community.
– Dr. Doug Smith
A Vision for Service: At CSUMB, Giving Back is a Core Value
CSUMB has won national acclaim for integrating community service with each student’s academic experience, and is changing lives – and our ideas about learning and community –in the process
– Dr. Seth Pollack
Athletics at CSUMB
CSUMBis dedicated to building champions, one victory at a time – in our community, in the classroom and in competition. The university fields 12 teams competing at the NCAA Division II level. It has earned a national title in men’s golf, and a number of California Collegiate Athletic Association titles.
– Kirby Garry, athletic director
Master of Social Work program meets local demand
CSUMB now offers a Master of Social Work program, created in collaboration with community partners to address a shortage of social workers with graduate degrees in the region.
– Dr. Julie Altman, program director
CSUMB goes green
People across campus are working on many fronts to make Cal State Monterey Bay a more sustainable university. We developed a Climate Action Plan that will provide a road map for eliminating greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and issues surrounding sustainability are addressed in many classes. We also have a robust alternative transportation program in place. Mike Lerch of campus facilities can speak to the many energy efficiency upgrades on campus (that have cut our energy use 20% and reduced our carbon footprint).
– Mike Lerch, CSUMB’s associate director of facilities services and operations
Research at CSUMB: Why We Do It and What it Means for the Monterey Bay region
Researchers at the university bring in millions of dollars in grants. Those funds create jobs and support the development of new knowledge. We’re eager to discuss economic development and to share ideas for cooperation and collaboration between the university and industry.
– University administrator
From ‘You’ve Got to be Kidding!’ to ‘Ah-Ha!’ – Hope for our oceans through insight and innovation
The talk discusses innovative ways to address the unprecedented threats of climate change, sea level rise, ocean acidification, pollution, fishery declines, coastal erosion, algal blooms and storm intensification on the coastal oceans and communities.
– Dr. Rikk Kvitek
Peeling Back the Blue: How we Map and Use 3D Visualization to Reveal and Learn from Earth’s Hidden Seafloor Landscapes
Although the global ocean is the driver of weather, a highway for marine commerce, a reservoir of vast marine resources, and our playground, we know more about distant planets than we do about the seafloor. Imagine if the next time you were standing at the ocean's edge that instead of watching crashing waves, you were able to visualize submarine canyons, underwater seamounts and ridges, and even a kelp forest teeming with marine life. The State of California has undertaken a cutting-edge project to make this possible by mapping the seafloor of all the state's waters. Dr. Kvitek will show you the first images created from this effort and share with you how this new information is already being used in a multitude of ways.
– Dr. Rikk Kvitek
Dr. Kvitek is a professor in the Division of Science and Environmental Policy, where he directs the CSUMB Seafloor Mapping Lab. He earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology from the University of Michigan, a master’s at Moss Landing Marine Labs, and Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Washington. His research with whales, sea otters, walrus, sea birds, fish, icebergs, submarine canyons and numerous invertebrates from the Arctic to the Antarctic has brought novel insights to the fields of benthic ecology, seafloor disturbance, habitat mapping and species relations, and the effects of harmful algal bloom toxins in marine foodchains. Beginning with SCUBA, Dr. Kvitek quickly realized that detailed bird’s-eye views of the seafloor could do for marine research what aerial photography had done for terrestrial studies, and now specializes in bringing seafloor habitats to life with high resolution remote sensing and 3D visualization
San Clemente Dam Removal
San Clemente Dam has been removed from the Carmel River to reduce the risk of dam failure and to foster the historic salmon run. This large-scale project has long-term impacts on the watershed, and could be a model for other dam removal projects in California.
– Dr. Doug Smith
Water Resources on the Monterey Peninsula
People on the coast between Carmel and Seaside have been seeking a sustainable water resource for decades. The search has been fraught with technical, political and legal pitfalls. What are the technical solutions? What are the political/legal constraints? What's the latest plan?
– Dr. Doug Smith
The Geology of Coastal Monterey County: Resource Opportunities and Geological Hazards
Wherever you stand, there is a stack of rocks below your feet that records the local geological history and governs the kind of urban development that is suited to the region. We will consider the water resources and environmental hazards of our region. Water is scarce, and urban expansion is locally constrained by coastal erosion, landslides and hill slope erosion potential.
– Dr. Doug Smith
Institute for Applied Marine Ecology (IfAME)
The primary goal of the IfAME is to provide science in support of government decision-making ranging from local municipalities to state, federal and international governments. That science includes monitoring the new state marine protected areas along California's coast, exploring the resources of National Marine Sanctuaries from Monterey to New England, studying the impact of commercial bottom trawling on seafloor habitats around the world, and diving from the world's only undersea laboratory in the Florida Keys. The closely linked secondary goal is to involve CSUMB students in the conduct of this research.
– Dr. James Lindholm
Math, Revealed – Cracking the Mysteries of Math for Youngsters
New research examining thousands of students in two dozen California school districts finds that students already doing well in math in the seventh grade are more likely to take advanced math courses in high school and meet college entrance requirements. But for many students who struggle with math in grade seven, there is no clear path to learning and achievement. CSUMB math professor Hongde Hu uses math games, engaging presentations and curriculum he has been refining for years to reach those youngsters.
– Dr. Hongde Hu
Technology in the Classroom
Technology is being used to expand curriculum options, maximize scarce resources, increase teacher and student engagement, and improve outcomes. It delivers a new type of interactive education to meet the needs and requirements of 21st century learners as global citizens. Dr. Bude Su has a particular interest in encouraging technology education as part of the K-12 curriculum and encouraging women/girls in STEM fields as well.
– Dr. Bude Su
Eyewitness Memory
Eyewitnesses are notoriously bad in the identification of the perpetrator of a crime. If you witness a crime, can you be sure that your memory for that event is accurate? Not really. Scientific evidence explains that memory changes over time, is malleable and is easy to manipulate via suggestibility and misattribution. Find out why eyewitnesses are so bad at remembering details of the crime and in the identification of the perpetrator.
– Dr. Jill Yamashita
Creating Memories for Events that Never Happened
False memories are the remembering of events that never took place. Memory is easily manipulated and can change without our awareness. Memory research shows that it is easy to create false memories (for example, a memory of getting lost in the mall). One of the issues with false memory is that you cannot tell the difference between a false memory and a real one.
– Dr. Jill Yamashita
They All Look the Same: The Other-Race Effect
The other-race effect is a deficit in the ability to recognize or identify a face that is of a different race. You might hear a child say, “All of the faces look the same,” which is common response when looking at faces of an unfamiliar or different race. I examine what influences the other-race effect and what helps to minimize this effect.
– Dr. Jill Yamashita
Family Dynamics
Dr. Rob Weisskirch, a professor of human development, can talk about a number of topics including:
• Cell phone use between parents and adolescents
• Sexting in romantic relationships
• The science of adolescent development
• The impact of language brokering among immigrant children
• Understanding brain development
– Rob Weisskirch, MSW, Ph.D.,professor of human development
Mexican Entrepreneurs: a New Look to Immigration
Immigrants aren’t always who you think they are.
– Dr. Juan Gutierrez
Developing Business Models for New Ventures
The focus of creating new businesses has changed from writing a business plan to creating a business model. This talk tells what it takes to develop a killer business model - and how to do it.
– Dr. Brad Barbeau
Funding for Startups – the ABC's
New opportunities for raising funding are emerging in online crowdfunding. When should a startup use angels, banks, and crowdfunding? This talk covers the latest developments in venture funding and where they fit into the founder's toolkit for fundraising.
– Dr. Brad Barbeau
The Current State of the Economy
A discussion of current economic data and its meaning for business.
– Dr. Brad Barbeau
Creating Customer Loyalty
John Avella, head of CSUMB’s hospitality program, has 40 years of human resource development and teaching experience in the hospitality industry. He has been vice president of human resources for Marriott Corporation, The Rainbow Room and Windows on the World, and president of Human Resource Concepts. His work focused on management and executive development, customer service and organizational strategic change. He has studied the application of emotional intelligence to customer service/loyalty, emotional labor and leadership. He has developed a process that teaches people to “connect” to the customer.
The Region’s Hospitality Industry – What’s Ahead?
The lingering effects of the recession and looming water problems are just two issues facing the local tourism/hospitality industry. What’s on the horizon?
– Dr. John Avella
Sustainable Hospitality Management
– Dr. John Avella
Kinesiology Gains in Popularity
Kinesiology – the study of human movement – is the fastest-growing major on campuses across the country. As the U.S. population skews older – and fatter –there’s a demand for fitness trainers, physical therapists and researchers who study the science of movement and performance. Dr. Kent Adams, a prolific researcher as well as head of the Kinesiology Department, shares his findings to help people keep fit across the lifespan.
– Dr. Kent Adams
Nursing Program will Meet a Need
The health care industry is coping with the “silver tsunami” of aging baby boomers, combined with the impact of health care reform. Nurses will play a big role in meeting both challenges, but will need more than a two-year degree to do so. CSUMB has partnered with four community colleges in the region to offer a four-year degree that prepares them to serve as health care navigators, helping patients manage multiple conditions such as hypertension and diabetes outside a hospital setting. The university also offers currently employed nurses an opportunity to earn a B.S.N.
– Dr. Savitri Singh-Carlson
Unraveling Standardized Testing and Evaluation
Mark O’Shea, a professor of education at CSUMB, has been studying the standards movement from the perspective of the classroom teacher for years. He has conducted extensive clinical research in standards-based education and has consulted with school districts and state departments of education. He can also talk about the new Common Core standards – he helped state officials develop the science standards – and their implementation in California.
– Dr. Mark O’Shea
The Coming Teacher Shortage
California is facing a looming teacher shortage. Dr. O’Shea talks about why and offers some strategies for dealing with it.
– Dr. Mark O’Shea
Digging through time
Dr. Ruben Mendoza is an archaeologist, writer, and photographer who has explored the length and breadth of Mexico, Central America, Europe, and the U.S. Southwest documenting both pre-Columbian and Colonial era sites and collections. He has directed major archaeological investigations and conservation projects at missions San Juan Bautista, Carmel, and Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, among others. Recent efforts at the Royal Presidio of Monterey resulted in the tandem discovery of the earliest Serra era Christian houses of worship in California dated to 1770. And he has made astronomically and liturgically significant discoveries of solstice, equinox, and feast day solar illuminations of mission church altars throughout California,the U.S. Southwest, and Mesoamerica.
– Dr. Ruben Mendoza
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is Bringing Seniors Back to School
Are you sitting on an idea for the next great American novel and don't know how to begin? Would you like to understand contemporary art? Ever wonder where our special brand of weather comes from? Would you like to know the history of Cannery Row? Then the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI@CSUMB) is the place for you. These are just some of the topics that have been covered in courses that range from one day to eight weeks during the Fall and Spring semesters each year. For adults age 50 or better and funded in part by the Bernard Osher Foundation, many of our courses are taught by CSUMB professors. There are no test or grades, just good fun and great fellowship with friends and neighbors in our region. Learn how and why OLLI@CSUMB came into being and how it has evolved to reflect the interests of our adult learners.
– Michele Crompton, OLLI director
Art in the service of science
Science illustration is all around us – in books, magazines, posters, on websites, in films and TV, and in museums. Most of us don’t notice the extraordinary technical skill, the precision and carefully observed detail, or the beauty of these illustrations because we’re busy absorbing information from them. CSUMB is home to a nationally renowned science illustration program; graduates’ work is in the Smithsonian Institution, the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History; in top science magazines such as National Geographic, Scientific American, Nature and Audubon; at the National Zoo, in Washington, D.C., and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
– Jenny Keller, instructor in the Science Illustration program
Linda MacDonald Glenn, J.D., LL.M.
Bioethicist, futurist, and counselor-at-law in graduate and undergraduate education and consultant. Other research interests include the global impact, legal, ethical and social implications of Exponential Technologies and Evolving Notions of Legal Personhood and Human Rights.
One year of planning and countless staff hours create this unforgettable day
14,400: Graduation tickets printed 11,500: Friends and family attending 6,700: Parking spaces 6,000: Programs printed 2,000: Diploma folders prepared 1,875: Candidates for graduation (1,165 female, 710 male) 1,830: Rented chairs in stadium 1,656: Number of bachelor’s degrees to be conferred 1,500: Students expected to participate in commencement (youngest 20, oldest 68, median age 24) 1,450 and counting: Caps and gowns purchased from bookstore 520: Bagels ordered for breakfasts served to students, faculty, and platform party
220: Event staff
120: Minutes ceremony expected to last
40: Members of commencement planning committee
31: Majors represented (most popular: psychology, 229 graduates; kinesiology, 221; business administration, 210)
28: Police and other public safety personnel on duty
25: States and territories represented in the graduating class
24: Countries represented in the graduating class (farthest: Kenya, India)
21: Students named Jessica in the graduating class
21: Veterans in the graduating class
16: Students named Daniel in the graduating class
6: Graduates celebrating birthdays on the day of commencement
4: Speakers on stage
2: Number of ceremonies (10 a.m., College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and College of Business; 3 p.m., Colleges of Science, Education and Health Sciences and Human Services)
Some numbers are approximate
Published May 13, 2016
Students to be honored for academic excellence
CSU Monterey Bay will hold its annual honors convocation May 20, recognizing students for their distinguished academic achievements.
Six students will receive special awards, 18 will be honored for their Service Learning work and 365 will be acknowledged for having earned grade-point averages of at least 3.5.
The honors students will be among the approximately 1,900 graduates expected to cross the stage at the May 21 commencement ceremony.
Award winners:
Award winners:
• President's Award for Exemplary Student Achievement, given to a well-rounded student who made notable contributions to a particular area of university life through depth of involvement and service as a student leader; participated actively as a positive agent of innovation and action with demonstrated service to the campus community; and achieved a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher: Elizabeth Hensley, Human Communication, and Jason Rodriguez, Biology
Hensley has made an impact at CSUMB: leading the effort to establish a chapter of the American Association of University Women, facilitating student learning through her work as a writing and English language tutor at the Cooperative Learning Center, and earning national team recognition for the Otter Realm, which she served as editor-in-chief for a year.
As a McNair Scholar, she was one of the first humanities students to participate in the programs offered through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center – the rare non-STEM student to do so. She completed a summer internship at Northwestern University and an ethnographic field research project in rural Pennsylvania.
Dr. Henrik Kibak, who nominated Rodriguez for the award, called him “one of the most impressive students I’ve worked with in my 19 years at CSUMB.” As president of CSUMB’s chapter of the American Medical Students Association, Rodriguez helped to establish a clinic for homeless people in the Chinatown area of Salinas. He has also served students by working as a tutor and mentor for the sciences and as a student government senator.
Said Dr. Kibak: “Many cold nights, I have stood on the sidewalk in Chinatown greeting (and screening) patients with Jason and been amazed at how someone so young already knows how to interact with such a range of people so compassionately. I learn from him.”
• Provost's Award for Exemplary Academic Achievement, given to a student who has demonstrated exemplary achievement in his or her major; excelled personally and academically with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or higher; and contributed to the learning community of CSUMB: Emily King, Marine Science
King compiled an outstanding record as a student, a researcher and a mentor to fellow students. Through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center and participation in a Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, she has done research at Duke University, Oregon State and San Francisco State. She is headed to a doctoral program at UC Berkeley.
• Outstanding Senior Award for Social Justice, given to a student who has been a positive agent of change and participated in a project that promotes social justice and generates awareness that benefited local communities: Elaine Fischer, Collaborative Health and Human Services
Fischer’s capstone project raised awareness about Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). Her project helped to address a deadly health disparity for an underserved group in Monterey County. By advocating for the project, educating service providers and the at-risk population, collaborating with a pharmaceutical company and a nonprofit to ensure that the momentum for change would be sustainable, she “has demonstrated outstanding courage for social justice,” said faculty member Adrienne Saxton.
• Alumni Vision Award, given to a first-generation student who manifests the beliefs and tenets of the Vision Statement through personal example, voice and initiative, and has provided leadership in a multicultural project or activity that extends the university’s Vision into the lives of others: Justin Frago, Human Communication
Frago is dedicated to bridging social and economic divides, as evidenced by his work with and on behalf of students with physical, psychological and learning disabilities. In presentations, he has publicly shared some of the challenges he has faced living with Asperger Syndrome.
He has revitalized CSUMB’s Student Awareness for Disability Empowerment club; serves as a board member for the nonprofit Central Coast Center for Independent Living; and works as an access assistant in the university’s Student Disability Resources office, all while tactfully raising social justice questions about who is and is not served, employee selection and how decisions are made.
• Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athlete Award, given to a student-athlete in recognition ofexemplary academic achievement: Victoria Clardy, Kinesiology
Service Learning awards were presented to students in each academic major who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to service in the local community.
Service Learning award winners and their majors:
• Biology: Brian Phan
• Business Administration: Nathaniel Pardini
• Cinematic Arts and Technology: Brianna Beavers
• Collaborative Health and Human Services: Margarita Vidales
• Communication Design: Gonzalo Aguilera-Collao
• Computer Science: Spencer Belleau
• Environmental Science, Technology and Policy: Allison Nunes
• Environmental Studies: Brett Granados
• Global Studies: Ellen Yeager
• Humanities and Communication: Justin Frago
• Japanese Language and Culture: Karina Koagedal
• Kinesiology: Luis Quintanar-Ruesga
• Liberal Studies: Corina Venegas
• Marine Science: Jesirae Collins
• Mathematics: Jamel Thomas
• Music and Performing Arts: Aaron Sacks
• Psychology: Karla Matias
• Visual and Public Art: Juan Padilla
A record number of students applied to attend CSUMB in the fall 2016 semester. The university received 16,182 freshmen applications by the Nov. 30 deadline to apply, an increase of almost 5 percent from the previous year.
– Monterey Herald, Jan. 14, 2016
On Jan. 29, the University Center at CSU Monterey Bay will be overrun with community and student entrepreneurs and creative minds alike.
– Santa Cruz Tech Beat, Jan. 20, 2016
. . . CSUMB hosts the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, a program for those 50-and-over that proves learning is its own reward.
– Monterey County Weekly, Jan. 21, 2016
The event not only infuses the excitement of entrepreneurship to the campus and the region, it cultivates the pipeline of innovation and startups for the future.
– Santa Cruz Tech Beat, Feb. 1, 2016
Dario Molina’s alternative life scrolls by on both sides of Highway 101 north: acre upon acre of lettuce, spinach, heartbreak . . . He was awarded a Matsui Foundation scholarship to the new computer science program, which crams a four-year computer science curriculum into three years.
– Los Angeles Times, Feb. 8, 2016
Cal State Monterey Bay is starting an undergraduate major in human development and family studies.
– Inside Higher Ed, Feb. 9, 2016
Cal State Monterey Bay has leased the building that once housed Heald College, and will offer classes there beginning in the fall.
– Salinas Californian, Feb. 10, 2016
What will the college freshman year of the future look like? Cal State Monterey Bay is one of 44 institutions nationwide drawing the scenario.
– Salinas Californian, Feb. 12, 2016
From our campus, we can see both sides of the county’s divide: the agricultural areas of the Salinas Valley and the tourist mecca of the Monterey Peninsula. Helping to bridge it is an important part of our mission.
– Salinas Californian (op-ed by President Eduardo Ochoa), Feb. 13, 2016
A CSU Monterey Bay student’s video project on a homeless Navy veteran is a gritty look at life on the streets that he hopes will help him on his way to a filmmaking career.
– Monterey Herald, Feb. 23, 2016
CSU Monterey Bay unveiled the name of its newest building, the Joel and Dena Gambord Business and Information Technology Building.
– Monterey Herald, Feb. 26, 2016
Intimate class sizes. A nationally recognized service learning program. These are just a few things that make CSUMB an exceptional school.
– Monterey County Weekly, March 24, 2016
Beth Alger and Elisabeth Carrillo have received Graduate Research Fellowships from the National Science Foundation totaling $138,000 each.
– Monterey Herald, April 8, 2016
Baseball was his first love, but after graduating from college Matt Urakami will hang up his cleats to pursue another dream – he has a job lined up with an international accounting and auditing firm.
– Monterey Herald, April 12, 2016
At CSUMB’s Camp SEA Lab, kids become junior marine scientists, and become more excited about – and invested in – our most inspiring local resource.
– Monterey County Weekly, April 14, 2016
This year’s California College Media Association’s Excellence in Student Media Awards were a celebration of innovation and journalistic ideals in campus newspapers throughout the state. . . The Otter Realm scored across a range of categories, receiving 10 awards, three of them first-place honors.
– Monterey County Weekly, April 14, 2016
An agreement between Seaside and CSU Monterey Bay will not only provide a path to development of a prime city parcel, but will also establish funding of up to $500,000 for a scholarship program for Seaside youth.
– Monterey Herald, April 21, 2016
Students from farmworker, working-class families take part in ambitious computer science program.
– San Jose Mercury News, April 26, 2016
CSU Monterey Bay looks toward its future with a final draft of its master plan circulating throughout campus. The plan sets a blueprint for growth and development on campus over the next 15 years, which includes growing the student population by thousands while achieving the goal of carbon neutrality.
– Monterey County Weekly, April 28, 2016
“We actually have about 72 percent of our students who have some type of financial aid here at CSUMB,” said Ashlie McCallon, lead financial aid counselor.
– KION-5, April 28, 2016
. . . The university is using sustainable demolition practices to clear the campus of 66 remaining structures. The practice employs measures that not only recycle more than 90 percent of the materials, but also use falcons and hawks to keep nesting birds at bay.
– Monterey Herald, April 29, 2016
CSUMB Startup Challenge gives entrepreneurs a chance to shine
– Monterey Herald, May 7, 2016
New waste district program gives CSUMB art students space to scavenge
– Monterey Herald, May 13, 2016
Three years ago, CSUMB and Hartnell College started an ambitious computer science bachelor’s degree program called CSin3. On May 21, the first cohort graduates. And in a field dominated by white and Asian men, more than 80 percent of the graduates are Latino and nearly half are women.
– National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition, May 15, 2016
Professor of Education Mark O’Shea was quoted in a story on the state’s teacher shortage, agreeing with a report that concluded low pay is one of the reasons fewer students are entering the profession.
– Monterey Herald, Jan. 20, 2016
“When I took the teaching job at CSUMB, part of the reason was the landscape," said Professor Enid Baxter Ryce. “I’m interested in a sense of place and understanding the land we’re walking on.”
– Monterey County Weekly, Feb. 11, 2016
Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck, a filmmaker and lecturer at CSUMB, and his associate Robert Machoian were co-directors of a film that took the top prize at the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival.
– Davis Enterprise, Feb. 27, 2016
. . . Andrew Lawson, new dean of CSU Monterey Bay’s College of Science, accepted the position at CSUMB in part because of the university’s “ambitions in terms of its growth targets, ambitions in the spirit of innovation.”
– Monterey Herald, Feb. 28, 2016
Dr. Rikk Kvitek commented on the effects of toxic algae blooms on the health of sea otters in Monterey Bay.
– Monterey Herald, March 6, 2016
Professor of Education Mark O’Shea was interviewed on efforts by local K-12 districts to find enough teachers to staff their classrooms.
– KSBW-8, March 29, 2016
Laura Lee Lienk was interviewed for a story on Earth Day and the work the CSUMB-based Return of the Natives has done for more than 20 years. “I think we’ve been a very consistent and steady organization in terms of environmental stewardship.”
– Salinas Californian, April 2, 2016
Assistant Professor of Psychology Shannon Snapp is part of a national team that concluded more data are needed to determine how gay students fare in schools when it comes to discipline.
– Monterey Herald, April 2, 2016
Jim Raines, chair of the Department of Health, Human Services and Public Policy, won this year’s Gary Lee Shaffer Award for Academic Contributions to the Field of School Social Work.
– American Association of State Colleges and Universities, April 6, 2016
. . .Wojcik came to CSUMB after serving as interim dean of the Mason Library at Keene State in New Hampshire.
– Monterey Herald, April 17, 2016
Jose Luis Alvarado, dean of the College of Education at CSUMB, was interviewed about the startling numbers from the state that show 93 percent of students who are English language learners are not meeting expectations.
– KSBW-8, April 22, 2016
Brianna Beavers and Rose Mercurio, seniors in the Cinematic Arts and Technology Department at Cal State Monterey Bay, were awarded $1,500 scholarships in the Monterey County Film Commission’s Director Emeritus Richard Tyler Student Scholarship and Award program.
Mercurio, who grew up in Salinas, will use her scholarship to help equip her workspace, making it possible for her to create animations of higher quality. Her capstone film is “Grandma’s Card Night,” an animated narrative fiction about the loving relationship between two children and their grandmother. Beavers, who comes from Modesto, will use the award to help gain exposure in film festivals for her capstone project, “The Call.” She will also use the award for equipment needed for her new film, “When It Rains,” which she plans to shoot in Monterey County. The scholarship program was created to provide financial aid and incentive to film students and beginning filmmakers who reside in Monterey County or those enrolled in a college or university in the county. The fund was established as a permanent endowment with the Community Foundation for Monterey County.
Published May 16, 2016
Class of 2016 dons regalia made from recycled bottles
The gowns worn by CSU Monterey Bay’s graduates will still be black, but they’ll also be green.
The graduation regalia is manufactured from Repreve, a fiber made of recycled materials, including plastic bottles. It takes approximately 27 bottles to make a gown.
This year, students at 1,250 colleges and universities will wear robes made of Repreve.
The plastic bottles are chopped, ground, melted and reformulated into chips that go through a proprietary process that produces yarn. Every pound of yarn that goes into the fabric used in the gowns saves one-half gallon of gasoline and produces half the CO2 emissions of the typical polyester manufacturing process, according to the company.
Not only is it smart for the environment, but CSUMB commencement coordinator Phyllis Grillo said the recycled gowns look better than the non-recycled options.
"They wrinkle less," Grillo said.
'You will never be in a better place to take risks that will ensure lives of future generations,' graduates told
Photos by Richard Green
California State University, Monterey Bay celebrated its 20th annual commencement on May 21. This year’s celebration took place during two separate ceremonies. Approximately 1,500 graduates were honored. More than 11,000 friends and family members were in attendance during the day.
Graduates of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and College of Business were honored during the 10 a.m. ceremony. Graduates of the College of Science, College of Education, and College of Health Sciences and Human Services were honored at the 3 p.m. ceremony.
Benjamin Jealous, former president and CEO of the NAACP, spoke at both ceremonies. Jealous was recognized with an honorary degree during the morning ceremony. In a passionate address, Jealous reinforced to graduates that their generation is here for a reason.
“You are the largest, most inclusive, most environmentally aware and most diverse generation we have ever known,” he said. “You will never be in a better place to take the risks that will ensure the lives of future generations, let alone define your own legend, more than you are right now.”
Jealous concluded by saying “A wise man once said, you are only guaranteed two truly great days in your life. The first you will never remember; it was the day you were born. The second, you cannot make come fast enough; it is the day you find out who you are. So go ahead, pick your mission and fight…..you were born for greatness. You are the class of 2016!”
Student speaker Elizabeth Hensley, who was honored with the President’s Award for Exemplary Student Achievement, gave her address during the morning ceremony. Hensley talked about past challenges, her late father who inspired her to be a writer and the future.
“The magic we felt here, the synergy, and sometimes static, was real and it will reverberate into future generations,” said Hensley. “We’ve read the books, now it’s our turn to start writing them. Create the story you want to live.”
Also honored with the President’s Award for Exemplary Student Achievement was student Jason Rodriguez, who addressed graduates during the afternoon ceremony. Rodriguez spoke about his experience as a science major and future challenges.
“Whatever we are faced with in the future, take the risk and push yourself outside the comfort zone,” Rodriguez said. “Pushing yourself allows you to figure out what you’re passionate about.”
During the afternoon ceremony, Sylvia Panetta, co-chair and CEO of The Panetta Institute for Public Policy, was also recognized with an honorary degree. Panetta was an instrumental partner in the successful political career of her husband, Leon Panetta, who played an key role in the formation of CSUMB.
“We wanted to turn swords into plowshares. The creation of this university is the result of that dream,” she said. “Now it is your dream. This university is not only responsible for your education but for inspiring hope throughout the entire tri-county area.”
Later during the afternoon ceremony, Marsha Moroh, former dean of the College of Science, was awarded emeritus status for her outstanding service to the university.
Mark your calendars for the final installment of the 2015-2016 President Speaker Series, "Transportation, Imagining the Path to Success!" The panel discussion with industry experts follows the grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony of the CSUMB @ Salinas City Center, scheduled Wednesday, June 8th at 2:30 p.m. The panel discussion follows at 3:30 p.m. in the center, located at 1 Main Street in Salinas.
The panel will explore challenging transportation issues facing the Monterey Bay region. Various constituencies believe that “if you build it,” more people will come – resulting in us sacrificing the natural balance we have achieved in the area. Others believe that we don’t have a “natural balance” at all, and traffic problems are destroying our quality of life. The panel will touch on the Highway 1 corridor, road and bridge maintenance and unused rail lines, along with developing and executing a mixed regional approach of car, bike, bus and light rail use, improving pedestrian routes, and what's necessary to entice drivers to walk or bike.
Panelists include:
Drusilla van Hengel, principal at Nelson/Nygaard, a firm specializing in transportation planning. She has more than 20 years of academic and practical transportation planning and operations experience. Her focus is on bicycle and pedestrian master planning and capital project development, project evaluation, healthy communities, and safe routes to schools and parks.
Dr. Karen Trapenberg Frick, assistant adjunct professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at UC Berkeley. Prior, she was a transportation planner at the San Francisco Bay Area's Metropolitan Transportation Commission for nine years where she worked on a wide range of activities including the agency's award-winning Transportation for Livable Communities program, congestion pricing, transport funding, and legislative analysis.
Bryan Jones, principal at Alta Planning + Design. Jones has held leadership positions within the public works departments for the cities of Carlsbad, Fremont, and Fresno where he has inspired and developed significant campaigns and aligned them with a strategic implementation plans that delivered numerous pedestrian, bicyclist, and complete and livable street projects.
A question and answer session and a public reception will follow the panel discussion.
The community is invited to this free event. Reservations are requested. To make a reservation by phone, to request special accommodations, or for more information, please call CSUMB @ Salinas City Center at 831-772-7021 or email tslaton@csumb.edu.
Make a reservation online:
The speaker series is in keeping with Cal State Monterey Bay’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
This year’s speaker series is made possible by a generous contribution from Bud and Rebecca Colligan.
The California State University Board of Trustees has voted to ratify a multi-year collective bargaining agreement with the California Faculty Association (CFA). Under the agreement, all faculty unit employees will receive 10.5 percent in general salary increases over a three-year period (fiscal years 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18). Faculty unit employees will receive a 5 percent general salary increase on June 30, a 2 percent general salary increase on July 1, and a 3.5 percent general salary increase on July 1, 2017. The agreement also includes a 2.65 percent service salary increase for all eligible faculty unit employees in fiscal year 2017-18. The agreement, which covers about 26,000 instructional faculty, coaches, librarians and counselors on the 23 CSU campuses, will be in effect through June 30, 2018. CFA is the CSU’s largest represented employee group.
“I am pleased the Trustees ratified this agreement. Investing in our faculty is an investment in our students’ learning and discovery environment, enabling student achievement and degree completion,” said CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White.
In addition to addressing general salary and service salary increases, the agreement doubles the vesting period for retiree health benefits for new faculty hired after July 1, 2017 from 5 to 10 years, and increases the minimum raise associated with tenure track promotions. Under the new agreement, those granted promotions would receive a minimum 9 percent salary increase vs. the current minimum 7.5 percent.
The ratification of the CFA agreement also triggers the implementation of new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreements with the California State University Employees Union (CSUEU) and the Academic Professionals of California (APC). Under the terms of these new MOUs, bargaining unit members for CSUEU and APC will now receive a 3 percent general salary increase on July 1, 2016, and a 2 percent general salary increase on June 30, 2017.
The new MOUs were negotiated as a result of the “fairness” clauses in each labor group’s collective bargaining agreement. The CSU continues to negotiate MOUs with two other employee groups, which have current collective bargaining agreements that also contain “fairness” clauses. Negotiations continue with the Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD) and the State Employees Trades Council (SETC).
Mark your calendars for the final installment of the 2015-2016 President Speaker Series, "Transportation, Imagining the Path to Success!" The panel discussion with industry experts follows the grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony of the CSUMB @ Salinas City Center, scheduled Wednesday, June 8th at 2:30 p.m. The panel discussion follows at 3:30 p.m. in the center, located at 1 Main Street in Salinas.
The panel will explore challenging transportation issues facing the Monterey Bay region. Various constituencies believe that “if you build it,” more people will come – resulting in us sacrificing the natural balance we have achieved in the area. Others believe that we don’t have a “natural balance” at all, and traffic problems are destroying our quality of life. The panel will touch on the Highway 1 corridor, road and bridge maintenance and unused rail lines, along with developing and executing a mixed regional approach of car, bike, bus and light rail use, improving pedestrian routes, and what's necessary to entice drivers to walk or bike.
Drusilla van Hengel, principal at Nelson/Nygaard, a firm specializing in transportation planning. She has more than 20 years of academic and practical transportation planning and operations experience. Her focus is on bicycle and pedestrian master planning and capital project development, project evaluation, healthy communities, and safe routes to schools and parks.
Dr. Karen Trapenberg Frick, assistant adjunct professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at UC Berkeley. Prior, she was a transportation planner at the San Francisco Bay Area's Metropolitan Transportation Commission for nine years where she worked on a wide range of activities including the agency's award-winning Transportation for Livable Communities program, congestion pricing, transport funding, and legislative analysis.
Bryan Jones, principal at Alta Planning + Design. Jones has held leadership positions within the public works departments for the cities of Carlsbad, Fremont, and Fresno where he has inspired and developed significant campaigns and aligned them with a strategic implementation plans that delivered numerous pedestrian, bicyclist, and complete and livable street projects.
A question and answer session and a public reception will follow the panel discussion.
The community is invited to this free event. Reservations are requested. To make a reservation by phone, to request special accommodations, or for more information, please call CSUMB @ Salinas City Center at 831-772-7021 or email tslaton@csumb.edu.
The speaker series is in keeping with Cal State Monterey Bay’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
This year’s speaker series is made possible by a generous contribution from Bud and Rebecca Colligan.
Don’t miss out on the final season of performances and classes for CSU Summer Arts. The 2016 season features a variety of inspiring performances in dance and theater, and classes for adult learners and community artists.
The schedule for CSU Summer Arts performances and classes can be found here:
This season follows an extraordinary five years for CSU Summer Arts at CSUMB. The program is taking a final bow after the 2016 season and relocating to CSU Fresno.
CSU Summer Arts Highlights - Photos by Todd Sharp
The CSU Summer Arts program was created in 1985 during an arts faculty institute in the woods of the Sierra Nevada, south of Lake Tahoe. CSU faculty and administrators were striving to meet the needs of CSU arts students and supplement the CSU’s extensive and diverse art curriculum.
CSU Long Beach hosted the first Summer Arts, beginning as a summer dance program. Summer Arts quickly expanded to include various arts genres and in 1990, the Media Arts Festival. It has been housed at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Humboldt State University, back to CSU Long Beach and then to CSU Fresno before coming to Cal State Monterey Bay in 2011.
Looking for something fun and educational for your middle school and/or high schooler? Cal State Monterey Bay is offering two, unique technology day camps this summer. Both camps are approximately two-weeks in length, scheduled 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday, July 5 through Friday, July 15.
CODECamp@CSUMB
Middle school
$450
CODECamp@CSUMB is a fun, engaging summer camp on the CSUMB campus for middle school students to learn the fundamental concepts and skills of computing and programming in a college setting. The camp helps students learn both Python software programming and the Arduino hardware development toolkit. Students will learn the fundamental programming skills using Python, design a hardware device using Arduino and develop a Python application to control the Arduino device, all in a collaborative, fun environment.
For more information on CODECamp@CSUMB, visit: sites.google.com/a/csumb.edu/summercode
TIDE@CSUMB
High school
$400 for the regular camp. A field trip on Friday, July 15 is optional and costs extra. The field trip includes a bike trip and kayaking.
The Technology, Innovation and Design Experience (TIDE) summer program provides young aspiring innovators across the globe, ages 13-18, an opportunity to build critical technology, innovation, design, communication and leadership skills and forge valuable multicultural connections in a U.S. college environment. The camp starts with trending technology workshops such as game and APP design and concludes with a three-day team innovation competition. In the competition stage, the young innovators are coached by university professors and seasoned professionals, and practice leadership and collaboration skills along with presenting to industry executive and investors.
The TIDE@CSUMB is offered by the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development at Cal State Monterey Bay in partnership with CalGE.org.
For more information on TIDE@CSUMB, visit: sites.google.com/a/csumb.edu/summertide
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Popular program continues to draw Seaside high school students to CSUMB
Extracting DNA in a chemistry lab to find evidence for an imaginary crime scenario is among many activities enjoyed by Seaside high school students during the Imagine College Summer Scholar Institute. The annual event, now in its sixth year, is currently underway at CSUMB.
Imagine College brings nearly 150 Seaside high school students to CSUMB for a trio of one-week sessions. Nearly 70 percent of them come from families where no one has attended college.
The program aims to encourage students to think that college is a realistic possibility, and to help them pay for it. Each student enrolls for a five-day session and can choose one of several courses to pursue during the week: math 1, math 2, CSI chemistry, culinary arts or college prep. Current CSUMB students, and a few alumni, serve as teaching assistants or "mentors" for the students.
The cornerstone of the program continues to be the guarantee of a $4,000 scholarship to any student who graduates from Seaside High School with a 2.5-grade-point average, attends two weeks of Imagine College summer sessions while in high school and gets accepted to a college or university.
The scholarship money is again from a local resident. CSUMB and the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District are sponsoring the program.
Seventeen year-old Yvonne Nguyen, a Seaside high school student, is enrolled in the CSI chemistry course. She and her fellow students work diligently in a laboratory at the CSUMB College of Science, peering through microscopes and mixing solutions in vials. The highlight in the lab so far? Extracting oil from citrus fruits to make lip balm and lotion. “It smelled amazing,” Nguyen said with a smile.
Also part of the program, and very popular with students, are outdoor recreation activities such kayaking and the ropes course.
“This program opens doors for young students who have never set foot on a college campus,” said Chris Hawthorne, coordinator for Imagine College who works at CSUMB Early Outreach and Support Programs. “It provides hands-on experience and team-building – and allows them to actually see that a college education is possible.”
CSUMB’s Upward Bound serves largest group ever of first-generation students this summer
Cal State Monterey Bay’s Upward Bound program continues to grow. The program is hosting nearly 100 under-privileged youth from North Monterey County, Soledad and Watsonville high schools, the largest summer group ever for the Monterey Bay region. The federally-funded program began serving local students in 1999.
A year-round program, Upward Bound guides first-generation and low income students through the college application process and is divided into two parts.
During the academic year, the students receive tutoring, academic advising, college and career exploration and financial aid mentoring from Upward Bound staff members during school visits. During the six-week summer session, the students live in CSUMB residence halls and participate in academic, social, recreational and cultural activities. The six-week session qualifies as a four unit academic class, giving students a head start on college credits after they finish high school.
Elective classes during the summer session include disc golf, guitar and dance. The ropes challenge course, with students utilizing teamwork to navigate obstacles nearly 100 feet above ground, is a major highlight.
The program has been an inspiration and life-changing experience for countless students. One student, Joel Ruiz, now attends UC Santa Barbara after completing the Upward Bound program in high school. He has come back to Upward Bound as a peer mentor.
“Upward Bound is why I went to college – it instilled a dream and showed that yes, college could be a reality,” Ruiz said. “I’m the youngest of four children and the first to attend college. When I was younger, I didn’t know how to fill out financial aid applications. I didn’t know what to put on my college applications. This program changed that.”
The numbers speak for themselves. In the last four years, 100-percent of Upward Bound participants graduated from high school. From there, 98-percent of Upward Bound participants enrolled into a college or university immediately after graduation.
The national Upward Bound program was established shortly after the passage of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 under then President Lyndon B. Johnson.
To read more about Upward Bound at CSUMB, click here.
East Asia educators visit CSUMB and surrounding region to gain further knowledge of higher education practices in United States
CSUMB Provost Bonnie Irwin recently welcomed a delegation of 18 educators from Inner Mongolia University of Finance and Economic from Inner Mongolia, China. The delegation consists of a team of faculty, department chairs and deans who are participating in a three-week professional development program at CSUMB from July 5 to 26.
The intent of their visit is to learn about U.S. higher education in terms of teaching methodology, research methods conducted by professors, academic and non-academic support and resources offered to CSUMB faculty and students. Class observation is included.
The program also includes a visit to Monterey Peninsula College (MPC) to learn about the community college system, and how the system compares and contrasts with the university system. The group will be evaluating the community colleges on the basis of their faculty credential, and the research and professional development opportunities for them.
In addition, the group will enjoy cultural and sightseeing activities such as trip to San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Carmel, Point Lobos and a local attraction in the Monterey Bay region, the Salinas rodeo show.
Accessibility, affordability and quality – like all state colleges and universities, Cal State Monterey Bay embodies those values for students. To reinforce this, CSUMB President Eduardo M. Ochoa has signed a pledge supporting the national Opportunities for All campaign launched by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU).
Created by the AASCU, the campaign aims to raise awareness and understanding of the shared values of the important role of state colleges and universities nationwide.
“State colleges are a smart investment, not only for students, but for the regions they serve,” said Ochoa. “Students have access to a quality, affordable education. The job skills they obtain, and the education they receive from outstanding faculty, advances economic progress and cultural development in their respective regions.”
CSUMB is one of 420 AASCU colleges and universities in the U.S. Nationally, nearly 4 million students attend state colleges and universities, representing 46 percent of all students at public four-year institutions.
Yet, many state colleges are misinterpreted or even underappreciated according to Ochoa. In 2013, AASCU commissioned a survey to assess public perceptions of state colleges and universities. Research showed some key stakeholders - lawmakers, opinion leaders, prospective students, parents and the general public - did not fully understand or appreciate the value of AASCU institutions.
“That’s why this campaign is necessary,” said Ochoa. “People need to see the value of institutions like CSUMB. We are not only a resource to the Monterey Bay region. We serve students from the entire state of California.”
CSUMB is primary site for innovation and community service. When California Governor Jerry Brown established a $50 million program to reward higher education innovation, 52 colleges and universities from across the state applied. Two CSUMB projects – the CSIT-in-3 collaboration with Hartnell College and the Math Huge developmental program – won awards, receiving a total of $8 million, more than any other campus.
The campus is a two-time winner of the President’s Award for Higher Education Community Service, and has been named to the Community Service Honor Roll in the years it has not received the top honor, making CSUMB the most decorated university for service learning in the nation.
CSUMB strives to create a skilled workforce to support local businesses in the Monterey Bay region, along with advancing cultural development said Ochoa. The institution is a gateway for traditionally underserved populations. Seventy-two percent of CSUMB students receive some form of financial aid. Fifty-six percent of CSUMB students are among the first generation of their family to go to college.
For more information on AASCU’s Opportunities for All campaign, go to http://www.aascu.org/Opps4All/.
(July 7, 2016) – Cal State Monterey Bay’s Upward Bound program continues to grow. The program is hosting nearly 100 under-privileged youth from North Monterey County, Soledad and Watsonville high schools, the largest summer group ever for the Monterey Bay region. The federally-funded program began serving local students in 1999.
A year-round program, Upward Bound guides low-income and first-generation students through the college application process and is divided into two parts.
During the academic year, the students receive tutoring, academic advising, college and career exploration and financial aid mentoring from Upward Bound staff members during school visits. During the six-week summer session, the students live in CSUMB residence halls and participate in academic, social, recreational and cultural activities. The six-week session qualifies as a four unit academic class, giving students a head start on college credits after they finish high school.
Elective classes during the summer session include disc golf, guitar and dance. The ropes challenge course, with students utilizing teamwork to navigate obstacles nearly 100 feet above ground, is a major highlight.
The program has been an inspiration and life-changing experience for countless students. One student, Joel Ruiz, now attends UC Santa Barbara after completing the Upward Bound program in high school. He has come back to Upward Bound as a peer mentor.
“Upward Bound is why I went to college – it instilled a dream and showed that yes, college could be a reality,” Ruiz said. “I’m the youngest of four children and the first to attend college. When I was younger, I didn’t know how to fill out financial aid applications. I didn’t know what to put on my college applications. This program changed that.”
The numbers speak for themselves. In the last four years, 100-percent of Upward Bound participants graduated from high school. From there, 98-percent of Upward Bound participants enrolled into a college or university immediately after graduation.
The national Upward Bound program was established shortly after the passage of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 under then President Lyndon B. Johnson.
The program continues through July 21. To read more about Upward Bound at CSUMB, go to csumb.edu/eosp/upward-bound.
(July 8, 2016) – Cal State Monterey Bay will host the Better Together: California Teachers Summit for the Monterey Bay region on Friday, July 29, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., in the Tanimura and Antle library.
CSUMB is one of 38 universities statewide that will host the summit. Thousands of pre-kindergarten to 12th-grade teachers will convene across multiple locations in a statewide effort to help them learn from each other and share best practices in implementing the new California Standards. A team that includes CSU faculty experts on the new standards is planning the resources, tools and strategies to be presented.
The following speakers are included for the CSUMB summit location:
Kelly Gallagher, teacher, author, coach and the summit’s first keynote speaker. Gallagher has been dedicated to helping students become better readers and writers since 1985. He is considered one of the leading voices in literacy education.
Jilian Epstein, science educator at El Sausal Middle School in Salinas. Epstein also serves the Educational Director for the Center for Oceanic Awareness, Research, and Education. Her passions include constructing hands-on bilingual science and social justice activities for her students and community.
Alessandro Tani, resource teacher, case manager and department chair for Special Education at Marina High School. Tani’s highest priority is bringing together families and educational communities to develop individualized educational plans.
The free summit is a California State University partnership with the New Teacher Center and the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities and its member institutions.
CSUMB’s College of Education is coordinating the local event.
All California teachers, teacher candidates and school administrators are invited to participate. Registration is available online at cateacherssummit.com.
If you’re on the north side of the bay, pay a visit to the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History. There, you will find CSUMB music instructor Lanier Sammons hosting an open, functioning artist's studio that allows visitors to collaborate on musical compositions.
For Lanier Sammons, audience-interactive music making provides both a chance to share the pleasure of musical creation and a rich set of compositional challenges. Technology plays a key role.
“One of the projects involves asking for visitor feedback about possible versions of a musical piece and showing different directions it might head,” Sammons said. “I use Sibelius, which is notation software, in the process of composing and sharing. Other pieces are composed digitally. One musical piece utilizing a digital process is called ‘Pool’ for which I'm collecting sounds from visitors. I look for the right moment for each sound and then build the piece out of what they’ve collectively contributed.”
Sammons’ works have been featured at SEAMUS, the Spark Festival, the Jubilus Festival and the San Francisco International Art Festival. Ensembles such as the Talujon Percussion Quartet, counter) induction, the Da Capo Chamber Players, Relâche, Post-Haste Reed Duo, and Friction Quartet have premiered his pieces. At CSUMB, Sammons teaches courses on recording technology, composition and a variety of other topics.
Sammons will host the residency through July 24. For more information and exact hours, check his website at www.laniersammons.com
Water consumption on campus reduced by more than 40 percent between 2013-2015
Cal State Monterey Bay has taken drastic measures to reduce water use since the beginning of California’s historic drought. Those efforts have paid off.
In 2013, CSUMB used 174.89 acre feet (AF) of water on campus. In 2014, it was 151.54 AF. In 2015, it went down to 103.3 AF.
This savings achieved at CSUMB since 2013 is equal to the water use of 255 homes annually. The figures for all three years exclude East Campus housing.
As the name suggests, an acre-foot is defined as the volume of one acre of surface area to a depth of one foot. It’s a unit of volume commonly used in the United States in reference to large-scale water resources.
Much of this was achieved by a massive cut in irrigation according to Mike Lerch, the associate director of CSUMB Facility Services & Operations.
“Along with landscaping use, we also made slow but steady progress in reducing usage in residential occupancies,” Lerch said. “The next step in cutting residential use is retrofitting the bathrooms in the older residence halls with newer toilets that use significantly less water.”
According to Lerch, a large portion of CSUMB’s reduction measures are in conjunction with the work of the Marina Coast Water District, which offers a toilet rebate program and free water conservation devices.
It’s been a busy summer for many CSUMB faculty. Corey Garza, a faculty member in the CSUMB Marine Science program, traveled to Paris in June and spoke at an international panel about the relationship between the oceans, human health and coastal resiliency. The panel was part of a workshop hosted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
According to the UNESCO, the three-day workshop brought together stakeholders from across the ocean science, education, policy and business sectors to think collectively about the role of science, education, policy and business in moving forward the international ocean agenda. Workshop participants came from 17 countries in Europe, North and South America, and Africa.
At CSUMB, Garza serves as the principal investigator for the university’s Marine Landscape Ecology Lab. He is also active in promoting the participation of underrepresented in groups in STEM through research and conference based activities.
The CSUMB Science and Environmental Policy Division has changed its name to the School of Natural Sciences (SNS). It will continue to be a part of the College of Science, together with the School of Computing & Design and the Mathematics & Statistics Department. The change became effective on July 1st.
The SNS is the home for an array of academic degree programs, research laboratories, and community outreach programs. It offer five bachelor’s degrees and one master’s degree: B.S. in Environmental Science, Technology & Policy, B.A. in Environmental Studies, B.S. in Biology, B.S. in Marine Science, and M.S. in Applied Marine & Watershed Science. All SNS programs provide outstanding opportunities for over 1400 students to learn how to use interdisciplinary science, technology, and communication skills to serve community needs.
The SNS places a heavy emphasis on preparing students for rewarding careers and more advanced academic study in fields related to environmental resource assessment, management, and policy. Faculty provide particular strengths in marine and terrestrial biology and ecology, watershed science, marine science, molecular biology and genetics, environmental education, and advanced technologies for geospatial data collection, analysis and visualization.
The new identity combines the rich history of CSUMB Science and Environmental Policy as a division with a modern name that echoes growth. It accurately reflects the institutional organization, current scope, and future vision of our instruction, scholarship, and commitment to service.
For more information, SNS can be found on Facebook and Twitter.
The next generation of scientists, psychologists, anthropologists, social scientists were in the CSUMB Tanimura & Antle Family Library today, presenting the best of their summer work during the third annual Monterey Bay Summer Research Symposium.
This symposium celebrates summer research conducted across numerous institutions in the Monterey Bay area by undergraduate students from the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC) at CSUMB and the Monterey Bay Regional Ocean Sciences Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. These two programs bring together a diverse group of students from CSUMB and Hartnell College as well as students from around the country.
In addition, the event featured work from students in the Naval Postgraduate School’s (NPS) STEM Internship program. The symposium included 10-minute scientific-style talks by the REU, UROC, and NPS students, followed by poster presentations by the UROC and NPS students in the afternoon.
Research topics presented included comparison of kelp forest habitat in El Nino and non-El Nino years; fishing behaviors of small-scale vessels using high resolution GPS tracking; and efficacy of bioremediation of agricultural runoff using bacteria in woodchip bioreactors.
Check out the UROC Facebook page here.
The CSUMB Science and Environmental Policy Division has a new identity. The division has changed its name to the School of Natural Sciences (SNS), and will continue to be a part of the College of Science, together with the School of Computing & Design and the Mathematics & Statistics Department. The change became effective July 1st.
The SNS is the home for an array of academic degree programs, research laboratories, and community outreach programs. It offers five bachelor’s degrees and one master’s degree: B.S. in Environmental Science, Technology & Policy, B.A. in Environmental Studies, B.S. in Biology, B.S. in Marine Science, and M.S. in Applied Marine & Watershed Science. All SNS programs provide outstanding opportunities for over 1,300 students to learn how to use interdisciplinary science, technology and communication skills to serve community needs.
The SNS places a heavy emphasis on preparing students for rewarding careers and more advanced academic study in fields related to environmental resource assessment, management, and policy. Faculty provide particular strengths in marine and terrestrial biology and ecology, watershed science, marine science, molecular biology and genetics, environmental education, and advanced technologies for geospatial data collection, analysis and visualization.
The new identity combines the rich history of CSUMB Science and Environmental Policy as a division with a modern name that echoes growth. It accurately reflects the institutional organization, current scope, and future vision of instruction, scholarship, and commitment to service.
For more information on SNS, check csumb.edu/naturalsciences, on Twitter or Facebook.
New beginnings are at CSUMB this weekend. Not only is it the beginning of a new academic year, hundreds of freshmen are starting an exciting chapter in their young lives – they have officially left home and are now college students.
The excited students wheeled, carried and dragged their belongings into the CSUMB residence halls on Aug. 19, the first day of the three-day move-in weekend.
By the time classes start on Aug. 22, the nearly 2,700 students who live on the main campus and another 1,200 who live in East Campus housing will be settled into the rooms and apartments that will be their home for the next year.
All the activity happened with the help of about 100 faculty, staff and students who had volunteered for the Otter Welcome Team. They directed traffic, answered questions, carried boxes and gave directions to the new students – most of whom had parents and siblings along to help.
The incoming class includes 803 freshmen and 893 transfer students. Total enrollment is approximately 7,070; about a third of them come from Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties.
New beginnings are at CSUMB this weekend. Not only is it the beginning of a new academic year, hundreds of freshmen are starting an exciting chapter in their young lives – they have officially left home and are now college students.
The enthusiastic students wheeled, carried and dragged their belongings into the CSUMB residence halls on Aug. 19, the first day of the three-day move-in weekend.
By the time classes start on Aug. 22, nearly 2,300 students who live on the main campus and East Campus housing will be settled into the rooms and apartments that will be their home for the next year.
All the activity happened with the help of about 100 faculty, staff and students who had volunteered for the Otter Welcome Team. They directed traffic, answered questions, carried boxes and gave directions to the new students – most of whom had parents and siblings along to help.
The incoming class includes 803 freshmen and 893 transfer students. Total enrollment is approximately 7,070; about a third of them come from Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties.
Cal State Monterey Bay has signed an agreement with Mann Packing to provide a scholarship for the CSUMB College of Business. The Mann Packing Scholarship is committing $10,000 per year for the next five years to students who meet the following criteria:
• Financial need
• Minimum GPA of 3.0
• A submitted one-page essay
• Major in any program in the College of Business
• A student from Monterey County
• A student with a parent or guardian who worked or works in the agricultural or farming sector
• A student who plans to work in Monterey County upon graduating from CSUMB
CSUMB College of Business Dean Shyam Kamath thanked Mann Packing for its support. “This significant scholarship gift enables our most needy students from the Salinas Valley and other farming sector-related communities to have an advantage in pursuing the American Dream,” he said. “It enables them to contribute to our community and the larger society we live in.”
Lorri Koster, chair and CEO of Mann Packing, agrees. “At CSUMB, more than 50 percent of students are first-generation undergraduates,” she said. “We are pleased and proud to provide this assistance to local students who have contributed positively to this community and intend to stay here and contribute more in the future.”
Koster is a member of CSUMB’s College of Business Advisory Council where she learned about the need for scholarships. “We are blessed to have a California State University in our backyard, yet financially a college degree can still be out of reach for many,” she said. “It is our hope this scholarship will make a difference in the lives of many students in the College of Business.”
The Mann Packing Scholarship promotion and selection will be handled by a CSUMB selection committee which will have one representative from Mann’s. The scholarships will be awarded beginning fall 2017.
Cal State Monterey Bay launched a new partnership with Zipcar, the world’s leading car sharing network, to offer a Zipcar car sharing program on campus. The convenient transportation option is now available at an affordable rate 24 hours a day, seven days a week for students, faculty, and staff ages 18 and older, as well as members of the local community over the age of 21.
CSUMB will initially offer two vehicles, a Ford Focus and a Subaru Impreza. The Zipcars will have designated parking spots located on campus in Lot 16 and Lot 205 for convenient pick-up and return.
This year, CSUMB members can join for $15, with rates for Zipcar vehicles on campus starting as low as $7.50 per hour and $69 per day. After the first year, members will pay an annual membership fee of $25. Gas, insurance, and up to 180 miles of driving per day are included in Zipcar rates, and cars can be reserved for as little as an hour or for multiple days. CSUMB students, faculty and staff can join Zipcar at www.zipcar.com/CSUMB.
“We are excited to have this program on campus. It’s a tremendous benefit for students without vehicles, especially international students.” said CSUMB Student Transportation Coordinator Bernard Green. “Subsidies from Ford are supporting this program for the campus community, who also enjoy the benefit of having access to Zipcars worldwide.”
Members with iPhone and Android devices may download the Zipcar mobile app to make reservations, lock and unlock the vehicles and honk the horn to help locate the vehicle. Reservations can also be made over the phone or on Zipcar’s website.
“The Zipcar program on campus gives students, faculty and staff the freedom of using a car without the hassle of owning one,” said Katelyn Bushey, Zipcar director of university sales. “We’re happy to partner with California State University, Monterey Bay, to give their community a transportation option to fit their needs and their wallet.”
Zipcar has established relationships with more than 500 universities across North America. For more information and how to become a member of Zipcar at CSUMB, please visit zipcar.com/CSUMB. Additional information and promotions can also be found by following @Zipcar on Twitter.
CSUMB launched a new partnership with Zipcar, the world’s leading car sharing network, to offer a Zipcar car sharing program on campus. The convenient transportation option is now available at an affordable rate 24 hours a day, seven days a week for students, faculty, and staff ages 18 and older, as well as members of the local community over the age of 21.
CSUMB will initially offer two vehicles, a Ford Focus and a Subaru Impreza. The Zipcars will have designated parking spots located on campus in Lot 16 and Lot 205 for convenient pick-up and return.
This year, CSUMB members can join for $15, with rates for Zipcar vehicles on campus starting as low as $7.50 per hour and $69 per day. After the first year, members will pay an annual membership fee of $25. Gas, insurance, and up to 180 miles of driving per day are included in Zipcar rates, and cars can be reserved for as little as an hour or for multiple days. CSUMB students, faculty and staff can join Zipcar at zipcar.com/CSUMB.
“We are excited to have this program on campus. It’s a tremendous benefit for students without vehicles, especially international students.” said CSUMB Student Transportation Coordinator Bernard Green. “Subsidies from Ford are supporting this program for the campus community, who also enjoy the benefit of having access to Zipcars worldwide.”
Members with iPhone and Android devices may download the Zipcar mobile app to make reservations, lock and unlock the vehicles and honk the horn to help locate the vehicle. Reservations can also be made over the phone or on Zipcar’s website.
“The Zipcar program on campus gives students, faculty and staff the freedom of using a car without the hassle of owning one,” said Katelyn Bushey, Zipcar director of university sales. “We’re happy to partner with California State University, Monterey Bay, to give their community a transportation option to fit their needs and their wallet.”
Zipcar has established relationships with more than 500 universities across North America. For more information and how to become a member of Zipcar at CSUMB, please visit zipcar.com/CSUMB. Additional information and promotions can also be found by following @Zipcar on Twitter.
Luis Camara has added another accomplishment to an impressive cinematic career. The longtime CSUMB Cinematic Arts professor wrote a screenplay for a comedy that is now a box office success in Mexico.
The film " Me estás matando Susana," (you’re killing me Susana) is based on a novel by the prominent Mexican author José Agustin. It stars Gael Garcia Bernal and Verónica Echegui and opened last week on 600 screens in Mexico, coming in 7th at the box office and earning $620,000. Reviews have been generally positive, with major newspapers such as El Norte, Reforma and Exelsior praising the film and the screenplay.
In a video review, critics for El Norte, called Camara’s screenplay “a solid script” and that the “well executed film” captures “the essence of the Mexican Onda literary movement, while actualizing it to the present day."
According to TimeOut Mexico, the film is "a cleverly effective comedy that manages to take only the necessary from the novel to work on screen." Premiere Magazine wrote "A light comedy that mocks stereotypes in Mexican society, regardless of the character's social status."
Originally from Mexico City, Camara is a graduate of the American Film Institute. He has directed the award-winning short films “Endgame” and “Ex Voto,” and the feature films “Steel TrapI” and “Silencio,” winner of the best feature award at the Los Angeles Fear and Fantasy Film Festival and best cinematography award at the Queens International Film Festival.
Luis Camara has added another accomplishment to an impressive cinematic career. The longtime CSUMB Cinematic Arts professor wrote a screenplay for a comedy that is now a box office success in Mexico.
The film "Me estás matando Susana," (you’re killing me Susana) is based on a novel by the prominent Mexican author José Agustin. It stars Gael Garcia Bernal and Verónica Echegui and opened last week on 600 screens in Mexico, coming in 7th at the box office and earning $620,000. Reviews have been generally positive, with major newspapers such as El Norte, Reforma and Exelsior praising the film and screenplay.
In a video review, critics for El Norte called Camara’s screenplay “a solid script” and that the “well executed film” captures “the essence of the Mexican Onda literary movement, while actualizing it to the present day."
According to TimeOut Mexico, the film is "a cleverly effective comedy that manages to take only the necessary from the novel to work on screen." Premiere Magazine wrote that the film is "a light comedy that mocks stereotypes in Mexican society, regardless of the character's social status."
Originally from Mexico City, Camara is a graduate of the American Film Institute. He has directed the award-winning short films “Endgame” and “Ex Voto,” and the feature films “Steel Trap” and “Silencio,” winner of the best feature award at the Los Angeles Fear and Fantasy Film Festival and best cinematography award at the Queens International Film Festival.
SEASIDE, Ca., Dec. 12, 2016 – Registration for the 2017 Startup Weekend to be held at Cal State Monterey Bay on Jan. 27-29, 2017 is now open for all college students and community members.
This year’s event, the fifth Startup Weekend hosted at CSUMB, will be held at the Gambord Business and Information Technology Building and will bring together entrepreneurs from the region to imagine and design innovative new businesses.
Startup Weekends are 54-hour events designed to provide superior experiential education for technical and non-technical entrepreneurs. The weekend events are centered on action, innovation, and education. Beginning with Friday night pitches and continuing through testing, business model development, and basic prototype creation, Startup Weekends culminate in Sunday night demos to a panel of potential investors and local entrepreneurs. Participants are challenged with building functional startups and are able to collaborate with like-minded individuals outside of their daily networks.
Startup Weekend is open to all types of businesses and nonprofit organizations. There is an Early Bird registration cost of $75 general registration and $49 for students until January 6, 2017 which covers the costs of meals and coffee over this three-day weekend. Entrepreneurs, students and community members in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benitocounties should apply to the competition at www.startupweekendmb.co.
Startup Weekend Monterey Bay is hosted by the Institute forInnovation and Economic Development (iiED), housed in the College of Businessat Cal State Monterey Bay. The iiED hosts events such as Startup Weekend to promote entrepreneurship in the Monterey Bay region and foster the developmentof a vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystem in the region.
SEASIDE, Calif., Jan. 23, 2017 – A new study examining how ocean acidification may negatively affect some juvenile rockfish, a key marine prey base to the California ecosystem, was published by researchers from Moss Landing Marine Labs of SJSU, CSUMB and UC Santa Cruz.
The research, which suggests potential negative affects to the structure and function of marine ecosystems that support coastal fisheries and communities, was conducted in collaboration with researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.
This study is the first to examine a comprehensive suite of physiological, behavioral and genomic responses to ocean acidification in temperate fishes. Published in PLOS ONE, this paper is the first of several that will come out of this collaborative team funded by the National Science Foundation and California SeaGrant.
The implications of the new publication are that the fish communities inhabiting rocky reefs and kelp beds may change in the future, in favor of species more tolerant of changing ocean chemistry. Rockfish are the most diverse group of fishes living on the U.S. West Coast, comprising more than 65 species that support important recreational and commercial fisheries. Changes in the prey base due to climate change are likely to affect marine food webs, with potentially negative effects on coastal fisheries and communities.
Dr. Cheryl Logan, who holds a doctorate in biology, led the genomics portion of the study along with student researchers April Makukhov, Lauren Tobosa and Kirsten Boyer.
“It’s exciting to involve undergraduates in cutting-edge research,” said Logan, “our students are learning how to use next-generation ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequencing and bioinformatics to address a global problem: how ocean acidification will affect marine ecosystems.”
All three students are graduates of CSUMB who worked in Logan’s lab during their undergraduate studies. Makukhov is currently a Ph.D. student at the University of Vermont, Tobosa is a scientific aide at the Calif. Department of Fish and Wildlife and Boyer is now a master’s student in CSUMB’s Applied Marine and Watershed Science program. All three student co-authors were members of Logan’s Marine Experimental Physiology capstone course where they developed the advanced physiology and genomics skills used to contribute to the new study.
“The research project format of Dr. Logan’s capstone course was one of the most valuable experiences I had at CSUMB and most related to what I chose to do after I graduated,” said Emily King, who is now a Ph.D. student at University of California Berkeley and conducting genomics research of her own.
This semester, students will continue investigating the combined effects of ocean acidification and hypoxia on rockfish physiology and genomics and will be presenting their findings at the capstone festival this May.
Story contains contributions by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.
SEASIDE, Calif., Jan. 27, 2017 -- Daisy Leon Melendrez, a CSUMB service learning student leader, has been selected as a Principal Community Scholar for her community project to provide information to immigrant communities about their constitutional rights.
Twenty college students from Iowa and California have been selected for the first class of the new Principal Community Scholars Program.
The recipients were selected by Principal, Iowa Campus Compact and California Campus Compact after being nominated by faculty or staff from their college or university and a rigorous review process. Daisy Leon Melendrez of CSUMB was among those selected. Daisy is a collaborative health & human services major and a service learning student leader with the Service Learning Institute, and has been the liaison to the Central Coast Citizenship Project in East Salinas.
This semester is a pilot of the Principal Community Scholars Program, which is designed to encourage student leadership to meet community needs. Selected students will receive a $1,000 scholarship from Principal upon completion of a service project.
“We were impressed by the caliber of the community projects students will be taking on as a part of this scholarship,” said Iowa Campus Compact Executive Director Emily Shields. “It is clear they have a deep commitment to their communities and we can’t wait to see what they accomplish.”
This semester’s scholars proposed projects designed to engage their peers and their institutions in meeting community needs. These projects tap into a variety of skills that can be offered by college students and will impact causes ranging from education to environmental sustainability.
“We are excited that Daisy has been selected as a Principal Community Scholar for her community project to provide information to immigrant communities about their constitutional rights,” said Pamela Motoike, who is a professor at the CSUMB Service Learning Institute and program adviser for this project.
This project addresses fears and anxieties of those in immigrant communities about impending changes to immigration policy. Partnering with community agencies, the Principal Scholar will provide information and referral to Spanish-speaking community members of Watsonville, Salinas and Castroville, Calif. regarding their constitutional rights, affordable legal advice and pathways to citizenship.
This project addresses the anxiety and fear facing immigrant communities with the advent of the new Presidential administration. Many in immigrant communities are concerned about deportation, the repeal of the DACA initiative, and possible separation from families.
In this project, Melendrez will collaborate with organizations such as the Watsonville Law Center, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center to obtain accurate information about legal options, referrals and legal rights. Melendrez will prepare informational handouts and "red cards" which contain information about what to do during interactions with immigration officials. She will set up informational booths every other Friday in these three communities and make this information available to community groups. It is estimated that 400 persons will benefit from direct contact with this project and many more will be impacted through agencies, friends or family.
Campus Compact is a national coalition of nearly 1,100 colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education.
All selected students nationwide will came together virtually on Jan. 24 for a retreat designed to introduce key concepts related to community engagement and service. The students will have the opportunity to continue working with each other, Campus Compact staff, and their on-campus adviser throughout the semester as they complete their projects.
As the only national higher education association dedicated solely to campus-based civic engagement, Campus Compact enables campuses to develop students’ citizenship skills and forge effective community partnerships. Our resources support faculty and staff as they pursue community-based teaching and scholarship in the service of positive change.
SEASIDE, Calif., Feb. 8, 2016 -- Cal State Monterey Bay President Eduardo M. Ochoa will host James Canton to speak trends reshaping the 21st century at The Colligan Theater Feb. 15, 2017 from 3:30-5 p.m.
Canton, chairman and CEO of the Institute for Global Futures, has advised more than 1,000 companies and three White House administrations and will discuss future opportunities and challenges associated with the increasingly complex global climate of the 21st Century.
The event is free to attend and will take place at the Colligan Theater on February 15 at 3:30 p.m., with a simulcast presentation at the CSUMB World Theater. A reception will immediately follow the presentation in Santa Cruz. Your R.S.V.P. confirms your attendance.
The President’s Speaker Series is in keeping with Cal State Monterey Bay’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocativediscussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
SEASIDE, Calif., February 13, 2017 – The Sustainable Hospitality Management program at CSUMB has partnered with community leaders, public officials and hospitality professionals to bring the first-ever sustainable hospitality symposium to the Monterey peninsula Feb. 23, 2017.
Partners of the symposium include the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Monterey County Hospitality Association, the Fort Ord Reuse Authority, the Monterey County Workforce Investment Board, the Santa Cruz County Economic Development Agency, local cities and firms as well as the Government of Costa Rica.
CSUMB is also thrilled to announce that Congressman Jimmy Panetta, who was recently selected to serve on the House Committee on Natural Resources’ Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans and the Subcommittee on Federal Lands, will be joining the list of notable speakers.
"The Sustainability Symposium is bringing together the creme-de-la-creme of policy-makers, public officials, hospitality leaders, green developers and builders as well as educators from Costa Rica and the United States. The goal is to shape the future of the Monterey Bay region as the leading sustainable hospitality, eco-tourism and eco-recreation region in the country,” says Shyam Kamath, Dean of the CSUMB College of Business.
The former President of Costa Rica, José María Figueres, will keynote the symposium with a team of leading sustainable hospitality CEOs and the Minister of Tourism from Costa Rica. Figueres was the primary architect and public official who pioneered Costa Rica’s sustainable hospitality development and ecotourism strategy.
Allison Gosselin, Director of Engineering and Sustainability at Aramark Leisure Services and Julie Packard of the Monterey Bay Aquarium will also address attendees at the reception. Leaders will be discussing topics such as sustainable hospitality, eco-tourism, eco-recreation development and tactics for attracting sustainable investment and public-private partnerships to Monterey County.
"At Aramark, a deep commitment to reducing our environmental footprint is a driving factorin our management of Asilomar Conference Grounds, and we’ve made significant strides in water and waste management,” says Gosselin. “The symposium presents a great opportunity to learn from other environmental leaders and discover new ways for Aramark to continue to make an impact."
Additional speakers include: President Eduardo Ochoa, Dean Shyam Kamath and Sustainable Hospitality Management Program Executive Director John Avella of CSUMB; Ted Balestreri, CEO of Cannery Row Company; Costa Rican hospitality firm CEOs Alfonso Gómez, Jose Alvaro Jenkins, Karin Zurcher and Roberto Fernández along with Tourism Minister Mauricio Ventura of the Government of Costa Rica; John Laird_,_ California Secretary of Natural Resources; Cody Plott, COO of the Pebble Beach Company; Kurt Gollnick, COO of Scheid Vineyards; Margaret Spring, Vice President of Conservation and Science and Chief Conservation Officer of the Monterey Bay Aquarium; Assemblywoman Anna Caballero_;_ Supervisor Jane Parker of Monterey County; Janine Chicourrat, General Manager of the Portola Hotel & Spa; Tammy Blount, President & CEO of the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau; Teresa Matsui, CEO of Matsui Nursery; and Tejal Sood, CEO of Bayside Resorts in Santa Cruz.
The Sustainable Hospitality Symposium will be held on Thursday, February 23, 2017, at the InterContinental The Clement Monterey from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. For more information, please visit: csumb.edu/green.
This article contains contributions by the Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
For Black History Month, the NAACP@CSUMB is honoring Mel Mason, all new (hired since fall 2014), and veteran (hired before fall 2000),or retiring black staff and faculty. Join us at the CSUMB Music Hall at Thurs., Feb. 23rd, at 7 p.m. for cake, punch and program.
Please send short bio (150 words) and photo to Steven Goings at sgoings@csumb.edu by Tues., Feb. 21st at 12 p.m. to be included in the program.
SEASIDE, Calif., Feb. 21, 2017 – The CSUMB World Theater will host The Wallace Roney Quintet Saturday Feb. 25 from 8-10 p.m. as a part of the Spring 2017 Performing Arts Series.
The Performing Arts Series brings professional performing artists to Monterey county to provide education and entertainment services to CSU Monterey Bay and its surrounding communities.
Since opening in Fall 1999, the presenting program has hosted live concerts with artists specializing in world, contemporary and jazz music, dramatic theater, film and dance. The World Theater serves an important role in the performing arts industry by providing opportunities for artists to create new work.
Hosting community events is in keeping with Cal State Monterey Bay’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
Many would call it a time of reflection. Others, a time of learning.
February is African-American History Month. March is Women’s History Month. Together, they can represent a time of celebration that focuses on diversity, along with the challenges ahead and progress achieved.
CSUMB is marking this special time of year with “Celebrating Women’s & African-American History,” a free, public event scheduled 4 to 6 p.m., Thursday, March 2 in the Alumni & Visitors Center on CSUMB’s main campus.
The event will feature two speakers: Marvella E. Ford, associate director of cancer disparities at Hollings Cancer Center of the Medical University of South Carolina, and Jennifer Ng’andu, senior program officer of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Everyone is invited. The event is presented by CSUMB’s College of Health Sciences and Human Services. For questions or special accommodations, contact Coraima Enriquez at 831-582-3736 or coenriquez@csumb.edu.
SEASIDE Calif., Feb. 24, 2017 – Nearly 200 Monterey County elementary, middle and high school students presented their research findings at the Student Polar Research Symposium Friday, Feb. 24, 2017 at the CSUMB University Center Ballroom.
The symposium was a culmination of the National Science Foundation-funded (NSF) Polar Interdisciplinary Coordinate Education (Polar-ICE) Science Investigations Project designed to connect scientists, educators and students using data from the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
Pacific Grove Middle School, Seaside Middle School, Walter Colton Middle School, San Antonio Elementary School, Chalone Peaks Middle School and Seaside High School were all in attendance. Teachers from the schools began preparing for this project last summer with a week-long workshop at Rutgers University. Their students then prepared scientific-style project proposals before conducting their own investigations using authentic polar data this past January.
The top groups presented their findings to a panel of 15 scientific personnel from eight scientific institutions including the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories and Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University. This project was designed to help students experience and practice the skills of scientists: asking science questions, analyzing and interpreting data, and planning and implementing science investigations, which are all important objectives of the Next Generation Science Standards.
SEASIDE, Calif., Feb. 27, 2017 – CSUMB alumnus and owner of J&P Organics Juan Perez was featured by the CSU for his successful ventures after graduating from CSUMB. Perez credits inspirational faculty, summer internships and a strong family support system for his success.
The CSU feature can be viewed below or at the CSU Student Success profile page.
Juan Perez's days start early. He first stops in his office to check emails for the day's orders. Then he heads to the place he really wants to be: outside on his farm
"By the time I'm here, the sun is coming up, and we start to harvest produce and get the boxes ready for delivery," he says. "After deliveries, we come back and start harvesting for the next day, and we work until about 9 or 10 at night."
What sounds like hard work is the American dream, says Perez: "Being outside in the fields is freedom, and we really love what we do."
Ten years ago, Perez and his father, Pablo, started J&P Organics—"J" for Juan and "P" for Pablo—a family-run farm in Salinas. The small enterprise grows USDA-certified organic fruits, vegetables and flowers on 10 acres and delivers weekly farm boxes of produce to more than 500 local customers.
"The Salinas Valley is known as the 'salad bowl of the nation,'" says Juan. "We have the ideal climate, not too hot and not too cold, and we grow winter, spring, summer and fall."
When Juan enrolled at California State University, Monterey Bay, he didn't intend to be a farmer.
His dad had worked on farms for decades, and Juan sometimes worked alongside Pablo, who told his son, "Either come work with me, or go to college and find a career of your own. Either way, you have to get a job." Juan opted for college.
He was accepted to four universities, and chose Monterey Bay because it was just a 20-minute drive from his parents' home in Castroville. Perez was the first in his family to attend college, and his mom, Florencia, didn't want him to be too far away.
So he picked the best of both worlds: living in the dorms and driving home on the weekends.
"At the beginning, I didn't know what to major in, so I tried liberal studies to become a teacher, but it wasn't right for me," he says. "I tried business administration, and that wasn't right either. Then computer science, but the computers drove me crazy."
Finally, he took a science course and he was hooked. "We were going on field trips doing research in the Fort Ord back country and working with clients," he says. "I realized this is what I want to do."
When Bill Head, Ph.D., a professor in CSU Monterey Bay's natural sciences department (now retired), suggested Perez apply for a summer internship at an organic farm, Juan was less than enthusiastic—until he realized it was a paid opportunity.
"I took it because I needed the money for books and clothes and food," recalls Perez. "I wasn't sure where this internship was going to take me."
That summer included research on fertilizers, seeds and pest control; Perez also created a small library of information for other organic growers to reference.
"The farm work and research turned out to be something I knew how to do," he says. "And I really liked it."
Dr. Head then urged Juan to take a second summer internship with a different organic farm, where he learned about marketing, the business of farm boxes, and how to promote the support of agriculture within the community.
By the time the professor convinced Juan to take a third farm internship, "I was more into it, and I was making the right connections with the right people," says Perez of the access he gained to people in the agriculture industry. "When I finished that internship, I was sure I could do it myself."
He hadn't graduated yet from Monterey Bay, but he knew what he was doing next.
"I owe a lot to Bill Head," says Perez. "He kept pushing me, even when I didn't think I wanted to do another internship. If not for him, I would've probably been in an office job that I didn't like."
Perez started J&P Organics a year before he walked at commencement in 2007; he finished his capstone project in 2009 and earned a bachelor's in environmental science, technology and policy.
"I had all this knowledge, and I thought, My parents know how to farm. I know how to farm. And I want it to be a family business."
He talked to Pablo about launching the business together, but his dad was hesitant: "He didn't know anything about growing organically," says Juan. "I told him it's farming without pesticides and no chemicals. He said, 'I can do that.'"
They leased one acre with the support of a $5,000 loan from the California Coastal Rural Development Corporation. They then leased a second acre, a third, and when they were farming six acres, they found a 10-acre farm in Salinas for sale.
California Coastal again supported their vision and helped father and son purchase the farm in 2013. With 28 commercial greenhouses, a packing shed, delivery vans, tractors, their own water well, fruit trees and acres of open fields, Juan says his dad, a second-generation farmer, could not be happier. "This is his American dream—to own a house, work hard and do what he loves."
A true family operation, Juan, Pablo and his brother, José, a mechanic, run the day-to-day operation. Florencia helps with transplanting, planting, harvesting and packing boxes, and his sister, Cristina, does their taxes. Juan's wife, Wendy, a high school teacher, helps out with phone calls and texts and responding to customer questions and orders. His parents live in the house on the farm, and they have no other employees—the family does it all.
"There are four families that depend on this farm, and everybody has a role to play," says Juan. "But the best part is that we are doing it together, and we get to be with each other every day."
Each week, J&P Organics emails customers to let them know which fruits, vegetables and flowers the farm box will feature, and they deliver the produce to members' homes or at drop-off locations.
"Everything in the box is fresh-picked," says Perez. "Our customers actually like that there's still dirt on the carrots, because they know they were just pulled."
As a strong advocate for organic farming, he regularly hosts field trips from area elementary and high schools through the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Watsonville Area Teens Conserving Habits (WATCH) program and opens the farm to college student groups—a chance to provide the same hands-on education he received.
"There are a lot of large farms here in the Salinas Valley, many of them have thousands and thousands of acres, and they spray all of that with chemicals," explains Perez. "I think our little 10-acre organic farm actually has a big impact, because we provide the community with healthy vegetables. We depend on the soil, because it's where we get our food. Let's not destroy it."
Perez's customers also come to the farm for U-pick days. "Our members know our family. They know the farmer that grows their food, and our fruits and vegetables taste good," he says. "They want to feed their kids good food with no chemicals or pesticides.
"And it's grown right here in their own backyard, the Salinas Valley. I know that we are doing something good for ourselves, our health, the community and the environment."
CSUMB has a valuable new addition to its diversity team. Nizhoni Chow-Garcia, Ph.D has been named the new associate director of inclusive excellence, coming to CSUMB from Hartnell College where she served as the director of the MESA program. Prior to that, Chow-Garcia worked at the Rochester Institute of Technology, working with women and students of color in STEM as well as Native student populations
Originally from Southern California, Chow-Garcia earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. She earned her master’s degree in education from the University of New Haven and taught middle school social studies in Connecticut for a number of years prior to moving to Rochester, New York.
Once there, Chow-Garcia transitioned to higher education at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). At RIT she served as the director of the Native American Future Stewards Program and the Collegiate Science Technology Entry Program (a NY state STEM diversity grant), and as interim director of the Multicultural Center for Academic Success. Recently, she completed her Ph.D. in higher education from the University of Rochester and moved to Monterey where she began her position at Hartnell.
“My academic and professional areas of interest are broadly in the field of diversity and equity,” said Chow-Garcia. “More specifically, in working to increase the success of Native Americans in higher education, supporting women and students of color in STEM, and engaging in critical indigenous frameworks and methodologies.”
Her work has most recently been recognized as the NASPA Melvene D. Hardee Dissertation of the Year Award and the ACPA Marylu McEwen Dissertation of the Year Award. In her spare time, Chow-Garcia can be found running after her toddler, traveling and learning how to paddle board.
SEASIDE, Calif., March 3, 2017 – CSUMB President Eduardo M. Ochoa has been selected by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) to receive the prestigious Americanism Medal.
The Americanism Medal, reserved for candidates who have been naturalized U.S. citizens for at least five years, is awarded to leaders who have shown outstanding qualities of leadership and involvement in foreign-born communities.
Ochoa will be honored at the California State Society, DAR, State Conference in March, as well as by the local Commodore Sloat Chapter in Monterey on April 8, 2017. Additionally, Ochoa will be recognized for this award at the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Continental Congress in Washington, DC, on June 28, 2017.
SEASIDE, Calif., March 8, 2017 – CSUMB professor and experimental filmmaker Enid Baxter Ryce will have her Fort Ord feature film "A Land for War" highlighted by The Library of Congress’s Veterans History Project March 17, 2017 in Washington D.C.
The following day "A Land for War," along with a collection of her students' documentaries in “Fort Ord: A Sense of Place,” will be screening at the National Gallery of Art as a part of the D.C. Environmental Film Festival, capping off the 10-year project Planet Ord led by Ryce.
In “A Land for War,” Ryce documents the lands and ruins of the historic Fort Ord and portrays the impact of the military base on the terrain and people. The film’s original musical score is by Lanier Sammons. The student film program, “Fort Ord: A Sense of Place,” is a compilation of the university students’ documentary and experimental shorts focused on the ecology, community and history of the base. The films also feature oral histories collected for the Library of Congress Veterans History Project.
Congress created the Veterans History Project in 2000 to collect, preserve and make accessible the first-hand remembrances of America’s war veterans from WWI through current conflicts, so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and understand the realities of war.
Ryce, along with 57 community members, students and veterans who contributed to the documentaries, will travel to Washington D.C. to present the films at the National Gallery of Art and an exhibition of photographs at the Library of Congress. Please see the Library of Congress Press Release or more information on the events.
SEASIDE, Calif., March 8, 2017 – CSUMB was recently recognized as a leader and trendsetter across the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for a collaborative and dedicated effort toward providing student-athletes with a holistic approach to wellness.
Thanks to a combination of CSUMB athletics, kinesiology and psychology departments, mental health care providers, the medical team, coaches and support staff, student-athletes are provided a more unified approach to mental, emotional and physical wellness.
The full article is available here: Mental Health: A More Educated Approach in The New York Times.
SEASIDE, Calif., March 24, 2017 – The Veterans Resource Center at CSUMB has a new refurbished space for student veterans to gather thanks to a generous donation of $6,000 by The Home Depot Foundation (THDF).
The renovations, which include new carpeting and furnishings, were received from THDF in partnership with the Student Veterans of America (SVA).
"The Veteran students on campus finally have a fully furnished space on campus where they can study, relax and connect with each other when not in class,” said CSUMB Veteran Services Coordinator Giselle Young. “Now that the room is warm and inviting, SVO club participation has increased and we now have the proper seating to accommodate everyone!”
SVO president, business major and Army veteran Gilbert Bernabe says the Veterans Resource Center has become a home away from home for him and that he utilizes the center much more now than during his first semester. “That is all thanks to the work of Giselle, and the sponsors, for making the resource center feel as welcoming as it does now,” said Bernabe.
The Home Depot Foundation and SVA teamed up in 2014 to launch the Vet Center Initiative, offering SVA chapters a chance to compete for up to $10,000 in grant money to build or renovate veteran centers.
The new and improved veterans center offers an inviting atmosphere where veterans can seek assistance with benefits, gain access to support services designed for veterans and build social support networks to motivate each other to stay in college.
"It is great for Veterans to have their own space to gather and work without having to roam around campus wondering where they can go between classes. Thanks to the support of Giselle and the sponsors we have that now,” said collaborative health and human service major and retired Marine Luis D. Salcedo.
CSUMB plans to celebrate the remodeled space on April 7, 2017 with a ribbon cutting and open house to follow from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. All are welcome and encouraged to stop by to meet our CSUMB SVA leaders and view the new space.
“We were very lucky to have received the generous financial support from The Home Depot Foundation, and nothing could match the great customer service received from our local Home Depot store in Salinas,” said Young.
SEASIDE, Calif., April 3, 2017 -- CSUMB will host Pulitzer Prize winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen Thursday, April 6th from 6-8 p.m. at Music Hall as the keynote speaker for the 21st annual Social Justice Colloquium.
Hosted by CSUMB’s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the Social Justice Colloquium, addresses modern day ethics of war through varius cultural art forms in hopes to engender active engagement in transformation for peace and justice.
This unique collaboration, with events running April 4-7, addresses modern-day ethics of wars and promotes multidisciplinary and critical interchange which includes voices from local veterans, lectures, photo exhibition and film showings.
The full schedule of events is available here. All events are open to the public and free of charge.
SEASIDE, Calif., April 3, 2017 -- CSUMB President Eduardo M. Ochoa will host a panel of local political and legal experts to discuss potential effects of immigration policy reform to the Monterey Bay region Wednesday, April 26 at CSUMB at Salinas City Center from 3:30-5 p.m.
The panel includes Immigration Attorney Magnolia Zarraga, Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo and VP of Legal & General Counsel at Tanimura & Antle Produce, Wesley Van Camp.
The panel will discuss potential impacts to the region along with possible contingency plans for employers, colleges and school districts. The event, free to attend and open to the public, will take place at CSUMB @ Salinas City Center. Your R.S.V.P. here confirms your attendance. A reception will immediately follow the presentation.
The President’s Speaker Series, made possible by a generous contribution from Bud and Rebecca Colligan, is in keeping with Cal State Monterey Bay’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
CSUMB works to make events accessible to all. To request special accommodations or for more information, please call CSUMB @ Salinas City Center at 831-772-7021 or email tslaton@csumb.edu.
After five consecutive years at CSUMB, the CSU Summer Arts program will head to Fresno this summer. CSUMB’s Umi Vaughan will lead “Drum Talk: Rhythms From Cuba and Brazil.”
The CSU Summer Arts program creates a community of artists, students, teachers and guest artists who remain bonded long after the experience.
CSUMB’s Umi Vaughan from the School of Humanities & Communication will be leading his course Drum Talk: Rhythms From Cuba and Brazil from July 10 through July 23, 2017. The deadline to apply is May 15, 2017. Further details for how and who should apply are available at the CSU Summer Arts Drum Talk course page.
California residents may enroll in two credit-bearing courses for the same tuition cost. Classes range from art/design, creative writing, dance, media/animation, music and theater. The full course listing, schedule of events, information about scholarships and application deadlines are available at the CSU Summer Arts homepage.
SEASIDE, Calif., April 6, 2017 – CSUMB’s Native Advisory Council will host several speakers and events throughout April, sharing an array of rich Native American cultures and traditions.
The events are made possible by the California State University (CSU) Presidents’ Council on Underserved Communities (PCUC), whose mission is to support outreach programs that strengthen college readiness for underserved communities.
CSUMB’s own President Eduardo M. Ochoa is a member of the PCUC advisory board along with 15 other CSU presidents who provide direction and advice to the CSU system on issues affecting students and families in underserved communities.
The Native Advisory Council at CSUMB provides community and support for Native students, faculty, staff and alumni while supporting the Office of Inclusive Excellence in it’s mission to build and maintain an inclusive and equitable community for all.
The full schedule of events is available here. All events are open to the public and free of charge. For more information about the Native Advisory Council please contact Browning Neddeau at bneddeau@csumb.edu.
SEASIDE, Calif., April 10, 2017 – For the second consecutive year, CSUMB will play host to The Monterey Bay Art & Film Festival for Youth (MAFFY) April 20-22, 2017.
The three-day festival, consisting of art exhibitions, film screenings, musical performances and artist presentations drew 500 attendees last year and is expected to draw more than 2,000 in 2017.
This year’s festival aims to provide local youth the opportunity to explore the many possibilities of positive communication through art and community engagement and will include films from more than 30 countries, providing various world views and cultural perspectives. All screenings and events are free and open to the public.
Confirmed venues include the CSUMB World Theatre, CSUMB @ Salinas City Center and the Watsonville Public Library. Please see the full schedule for event listings and locations.
The Monterey Bay Art & Film Festival for Youth, made possible by a generous donation by the Arts Council for Monterey County along with several other community partnerships, is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
For more information about the event please contact Soyeon Kim at sokim@csumb.edu
SEASIDE, Calif., April 10, 2017 – A record-setting field of 91 entrepreneurs from Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties has been whittled down to 24 after pitching their businesses to a panel of judges at CSUMB April 8, 2017.
The finalists will compete May 12, 2017 at CSUMB to determine winners for this year’s challenge.
In preparation for the final round, the finalists will receive mentoring and pitch-workshops to prepare them for the final round presentations. In addition to the final round pitches, the event on May 12th will feature the Venture Showcase exhibits of the finalist businesses and past winners of the Startup Challenge. The event will culminate with the ‘Otter Tank’ competition to determine the Grand Prize Venture and Main Street Winners for this year’s Startup Challenge.
The public is invited to the final round and Venture Showcase to meet these new entrepreneurs and startups, beginning at 3 p.m. on May 12, 2017 at CSUMB. Come see these new businesses, watch the top three Venture division finalists and top three Main Street division finalists compete in the ‘Otter Tank’ and celebrate with us as we recognize the winners of the 2017 Startup Challenge Monterey Bay and the region’s new entrepreneurs.
A listing of the finalists is available here. For more information about the event go to www.thestartupchallenge.org or contact StartupMB@csumb.edu.
SEASIDE, Calif., April 11, 2017 -- The World Theater at CSUMB will host O Sole Trio, performing "From Pavarotti to Pop," Saturday April 15, 2017 from 8-10 p.m. as a part of the Spring 2017 Performing Arts Series.
O Sole Trio’s “From Pavarotti to Pop” features a program of beloved Italian opera arias, Neapolitan songs as well as jazz and pop standards made popular by such singers as Louis Prima, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Connie Francis and Andrea Bocelli.
O Sole Trio is a vibrant classical crossover ensemble featuring the lush voices of soprano Erin Shields and baritone Giuseppe Spoletini, as well as the versatile and virtuosic David Shenton on piano and violin.
The Performing Arts Series brings professional performing artists to Monterey county to provide education and entertainment services to CSUMB and its surrounding communities. Since opening in Fall 1999, the presenting program has hosted live concerts with artists specializing in world, contemporary and jazz music, dramatic theater, film and dance.
The World Theater serves an important role in the performing arts industry by providing opportunities for artists to create new work.
For those interested in attending the event, please visit the O Sole Trio event page or contact the World Theater at worldtheater@csumb.edu or 831.582.4580.
SEASIDE, Calif., April 24, 2017 – Sam Farr will give the keynote address to graduates at CSU Monterey Bay’s 21st commencement ceremony at CSUMB May 20, 2017.
Farr, despite opposition at the time, was a pivotal figure in leading the transition of the former Fort Ord into what is now CSUMB during the early 1990’s. CSUMB’s inauguration, a result of the advocacy and determination of Farr, was held Sept. 4, 1995, and given by then President Bill Clinton.
Farr will also be awarded a Doctorate of Law degree from CSUMB in honor of his 40+ years of public service ranging from the Monterey County Board of Supervisors to his 23 years in Congress representing California’s Central Coast.
“We are honored to welcome Sam Farr as the speaker at the two ceremonies of our 21st annual commencement. His life of public service is one to which all of our graduates can aspire," said CSUMB President, Eduardo M. Ochoa.
In addition to Farr, another local steward of education, Andy Matsui, will receive an honorary degree from CSUMB. Matsui, who will be awarded a Doctorate of Science, immigrated to the United States in 1961 and has since become the world’s largest producer of orchids.
The Matsui Foundation, in operation since 2004, has donated nearly $5 million in scholarships to students from Monterey County and has been pivotal in the development of the innovative CSin3 partnership program between CSUMB and Hartnell College.
"Recognizing both Congressman Farr and Andy Matsui, who has helped so many students achieve their own educational dreams, with honorary degrees will add to the spirit of celebration that always makes commencement so special,” Ochoa said.
For information about commencement please refer to the 2017 commencement homepage.
SEASIDE, Calif., April 21, 2017 – CSUMB students, faculty and staff came together Friday, April 21, 2017 to discuss best practices for supporting undocumented students and their families within the CSUMB community.
The conference was designed to equip the campus community with the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to support undocumented student access and equity to post-secondary opportunities.
27 staff and faculty members were recognized for attending a two-session training evolution dedicated solely toward preparing them to provide support to any undocumented student in need.
Brenda Ordaz, community education coordinator for the Central Valley Region Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), served as a guest speaker along with Yahaira Carrillo Rosales.
Hosting community events is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussion that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
For further questions or information about CSUMB’s support for undocumented students please refer to the Office of Inclusive Excellence page.
It's time, once again, for our custodial staff to mop and wax all tile floors, and shampoo all carpeted areas in your building. To ensure the floor in your office is adequately done, we will need your help.
Please leave office doors unlocked to ensure that the floors get waxed and shampooed.
Please move all items currently located on top of file cabinets or book shelves. (File cabinets and bookshelves will be moved during the cleaning.)
Please remove all items from the floor. It would be advisable to place these items in boxes to prevent them from being misplaced. Place all boxed items on the counter tops.
The custodians will be moving the furniture (such as coat racks, file cabinets, small book shelves, credenzas, etc.)
They will NOT move any furniture that has files, paperwork, etc on it.
PLEASE NOTE: DESKS WITH COMPUTERS/PRINTERS/ COPY MACHINES WILL NOT BE MOVED.
Any questions, contact Abraham Regalado at abraham@zerowastesolutions.com or 831-620-5712.
Thank you for your cooperation.
SEASIDE, Calif., April 28, 2017 – 1,400 seventh-graders from seven Santa Cruz County middle schools attended the Santa Cruz County College Commitment (S4C) Friday, April 28, 2017.
S4C is a college and career exploration summit aimed at helping students in the community prepare their plan and pathway to future college success.
While visiting campus, students, teachers and parent volunteers learned about admissions requirements and how to prepare for college. Students were engaged with current college students in a panel format before attending a closing session reviewing what they learned throughout the day.
The summit, hosted by CSUMB’s Early Outreach and Support Programs in partnership with S4C, is held in conjunction with CSUMB, Cabrillo College, School Districts of the City and County of Santa Cruz and UCSC. Hosting community events such as S4C is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums and discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
S4C was born of educational cooperation in 2011 and is sponsored by the Santa Cruz County Office of Education. The yearly summit averages 1,400 seventh-graders in participation at CSUMB.
Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) congratulates all the graduates of the class of 2017! Below is a selection of news clips and fun facts related to the 21st annual commencement ceremony scheduled for Saturday, May 20, 2017 in Freeman Stadium.
Sam Farr was a pivotal figure in leading the transition of the former Fort Ord into what is now CSUMB during the early 1990’s. Farr will also be awarded a Doctorate of Law degree from CSUMB in honor of his 40+ years of public service ranging from the Monterey County Board of Supervisors to his 23 years in Congress representing California’s Central Coast.
The Matsui Foundation, in operation since 2004, has donated nearly $5 million in scholarships to students from Monterey County and has been pivotal in the development of the innovative CSin3 partnership program between CSUMB and Hartnell College.
The President's Award for Exemplary Student Achievement is given to a well-rounded student who made notable contributions to a particular area of university life through depth of involvement and service as a student leader.
14,400 tickets are printed for friends and family.
210 Event staff are on hand to make your experience as memorable as possible.
The only part of these commencement gowns not made from recycled material is the zipper!
2,000 chairs rented for the ceremony
Use #MBgrad17 on your posts commemorating this special day.
SEASIDE, Calif., May 2, 2017 – Six CSUMB students represented CSUMB at the 31st annual CSU Student Research Competition April 28-29, 2017 at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo; two took home first place honors.
The CSU Student Research Competition is held each spring to promote excellence in undergraduate and graduate scholarly research and creative activity by recognizing outstanding student accomplishments across the 23 CSU campuses.
Char’Mane Robinson and James Vongsaroj both placed first in their respective categories. Robinson, an environmental science major, won the Biological and Agricultural Science, undergraduate level session. Vongsaroj, a kinesiology major, won the Health, Nutrition and Clinical Sciences, undergraduate level session.
For more information about all six student research delegates or the research they presented please visit the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center news page.
SEASIDE, Calif., May 4, 2017 – Twenty-four local startups will compete for $50K in cash prizes at CSU Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) Joel and Dena Gambord Business & Information Technology Building Friday May 12, 2017 at 3 p.m.
The finalists, hailing from Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties, will compete in a “shark tank” style final round hoping to join the likes of past winners who’ve since seen great success in their business ventures.
The challenge includes three divisions: Venture, for businesses intended to grow into large enterprises; Main Street, for small businesses; and Student, for high school through graduate school. All past winners in the Venture Division are still in business and have raised over $3.5M in capital investments. All but one of the Main Street winners are still in business. Information about divisions or prizes to be awarded is available here.
The 2017 finalists represent a range of businesses including food, medical and scientific devices, agtech, cycling, the arts, social services, financial services and business services.
Startup Challenge Monterey Bay is supported by CSUMB’s Institute for Innovation and Economic Development. The premier sponsor for this event is the Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA). Other major sponsors include the City of Salinas, the City of Marina and the City of Sand City. The Challenge also was supported through a grant from Wells Fargo. The full list of sponsors is available here.
One year of planning and countless staff hours create this unforgettable day.
210: Event staff
120: Minutes ceremony expected to last
76: Student-athletes in the graduating class
42: Veterans in the graduating class
40: Members of commencement planning committee
32: Students named Jessica in the graduating class
31: Countries represented in the graduating class (furthest: Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia & Australia)
28: Police and other public safety personnel on duty
25: Majors represented (most popular: psychology, 278 graduates; kinesiology, 227; business administration, 256)
23: States and territories represented in the graduating class
18: Students named Michael in the graduating class
7: Graduates celebrating birthdays on the day of commencement
2: Sets of twins in the graduating class
2: Number of ceremonies (10 a.m., College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and College of Business; 3 p.m., Colleges of Science, Education and Health Sciences and Human Services)
Some numbers are approximate
Published May 12, 2017
SEASIDE, Calif., May 12, 2017 – Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) will hold its annual honors convocation May 19, 2017, recognizing select students for distinguished academic achievements.
Six students will receive special awards, 21 will be honored for their Service Learning work and 399 others will be acknowledged for having earned grade-point averages of at least 3.5.
The honors students will be among the approximately 2,083 graduates expected to cross the stage at CSUMB's 21st commencement ceremony May 20, 2017.
Award winners:
Award winners:
• President's Award for Exemplary Student Achievement, given to a well-rounded student who made notable contributions to a particular area of university life through depth of involvement and service as a student leader; participated actively as a positive agent of innovation and action with demonstrated service to the campus community; and achieved a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher: Anita Garcia, Computer Science.
Garcia is a member of the CS-in-3 program, through which she has earned her computer science degree with a concentration in software engineering in three years. Along with her outstanding academic performance, she has reached out to help fellow students through the peer-led team learning program, and is the founding president of an all-woman campus computer science club herScript. She hopes someday to start her own business in Monterey County to help AgTech companies include high-tech tools in their decision-making.
• Provost's Award for Exemplary Academic Achievement, given to a student who has demonstrated exemplary achievement in his or her major; excelled personally and academically with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or higher; and contributed to the learning community of CSUMB: Isabella Romero, Psychology.
Romero came to CSUMB with an interest in exploring the causes, implications and treatment for mental health conditions. Through her classroom and service learning experiences at CSUMB, she began to focus on veterans’ health issues. She served as a research assistant at the VA treatment campus in Menlo Park and completed a senior capstone project examining the use of medical cannabis and its impact on symptoms of PTSD. She will enter the PhD program in clinical psychology at Palo Alto University in the fall.
• Outstanding Senior Award for Social Justice, given to a student who has been a positive agent of change and participated in a project that promotes social justice and generates awareness that benefited local communities: Mia Elliott, Liberal Studies.
Elliot served as the campus chapter president of the NAACP, which also gave her the opportunity to engage with the community outside of campus. She plans to continue her studies at George Washington University in pursuit of a master’s in education policy, with a goal of becoming a lobbyist for educational reforms to promote the interests of students of color.
• Alumni Vision Award, given to a first-generation student who manifests the beliefs and tenets of the Vision Statement through personal example, voice and initiative, and has provided leadership in a multicultural project or activity that extends the university’s Vision into the lives of others: Steven Goings (2010), Social and Behavioral Sciences and currently a student in the Master of Social Work program at CSUMB.
Goings arrived on campus as a 43-year-old undergraduate in 2006. He was a co-founder of the NAACP@CSUMB and began the tradition of bringing the NAACP’s Monterey County Branch to campus annually to meet with the college branch for Black History Month. Following his 2010 graduation from CSUMB, he worked for four years with the AmeriCorps through Service Learning Institute. Now a student in the Master of Social Work program, he has remained active in many campus and community events, including helping to organize “You Otter Know Seaside” to promote engagement between his hometown and our campus.
• Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athlete Award, given to a student-athlete in recognition of exemplary academic achievement: Isaiah Smith, Business Administration.
Service Learning awards were presented to students in each academic major who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to service in the local community.
Service Learning award winners and their majors:
Munitions cleanup activities will begin in the northern portion of the Fort Ord National Monument in June 2017. The U.S. Army is hosting a public kickoff meeting on May 23, 2017 to share information about the cleanup and provide an opportunity for the public to ask questions.
This is a public notice regarding upcoming munitions cleanup activities from the U.S. Army Fort Ord Cleanup and the Bureau of Land Management:
Public Meeting:
This new munitions cleanup activity beginning in the northern portion of the monument will occur in areas that are currently open for public use (north of Eucalyptus Road, south of Watkins Gate/Gigling Road, and west of Barloy Canyon Road).
The Army will minimize disruptions to public use and recreational activities, but periodic closures of trails and roads will still be necessary to perform cleanup activities.
The public kickoff meeting will provide information on:
SEASIDE, Calif., May 15, 2017 – Monterey Peninsula College (MPC) and CSUMB solidified a new pathway program Monday, May 15, 2017 allowing for dual enrollment between institutions for students seeking to complete a bachelor’s in business administration or marine science at CSUMB.
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) seeks to address a regional and national need for trained professionals in both business and marine science, and will provide new educational and career opportunities for MPC and CSUMB students.
The dual admission program will support qualified freshman students through four years in college, at both MPC and CSUMB, with scholarships, advising, tutoring, internships and project opportunities. The pilot program is slated to begin in fall 2017 and will include a cohort of 40 students.
Qualified students will be admitted to CSUMB provided they meet eligibility requirements and attend classes at both CSUMB and MPC campuses.
CSUMB and MPC also plan to develop a pathway program for undeclared majors to take courses in the General Education Transfer Curriculum. The duration of the agreement is for five years and then will be subject to review by the collaborating parties.
Photos from the signing are available here.
SEASIDE, Calif., May 12, 2017 – Two CSUMB alumnae are members of the Wonder Women film crew who won the 2017 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Travel and Adventure Program on April 30, 2017.
Margo Flitcraft (CART, '13) and Lorraine Cardoza (CART, '14) are graduates of CSUMB’s Cinematic Arts and Technology Department and both now work in the L.A. film industry.
Wonder Women, a six-part, true-life series, highlights women across the globe who accomplish extraordinary feats every day, challenging themselves and defying expectations.
The full Wonder Women series is viewable here.
CSUMB’s Cinematic Arts and Technology Department is dedicated to the education of socially engaged and diverse filmmakers by nurturing the creative voices of the individual student, developing critical consciousness, and fostering meaningful dialogue and active engagement with the community.
May 16, 2017 – The California State University (CSU) today announced the launch of a new application portal, Cal State Apply, a streamlined user-friendly application for all CSU incoming students.
Beginning June 1, 2017, the current portal, CSU Mentor, will be replaced by Cal State Apply, a streamlined user-friendly application for all CSU incoming freshman, transfer, graduate and international students. The improved process allows students to apply to multiple CSU campuses with just one easy application.
“The new Cal State Apply portal has been designed to improve the experience and simplify the process for the more than 850,000 students who submit online applications to a CSU campus every year,” said Eric Forbes, CSU’s assistant vice chancellor for Student Academic Affairs/Student Academic Support. “Eliminating the need to submit multiple applications, easy uploading of supporting documents and additional payment options are all features that make it more convenient for students.”
In addition to allowing one submission to serve the application needs of multiple CSU campuses, Cal State Apply also:
Transfer students will also benefit since Cal State Apply will allow them to enter all of their completed coursework by term. In addition, beginning with fall 2018 applications, transfer applicants will be able to update their application in January with fall grades and include their current spring courses.
Veterans of the U.S. military seeking to apply to a CSU campus will now be able to upload their Report of Transfer of Discharge (DD214) paperwork via Cal State Apply.
Important upcoming application periods are as follows:
Applicants are encouraged to apply early. Visit Cal State Apply for more information.
(Contributed) May 17, 2017 – Cinematic Arts and Technology student Briana Gonzales was named the 2017 winner of a $2,000 scholarship in the Monterey County Film Commission’s Director Emeritus Richard Tyler Film Student Scholarship Award Program.
The Monterey County Film Commission film student scholarship program was created in 2008 to provide financial aid and incentive to students of film as well as beginning filmmakers who reside in Monterey County or those enrolled in a college or university in the county. The fund was established as a permanent endowment with the Community Foundation for Monterey County.
Gonzales has a filmmaking career goal, and is focused on stop-motion animation which she feels offers opportunities to be creative and innovative.
Contributions to the film commission’s Director Emeritus Richard Tyler Film Student Scholarship Award Program were made by the Craig and Paula Tigerman family, in-kind support from the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and numerous local donors.
Donations are welcomed for next year’s program, according to Jeff Clark, film student scholarship committee chairperson and chair of the board of the Monterey County Film Commission. For more information email info@filmmonterey.org.
Sam Farr Urges Graduates No Challenge is Too Big, Not Even Building a University.
SEASIDE, Calif., May 20, 2017 – With a record number 2,083 candidates for graduation, CSUMB celebrated its 21st annual commencement Saturday May 20, 2017 with two ceremonies at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Former Rep. Sam Farr brought a historical and nostalgic perspective to the ceremonies with his keynote address at the university he was pivotal in establishing more than 20 years ago.
Farr spoke of the challenges he encountered while working to establish CSUMB, urging the class of 2017 that no challenge is too big.
His message to graduates was clear. “Make today’s graduation ceremony the cornerstone of your new life. Take your can-do attitude and find things that are missing in society and build them. Find things that are broken in our society and fix them. You have the skills, the spirit, and the vision to make things better than they were when you started.”
Farr was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Law along with Andy Matsui who received and honorary Doctorate of Science degree. The Matsui Foundation has donated nearly $5 million in scholarships to students from Monterey County and has been pivotal in the development of the innovative CSin3 partnership program between CSUMB and Hartnell College.
For specific numbers about the ceremony or degrees conferred please visit our Commencement 2017 By the Numbers page. Photos from the event are available at the CSUMB Flickr Page.
SEASIDE, Calif., May 31, 2017 – CSU Monterey Bay (CSUMB) is slated to receive a three-year, $270,000 mental health and substance abuse grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Mental Health & Substance Abuse Service grant will be used by CSUMB’s Garret Lee Smith (GLS) Campus Suicide Prevention Project.
“This federal grant will help CSUMB’s efforts to ensure that those at risk for suicide are receiving the help they need,” said Congressman Panetta. “I congratulate CSUMB on receiving this grant, and thank them for their important work.”
The GLS Campus Suicide Prevention grant program aims to facilitate a comprehensive public health approach to prevent suicide in institutions of higher education. The grant program is designed to assist colleges and universities in building essential capacity and infrastructure to support expanded efforts to promote wellness and help-seeking of all students.
“We are excited that Health & Wellness Services was awarded this grant to enhance suicide prevention efforts at CSUMB,” Rodriguez said. “We’re going to be training staff in those areas to respond in a suicidal crisis and direct students to resources on campus should these crises arise.”
CSUMB’s Health & Wellness Services and Personal Growth & Counseling Center exist to promote the mental health of CSUMB students in order to improve and maintain the highest quality of life during their pursuit of academic success.
SEASIDE, Ca., November 1, 2017 – A new study led by researchers from UC Davis, UCLA, Stanford University and California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) predicts coral adaptation is possible if ocean warming rates are reduced. Published in the Science Advances publication November 1, 2017, this research provides a clearer picture of how genetic variation in corals can improve the forecast for corals under mild climate warming.
Coral reefs are a major source of food, offer storm protection and are reservoirs of biodiversity, but are threatened by mass bleaching events caused by rises in ocean temperature associated with human-caused climate change.
While this research shows that genetic adaptation could allow corals to withstand rising ocean temperatures, the threat to corals still exists if warming rates are not reduced. Required adaptation rates can only occur within threatened populations if enough genetic variation exists and the rate of ocean warming is not too fast for the adaption to keep up
"Most models do not include the capacity of corals to genetically adapt to a changing environment,” said Cheryl Logan, co-author and associate professor at CSUMB’s School of Natural Sciences. “This study is unique because it combines the genetic basis of thermal tolerance from a natural population into a predictive model of coral persistence. Our results provide a clearer picture of how genetic variation can improve the forecast for corals under mild climate warming."
This research used a population of bleaching-resistant corals from American Samoa and a population of susceptible corals from Rarotonga, Cook Islands allowing researchers to model whether natural selection on the genetic variation present in the susceptible population could enable adaptation to a warming climate under realistic ocean warming scenarios. The analysis found that adaptation is possible under reduced emissions scenarios but that extinction is likely if emissions are not rapidly reduced.
The results show that cool-water corals can adapt to warmer oceans, but only under mild scenarios resulting from international emissions controls. Incorporation of genomic data into models of species response to climate change offers a promising method for estimating future adaptive processes.
The project was funded by the Stanford Office of International Affairs; Stanford Center for Computational, Evolutionary, and Human Genomics; the National Science Foundation; and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
SEASIDE, Ca., November 3, 2017 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) is set to host the 6th annual Startup Hackathon weekend featuring more than 100 students from Monterey Peninsula College, Cabrillo College and CSUMB Nov. 3-5, 2017.
The competition will begin Friday, November 3, at 4:30 p.m. and culminate with final presentations to a group of judges on Sunday, November 5, from 2-5 p.m.
This year’s event, held at the Joel and Dena Gambord Business and Information Technology Building, will focus on the use of technology in preparing for, surviving and recovering from natural disasters.
Preparing, surviving and recovering from disasters present challenges to information flow, coordination of services, redirection of needed supplies, maintenance of order and safety even basic survival. The participants mission for this hackathon event is to create solutions to aid people in preparing for, surviving and recovering from major natural disasters.
The CSUMB Institute for Innovation and Economic Development (iiED), housed in the College of Business, hosts events such as the hackathon to promote entrepreneurship in the Monterey Bay region and foster the development of a vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystem in the region.
SEASIDE, Ca., November 6, 2017 – California State University, Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) Institute for Innovation and Economic Development (IIED) hosted the 6th annual Startup Hackathon weekend featuring more than 100 students from Monterey Peninsula College, Cabrillo College, Hartnell and CSUMB Nov. 3-5, 2017.
Sixteen teams began the competition on Friday, November 3, and culminated with final presentations to a group of judges on Sunday, November 5, from 2-5 p.m.
The event was held at the Joel and Dena Gambord Business and Information Technology Building, and focused on the use of technology in preparing for, surviving and recovering from natural disasters.
Preparing, surviving and recovering from disasters present challenges to information flow, coordination of services, redirection of needed supplies, maintenance of order and safety even basic survival. The participants mission for this hackathon event is to create solutions to aid people in preparing for, surviving and recovering from major natural disasters.
The first place winning team, named I Am Safe, was comprised of CSUMB students Kyle Butler-Fish, Sonali Bharat, Monique LaCroix, Nigel Hardy, Tristan Anderson and Dustin D'Avignon. Their project allows people to post their status online during a disaster and request items they may need such as water or food. It also allows people connect without email and search for people online by name and by city.
The CSUMB Institute for Innovation and Economic Development (IIED), housed in the College of Business, hosts events such as the hackathon to promote entrepreneurship in the Monterey Bay region and foster the development of a vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystem in the region.
SEASIDE, Ca., November 6, 2017 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) officially breaks ground on the construction of Academic III at 11 a.m. today in a ceremony at the site of the new building. Academic III is slated to open in Fall of 2019 and continues to fulfill the CSUMB campus vision for growth in our Comprehensive Master Plan.
The building will house CSUMB’s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS) and will feature indoor and outdoor gathering spaces to maximize student and faculty’s relationship to one another, the university and the surrounding community.
“With the new building, we have redoubled our dedication to faculty, staff, students and our community partners in a signature space that invites innovation and collaboration to enrich our disciplines and for students to engage in high-impact practices of applied learning, undergraduate research, service learning and internships in service of community needs,” said Ilene Feinman, dean of CAHSS.
The 48,000 GSF, U-shaped building’s major landscape feature is a terraced amphitheater that surrounds a flexible green space for informal gatherings, outdoor movies or events.
SEASIDE, Ca., Dec. 5, 2016 – Roughly 3,100 6th-graders will make a promise to attend college Dec. 4-8, 2017 as a part of the 8th annual University Promise program at CSUMB. The University Promise is a 5-day event intended to encourage students from the tri-county region to stay in school, graduate high school and attend college.
Hosted by CSUMB’s Office of Admissions, University Promise is one of many programs at CSUMB with the shared goal of guiding students through their K-12 years, helping them transition into college and earn a college degree. Early outreach and support programs such as University Promise support CSUMB’s commitment to the local community.
CSUMB President Eduardo M. Ochoa addressed the students in an opening ceremony encouraging them that college is in their future. "I'm here to tell you that each and every one of you can get a college degree,” said Ochoa. “At CSUMB, we exist to help students like you attend a university. We are here to make educational opportunity a reality to all of you so you can attend college and reach your full potential.”
Students will visit CSUMB and take the University Promise December 4-8, 2017. Photos and video from the opening ceremony are available on CSUMB’s Flickr and YouTube.
More than 3,100 sixth-graders from around Monterey County are visiting Cal State Monterey Bay this week to make and to receive a promise.
The University Promise program, which is designed to increase the number of local students who eventually seek a college degree, asks students to make a pledge to complete the required coursework to earn admission to a CSU campus. In return, CSUMB will guarantee them a place in a future entering class.
“We’re going to ask you to make a promise, a promise about your future,” CSUMB President Eduardo M. Ochoa told the students gathered Tuesday morning in the University Center. “I’m here to tell you that each one of you can earn a college degree,”
Since its founding, CSUMB has made outreach to students from Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties a major focus. Outreach efforts have been organized by different offices and gone by different names, but in the early years, most efforts involved CSUMB staff traveling to local schools.
In 2009, university officials began talking to local school administrators about a more ambitious plan: bringing all 6th grade students to CSUMB to tour the campus and hear that same promise: “This is your university and if you do the work, there will be a place for you.”
In return for making the pledge, the students receive Junior Otter cards, as well as information about what classes they will need to take to qualify to attend a CSU campus.
While the university’s growth has caused it to declare impaction – meaning that it can adopt additional entrance requirements for applicants from outside its service area – students from within CSUMB’s service area of Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties are admitted if they meet the CSU’s basic admissions requirements. This fall, 37 percent of CSUMB’s undergraduate students come from the three-county service area.
Paula Carter, Cal State Monterey Bay’s director of admissions, said it is important to have “a lot of touchpoints” to help young students stay on track toward a college degree.
“It (University Promise) really is early outreach. For young students who haven’t been here before, it is a great experience for them to see a college campus,” Carter said.
While the university does not track students to see which current Otters went through University Promise program, Carter said, “Just this year, we had two students send us their Junior Otter cards to say ‘Hey, we’re here.’”
Yulianna Luna, a CSUMB sophomore majoring in Human Communication, was at the inaugural program in 2009 and she remembers the excitement. “Everyone who talked with us was so excited and so passionate about what they were doing,” she said. “I remember being so pumped up.”
Luna was likely on a college path anyway. Two older sisters were college bound and eventually graduated from CSUMB, but Luna remembers that many of her classmates were not. That visit to CSUMB made everyone excited to become an Otter, she said. “You feel like there is a place for you,” she said. “You are wanted.”
SEASIDE, Ca., Dec. 6, 2017 – CSUMB School of Natural Sciences associate professor Corey Garza has been named to the national board of directors for the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). SACNAS is the largest society in the United States that focuses on increasing underrepresented students participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The new board members, to include President-Elect Zárate who is the fourth woman in the organizations 44 year history to hold the office of president, will officially take office beginning January of 2018.
"As someone who benefited from programs that aimed at increasing underrepresented student participation in STEM, I feel a strong obligation to work with the next generation of underrepresented students and help them not only discover STEM as a career but help them find their identity as a scientist,” said Garza.
SACNAS an inclusive organization with a 44-year history of fostering the success of Chicano/Hispanic & Native American scientists, from college students to professionals, in attaining advanced degrees, careers and positions of leadership in science.
SACNAS serves approximately 6,000 members, a larger community of 20,000, and with 115 SACNAS student and professional chapters throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
"Increasing underrepresented student participation in STEM allows us to engage new and diverse talents and perspectives that will advance scientific discovery,” said Garza. “It is these new talents who can also help develop science based solutions that can address some of societies most pressing issues ranging from drought to sea level rise.”
We counted down the top nine posts that had the most reach in 2017 in each of our three social media channels.
SEASIDE, Ca., January 5, 2018 – CSUMB President Eduardo M. Ochoa has joined a collective effort of distinguished higher education leaders from across the nation to improve how colleges and universities address immigration-related matters affecting their campuses. The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration is comprised of leadership from public and private universities and university systems, liberal arts colleges and community colleges representing hundreds of thousands of students, faculty and staff.
The Alliance will support adoption of best practices on campuses, and work in a unified manner to communicate the need for federal and state policies that create a welcoming environment for immigrant, undocumented, and international students.
The founders of the Alliance, who officially launched this initiative on December 12, 2017, is comprised of presidents and chancellors from across the United States. CSU Chancellor Timothy White is a member of the founding group of presidents and one of seven members of the Alliance’s steering committee.
"What we are starting is a long-term effort to affirm the importance of immigrants and immigration, and educational opportunity, to our nation’s future and continued prosperity,” said Timothy White, Chancellor of the California State University. “It’s the right and the smart thing to do.”
The leaders of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration is dedicated to increasing public understanding of how immigration policies and practices impact our students, campuses and communities while supporting the policies that create a welcoming environment for immigrant, undocumented and international students on campus.
CSUMB student Daniel Olivares is one of nearly 1,000 American undergraduate students from 386 colleges and universities across the United States selected to receive the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study or intern abroad during the 2017-2018 academic year.
The Gilman Scholarship will provide financial support for Olivares, who has just finished his first semester abroad in Cordoba, Spain studying at the University of Cordoba. Olivares is an ecology, evolution and organismal biology major within CSUMB’s School of Natural Sciences, and also minoring in education. He is expected to graduate spring of 2019.
“This scholarship provides me with financial relief while I am here studying abroad, and since I am from low-income background that means a lot to me,” said Olivares. “It also gives me the opportunity to travel a bit more and explore more of Europe. This scholarship means stability to me and it also opens windows for exploration of new countries. I think that is wonderful.”
Olivares admits that it has been a stressful new experience at times but that he ultimately feels more capable and confident because of overcoming the challenges along the way.
“I have started from scratch here and have found comfort and motivations. This experience has further developed my independence, but it has also prepared me to become ready for a career in STEM. I have developed my bilingual skills in my biology major while I have been here, and may even have an opportunity to participate in international research. The main message to take away is that study abroad experiences are what you make of them. They are an opportunity to have fun and make new friends, but they can also be develop yourself in your major as a professional in a unique way you may have never considered. It is extremely rewarding and helps you develop as an individual overall.”
After CSUMB, Olivares hopes pursue a Ph.D in evolutionary biology and continue being a researcher or coordinating programs that help expose underrepresented students to undergraduate research opportunities. Olivares encourages other students who may be thinking about applying or studying abroad to apply and to use the education abroad resources available at CSUMB.
"When applying for the Gilman scholarship, find a person who can critique your personal statement. Ask questions to your study abroad coordinator if you get stuck throughout the application process. The Gilman website also has very helpful videos and information to assist you. Be organized with everything you have to turn in for the application."
The Gilman Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE).
SEASIDE, Ca., January 24, 2018 -- California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) will host a panel of industry-leading shark researchers to discuss their approaches to studying California’s iconic marine predator Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at CSUMB’s World Theater. The event is open to the public and free for all to attend.
This presentation is sponsored by the James W. Rote Distinguished Professorship in Marine Science & Policy and CSU Coast.
Hosting open community events is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
SEASIDE, Ca., January 26, 2018 – A new exhibition, “LOST CHILDHOODS: Unofficial stories,” opens February 2, 2018 at the California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) Salinas Center for Arts and Culture from 5-9 p.m. The event, free and open to the public, is presented by Foster Youth Museum and CSUMB, while the opening is hosted by the CSUMB Guardian Scholars program.
During the exhibition current and former foster youth artists from across California and Monterey County will tell their stories about some of the challenges they have faced. With more than 5,000 youth who age out of California’s foster care system each year, this transition is especially difficult. The exhibition will offer viewers the opportunity to take action to help support foster youth in Monterey County and beyond.
The exhibition features photography and objects from the Foster Youth Museum, retablos created by ‘unoffiicial’ foster youth of Salinas, a video created in collaboration with Hijos del Sol Arts and Cinematic Arts Students and self portraits created by Monterey County foster youth.
This exhibition is collaboration among the California Youth Connection, Foster Youth Museum, Hijos del Sol Arts Productions, Epicenter, CSUMB Guardian Scholars, Kinship Center and Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History with support from the county of Monterey.
Hosting open community events is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
SEASIDE, Ca., February 1, 2018 – Eleven high schools from the Northern and Central California region will face off in the regional component of the 21st annual National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018. The competition, called the Sea Lion Bowl and themed Our Ocean Shaping Weather, will take place in CSUMB’s Tanimura and Antle Family Memorial Library from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., with the winner moving on to the national finals competition at the University of Colorado Boulder April 19-22.
The NOSB, an interdisciplinary ocean science education program of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, is a quiz-bowl style academic competition that tests students’ knowledge of ocean-related topics, including cross-disciplines of biology, chemistry, policy, physics and geology.
Supporters at home can follow the competition on Twitter with the hashtags #NOSBRocks and #NOSB18.
Hosting open community events is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
Northern and Central Calif. High Schools Participating at CSUMB:
New Program Kicks Off March 5 with Tia Fuller and Marcie Chapa at CSUMB’s World Theater
SEASIDE, Ca., February 6, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) and Monterey Jazz Festival have entered a new educational partnership that will launch a series of jazz education activities beginning March 5, 2018 at CSUMB. The partnership will launch with a public program featuring world-renowned saxophonist, composer and educator Tia Fuller March 5, 2018 at CSUMB’s World Theater.
Fuller will conduct a master class for CSUMB’s Music & Performing Arts department followed by a program entitled “From Beyoncé and Beyond: Music Business, Performance and Leadership. The program will present an in-depth discussion of Fuller’s first-hand experience being a side woman on Beyoncé’s world tours and how this experience has led to her success in the jazz world as a bandleader, performer, businesswoman and professor at the Berklee College of Music. Fuller will be joined by Marcie Chapa who also performed as a touring member of Beyoncé’s ensemble, and is now directing the band and drumline at North Monterey County High School.
This unique and creative partnership is made possible by a donation from Robert Danziger and his wife, Martha Drexler Lynn. Danziger was the first recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts for Music degree from CSUMB (2011). The Honorary Doctorate was also awarded for Invention and Pioneering Sustainable Energy.
Lynn is a member of the CSUMB University Art Committee and has written seven notable books that appear in major libraries around the world. Danziger and Lynn are supporting this annual partnership with cash gifts during their lifetime and with a legacy gift.
See more at the Monterey Jazz Festival news page.
SEASIDE, Ca., February 8, 2018 – CSUMB President Eduardo M. Ochoa was recently featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education during his last visit to Washington D.C.
In the interview President Ochoa talks about how CSUMB works with local government and schools to improve the region’s educational outcomes.
The full interview by Eric Kelderman is available for viewing at The Chronicle of Higher Education page.
Eric Kelderman writes about money and accountability in higher education, including such areas as state policy, accreditation and legal affairs.
SEASIDE, Ca., February 14, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) Institute for Innovation and Economic Development is slated to host a half-day symposium featuring women in agriculture, technology and agtech on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018 from 2-5 p.m.. The symposium, free and open to the public, will feature expert panelists who will speak about some of the challenges and opportunities in their careers.
The event will be followed by a networking reception.
Panelists include:
See the full list of speakers, panelists and featured guests at the iiED event page.
Hosting open community events is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
SEASIDE, Ca., February 16, 2018 – A panel of experts hosted by California State University Council on Ocean Affairs, Science and Technology (COAST) will present to legislators about ocean issues and solutions for a sustainable future in Sacramento on Feb. 20, 2018. This annual event focuses attention on topics critical to responsible use of California’s coast such as marine protected areas (MPAs), climate change impacts and resource extraction.
California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) School of Natural Sciences professor James Lindholm will be a featured expert and present his research investigating the impact of bottom trawls on the seafloor of Monterey Bay. Lindholm will explain that impacts to seafloor can be much less extensive than previously thought when using modified trawl gear and trawling in soft sediments in certain depth zones.
“Our hope with the larger panel, as well as my presentation, is to provide scientific insights into the trade-offs associated with extracting food from the sea,” said Lindholm. "Assuming that we are going to continue to get food from the sea, let's talk frankly about how we want to do that."
The Honorable John Laird, California Secretary for Natural Resources, will moderate the luncheon. Guests from legislature, state agencies, non-profit organizations and private sector are anticipated to be in attendance.
Other speakers will include Mike Graham from Moss Landing Marine Labs (MLML) who will discuss the trade-offs associated with aquaculture in California and Dale Squires from UC San Diego, who will talk about foreign sources of seafood and how certain types of unilateral regulation can inadvertently result in increased mortality of the species the regulation is meant to protect.
SEASIDE, Ca., February 20, 2018 – California State University (CSU) leaders, trustees, campus presidents and alumni will visit nearly 100 churches across the state Feb. 24-25 to encourage students to pursue higher education during CSU Super Sunday.
CSUMB’s Office of Admissions will host a series of events, featuring keynote speaker Mel Mason, at the University Center Saturday, Feb. 24 from 8:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.
Mason is a Seaside native and the co-founder, executive director and clinical director of The Village Project, Inc. The event will also include presentations outlining African-American support programs at CSUMB, student panels and roundtable discussions.
CSU Super Sunday is one of many events supported by the CSU community to increase the preparation, retention and graduation of African-American students. More than a million people have received this message through Super Sunday outreach efforts over the last 13 years with more than 100,000 congregants, students and families slated to do so again this year.
The year-round partnership between the CSU and African-American community leaders throughout the state provides additional outreach, support and preparation events such as college and career fairs, financial aid workshops, Cal State Apply clinics and more.
CSU resources will be provided to help students and families foster a college-going culture at home, including information about preparing for college, applying to a CSU campus and applying for financial aid.
See the full list of Super Sunday partner churches.
SEASIDE, Ca., February 26, 2018 – The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recently appointed a new committee of 12 international experts tasked with investigating strategies to increase the resilience of coral reefs. California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) School of Natural Sciences associate professor Cheryl Logan represents CSUMB on the committee.
“As a committee, our goal is to use the best available science to review and evaluate potential human interventions that could mitigate the threats facing coral reefs,” said Logan. “An important component of our work is also to assess potential risks and unintended consequences of possible interventions.”
Logan studies the physiological mechanisms marine animals use to survive in a changing environment and how this leads to differential success across species. She is involved in ongoing work modeling corals’ potential adaptive ability to respond to rising temperatures and ocean acidification based on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) future climate scenarios.
The provisional committee’s first meeting was held Feb. 8-9, 2018 in Washington D.C. and included an open meeting session to solicit public input. The committee is slated to host three more public meetings throughout the course of the study to ensure the public may share their opinions, research, observations from fieldwork or other testimonies.
Findings of the study will include recommended courses of action for further research and implementation of measures to increase the resilience of coral reefs.
This study is sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). To learn more about this study or provide input please visit the National Academies’ web page on Interventions to Increase the Resilience of Coral Reefs.
SEASIDE, Ca., March 1, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) is set to host the Startup Challenge again this spring for the ninth consecutive year. The Startup Challenge is a new business competition and accelerator program that supports the founding, funding and growth of new and innovative businesses in the Monterey Bay region.
The competition, which as awarded more than $350K over nine years, offers three divisions for competitors based on the size and scope of their business.
Entrepreneurs and startup companies in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, as well as Gilroy and Morgan Hill, may apply to the competition through CSUMB’s Institution for Innovation and Economic Development (iiED). Applications are due by midnight, Monday, March 12th.
Startup Challenge is also offering introduction to Startup Challenge workshops to help prospective contestants prepare their application and business pitch.
Key dates for the Challenge are the application deadline on March 12th, the qualifying round pitches on April 8th, and the final round and venture showcase on May 12th.
The Startup Challenge Monterey Bay is organized by the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development (iiED). The iiED provides programs and events to support entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in the Monterey Bay region. The iiED is an institute of the College of Business at CSU Monterey Bay.
The Ethics of Fake News: Who Controls the Future of Democracy?
SEASIDE, Ca., March 9, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) is slated to host the 16th annual Ethics and Responsible Business Forum on Wednesday March 14, 2018 from 3-5 p.m. at CSUMB’s University Center Ballroom. The debate-style forum will focus on the ethics of fake news, and the lasting impact it has on the proper functioning of a democratic society.
The forum, hosted by CSUMB’s College of Business, College of Science and the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS), is free and open to the public.
Monterey County Weekly publisher, Erik Cushman, will moderate the expert panel. The forum will also include keynote addresses by guest speaker Renee Diresta, who serves as head of policy at Data for Democracy and Mark Scarberry, professor of law at the Pepperdine University School of Law.
SEASIDE Calif., Mar. 15, 2018 – Nearly 100 Monterey County middle and high school students participated in the Student Polar Research Symposium Thursday, March 15, 2018 at the CSUMB University Center Ballroom.
The symposium is a culmination of the National Science Foundation-funded (NSF) Polar Interdisciplinary Coordinate Education (Polar-ICE) Science Investigations Project designed to connect scientists, educators and students using data from the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
Local Monterey County schools in attendance included San Antonio Elementary School and Chalone Peaks Middle School. Teachers from aforementioned schools began preparing for this project last summer with a week-long workshop at The Ohio State University. Their students then prepared scientific-style project proposals before conducting their own investigations using authentic polar data this past January.
The top groups presented their findings to a panel of scientific personnel from seven scientific institutions including the Naval Postgraduate School, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories and Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University.
This project was designed to help students experience and practice the skills of scientists: asking science questions, analyzing and interpreting data, and planning and implementing science investigations, which are all important objectives of the Next Generation Science Standards.
SEASIDE, Calif., June 1, 2017 – CSUMB’s Institute for Innovation and Economic Development will host two uniquely tailored technology camps this summer for middle and high school youth from July 10 through July 21, 2017. Both camps provide an opportunity for students to experience a university environment while learning a wide range of technology-based skills and abilities from university professors.
The 2017 TIDE@CSUMB camp ($625), for high school students, starts with trending technology workshops in the fundamentals of coding and app design, followed by teamwork to create a business plan and pitch for a new startup company using the "Junior Achievement Be Entrepreneurial" program. The TIDE@CSUMB camp is held in partnership with CalGe.org.
At the 2017 CODECamp@CSUMB ($675), middle-school students will learn the fundamental programming skills for Arduino using the Arduino development environment, design hardware devices using Arduino Uno R3 and develop cloud connected and controlled Arduino devices, in a collaborative and fun environment.
Both camps include daily lunch along with an infusion of team-based games, collaboration, sports and bike rides. Please refer to the CSUMB IIED Youth Summer Programs page to apply for the camps and for more detailed information.
SEASIDE, Calif., June 2, 2017 – CSU Monterey Bay (CSUMB) has been selected to receive two federal grants under the U.S. Department of Education’s Upward Bound Program totaling $574,556. Both grants, expected to last for a total of five years, will be used to provide fundamental support to Upward Bound participants at Soledad, Watsonville, Pajaro Valley and Monterey County high schools.
Upward Bound students participate in a variety of academic year and residential summer school activities at CSUMB, designed to help them reach their full academic and personal potential. In order to increase the rates at which participants enroll in and graduate from institutions of post secondary education, Upward Bound projects also provide instruction in math, laboratory science, composition, literature and foreign language.
“I am proud to support these schools in their efforts to motivate and mentor underserved high school students in STEM fields,” said Congressman Panetta. “With the right resources at their disposal, I firmly believe that anything is possible for these kids.”
Please visit the Upward Bound Program at CSUMB homepage for more information. Hartnell College and Monterey Peninsula College also received similar grants.
SEASIDE, Calif. June 15, 2017 – Virtual Reality (VR) is considered to be the next transformative technology, not only for games but for practical applications in medicine and architecture. In order for this technology to evolve, you need to expose the future developers, the students who could someday conceptualize and create VR applications.
CSUMB is exposing local students to this technology through the University’s first-ever VR “Game Jam” event, scheduled the week of June 12-16 in the Gambord Business and Information Technology (BIT) Building. Funded through the Title V grant, “Game Jam” brings students together from Gavilan, Hartnell and Monterey Peninsula community colleges. These students work in teams of three to four people, advised by a CSUMB student, and work all week to develop a game or application utilizing VR technology. For many, it’s the first exposure to the technology.
The event has not only inspired community college level students. Earlier this week, first-generation high school students from the Central Valley participating in the Upward Bound program stopped by CSUMB and interacted with ‘Game Jam’ students and the VR technology. Much of the VR lab, which is extensive for a university, has been funded through private donations.
The daily activities of ‘Game Jam’ event are being mentored by Krzysztof Pietroszek, assistant professor, and Pat Watson, a lecturer in the School of Computing and Design. At the end of the week, the VR projects will be evaluated and scored by Pietroszek and Watson. Awards will be presented for the best project on Friday, June 16th at 1 p.m. in room 235 of the Gambord BIT Building.
The following statement can be attributed to CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White:
"Climate change is a global challenge, but local decisions have a major impact. Our cumulative action is what will make the difference for current and future generations. California is currently and historically a leader on environmental stewardship, and the California State University plays a significant role in our state's work.
Now is the time to be vigilant, and the CSU is redoubling our efforts. All 23 campuses of the CSU system, comprising more than 500,000 students and employees, will help in the fight against climate change. Our participation in We Are Still In will also create new opportunities for our students, faculty and staff as they find solutions to sustainability challenges and lead in this global effort."
The California State University has joined a coalition of over 1,400 cities, states, businesses and universities who are standing together to maintain U.S. leadership on climate change and clean energy. Learn more about the CSU's sustainability efforts here.
June 19, 2017 – California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White has issued a statement following the June 15 passage of California's state budget by both houses of the legislature:
“We are grateful that the budget demonstrates continued support from the governor and legislature for public higher education and recognizes the California State University’s key contributions to the state and our role as an engine of economic and social mobility. The increase in funding is a further step in the right direction and will result in additional students accessing and graduating from the CSU.
The budget also contains several policy directives for the coming year. We will engage faculty and administrative leadership to determine how we can best move forward to implement these directives that are intended to better serve Californians. Our goal will be to ensure that all students are provided with the courses, the faculty to teach those courses and the wide range of necessary support services that will propel them to graduation and beyond.”
The California State University will receive a general fund increase of $189.7 million in the 2017-18 state budget. Of that allocation, $177.2 million is recurring funds that can be used for the general operation of the university and for enrollment growth of 2,500 full-time equivalent students across the system. An additional $12.5 million is provided in fixed one-time funding to support the university’s Graduation Initiative 2025 effort.
SEASIDE, Calif., June 20, 2017 – Four CSUMB seniors have been selected as Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholars for the 2017-18 academic year. The four CSUMB students, whose research interested include human sexuality, medicine and epidemiology, environmental stress on marine populations and forensic anthropology, will each receive $3,000 in support of pre-doctoral activities.
Pre-doctoral activities may include visits to doctorate-granting institutions, options for summer research internships or funds for other doctoral program related activities. In addition to this award, each Sally Casanova Scholar will be eligible to apply for an eight-week summer 2018 research experience at a University of California campus or other doctoral-granting institution of their choice.
The California Pre-Doctoral Program is designed to increase the pool of potential faculty by supporting the doctoral aspirations of California State University (CSU) students who have experienced economic and educational disadvantages. The program places a special emphasis on increasing the number of CSU students who enter doctoral programs at one of the University of California (UC) institutions.
For more information about available scholarships, fellowships and awards please visit the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center page.
(Contributed) MONTEREY, Calif – On July 3, 2017 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) will gather 150 immigrants at California State University Monterey Bay. USCIS San Jose Field Office Director James Wyrough will administer the oath of allegiance. The soon-to-be U.S. citizens come from 19 nations. The most-represented of those is Mexico with 111 people.
Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-D-20) will deliver the keynote speech.
This year, USCIS celebrates the 241st anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and our nation’s birthday, by welcoming new U.S. citizens in Independence Day-themed naturalization ceremonies across the country.
We invite new citizens and their families and friends to share their experiences and photos from the ceremonies on social media using the hashtags #newUScitizen and #July4th. We invite immigrants to share their Independence Day traditions and how their cultural heritage impacts the way they celebrate by using the hashtag, #immigrant4th.
WHO:
150 New U.S. Citizens
WHEN:
July 3, 10:30 a.m.
WHERE:
California State University, Monterey Bay
Ballroom
4314 Sixth Avenue
Seaside, Calif. 93955
CONTACT:
Sharon Rummery, USCIS Public Affairs Officer
National Recognition of Leaders From Underrepresented Groups Who Are Making a Difference in the Fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
SEASIDE, Calif., July 6, 2017 – CSUMB School of Natural Sciences associate professor Corey Garza has received the 2017 Inspiring Leaders in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The Inspiring Leaders in STEM Award honors professionals from underrepresented groups who have made a difference in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Garza will be featured, along with 40 other recipients, in the September 2017 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
Inspiring Leaders in STEM Award recipients were nominated by a colleague and selected by INSIGHT Into Diversity based on their efforts to inspire and encourage a new generation of young people to consider careers in STEM through mentoring, teaching, research, and successful programs and initiatives. While many who work in these fields have made significant contributions and engaged in new discoveries and innovations, they are not always recognized for their hard work and dedication.
“Dr. Garza's commitment and leadership in mentoring students in ocean science, especially students from underserved communities, is truly inspiring,” said Patti Hiramoto, Associate Vice President of CSUMB’s Office of Inclusive Excellence. “His many research grants provide opportunities for students to get deeply involved in STEM fields. Dr. Garza is truly deserving of this award.”
A call for nominations for this award was announced in April 2017.
“We know many of those working in STEM fields, especially those from underrepresented groups, are not always recognized for their success, dedication, and mentorship to others,” says Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “We want to honor the many professionals who are inspirations to their colleagues, their community, and to young people who may be interested in a future career in STEM. We are proud to honor these leaders as role models to all.”
For more information about the 2017 Inspiring Leaders in STEM Award and INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, visit insightintodiversity.com.
SEASIDE, Calif., July 17, 2017 – California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) has received a grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation that will help modernize how biology is taught at CSUMB. The $300,000 grant will help fund equipment and course development needed to allow for a fully functioning facility for genome-level work and prepare students for careers in contemporary bioscience professions.
The project will provide the opportunity for students to acquire degree-level mastery in the application of big data science and scientific inquiry while building institutional research capabilities. The primary goals of this project are to:
By improving academic program and infrastructure, this funding will position CSUMB to offer a unique biology curriculum that keeps pace with a rapidly advancing field and provides necessary, career-enhancing opportunities to students. Providing access to quality educational experiences is a commitment of both CSUMB and the W. M. Keck Foundation.
“Technological advancements over the past 10 years have fundamentally changed how we conduct research in biology and the fields of genomics and bioinformatics are becoming core aspects of biological studies,” said School of Natural Science’s associate professor Nathaniel Jue. “This grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation will facilitate our ability to provide our students with the skill sets and experiences that will allow them to be successful in contemporary biological research fields.”
For more information about the project please contact the principle investigator for this project, Nathaniel Jue, assistant professor in the School of Natural Sciences at CSUMB.
SEASIDE, Calif., July 26, 2017 – Thousands of teachers will gather across California on July 28 for the third annual Better Together: California Teachers Summit, a free statewide day of learning and networking that is open to all California pre-K-12 teachers, teacher candidates and school administrators. As one of 35 locations across the state, CSUMB will host local teachers at the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday July 28, 2017.
Jill Biden, a lifelong educator and former second lady of the United States will provide the keynote address, which will be live-streamed from the event headquarters to all 35 sites. The daylong summit at CSUMB will also include two TED-style EdTalks, one of which will be given by Mark Cisneros of Alisal High School and Alex Hofsteen of the International School of Monterey.
The theme of this year’s Summit is Now More Than Ever, which reflects the importance of bringing teachers together to listen and learn from one another. Sessions will focus on timely topics ranging from addressing bullying in the classroom to celebrating diversity to teaching students to be open-minded, critical thinkers. By bringing California teachers together, the Summit will empower teachers to support our students, protect our values as educators and set an example for the nation.
Teachers will walk away with access to new resources and concrete tools that they can use to implement the California Standards in their classrooms.
By Scott Roark | July 28, 2017
Laughter and smiles filled the University Center Ballroom and World Theater on Friday, July 28th, as approximately 200 “Junior Otters” and their families celebrated the completion of a transformative summer academy at California State University, Monterey Bay.
During the month of July, these children, almost all from migrant households, come to campus from throughout Monterey County and receive instruction in language arts and math in the morning. In the afternoon, it’s dance, art, theater and music. The children are in the 4th through 8th grades. They come from as far away as San Ardo.
"For some of these students, it’s the first exposure to a college setting – it can completely change their lives,” said Berj Amir, a retention advisor with CSUMB’s Educational Opportunities Program. “CSUMB is proud to be a part of this effort. We want to show them that college is a possibility.”
This exposure to college life means new skills for young students. Learning sessions are conducted in technology-driven “smart classrooms.” Video editing classes are held in the University’s tech labs. Other classes train in drama, voice and dance.
Those skills are on full display during the closing ceremony. Video shorts produced by the students, along with skits celebrating the importance of science and the arts from their perspective, can help students find an identity.
“We want to expose students to their Latino culture through visual and performing arts, and allow them to explore technology,” said Carl Del Grande, the administrator and coordinator of Migrant Education for the Monterey County Office of Education (MCOE). “This year’s theme was STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering + Arts and Mathematics) and the activities and presentations reinforced this.”
The Junior Otter program is a Migrant Education Student Academy (MESA), part of MCOE’s Migrant Education Program Region XVI. It’s operated in partnership between CSUMB, El Teatro Campesino and the California Mini-Corp Program.
Next year, the program will celebrate its 10th year with keynote speaker Luis Valdez, founder of El Teatro Campesino and a CSUMB founding faculty.
SEASIDE, Calif., August 10, 2017 – California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) and the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) will co-host the 4th annual summer research symposium at the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library on Friday, August 11, 2017 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The symposium will include student research presentations from CSUMB’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC), Monterey Bay Regional Ocean Sciences Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), the NPS Internship Program and the CSUMB-Hartnell STEM internship program.
The summer research symposium provides a forum for students, faculty, community partners and guests to engage in lively discussion regarding research, innovation and education happening in our community. Please visit the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center page for full event agenda, list of speakers and directions.
Media is encouraged to attend this free and open event. To arrange an interview or for more information please contact Holly Unruh, associate director for CSUMB’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center.
Hosting open community events is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
By James Tinney | August 11, 2017
Emily Smith spent five weeks this summer studying remains from a centuries-old civilization in southern Peru. Friday, she was back at CSUMB talking about what she had found.
The senior Social and Behavioral Sciences major and Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC) scholar from Sacramento was helping study an ancient burial urn from the Wari Empire, a pre-Incan culture that existed from around 600 to 1100 AD. The Waris did not have a written language, so their artifacts offer a unique glimpse into their customs and culture.
Smith made a presentation about her research as part of the 4th annual CSUMB Summer Research Symposium at the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library on campus.
Working at the Ministry of Culture in Arequipa, Peru, Smith and her colleagues were studying the remains found in the small urn, which had been unearthed at a site in the southern coastal range of the Peruvian Andes.
“The preservation of the bones was amazing,” said Smith, so amazing that on the second day of their study, the team determined that the urn contained the remains of two individuals, both with an estimated age of 30 to 36 weeks in utero. It is unclear whether the babies had been born, if they were twins, or their mother had suffered a miscarriage – all possible subjects of future research.
Smith was joined by students from Vanderbilt University and Northwestern University. They were led by Dr. Tiffiny Tung of Vanderbilt, author of “Violence, Ritual and the Wari Empire.” Smith said Dr. Ruben Mendoza of CSUMB reached out to his colleague at Vanderbilt to help Smith become part of the effort.
Smith said she has been interested in archeological research since she was a child going to museums. “I went to Stonehenge and age 10 and I was amazed. Of course, there has been a lot of archeology done about Stonehenge, but there is still a lot we don’t know,” she said.
She is focused on bioarcheology, the study of plants, soils and human remains to better understand past human activities, disease and health patterns and other aspects of past societies.
“It (studying human remains) did affect me and I would have people say ‘Don’t let it affect you that much. It is only research.’ But I think it should affect you. You are dealing with human remains and you always remember that.”
She said she plans to continue her studies in graduate school and she hopes, through her work, to build better relations between native peoples and the archeologists seeking to understand past cultures.
The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center at California State University, Monterey Bay is a cross-campus center that engages students in undergraduate research.
Scott Roark | August 11, 2017
Naturalist David Attenborough may have summed it up best, when he stated “it seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.”
That excitement for our natural world, along with an intense curiosity in the human condition, was on full display at Cal State Monterey Bay. Undergraduate students – our future biologists, anthropologists and social scientists – showed off their work at the 4th Annual Monterey Bay Summer Research Symposium today in the Tanimura & Antle Memorial Family Library. The symposium featured the work of students in the CSUMB Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC) program, the Monterey Bay Regional Ocean Sciences Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program, the Naval Postgraduate School Internship Program (NPS) and the CSUMB-Hartnell STEM internship program.
According to CSUMB UROC Director John Banks, this symposium showcases the remarkable achievements of CSUMB students in a wide variety of research and creative activities. “The chance to work with local faculty and regional partners in an authentic discovery process is something that many of our students say is one of the highlights of their CSUMB undergraduate experience,” said Banks. “We are honored to be a part of this regional collaboration.”
The all-day event kicked off with 10-minute student presentations, then concluded with poster presentations by the UROC and NPS students in the afternoon. Topics for the CSUMB student presentations included breast cancer metabolism using gene expression data, comparison of ecological communities in oak woodlands, and moral injury in U.S. wars and implications for modern military chaplaincy.
Poster presentations featured a variety of other research topics. One topic was the Virtual Classroom, presented by CSUMB computer science major Theodore Ebenhoech. The virtual classroom puts an instructor in a “mixed reality” with students by using Virtual Reality (VR) technology. The instructor and students could be thousands of miles away. However, interactions would be in real time.
CSUMB marine science major Steven Eikenbary presented another, intriguing subject with his poster display – the effect of climate change on the physiology of rockfish, a key catch for the Monterey Bay fishing industry. Eikenbary showed research that studied possible links to rockfish physiology and the decrease in pH and lowered oxygen levels in marine environments.
“This type of engagement is often transformative, offering our students entry into a world of opportunities that can launch them on academic and career paths they had not previously considered,” Banks said. “All of us at UROC are proud to be part of this fantastic annual event.”
SEASIDE, Calif., August 17, 2017 – California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) will begin welcoming students back to campus Friday, August 18, 2017. Classes officially begin on Wednesday, August 23, but all incoming, first-year students are required to attend four days of orientation called “Otter Days,” starting Friday, August 18.
Otter Days give new students an opportunity to gain familiarity with the resources available at CSUMB and build a network of supportive advisors and peers to ensure academic success before classes begin. New students and families will arrive August 18th and be welcomed together at a parent and family reception.
Full time enrollment for the 2017-18 academic year is expected to be roughly 7,200 students supported by about 1,000 faculty and staff. With plans for growth to 12,700 students over the next decade, as outlined in CSUMB’s Master Plan, several new buildings are already under construction or will begin construction this fall.
SEASIDE, Calif., August 18, 2017 – California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) President Eduardo M. Ochoa has been announced as the 2017 Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Corporation (HENAAC) Award Winner for Executive Excellence in Academia.
President Ochoa will be recognized along with 27 other role models in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) at the 29th Annual HENAAC Conference, “Destiny Driven by Determination” in Pasadena, CA, October 18-22, 2017.
The California State University System and the University of Southern California will be joined by the California Institute of Technology as Academic Hosts of the 29th HENAAC Conference.
Great Minds in STEMTM is a 501(c)3 a non-profit organization dedicated to keeping America technologically strong by promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) careers, especially in underserved communities. Established in 1989 and based in the Los Angeles area, the organization’s nation-wide programming focuses on STEM educational awareness from kindergarten through college, and on seeking-out and documenting the world-class contributions of Hispanic professionals in STEM to serve as role models for the next generation of American engineers and scientists.
In accordance with the California State University Chancellor's Office Executive Order 1108, CSUMB is 100% Smoke Free and Tobacco Free effective September 1, 2017. Please see the CSUMB campus compliance guidelines for CSUMB-specific compliance information.
Smoking, the use or sale of tobacco products, and the use of designated smoking areas are prohibited on all California State University properties. Members of the CSUMB community are expected to fully comply with the policy.
Tobacco cessation resources are available for faculty staff and students at CSUMB. Students may contact the Health Promotion and Education department within CSUMB's Health and Wellness Services for more information about what resources are available. Employees may learn more about tobacco cessation resources through the Employee Assistance Program. Corporation employees make seek assistance through their Employee Assistance Program.
CSUMB is committed to providing a healthy and safe environment for our campus community, neighbors and guests. Providing a smoke and tobacco-free environment reinforces our commitment toward a safe learning environment for our entire community.
1. Health and Wellness Services, University Personnel and University Corporation Human Resources shall maintain and enhance vigorous, on-going, and well-publicized programs to assist faculty, staff, and students who wish assistance in overcoming their dependency on tobacco/nicotine. A list of community resources shall be made available to any requester.
2. Deans, directors, department chairs, and heads of other administrative units shall periodically review and assess the implementation of this policy in their respective areas to ensure compliance.
3. This policy shall be included in the University Catalog, Student housing Community Standards, recruitment information for new employees, orientation programs for students and employees, and other informational publications. Campus visitors shall be informed of the policy through appropriate University signage and through informational campaigns. In addition, contractors who perform work for the University on University properties shall be advised of this policy.
4. Peer-to-peer education will be the primary means to promote compliance. Health and Wellness Services will work with entities across campus to coordinate and support education and outreach programs promoting smoking cessation, smoking cessation resources, and the benefits of a smoke and tobacco-free environment.
5. Student Housing & Residential Life, the Otter Student Union, Conference & Event Services, the Office of Admissions, Facilities Services, Student Engagement & Leadership Development, Alumni, the World Theatre, and other campus entities that contract for the use of campus facilities or routinely invite visitors to the campus are responsible for ensuring this Policy is communicated.
6. University Personnel and University Corporation Human Resources are available to assist with policy interpretation, education, and compliance.
7. Hostile and/or violent interpersonal conduct directed against members of the CSUMB community requesting that an individual(s) comply regarding compliance with the terms of this policy will not be tolerated, and will be enforced under applicable policies, including but not limited to workplace violence policies.
SEASIDE, Calif., August 22, 2017 – California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) was recognized today by Sierra magazine, the national magazine of the Sierra Club, who released its eleventh annual “Cool Schools” ranking of North America’s greenest colleges and universities.
CSUMB ranked 152 out of 227 schools and joined eight other CSU campuses to include San Jose, San Francisco, Fullerton, Channel Islands, Cal Poly, Sacramento, Northridge and Sonoma in recognition for their commitment to sustainability.
Sierra received complete surveys from a record-breaking 227 schools — in 36 states, the District of Columbia, and for the first time ever, Canada.
The schools recognized have displayed a deep and thorough commitment to protecting the environment, addressing climate issues and encouraging environmental responsibility. Using a customized scoring system, Sierra’s researchers ranked the universities based on their commitment to upholding high environmental standards.
CSUMB’s Sustainability Department defines sustainability as "the simultaneous pursuit of human health and happiness, environmental quality and economic well-being for current and future generations."
The full ranking of 227 colleges and universities, including each school’s completed questionnaire, is online at Sierra Magazine’s Homepage.
CSUMB student Theresa Dexter spent her summer working to support the needs of former foster youth who are currently studying at CSUMB and are now members of the Guardian Scholar's Program. Her hard work paid off today, August 25th, when she handed out her "Mending the Needs" bags during the Guardian Scholar Orientation Meet & Greet at CSUMB.
The Guardian Scholars Program supports students who have a foster youth background. CSUMB recognizes that former foster youth often have overcome more obstacles, have less support and fewer resources than most entering students. Guardian Scholars exists to provide that extra support and ensure equal opportunity to all former foster youth at CSUMB.
Through Theresa's dedication this summer, Guardian Scholars received donations and gift cards from Target and Ross Stores that were given to Guardian Scholar students in their "Mending the Needs" bags.
Theresa and the Guardian Scholars Program are an embodiment of CSUMB's mission. As a community, we strive to pay it forward and support all members of our community.
Keynote Speakers: 2009 CNN Hero Doc Hendley & Dr. David Sedlak, U.C. Berkeley.
SEASIDE, Calif., September 7, 2017 – National and international innovators, policymakers and scientific researchers are slated to gather at the Greater Vision 2017 New Frontiers Water Forum on Friday, October 6, 2017 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Seaside, CA., in an all-day event. For tickets for this event go to: csumb.edu/greatervision.
In addition to the day’s speakers and presenters, an Expo featuring innovative technologies, the latest water research, water suppliers and sponsors, will be open throughout the day.
"The goal of the forum is to explore and discuss new vistas in water management for residential, agricultural and industrial needs for California's Central Coast," said Shyam Kamath, Dean of CSUMB's College of Business. Andrew Lawson, Dean of the CSUMB College of Science, looks forward “to a day of engaging discussions that will result in a deeper understanding of our water challenges and solutions.”
The afternoon keynote speaker, David L. Sedlak, is the Malozemoff Professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at U.C. Berkeley. He is Co-Director of the Berkeley Water Center and Deputy Director of the NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation’s Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt). He is the author of Water 4.0: The Past, Present and Future of the World’s Most Vital
Resource and the 2014 recipient of the National Water Research Institute Clarke Prize. His research addresses water reuse and the practice of using municipal wastewater effluent to sustain aquatic ecosystems and augment drinking water supplies. It also addresses the treatment and reuse of water from urban runoff and contaminated groundwater from industrial sites as clean water supplies.
The evening capnote speaker, Doc Hendley, is the Founder and President of Wine To Water & 2009 CNN Hero, and an expert on the immense power of relationships to transcend perceived barriers to water availability. Wine to Water commits funds raised through wine tastings to repair broken wells, install rainwater harvesting tanks and other sanitation modalities. Doc Hendley has taken personal risks to do the hard work of providing water and clean water education in far flung locations around the globe. He is the author of Wine to Water: How One Man Saved Himself While Trying to Save the World.
Greater Vision is an annual event addressing contemporary issues in agriculture and society. This year’s event, a collaborative project of the Grower-Shipper Association Foundation and CSUMB, is targeted to the Tri-County community, professionals, students and is open to the public. This year’s event is made possible by grants from the Lenore and Dale Meyer Fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County.
SEASIDE, Calif., September 11, 2017 – California State University Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) College of Education received a generous donation at the Sixth Annual Mariachi & Tequila Festival on September 9, 2017 that will help ensure the joint Teacher Pathway Program with Hartnell College continues well into the future.
The Teacher Pathway Program, now with a total of 62 students, all of whom are first-generation college students, prepares students to make a significant and lasting impact on the quality of education that is afforded to youth in South Monterey County.
“CSUMB's College of Education thanks Mr. Ricky Cabrera and Mr. Don Chapin for the generous gift of $12,000 from proceeds of the 2017 Salinas Mariachi Festival. These funds will go towards supporting students in the south Monterey County Teacher Pathway,” said Jose Luis Alvarado, Dean of CSUMB’s College of Education. “The Teacher Pathway Program is a collaborative "grow our own" effort between CSUMB and Hartnell College that offers residents of south Monterey County the full pathway to becoming elementary teachers in south Monterey County.”
Hartnell College and CSUMB have built the teacher pathway program, now starting its second year, with an eye towards sustainability; ensuring this project continues to prepare fully qualified elementary and special education teachers well into the future.
Proceeds from the Mariachi Festival will support both the National Steinbeck Center’s Steinbeck Young Authors Program and CSUMB’s Teacher Pathway Program. The producers of the event, National Steinbeck Center board member Ricky Cabrera, and former CSUMB Foundation board member Don Chapin presented a check in the amount of $12,000 to Alvarado at the event on Saturday night.
“The University and the College of Education are most grateful for the support and investment made in this transformative program,” Alvarado added.
SEASIDE, Calif., September 18, 2017 – California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) has been selected to receive a U.S. Department of Education grant to continue the Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program at the university. The grant, expected to last for a total of five years and amount to roughly $1.1 million, will support students from traditionally underserved backgrounds to reach their full academic potential.
Funded through the Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program, the grant will support 25 students each year as they pursue research and other scholarly activities. The goal of the program, named for the African-American astronaut and scientist who died in the Challenger disaster in 1984, is to increase the number of underrepresented, low income and first-generation college students who earn doctoral degrees.
In the nine years that CSUMB has had the McNair Scholars program, 42% of graduating McNair Scholars have gone onto graduate programs immediately following completion of their bachelor’s degree. A few of CSUMB’s McNair Scholar success stories are listed below:
Sara Banco is a 2013 CSUMB Psychology graduate and McNair Scholar. She went on to attend UC Irvine Law School, earning her J.D. this year. Sara is slated to begin an appellate clerkship with the Honorable Carolyn McHugh, Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit later this year.
Alison Flanagan is a 2010 CSUMB Science and Environmental Policy and McNair Scholar. She earned her Ph.D. from Stonybrook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences this year.
Gabriel Rodriguez is a 2008 CSUMB Marine Science graduate and McNair Scholar. He earned his Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology from UC Santa Barbara in 2014 and is currently employed as a marine biologist for the city of San Diego.
Debbie Torres is a 2009 CSUMB graduate and McNair Scholar who went on to earn her Doctorate of Pharmacy in 2016 from UC San Francisco.
Please visit the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center for more information about this program and other opportunities for pursuing undergraduate research.
SEASIDE, Calif., Sept. 19, 2017 – CSUMB alumna and current graduate student Anna Holder was awarded the 2017 CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement September 19, 2017 at the CSU Office of the Chancellor in Long Beach, Calif. She was honored for her achievements along with 22 other students from around the CSU.
This award is the CSU's highest recognition of student achievement and provides donor-funded scholarships to students who demonstrate superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, community service and financial need. Students receiving the awards have all demonstrated inspirational resolve along the path to college success and many are the first in their families to attend college.
Holder’s aspirations of pursuing higher education began at age ten when she opened a savings account for college. Then, during her teenage years, she lost her 25-year-old sister to an intoxicated driver and her grandmother to cancer. By age 16, she felt an extreme loss of purpose and nearly gave up on her dreams.
Holder persevered through the challenges and graduated magna cum laude from CSUMB in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in environmental science, technology and policy. She is now halfway through CSUMB’s applied marine and watershed science graduate program. Holder has dedicated her life to encouraging youth to become inspired by science. She is currently a mentor in the STE@M™ Mentoring Program, where she speaks to middle and high school girls who are interested in possible STEM careers.
Upon completing her master’s degree, Holder plans on pursuing a Ph.D. and a career allowing her to contribute to and inform the management of marine resources.
The 23 student scholarships range from $6,000 to $12,000, with the total amount awarded this year at $149,000.
The scholarship program was established in 1984 by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation as an endowed scholarship fund to honor William Randolph Hearst, founder of the Hearst newspaper chain. In 1999, the William Randolph Hearst Foundation partnered with the CSU Board of Trustees to supplement the endowment with contributions from CSU Trustees, CSU Foundation Board of Governors and private donors.
Holder was specifically named the Ron and Mitzi Barhorst Scholar.
Visit the CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement website for bios on all 23 scholars as well as donor information.
SEASIDE, Calif., September 21, 2017 – Students enrolled in the CSUMB-Hartnell South Monterey County Teacher Pathway Program will visit CSUMB’s University Center on Friday, September 22, 2017. The visiting students, all members of the second cohort of the new collaborative program with Hartnell College, are currently taking classes at the Hartnell College King City Education Center but have access to resources and support at Hartnell and CSUMB.
Resources at Hartnell and CSUMB include tutoring, cohort enrichment and pre-professional workshops, priority registration, stipends, targeted academic advising and mentorship.
The Teacher Pathway Program, now with a total of 62 students, all of whom are first-generation college students, prepares students to make a significant and lasting impact on the quality of education that is afforded to youth in South Monterey County.
“In the first year of the CSUMB-Hartnell South Monterey County Teacher Pathway Program we admitted a cohort of 21 students. Our second cohort for this year is up to 41 students. We’ve nearly doubled the number of students in the program in one year,” said Antonio Gallardo, teacher pathway program coordinator at CSUMB. “This is a testament to what institutions of higher education can collectively do to begin to address the critical shortage of credentialed teachers in Monterey County.”
Hartnell College and CSUMB have built the teacher pathway program with an eye towards sustainability; ensuring this project continues to prepare fully qualified elementary and special education teachers well into the future.
SEASIDE, Calif., September 22, 2017 – Students enrolled in the CSUMB-Hartnell South Monterey County Teacher Pathway Program* visited CSUMB for the first time and were welcomed by the men's and women's basketball teams as well Monte Rey, our sea otter mascot.
The visiting students, all members of the second cohort of the new collaborative program with Hartnell College, are currently taking classes at the Hartnell College King City Education Center but have access to resources and support at Hartnell and CSUMB.
"We're tapping into local talent, but also every single one of these teachers then becomes role models for students who are currently in schools," explained Dr. Jose Luis Alvarado, Dean of the College of Education at CSUMB. "It's allows them to see and say, 'Hey, there's my aunt,' 'There's my cousin who's teaching now.' And those young ones they're teaching will then aspire to go to college and we will begin to see a transformation of the entire community in South Monterey County."
Resources at Hartnell and CSUMB include tutoring, cohort enrichment and pre-professional workshops, priority registration, stipends, targeted academic advising and mentorship.
The Teacher Pathway Program, now with a total of 62 students, all of whom are first-generation college students, prepares students to make a significant and lasting impact on the quality of education that is afforded to youth in South Monterey County.
“In the first year of the CSUMB-Hartnell South Monterey County Teacher Pathway Program we admitted a cohort of 21 students. Our second cohort for this year is up to 41 students. We’ve nearly doubled the number of students in the program in one year,” said Antonio Gallardo, teacher pathway program coordinator at CSUMB. “This is a testament to what institutions of higher education can collectively do to begin to address the critical shortage of credentialed teachers in Monterey County.”
Hartnell College and CSUMB have built the teacher pathway program with an eye towards sustainability; ensuring this project continues to prepare fully qualified elementary and special education teachers well into the future.
Gallardo credits local support. "Thanks to the generous support of the Claire Giannini fund and the Salinas Mariachi Festival community fund raiser, the Teacher Pathway Program is able to collaboratively design and implement an academic pathway to credential that offers students resources and support such as tutoring, mentorship, advising and pre-professional development opportunities.
"By providing talented students with academic programs and support within their community," continues Gallardo, "we have the opportunity to 'grow our own' generation of teachers who reflect the communities from which they come.”
* This program is pending CSU Chancellor's Office and WSCUC approval.
(Sep. 21, 2017) – Beginning October 1, all 23 California State University (CSU) campuses will accept applications for admission to the fall 2018 term. Students interested in attending the CSU can apply online at the university’s new application portal: Cal State Apply. The priority application period will close on November 30, 2017. You may also visit CSUMB admissions for more information.
The new portal allows students to apply to multiple CSU campuses with just one easy application. Cal State Apply was launched earlier this year, and provides a streamlined user-friendly application for all CSU incoming freshman, transfer, graduate and international students. .
"Cal State Apply has been designed to improve and simplify the process for the more than 850,000 applications that are submitted online to a CSU campus every year," said Eric Forbes, CSU's assistant vice chancellor for Student Academic Affairs/Student Academic Support. "Students are encouraged to research and apply to more than one campus, especially if applying to impacted campuses, to increase their likelihood of admission and to apply early during the priority application period."
The demand for a CSU education continues to increase. Campuses or programs that are “impacted” receive more applications from qualified applicants than can be accommodated. Applying early during the priority application process is encouraged; after November 30, most CSU campuses will stop accepting applications.
In addition to allowing one submission to serve the application needs of multiple CSU campuses, Cal State Apply also:
Transfer students will also benefit since Cal State Apply allows them to enter all of their completed coursework by term. In addition, beginning with fall 2018 applications, transfer applicants will be able to update their application in January with fall grades and include their current spring courses.
Veterans of the U.S. military seeking to apply to a CSU campus will now be able to upload their Report of Transfer of Discharge (DD214) paperwork via Cal State Apply.
The Cal State Apply website is the best place for prospective students and their parents to learn about the degree offerings at each of the 23 CSU campuses, as it includes a comprehensive database detailing undergraduate and graduate degree programs offered at each campus, as well as information about the campus community, student housing and campus life.
After applying to the CSU through Cal State Apply, students should visit the university’s financial aid website and apply for financial aid or learn more about financial aid options. Eighty percent of CSU students receive some type of financial aid, and more than half of all CSU undergraduates receive enough financial aid to cover the full cost of tuition.
A prescribed burn is planned for Thursday, October 5, 2017 in the northernportion of the Fort Ord National Monument, also known as BLM Area B, on the former Fort Ord, if weather conditions permit. Helicopters and other equipment have begun to mobilize to Fort Ord. A burn may be conducted at Unit B in the northern portion of the Fort Ord National Monument on Thursday, October 5th if appropriate weather conditions are present.
Fort Ord recreational users please note the following roads within the area will be closed during prescribed burn operations: Eucalyptus Road, Gigling Road (east of 8th Avenue), 8th Avenue Extension, Parker Flats Road, Parker Flats Cut-off, Watkins Gate Road, Barloy Canyon Road, and Hennekens Ranch Road. Access to the Fort Ord National Monument will be limited to the trailheads located off of Highway 68 (Badger Hills and Creekside Terrace Trailheads). See access map at Fort Ord Cleanup's page.
Additional information concerning the Fort Ord Military Munitions ResponseProgram and the prescribed burn program is available on the Fort OrdEnvironmental Cleanup website.
For updates please call 1-800-852-9699, visit FortOrdCleanup.com or follow @POMgarrison or #OrdBurn on Twitter.
"Obamacare: Mend it or end it?"
SEASIDE, Calif., October 16, 2017 -- More than 250 community members attended the forum led by CSUMB President Eduardo M. Ochoa on Monday, Oct. 16 at CSUMB. The panel was followed by facilitated group discussions where individual tables were encouraged to engage in open dialogue about the topic of health care.
It was the first of three Community Dialogues. The second will take place in Salinas next February on immigration. The next will be in South Monterey County on education.
"The goal of our Community Dialogues is to bring together people with different perspectives, promote understanding and build consensus. The issue of health care impacts all of us and we at CSUMB expect these events will be both interesting and constructive,” said CSUMB President Eduardo M. Ochoa.
The highlight of the evening was the role our own Master of Social Works students played in being facilitators at each table.
They were previously trained for the event by our Dean of the College of Health Sciences & Human Services, Dr. Britt Rios-Ellis. Each table had two facilitators, one to moderate and another to capture ideas and thoughts on a nearby easel. Each community member had a name card in front of them as well.
Many of the MSW students looked upon the opportunity as not just another day at school but as way to build their professional experience and we looking forward to adding this event to their resumes. Their interaction with the community had the additional benefit of highlighting one of our many academic programs at the university.
The evening ended with the panelists addressing several key questions brought up by the dialogues. Congressman Panetta closed the evening with his response to the night's accomplishments.
"As Congress works to address our nation’s health care challenges, input from key stakeholders to find responsible and effective solutions to improve our health care system are critical,” said Congressman Panetta. “I look forward to hearing from local patients and providers during this Community Dialogue.”
The Community Dialogues are made possible by a generous contribution from Bud and Rebecca Colligan and are in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
SEASIDE, Ca., Oct. 19, 2017 – California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) students, faculty and staff participated in the world’s largest earthquake drill on Thursday, October 19, 2017.
The drill was initiated by an OtterAlert message sent along with a outdoor public address system announcement at which point all people on campus were asked to practice drop, cover and hold-on followed by building evacuations.
SEASIDE, Ca., Oct. 19, 2017 – CSUMB and Hartnell College will host aspiring behavioral health professionals at a day-long symposium at CSUMB’s University Center on Saturday, October 21, 2017. The symposium, hosted by CSUMB’s Master of Social Work program, is titled Ensuring Community Wellness: A Behavioral Health Care Career Symposium and Resource Fair and will promote integrated primary and behavioral health career professions.
The goal of the symposium is to increase the number of students from the Central California community who are already in higher education and are interested in a health professional career.
"This is our third year collaborating with Hartnell to grow the behavioral health care workforce in our woefully underserved community. Our master of social work students look forward to this every year, mentoring community college students to consider the social work profession - one of the most wonderful and meaningful careers you could imagine," said Julie Cooper Altman, project director and CSUMB professor of social work.
Topics will include consumer empowerment, community identified best practices, the social determinants of health, especially minority stressors and the impact on mental health, resilience and suicide prevention. Efforts are aimed at increasing participants’ comfort in accessing mental/behavioral health services as well as pursuing careers in integrated primary/behavioral health care.
This project is funded through a grant from the State of California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) Healthcare Workforce Development Division. The program is designed to engage students from rural, economically disadvantaged or medically underserved areas in the consideration of opportunities in integrated primary and behavioral health care professional training, while increasing their capacity to successfully enter training.
SEASIDE, Ca., Oct. 23, 2017 – The CSUMB Salinas Center for Arts and Culture, a new community-based arts center, will hold a grand opening Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at CSUMB at Salinas City Center. The grand opening will be held in concert with a series of events to include El Dia de Los Muertos celebrations which are co-curated by CSUMB's Visual and Public Art Department and Jose Ortiz, Hijos del sol, the National Steinbeck Center and Hartnell College.
All events are free and open to the public. Events including face painting, art exhibits, book talks and signings, Aztec dancing and live music will begin at 3 p.m. and end at 9 p.m.
"I'm so excited for the center to be open. Working with our community partners to create the programs and exhibitions has been so exciting and rewarding. The community and University are overflowing with talent, sharpened by community-centered vision,” said Enid Baxter Ryce, interim director of the CSUMB Salinas Center for Arts and Culture.
“It has been an honor to work with Jose Ortiz and Hijos del Sol and Dio Mendoza, Visual and Public Art as they make Dias de Muertos come to fruition."
The center intends to engage the Salinas community as well as enhance student experience. Students and local artists will have opportunities to create and curate exhibitions, organize and perform at events and work in collaboration with community partners to create relevant, meaningful and transformative projects.
The center will continue to host a regular set of programs to include: Family-friendly free arts workshops from 5-8 p.m. on first Fridays of every month facilitated by Hijos del Sol and Alisal Center for the Fine Arts; free Friday lunch-time music; and an assortment of artistic and cultural exhibitions.
“CSUMB’s facilitation of the center marks a new era in civic arts engagement for our hardworking residents and their families,” said Xago Juarez, artistic director for Baktun 12.
Hosting open community events is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
SEASIDE, Ca., Oct. 25, 2017 – California State University Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) School of Humanities & Communication (HCOM) was recognized today by The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) for providing a model on how to make civic learning and democratic engagement an expectation for all students who major in that discipline.
CSUMB’s HCOM department was one of nine departments singled out for special recognition and will be featured in an upcoming issue of Peer Review, AAC&U’s quarterly publication on emerging trends and key debates in undergraduate education. The issue, “Civic Learning in the Major by Design,” will be published in January 2018.
Supported by a grant from the Endeavor Foundation, this initiative aims to limit the civic-free zones of too many departments by providing guidance to colleges and universities as they tackle one of their most resistant, yet fertile, areas of civic learning by bringing it squarely into where students invest most of their academic attention: their majors.
A Crucible Moment: Civic Learning and Democracy’s Future (2012) found that most civic-oriented study occurs in the first two years of a student’s academic career and then shrinks demonstrably as they move into more concentrated academic study. One of the recommendations in A Crucible Moment calls on colleges and universities to “define within departments, programs, and disciplines the public purposes of their respective fields, the civic inquiries most urgent to explore, and the best way to infuse civic learning outcomes progressively across the major” (32).
AAC&U took up this challenge through a pilot initiative that resulted in the publication of Civic Prompts: Making Civic Learning Routine Across the Disciplines (2015) by Caryn McTighe Musil. Civic Prompts constructs a process for faculty members to hold deep conversations with their departmental colleagues to explore on their own disciplinary terms how best to make civic learning unavoidable. This new grant enables AAC&U to offer concrete models of what that actually looks like in practice.
Caryn McTighe Musil, Senior Scholar and Director of Civic Learning and Democracy Initiatives, and director of the Civic Learning in the Major by Design project, was impressed by the creativity and variety of ways that the selected departments used a civic lens to enhance the design of the major. “These civic-rich departmental designs seek to increase students’ comprehension of their discipline’s investigations, enhance voice and agency, offer hands-on practice in collaboratively addressing challenging public problems, and introduce students to moral, ethical, and civic responsibility issues that are likely to be part of their professional lives,” McTighe Musil said.
SEASIDE, Ca., Oct. 27, 2017 – California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) recently celebrated 20 years of annual giving from the Monterey Peninsula Foundation (MPF), amounting to a total of $7.6 million over 20 years. Over two decades of consecutive giving, including 49 total grants, MPF’s impact has been felt across campus from academic programs, to campus infrastructure to launching the CSUMB men’s and women’s golf teams in 1999.
“We are proud to carry on the tradition of golf for good, organizing a world class golf tournament and donating proceeds to community organizations,” said chairman of the board of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, Clint Eastwood.
MPF’s first gift to CSUMB was in 1996 in support of the Service Learning Institute. The institute has only grown since that initial gift. During the 2015-16 academic year alone, 2,840 students in 118 courses provided 97,220 hours of service in 415 community agencies and schools throughout Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey counties.
“We appreciate the confidence that the foundation has shown in our institution and in our programs. It is a positive relationship that continues to produce outstanding results,” said CSUMB President, Eduardo M. Ochoa.
Other major grants from MPF have included the newly installed dugouts at the CSUMB baseball and softball fields, Tanimura & Antle family Memorial Library and the Otter Pups youth sports camps. The sports camps give local youth the opportunity to meet collegiate athletes and further bridge the gap between the university and the community. Grants have also funded a wide array of student scholarship opportunities.
“CSUMB could never have achieved all it has over the past two decades without the generous support of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation,” said Ochoa. “Its impact has been felt across the university. We hope the partnership will continue for years to come.”
MPF has distributed $135M in cumulative grants to roughly 300 local organizations who support youth, the arts, the environment or any other area that meets a community need.
SEASIDE, Ca., Oct. 30, 2017 – California State University Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) Native Advisory Council (NAC) will host the third annual Native American gathering at CSUMB on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017. The gathering, taking place on the land of the local Ohlone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation, is held in recognition and celebration of our Native American students and is the only event of its type on the Central Coast.
The gathering, free and open to the public, allows attendees to experience the rich Native American cultures and traditions through music, food, dance, historical exhibition and Native craft-making. Last year’s event drew nearly 1,000 visitors.
The event will include powwow dancing, cultural arts-making workshops and historical exhibitions. Native craft vendors, informational booths and culturally-appropriate foods will also be available.
The 3rd Annual Native American Gathering will take place at the University Center on November 4, 2017, from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. To learn more about the Native American Gathering and for a tentative schedule of events, please visit the event website.
Hosting open community events is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
SEASIDE, Ca., March 20, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) School of Natural Sciences associate professor Cheryl Logan has been awarded a 2018-19 U.S. Fulbright Scholarship to study coral thermal tolerance in the Galápagos Islands. Her research, which will span a total of five months starting in spring of 2019, will focus on thermal tolerance of corals and help develop a better model for predicting future bleaching.
According to Logan, the Galápagos archipelago, which is part of the Republic of Ecuador, is particularly interesting to this area of research as some corals in that region have proven to be more tolerant than expected in the wake of bleaching events.
Part of Logan’s proposed project is to test both cold and warm water conditions as either can lead to bleaching. She’ll be measuring thermal tolerance windows and taking genetic samples to test if corals are better adapted to changing temperatures. Logan explained that identifying unique thermally resistant genotypes is critical for ongoing protection and preservation and that understanding the state of corals in the Galápagos will provide insights into how global reefs may function in the future.
In addition to her research, Logan will co-teach a three-week-long marine ecology course at Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ). This is the first faculty research collaboration between USFQ and CSUMB and is the first step toward building a pathway for future student and faculty exchange between the two institutions.
The five-month research trip will be a family affair for Logan as her husband, a researcher with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, was also awarded a Fulbright of his own.
“My husband, Sal Jorgensen, is a shark ecologist with the Monterey Bay Aquarium and he was also awarded a Fulbright so we plan to take our whole family -- we have a two-year-old and a four-year-old -- to the Galápagos next year for five months.”
The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by then-Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and currently operates in 160 countries worldwide.
“Immigration: Bane or blessing?”
SEASIDE, Ca., March 29, 2018 -- CSUMB President Eduardo M. Ochoa hosted a facilitated dialogue at CSUMB at Salinas City Center on Wednesday, March 28, 2018 from 5:30-7 p.m. to discuss the issue of immigration in the United States. The event featured Dan Torres, Director of Immigrant Integration from the Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. and professor David R. Henderson from the Naval Postgraduate School.
“The goal of our community dialogues is to bring together people with different perspectives, promote understanding and build consensus. The issue of immigration, especially in the tri-county region, impacts all of us and we at CSUMB hope to provide an interesting and constructive forum for a constructive dialogue on the topic of immigration,” said CSUMB President Eduardo M. Ochoa.
The Community Dialogues event, made possible by a generous contribution from Bud and Rebecca Colligan, is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
The next Community Dialogues event, scheduled for May 3, 2018 in at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City, will focus on education in the United States and in the tri-county region.
SEASIDE, Ca., April 16, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) officially broke ground on construction of the new Otter Student Union April 16, 2018. The Otter Student Union, expected to open in spring of 2020, continues to fulfill CSUMB’s campus vision for growth in our Comprehensive Master Plan.
At a proposed 70,000 gross square feet, the Otter Student Union will serve as a central location for students, faculty, staff, alumni and the larger Monterey Bay community to connect. The new student union will include the Otter Cross Cultural Center, a Starbucks, the university bookstore and group conference and study spaces along with an array of retail and dining options. It will also house professional staff and departmental offices.
In line with CSUMB’s commitment to sustainability, the new Otter Student Union will pursue the U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certification in its construction with hopes to achieve gold status.
SEASIDE, Ca., April 20, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) has officially welcomed Leslie Williams to serve as the new associate vice president (AVP) for student affairs and dean of students. Williams, who served as the dean of students at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) for the past 6 years, will be responsible for oversight of all student life at CSUMB.
"We are excited to welcome Dr. Leslie Williams, AVP and dean of students to CSUMB. She is a seasoned and respected leader in her field and we look forward to having her as a part of the student affairs team and the entire CSUMB community," said Ronnie Higgs, vice president of student affairs and enrollment services. “Leslie has dedicated her career to student engagement and success ... her vast knowledge and experience in student affairs and institutional collaboration will greatly benefit CSUMB."
Williams earned her Ed.D. in educational leadership from Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island and brings a wealth of experience in student affairs and student life. In addition to her 6 years at UNI Williams also served in student affairs leadership roles at the University of Rhode Island, Georgia State University and the University of Tennessee.
Williams’ professional experience has prepared her well for her new role here, but it’s her personal life experience that influenced her to join the CSUMB campus.
Williams is also dedicated to enriching the student experience.
“I look most forward to my role as an advocate for students. The ability to listen to students, hear their needs, and work with students to incorporate those into university structures to foster students’ success is an exciting opportunity.”
Williams joins the CSUMB community along with her wife, Bette Nee-Williams, a retired higher education administrator, and their three therapy dogs who all volunteer with hospice patients, and in nursing homes and daycare centers. At CSUMB, Williams will continue her tradition of improving the lives of others.
SEASIDE, Ca., April 24, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) has received a $750,000 workforce development grant from Central California Alliance for Health to support CSUMB’s new Master of Science Physician Assistant (MSPA) program. The grant will be used to fund staffing and clinical equipment startup costs for the MSPA program which is scheduled to start classes January of 2019.
The $750K grant comes courtesy of Central California Alliance for Health’s (the Alliance) Medi-Cal Capacity Grant Program, whose goal is to increase primary health care providers that serve its members and community. The Alliance is a regional non-profit Medi-Cal managed health care plan serving Santa Cruz, Monterey and Merced counties.
CSUMB’s 28-month MSPA program is the first program of its type in the California State University (CSU) system and aims to help address the urgent need for more primary-care health providers on California’s Central Coast.
“Our Master of Science Physician Assistant (MSPA) Program provides a solution to the looming primary care provider shortage on the Central Coast. The excitement about the MSPA is palpable both within the 23 campus CSU system as the first of its kind, as well as throughout our networks in Central California,” said CSUMB College of Health Services and Human Sciences (CHSHS) Dean, Britt Rios-Ellis.
California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) congratulates all the graduates of the class of 2018! Below is a selection of news clips and fun facts related to the 22nd annual commencement ceremonies held Friday, May 18 and Saturday, May 19, 2018 in Freeman Stadium.
Amalia Mesa-Bains is an artist, educator and cultural critic who was instrumental in the founding of the Department of Visual and Public Art at CSUMB. An author of scholarly articles and a nationally known lecturer on Latino art, Dr. Mesa-Bains has enhanced understanding of multiculturalism and reflected the major cultural and demographic shifts in the United States..
As president and CEO of Matsui Nursery, Teresa Matsui is both a business leader and an heir to a proud family legacy of philanthropy that has furthered the educational dreams of many outstanding scholars. Teresa’s father, Andy Matsui, founded Matsui Nursery in 1967. With headquarters in Salinas, the company began growing orchids on a large scale in 1998. It now grows millions of orchids in hundreds of varieties and is one of the largest potted orchid growers in the world.
Sara McClellan was a summa cum laude graduate in liberal studies from Cal State Monterey Bay in 1998 and was the student speaker at commencement. She has moved on to build a career in organizational development, training, and conflict resolution, with a particular focus on improving the skills of public sector managers. After graduating from CSUMB, she served as a staff member in the university’s science program and assisted in the development of what is now the School of Natural Sciences.
Robert Alex Jensen, a McNair Scholar, will graduate summa cum laude from CSU Monterey Bay with a bachelor of arts in human communication, a concentration in peace studies, and a minor in music. Alex will attend Harvard Divinity School’s Master of Divinity program this fall as a Dean’s Fellow.
January Cornelius is a collaborative health and human service major with a concentration in public administration and community health. She plans to obtain a master’s degree in public health at Emory University after graduation. While at CSUMB she has become a strong public speaker, a power advocate and a creative thinker, all skills she has credited to her work as a student leader.
Kate Ingram began her undergraduate career at Cal State Monterey Bay in fall 2014 as a biology major with a concentration in molecular biology. She has served her campus community in various roles, including the Associated Students College of Science senator and the American Medical Student Association CSUMB chapter secretary, vice president, and president.
19,800 tickets are printed for friends and family.
190 Event staff are on hand to make your experience as memorable as possible.
The only part of these commencement gowns not made from recycled material is the zipper!
2,000 chairs rented for the ceremony
Use #MBgrad18 on your posts commemorating this special day.
190: Event staff
76: Student-athletes in the graduating class
33: Veterans in the graduating class
28: Police and other public safety personnel on duty
25: Students named Michael in the graduating class
25: Majors represented (most popular: psychology, 290 graduates; kinesiology, 218; business administration, 309)
23: Students named Jessica in the graduating class
23: States and territories represented in the graduating class
16: Graduates celebrating birthdays on the day of commencement
9: Countries represented in the graduating class (furthest: Malaysia, Nigeria and Greece)
3: Sets of twins in the graduating class
3: Number of ceremonies (Friday, May 18 at 3 p.m.., College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Saturday, May 19 at 10 a.m., College of Business and College of Health Sciences and Human Services ; At 3 p.m., College of Science and College of Education)
Some numbers are approximate
Published May 9, 2018
SEASIDE, Calif., May 5, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) held its annual honors convocation May 5, 2018, recognizing select students for distinguished academic achievements.
The honors students will be among the approximately 2,353 graduates expected to cross the stage at CSUMB's 22nd commencement ceremony May 18th and 19th, 2017.
Award winners:
Award winners:
• President's Award for Exemplary Student Achievement, given to a well-rounded student who made notable contributions to a particular area of university life through depth of involvement and service as a student leader; participated actively as a positive agent of innovation and action with demonstrated service to the campus community; and achieved a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher: January Cornelius, Collaborative Health and Human Services
January Cornelius is a collaborative health and human service major with a concentration in public administration and community health. She plans to obtain a master’s degree in public health at Emory University after graduation.
• Provost's Award for Exemplary Academic Achievement, given to a student who has demonstrated exemplary achievement in his or her major; excelled personally and academically with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or higher; and contributed to the learning community of CSUMB: Robert Alexander Jensen, Human Communications
Robert Alex Jensen, a McNair Scholar, will graduate summa cum laude from CSUMB with a bachelor’s in human communication, a concentration in peace studies and a minor in music. Alex will attend Harvard Divinity School’s Master of Divinity program this fall as a Dean’s Fellow.
• Outstanding Senior Award for Social Justice, given to a student who has been a positive agent of change and participated in a project that promotes social justice and generates awareness that benefited local communities: Chelsey Bucher-Hebert, Psychology.
• Alumni Vision Award, given to a first-generation student who manifests the beliefs and tenets of the Vision Statement through personal example, voice and initiative, and has provided leadership in a multicultural project or activity that extends the university’s Vision into the lives of others: Theresa Dexter, Collaborative Health and Human Services.
• Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athlete Award, given to a student-athlete in recognition of exemplary academic achievement: Lucy Gates, Kinesiology.
SEASIDE, Ca., May 4, 2018 – CSUMB President Eduardo M. Ochoa hosted a facilitated dialogue to discuss educational attainment with South Monterey County community members at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds on Thursday, May 3 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Educational leaders on the panel included Greenfield Union School District Superintendent, Zandra-Jo Galvan, CEO of Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance Inc., Erica Padilla-Chavez and CSUMB College of Education Dean José Luis Alvarado.
The panel presented for the first half of the evening before the community members in the room had the opportunity to present some of the challenges that make educational attainment a challenge in South Monterey County. Those barriers included transportation, technology, childcare and proximity to campuses.
Dean Alvarado, who has been a driving force in forming programs dedicated to helping South Monterey County students overcome barriers to educational attainment such as the teacher pathway program, assured the room that educational leaders are aware of these barriers and are constantly working to help address these issues to ensure educational opportunities are accessible.
"We are always looking at the barriers preventing students here from attaining their goals, and we are committed to finding the resources to help alleviate those barriers whether they be technology, childcare or providing local access points for taking classes. A recent example of overcoming a technology need here was the iPads provided to the teacher pathway program students," said Dean Alvarado.
President Ochoa also reassured the room that although CSUMB is becoming increasingly popular with applicants from all around California and internationally, CSUMB's commitment to serving the three-county service area of Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties remains a priority.
The Community Dialogues event, made possible by a generous contribution from Bud and Rebecca Colligan, is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
SEASIDE, Calif., May 1, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) Institute for Innovation and Economic Development (iiED) will host the 2018 Startup Challenge Finale Saturday, May 12, 2018 at CSUMB @ Salinas City Center. The Startup Challenge Finale, free and open to the public, will showcase all of the finalists from this year’s Startup Challenge and conclude with an award presentation and networking reception.
Startup Challenge Monterey Bay is a regional new business competition and acceleration program for entrepreneurs in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties. The challenge provides workshops and mentoring to support the founding, funding and growth of new and innovative businesses in the Monterey Bay region while empowering entrepreneurs to communicate their ideas effectively to investors, customers and employees.
The competition, which as awarded more than $350K over nine years, offers three divisions for competitors based on the size and scope of their business.
CSUMB’s Institute for Innovation and Economic Development (iiED), housed in the College of Business, hosts events such as the Startup Challenge to promote entrepreneurship in the Monterey Bay Region and foster the development of a vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystem in the region.
SEASIDE, Calif., May 10, 2018 – Nine CSUMB student-researchers represented CSUMB at the 32nd annual CSU Student Research Competition May 4-5, 2018 at Sacramento State University.
Psychology major and Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC) researcher Rebekah Newman took home first place in the category of education, graduate level session while Yollette Merritt took home second place in the humanities and letters category, graduate level session.
The CSU Student Research Competition (SRC) is held each spring to promote excellence in undergraduate and graduate scholarly research and creative activity by recognizing outstanding student accomplishments across the 23 CSU campuses.
Student participants made oral presentations before juries of professional experts from major corporations, foundations, public agencies, colleges and universities in California.
"The CSU SRC is an amazing opportunity and experience to highlight and applaud our hard-working students for their leadership and excellence in scholarly activity," said assistant professor of psychology, Christine Valdez. "Mentoring students through this learning experience and watching them become passionate about their research and excited from the process of discovery reaffirms my reasons doing what I do - I am moved by the scientific minds of our future and take great pride in our developing scholars."
Valdez served as a faculty mentor for Newman along with assistant professor of psychology, Jennifer Lovell. Professor Debian Marty from the School of Humanities and Communication served as faculty mentor for Yollette Merritt.
SEASIDE, Calif., May 16, 2018 – Winners of the 2018 Startup Challenge Monterey Bay were selected by a panel of judges at CSUMB @ Salinas City Center May 12, 2018. The 25 finalists first pitched their business ideas in a 10-minute presentation to a panel of judges before a final “shark tank” style pitch competition determined the victors.
Cruz Foam, a company that transforms shrimp shell waste into the eco-friendly equivalent of styrofoam, won the $20,000 cash prize in the Venture Division. That Garlic Stuff, a homemade garlic sauce made with locally sourced garlic, won the Main Street Division, and earned a $10,000 cash prize.
BOHO Marketplace, founded by two students from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, took home a $1,500 cash prize in the Student Division.
This year, a total of 82 entrepreneurs from the Monterey Bay region entered the Startup Challenge. All past winners in the Venture Division are still in business and have raised over $10.5M in capital investments. All but one of the Main Street winners are still in business.
Startup Challenge Monterey Bay is supported by CSUMB’s Institute for Innovation and Economic Development. The premier sponsor for this event is the Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA). Other major sponsors include Wells Fargo and the City of Salinas.
SEASIDE, Calif., May 16, 2018 – Four CSUMB seniors, all Sally Casanova Scholars for the 2017-18 academic year, have been awarded summer research fellowships for the summer of 2018 through the Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholarship Program. All four pre-doctoral scholars have been awarded up to $8,000 each in support of their summer research to cover the cost of housing, meals and a research stipend.
Marine Science major Jacob Green, who was mentored by associate professor Cheryl Logan and assistant professor Nathaniel Jue, will head to the University of Rhode Island to help rebuild the eastern oyster genome.
"I look forward to taking knowledge gained as an undergrad and applying it to solve a problem that is important to the Rhode Island community. Summer research funding through the Pre-Doc Program means I can continue to develop my skills as a researcher and academic exploring how local communities, their economies, and their environments intersect,” said Green.
Biology major Robert Castro, whose CSUMB faculty mentor was assistant professor John Goeltz, will study the influence that race and sexual orientation have on HIV vulnerability at New York University.
Psychology major Julia Barnett, whose CSUMB faculty mentor was assistant professor Kevin Grobman, will spend eight weeks researching unplanned pregnancy at UCLA.
Social Behavioral Sciences major Heriberto Marquez, whose faculty mentor was Professor Ruben Mendoza, will head to UC Santa Cruz to help catalog and curate osteological remains from Dos Pilas, an ancient city in Guatemala.
As undergrads, all four Sally Casanova Scholars were part of Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC) and worked with their CSUMB faculty mentors and UROC to meet their graduate and professional goals.
The California Pre-Doctoral Program is designed to increase the pool of potential faculty by supporting the doctoral aspirations of California State University (CSU) students who have experienced economic and educational disadvantages. The program places a special emphasis on increasing the number of CSU students who enter doctoral programs at one of the University of California (UC) institutions.
SEASIDE, Calif., May 18, 2018 – With a record number 2,321 candidates for graduation, CSUMB began its 22nd annual commencement celebration Friday, May 18, 2018 with the first of three ceremonies spread out over two days. The College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences graduated today, May 18th while the College of Business, College of Health Sciences and Human Services, College of Education and College of Science are slated to commence Saturday, May 19th.
Amalia Mesa-Bains, artist, educator and cultural critic who was instrumental in the founding of the Department of Visual and Public Art at CSUMB, gave a keynote address in which she offered words of encouragement to the graduates.
“I want to remind you that you carry with you a unique ability to see the world through the eyes of humanists, artists, social scientists, linguists and global thinkers,” said Mesa-Bains. “This gives you a capacity that many others lack -- the capacity of transformation. You are the creative thinkers and cultural workers who will see the future with imaginative hope and vision, not as it is but as it could be or should be.”
Mesa-Bains sent one final message to graduates, encouraging them to embrace the struggles in life with a quote by Cornel West, "It's not hope that gets people engaged in struggle. It's being engaged in struggle that gives people hope."
CSUMB President Eduardo M. Ochoa also urged the class of 2018 that their quest for knowledge and education does not stop here.
“To succeed, you must be lifelong learners. In this era of accelerating technological change, many of you will move into careers that do not yet exist. We are confident that your years at CSUMB have prepared you to adapt to new circumstances,” said Ochoa.
For specific numbers about the ceremony or degrees conferred please visit our Commencement 2018 By the Numbers page. Photos from the event are available at the CSUMB Flickr Page.
SEASIDE, Calif., July 10, 2018– Two CSUMB seniors have been selected as Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholars for the 2018-19 academic year. Jordin Simons, a UROC scholar and environmental studies major, and Jorge Cabrera, a psychology major and UROC researcher, were each awarded $3,000 to support graduate school and professional development endeavors during the upcoming year.
Simons will receive faculty mentorship from School of Natural Sciences assistant professor Victoria Derr while Cabrera will receive faculty mentorship from Psychology assistant professor Jennifer Lovell.
Their status as a Sally Casanova Scholar also entitles them to apply for a 2019 summer research experience at a University of California campus or other doctoral-granting institution after graduation.
This year the Sally Casanova Scholarship program received 300 applications from across the CSU, which was the highest number since it began in 1989. A total of 75 total Sally Casanova Scholars were selected this year across all 23 campuses.
The California Pre-Doctoral Program is designed to increase the pool of potential faculty by supporting the doctoral aspirations of California State University (CSU) students who have experienced economic and educational disadvantages. The program places a special emphasis on increasing the number of CSU students who enter doctoral programs at one of the University of California (UC) institutions.
SEASIDE, Ca., June 18, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) has officially welcomed Brian Corpening to serve as CSUMB’s new chief diversity officer as of June 18, 2018. Corpening, who has served as the assistant provost for diversity & community partnerships at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center since 2006, will oversee CSUMB’s Office of Inclusive Excellence.
“Meeting the needs of a diverse student body and leveraging that diversity to enhance the educational experience is central to our work here at CSUMB,” said CSUMB President Eduardo M. Ochoa. “A number of excellent candidates came to our attention through this search and we are delighted to welcome Dr. Corpening as the best person to help us continue that effort.”
Corpening brings more than 30 years of experience in academic administration to CSUMB and most recently earned his Ph.D. in educational studies from the University of Oklahoma in 2017. His broad professional experience in higher education, and extensive experience serving in capacities focused on diversity, equity and inclusion will be pivotal to advancing CSUMB’s commitment to inclusion and equity for all members of the community.
“I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to join the CSU Monterey Bay community. I look forward to working with everyone at the university to continue to foster a learning and working community where everyone feels valued and is able to successfully pursue their dreams, aspirations and goals,” said Corpening. “Without question CSU Monterey Bay has demonstrated its commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence. I hope to add to that commitment and help CSU Monterey Bay become a local, state and national model.”
Corpening will lead the Office of Inclusive Excellence’s activities aimed at promoting inclusion and equity across the university and helping to prepare students to thrive in the global, multicultural society of the 21st century.
SEASIDE, Ca., June 21, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) President Eduardo M. Ochoa was awarded the Human Excellence in Education Award this week at the Hope Collaborative’s 2018 Human Excellence Awards Conference. The conference, held at Harvard University, recognized leaders of social mission organizations and celebrated the powerful leadership capacities of outstanding social entrepreneurs addressing mankind’s critical social mission issues.
The day featured leaders in healthcare, education, essential services and leadership education for populations living in poverty. The conference aimed to understand, support and promote the skills and qualities of these leaders who are capable and committed to delivering lasting and durable change.
President Ochoa was recognized for his efforts leading CSUMB to become a catalyst for cultural and economic development in the Monterey County region and for his founding of the Bright Futures Education Partnership in the region. The Bright Futures Education Partnership is a community partnership that fosters progress in education outcomes for local students from cradle to career.
CSUMB, still the only university in the United States to be a two-time winner of the U.S. President’s Award for Higher Education Community Service, was recognized at the conference for being a national leader in service learning with a commitment to community-focused classes and volunteer activities.
SEASIDE, Calif., August 8, 2018–The Monterey Bay Regional Ocean Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) will finish its 5th summer cohort of visiting undergraduate researchers this week at CSUMB.
The 10-week program, hosted at CSUMB since 2014 and funded by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Division of Ocean Sciences, provides students from across the nation the opportunity to collaborate with researchers in the Monterey Bay area to develop hypothesis-driven projects and receive critical feedback from mentors.
Over the five years REU has been at CSUMB a total of 58 students from across the United States have passed through the program and applications have increased every year.
“In our first year we had just over 100 applications but in the last few years of the program we have seen 400-500 application per year submitted from around the U.S,” said CSUMB’s REU program director and School of Natural Sciences associate professor, Corey Garza.
The REU program at CSUMB is unique within the NSF REU system as it is distributed amongst several ocean science research institutions within the Monterey Bay region while most other REU programs take place on one campus.
“Beyond working with scientists at CSUMB, students may also elect to work with faculty at our partner institutions to include: The Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing Marine Labs and the Naval Postgraduate School,” said Garza.
In addition to the 10-weeks of integrated research experience with professionals in the field, the REU program helps students develop a roadmap for their own careers while providing an opportunity for students who have historically been underrepresented in ocean science academic and professional settings.
One of the 2017 CSUMB REU program graduates, Daniel DeLeon, was recently featured in a Google documentary exploring his journey as a Latino engineer and the technology he is using to track endangered whales in the Monterey Bay. Born and raised in Santa Cruz, California, Daniel started his education at Cabrillo College in Aptos, conducted research at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and is now a student at California Polytechnic State University.
Garza, who serves on the national board of directors for the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), advocates for increasing underrepresented students in STEM and believes that engaging new and diverse talents and perspectives will help advance scientific discovery.
“Over our 5-year history 55% of our students have come from groups historically underrepresented in the ocean sciences. The average for most oceans science REU programs hovers around 25%,” said Garza. “This program is helping to diversify ocean science and bring new perspectives to the field that will be needed to help address some the most pressing research issues facing the ocean sciences.”
2004 Liberal Studies graduate Robby Fabry is a physical education teacher at the International School of Monterey during the school year but helps run an increasingly popular surf camp during the summer introducing kids from all over the county to the ocean.
Cal State Monterey Bay graduate student Miya Pavlock McAuliffe and undergrad Olivia Boisen worked with scientists on NOAA's Bell M. Shimada research ship during its recent visit to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
McAuliffe and Boisen are involved in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems. Their participation in the research cruise was sponsored by NOAA's Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions.
"Participating in this research cruise not only provides our students with experience in conducting shipboard research, but also experience conducting research with a federal agency that monitors and manages coastal resources,” said Corey Garza, associate professor in the CSUMB School of Natural Sciences and CSUMB campus principal investigator for NOAA's Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions.
During mid-July, the Bell M. Shimada, a state-of-the-art fisheries survey vessel that studies marine life, sea birds and ocean conditions along the Pacific Coast, was on a 10-day mission to study the Davidson Seamount Management Zone, located about 70 miles southwest of Monterey. Scientists sought to learn more about the impact of the Davidson Seamount, an underwater mountain that rises 8,000 feet above the ocean floor.
When ocean currents strike the mountain, they push nutrients to the surface, helping provide sustenance for seabirds, whales and fish.
Scientists aboard the ship did surveys of fish and krill, observed marine mammals and seabirds, collected oceanographic data through water sampling and gathered micro-plastics to better understand the impacts of pollution on the sanctuary.
SEASIDE, Ca., August 3, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) Master of Science Physician Assistant (MSPA) program has been granted Accreditation-Provisional status by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for The Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA). The MSPA program, which is approved for a class size of up to 33 students for the first three years, was also granted final approval by the WASC Senior College and University Commission as of July 25, 2018, officially clearing the program to begin January 7, 2019.
“The MSPA is a significant addition to our portfolio of programs serving the tri-county region. We are thrilled to be starting this new program, and exceedingly grateful for all the support we have received from our local community, especially our excellent health care providers,” said CSUMB Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Bonnie Irwin.
CSUMB’s 28-month MSPA program is the first program of its type in the California State University (CSU) system and aims to help address the urgent need for more primary-care health providers throughout Central California.
The launch of the MSPA program at CSUMB was made possible by support from the following private and public entities: Central California Alliance for Health, Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula/Montage Health, Cypress Healthcare Partners, Doctors on Duty, George L. Mee Memorial Hospital, Mission Center Healthcare, Natividad Medical Center, Pinnacle HealthCare, Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital and Dignity Health, a California nonprofit public benefit corporation d/b/a Dominican Hospital.
The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the California State University, Monterey Bay Physician Assistant Program sponsored by California State University, Monterey Bay.
Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding Accreditation-Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.
Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.
The ARC-PA noted zero (0) observations and zero (0) areas of noncompliance with the standards.
“This [zero areas of noncompliance] is an uncommon rating for new programs so we are confident that this rating speaks to the quality of the program,” said MSPA Founding Program Director and Professor, Christopher Forest. “The program currently has five full-time core faculty, most of whom have over 10 years’ experience each in PA education. The curriculum has been established and clinical sites secured. The faculty are currently interviewing prospective students for the first class and excited for them to begin this new journey.”
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SEASIDE, Ca., October 31, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) Salinas Center For Arts and Culture will celebrate it’s first anniversary with a series of Dias de Muertos related events on Friday, November 2, 2018.
Over the past year, the Center for Arts and Culture has hosted a wide range of events, which are free and open to the public, to include monthly first Friday events. This month's first Friday, on November 2, will include an array of workshops and exhibitions along with a Dias de Muertos procession.
Originally an indigenous tradition, Dias de Muertos has evolved through time with diverse cultural influences. It is a celebration of life that commemorates passed ancestors and all life forms. Dias de Muertos can include people, animals and nature. In Salinas, Dias de Muertos has brought together people from all cultures through art, music, dance, costumes, make-up, food and celebration for generations.
The CSUMB Salinas Center for Arts and Culture is housed within CSUMB @ Salinas City Center and strives to create a community of artist and culture of activism in Salinas.
Hosting open community events is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
SEASIDE, Ca., November 1, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) is set to host the 7th annual Startup Hackathon weekend at CSUMB Nov. 2-4, 2018. This year’s theme is “Tech Save America: Creating Tech-Based Solutions for A Better World.”
The competition will begin Friday, November 2, at 4:30 p.m. and culminate with final presentations to a group of judges on Sunday, November 4, from 2-5 p.m. at the Joel and Dena Gambord Business and Information Technology Building.
Over 450 students have participated in previous years of the Hackathon and they have created dozens of innovative tech designs. Through the Hackathon, students demonstrate and develop their tech skills and their ability to contribute to the world with those skills.
The CSUMB Institute for Innovation and Economic Development (iiED), housed in the College of Business, hosts events such as the hackathon to promote entrepreneurship in the Monterey Bay region and foster the development of a vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystem in the region.
SEASIDE, Ca., November 8, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) International Programs will host a series of cultural events ranging from diversity marches, performances and film screenings November 13-15, 2018 in celebration of International Education Week. The featured event is a keynote address from Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist Anisa Mehdi.
International Education Week is a national event promoted by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education that celebrates the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.
CSUMB celebrates international education week with a week of events showcasing cultures from around the world and honoring the diversity on our own campus. CSUMB hopes to shine light on the powerful role that international education plays in a university setting by empowering diverse thought, sharing cultural traditions and ideologies and creating a welcoming and inclusive space for all people.
Hosting open community events is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
SEASIDE, Ca., November 8, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) Master of Science Physician Assistant (MSPA) program welcomed it’s inaugural class of 33 students to campus for orientation from November 5-8, 2018 at CSUMB.
The future MSPA students, who will officially begin class January 7, 2019, spent the week meeting their faculty, receiving information about campus services and becoming acquainted with the other members of the cohort.
On Tuesday, November 6th the students received iPad training, took mock classes and even spent time on a digital cadaver table. The weeklong orientation culminated with a lunch hosted by CSUMB College of Health Sciences & Human Services (CHSHS), Dean Britt Rios-Ellis, where she addressed the students and their families and friends.
CSUMB’s 28-month MSPA program is the first program of its type in the California State University (CSU) system and aims to help address the urgent need for more primary-care health providers throughout Central California.
The launch of the MSPA program at CSUMB was made possible by support from the following private and public entities: Central California Alliance for Health, Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula/Montage Health, Cypress Healthcare Partners, Doctors on Duty, George L. Mee Memorial Hospital, Mission Center Healthcare, Natividad Medical Center, Pinnacle HealthCare, Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital and Dignity Health, a California nonprofit public benefit corporation d/b/a Dominican Hospital.
SEASIDE, Ca., November 21, 2018 – A collaborative project between California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) and Hartnell College has been selected to receive funding under the U.S. Department of Education’s Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program (Title V) in the amount of $3,750,000. The award, expected to span over a total of five years, will help fund the collaborative “Making Accessible and Effective Systems for Teacher Readiness Outcomes (MAESTROs) Project” between the two institutions.
MAESTROs aims to enhance retention and completion rates for Hispanic and low-income students and prepare students to graduate and fulfill teacher workforce needs through three main activities.
CSUMB and Hartnell College share a strong working relationship and history in shared programming to serve the growing numbers of Hispanic and low-income students who are under-prepared for college and Teacher Education Pathway programs.
Programs such as MAESTROs directly support the CSU Graduation Initiative 2025, which is a university-wide initiative to ensure that all students have the opportunity to be successful and graduate according to their personal goals, positively impacting their future and producing additional graduates to power California and the nation.
SEASIDE, Ca., November 28, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) President Eduardo M. Ochoa hosted Safiya U. Noble on Wednesday, November 28, 2018 at CSUMB’s World Theater where she discussed her research and book “Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism.”
Noble is a visiting professor at the University of Southern California (USC) Annenberg School of Communication and is on the faculty of both the Department of Information Studies in the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies and the Department of African American Studies at UCLA. She is the author of a best-selling book on racist and sexist algorithmic bias in commercial search engines, Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism (NYU Press).
She encouraged students in attendance to make the most of their educational opportunities and to use education as a vessel for continued success.
The President’s Speaker Series, open to the public and free to attend, is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
Two CSUMB College of Business students participated in the 34th annual National Conference on Ethics in America (NCEA) at the United States Military Academy (USMA) in West Point, N.Y, in October.
The two-day conference is part of the USMA Cadet Character Education Program, and outstanding civilian students from universities across the country are invited to attend.
Brandon Baughn, a business administration and marketing major, and Alice Oaks, who is studying business administration and accounting, were able to attend thanks to the generous support of a sponsor.
This year’s conference theme was “Grit: The Unyielding Determination to Prevail.” It aimed to inspire and challenge attendees to overcome obstacles to achieve their goals, as well as find innovative solutions for pressing problems.
Keynote speaker Shilo Harris, a retired U.S. Army Cavalry Scout, survived devastating injuries after his armored vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Iraq. Other speakers included Karl Meltzer, an ultramarathon record holder; Capt. Shaye Haver, the first female Army Ranger; and Adrianne Haslet, the Boston Marathon bombing survivor who has won ballroom dance competitions and run in two Boston Marathons after losing a leg.
SEASIDE, Ca., December 14, 2018 – A study conducted by California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) School of Natural Sciences assistant professor John Olson has found that the combined effects of land use and climate change are resulting in increased salinity levels in rivers and streams, further highlighting an emerging threat to freshwater resources, biodiversity and ecosystem functions across the United States.
Increase in human land use such as agricultural, industrial and urban development are primary contributing factors to increasing salt levels, with climate change accounting for 12 percent of the increase.
Olson estimated that at least one third of U.S. streams and rivers have gotten saltier over the last 100 years and predicted that salinization levels may rise by 50 percent in half of U.S. streams by the year 2100. While increased salinity levels pose a problem for drinking water, they may also double the amount of streams that are too salty for irrigation from 3 to 6 percent, compounding losses of water resource availability caused by increasing droughts and other climate change effects.
The effects of increased salinity levels are not limited to salt’s effects on humans. The research also predicts that increased salinity levels will stress biota within the ecosystem resulting in losses of an additional 42 percent of the habitat by 2100.
The research study, Predicting combined effects of land use and climate change on river and stream salinity, was first published in the journal Philosophical Transactions B, on December 4, 2018 and later featured in the Scientific American.
SEASIDE, Ca., January 11, 2019 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) and the Monterey Bay Ecotourism Region (MBETR) initiative hosted the 2nd Monterey Bay Sustainable Hospitality Summit January 10-11, 2019 at the Portola Hotel and Spa in Monterey. The summit featured site visits across Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito regions on January 10th to sites for best practices for sustainability in the hospitality industry followed by a full-day conference at the Portola Hotel and Spa on Friday, January 11.
The primary goal of the summit is to inspire the tri-county region to lead the development and implementation of sustainable practices in the hospitality industry. Attendees will have the opportunity to understand the return on investment of sustainable practices, review best practices in the industry and obtain tools for compliance.
“The outcome of the summit is to help attendees shape the future of the Monterey Bay and Tri-County region as the leading sustainable hospitality, eco-tourism, eco-recreation and wellness region in the country” said Shyam Kamath, Dean of CSUMB’s College of Business. “This strategy is a natural fit for the region and ties together the well-developed capabilities and endowments of our tourism, recreation, wellness and hospitality sectors.”
This year’s Summit key note speakers included Martha Honey, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST), Denise Naguib, Director of Sustainability for Marriott International, and Mato Frankovic, Mayor of Dubrovnik, Croatia.
“Monterey County’s values in practices and development are key to our strength as a sustainable destination and make us the perfect place to hold this summit to ensure our continued leadership in this arena,” remarks Tammy Blount-Canavan, President & CEO, Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
SEASIDE, Ca., January 15, 2019 – For the seventh consecutive year, California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) is set to host Startup Weekend Monterey Bay January 25-27, 2019.
Techstars Startup Weekend, in partnership with Google for Startups, is a 54-hour immersive event in which budding entrepreneurs, developers and designers gather, pitch an idea, join a team, and spend the entire weekend designing the next great venture.
This year’s event, open to all community members and students, will be held at the CSUMB University Center and starts at 4:00 pm on Friday, January 25th, concluding Sunday, January 27th at 9:00 pm.
Beginning with Friday night pitches and continuing through testing, business model development, and basic prototype creation, Startup Weekend culminates with Sunday night demonstrations to a panel of potential investors and local entrepreneurs. Participants are challenged with building functional startups during the event and are able to collaborate with like-minded individuals outside of their daily networks.
Startup Weekend Monterey Bay is hosted by the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development (iiED) at CSUMB. iiED promotes entrepreneurship and fosters the development of a vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Monterey Bay region.
SEASIDE, Ca., January 16, 2019 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) School of Natural Sciences associate professor and Fulbright Scholarship recipient Cheryl Logan departed for the Galápagos Islands this week to begin researching coral thermal tolerance in the region.
The goal of Logan’s five-month project, titled “Galápagos corals: canaries in the coal mine,” is to develop a better model for predicting future coral bleaching. According to Logan, the Galápagos corals are of particular interest as some populations may have acquired heat tolerance that could help them withstand future climate change.
“The 1982-83 El Niño event was the first time scientists recorded widespread coral bleaching around the world. In that event, about 90 percent of the corals in the Galápagos were killed from abnormally high sea surface temperatures that led to coral bleaching and mortality. Since then, however, some populations have recovered and were found to be more resilient to heat stress during subsequent El Niño events,” said Logan.
Logan will test both cold and warm water conditions as either can lead to coral bleaching. She’ll be measuring thermal tolerance windows and taking genetic samples to test if corals are better adapted to changing temperatures. Two of Logan’s CSUMB graduate students, Steve Ryan and Caroline Rodriguez, will also be joining her for part of the research.
Logan explained that identifying unique thermally resistant genotypes is critical for ongoing protection and preservation and that understanding the state of corals in the Galápagos will provide insights into how global reefs may function in the future.
“The sobering reality is that coral reefs as we know them may be gone within my children’s lifetime. I am excited for this opportunity to apply my expertise to a critically important environmental issue that our nation and world are facing,” said Logan.
The five-month expedition will be a family affair for Logan as her husband, a researcher with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, was also awarded a Fulbright of his own.
“My husband, Sal Jorgensen, is a shark ecologist with the Monterey Bay Aquarium and he was also awarded a Fulbright so will be taking our whole family -- we have a three-year-old and a five-year-old -- to the Galápagos.”
Logan’s project, “Galápagos corals: canaries in the coal mine,” is also being supported by a grant from the National Geographic Society.
SEASIDE, Ca., January 28, 2019 -- Thirteen high schools from Northern and Central California are set to compete in the regional component of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) on Saturday, February 2, 2019.
The regional competition, the Sea Lion Bowl, will take place at CSUMB’s Tanimura and Antle Family Memorial Library from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m., with the winner moving on to the 2019 National Ocean Sciences Bowl finals competition April 11-14, 2019 in Washington D.C.
The National Ocean Sciences Bowl, a program of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, is an academic competition and program that addresses the national gap in environmental and earth sciences in public education by introducing and engaging high school students to ocean science.
The goal of the program is to prepare students for ocean-science related and other STEM careers while helping them become knowledgeable citizens and environmental stewards.
Northern and Central California High Schools Participating at CSUMB include:
Mira Loma, Albany, Lick-Wilmerding, Oakland School for the Arts, Paso Robles, Mission San Jose, Middle College, Lynbrook, Dougherty Valley, South San Francisco, Oakland Emiliano Zapata Street Academy, Irvington and the Independent Learning Center
The Consortium for Ocean Leadership (COL) is a Washington, D.C. nonprofit organization that represents the leading public and private ocean research education institutions, aquaria and industry with the mission to shape the future of ocean science and technology.
Hosting open community events is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. August 10, 2018 — Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and the American Institute of Architects, California Council (AIACC) announced that the eighth annual Architecture at Zero competition for zero net energy (ZNE) building designs will be held at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) in 2019.
Architecture at Zero is a zero net energy design competition open to students and professionals worldwide, engaging architecture, engineering, and planning students and professionals in the pursuit of energy efficient design. The competition is open for entries from students and professionals worldwide now through January 28, 2019.
This year, PG&E has partnered with CSUMB to create a ZNE Student Recreation Center at the campus. ZNE structures are designed from the start to be energy efficient and offset the energy they consume through onsite renewable energy generation such as rooftop solar. Winners will be chosen by a panel of international experts and awarded up to $25,000 in total prizes.
"The American Institute of Architects, California Council is excited to collaborate on this important initiative that affirms the role of architects in leading efforts to use design to curtail climate change,” said Britt Lindberg, AIA, AIACC President.
The competition strives to generate new, innovative ideas for ZNE construction to help achieve California’s goal for all new residential construction to be ZNE by 2020 and all new commercial construction to be ZNE by 2030. Last year’s competition spurred state-of-the-art designs for a bayside community education and visitor’s center at San Francisco State University’s Estuary and Ocean Science Center, based in Tiburon, Calif.
“PG&E is proud to sponsor Architecture at Zero for the eighth year in a row. This competition demonstrates what’s possible with zero net energy and how these designs can help combat climate change in our local communities and build towards California’s clean energy future,” said Vincent Davis, PG&E's Senior Director of Customer Energy Solutions.
“CSU Monterey Bay students, faculty and staff practice transparent planning and environmental stewardship daily as we transform a former army base into an inspiring university campus. The campus is thrilled to partner with PG&E and participants from around the world to develop zero net energy building designs for a Student Recreation Center that reduces our exercise of natural resources,” said Matthew S. McCluney, Senior Campus Planner at CSU Monterey Bay.
Competition entries are due by January 28, 2019 and will be juried by a panel of international experts including Paul Torcellini, Principal Engineer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory; Gregg Ander, President of Gregg D. Ander, LLC; Allison Williams, FAIA; Marsha Maytum, FAIA, LEED AP; Lynn Simon, FAIA and Cole Roberts.
SEASIDE, Calif., August 23, 2018 – Hartnell College and California State University, Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) joint Teacher Pathway Program has received a $335,000 grant from The Claire Giannini Fund that will help ensure the program’s continued growth and success. With the support of the Claire Giannini Fund, Hartnell College and CSUMB have built the Teacher Pathway Program with an eye towards sustainability; ensuring this project continues to prepare fully qualified elementary and special education teachers to all of Monterey County communities well into the future.
The first cohort of the program, which began fall of 2016 and is now entering its third year, achieved an 86% graduation rate earning their Associates Degree for Transfer (AA-T) in two years, a much higher graduation rate than students enrolled in a traditional program. The first cohort of the program is now working to earn their bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies and teaching credential at CSUMB.
“The Teacher Pathway Program is our collaborative "grow-our-own" solution to addressing the regional teacher shortage,” said CSUMB College of Education Dean Jose Luis Alvarado. “The program has achieved incredible success, as evidenced by high retention rates and a high graduation rate at the AA level for the first cohort. Additionally, the structured pathway reduces the time-to-transfer, while developing a strong teacher workforce that taps into local talent to improve the college readiness of youth in our communities."
This unique partnership, along with the streamlined program design, reduces the time it takes to transfer, thereby reducing costs to the participants. The continued success of Teacher Pathway Program has resulted in increased enrollment each year and expansion to new locations.
"Due to the success and popularity of this program, it has expanded into new locations and grown in numbers by 80%, from 28 students in cohort #1 to 38 students in cohort #2 in South Monterey County. The growth continues with 42 students in the third cohort in Salinas," said Hartnell College Superintendent/President Dr. Willard Lewallen. "We are incredibly proud of this program and its positive impact on not only the students, but the community at-large."
The Claire Giannini Fund, an independent foundation, has provided seed funding for the Teacher Pathway. Trustee Betsy Buchalter Adler noted that the Fund, which will sunset at the end of 2020, views the Teacher Pathway as one of its best investments. “Our founder dedicated the Fund to the education and welfare of young people 18 and under. I am confident that she would be glad to know that her legacy has helped to educate the next generation of Monterey County’s students by helping Hartnell College and CSUMB to educate their teachers.” Adler added that she is particularly impressed by the collaboration between CSUMB and Hartnell. "These two institutions have worked together to use their resources productively, avoiding duplication and enhancing each other's strengths. I hope community colleges and universities elsewhere in California will adopt this model."
SEASIDE Calif., August 15, 2018 – The 5th annual summer research symposium, which celebrated summer research conducted at numerous institutions around the Monterey Bay, was held at the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library on Friday, August 10. The symposium included student research presentations from CSUMB’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC), Monterey Bay Regional Ocean Sciences Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program and the Naval Postgraduate School Internship Program (NPS) that includes students from Hartnell College and Monterey Peninsula College.
“It's [the research symposium] particularly important to them to be able to connect with this academic community as well as be recognized by our campus and regional leadership,” said UROC Associate Director, Holly Unruh. “This year's address from Congressman Jimmy Panetta really made an impact for them.”
The symposium included 10-minute scientific-style talks by the REU and UROC undergraduate students in the morning and poster presentations by the UROC, NPS, Hartnell and Monterey Community College undergraduate students in the afternoon giving the student researchers a chance to showcase their work.
“Most importantly, we are creating equitable opportunities for students from throughout our region to engage in the process of inquiry, to tackle real-world problems - many of them particular to our area - and propose their own innovative solutions,” said Unruh.
Hosting open community events is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
SEASIDE, Calif., August 27, 2018 – California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) was recognized today by Sierra magazine, the national magazine of the Sierra Club, who released its twelfth annual “Cool Schools” ranking of North America’s greenest colleges and universities.
CSUMB ranked 145 out of 269 schools and joined 15 other CSU campuses, including Chico, Humboldt, Sacramento, Northridge, San Jose, Channel Islands, Cal Poly and San Diego, in recognition for their commitment to sustainability.
Sierra received complete surveys from a record-breaking 269 schools, which now include Canadian schools and community colleges.
Sierra's ranking serves as "a guide for prospective students, current students, administrators, and alumni to compare colleges’ commitments to environmentalism. It also serves to spur healthy competition among schools, raise environmental standards on campus, and publicly reward the institutions that work hard to protect the planet."
This is the second year CSUMB has participated in the survey; in 2017 we ranked 152 out of 227 schools.
“I am very pleased we have improved our ranking,” said Lacey Raak, CSUMB's Sustainability Director. “It reflects tens of thousands of hours of hard work by staff, faculty and students throughout the campus to raise awareness, to have conversations and, most important, to act. It starts by changing behavior and making decisions that support the sustainability of our campus and community. By working together, I am confident that we will continue to improve in the years to come.”
The full ranking of 269 colleges and universities, including each school’s completed questionnaire, is online at Sierra Magazine.
SEASIDE, Calif., September 11, 2018 – CSUMB senior Bryan Sierra-Rivera has been awarded the 2018 California State University (CSU) Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement, the CSU’s highest recognition of student achievement. The 23 awardees, one from each campus in the CSU, were publicly recognized during the CSU Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach on September 11, 2018.
This award is the CSU's highest recognition of student achievement and provides donor-funded scholarships to students who demonstrate superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, community service and financial need. Students receiving the awards have all demonstrated inspirational resolve along the path to college success and many are the first in their families to attend college.
“These student scholars embody the leadership, diversity and academic excellence the California State University is known for,” said CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White. “They have traced unique paths to their goal of a higher education and serve as powerful examples to their families, communities and California. The awards will give these high‐achieving and deserving students even more opportunities to attain their academic and career goals.”
CSUMB’s awardee, Bryan Sierra-Rivera, is a first-generation American citizen and first-generation college student majoring in Biology with a concentration in Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, minoring in chemistry. He was born in Mexico City and raised in a small rural village more than 90 minutes from reliable healthcare before his parents moved the family to the U.S. in pursuit a better life in the year 2000.
At CSUMB Sierra-Rivera is an Undergraduate Research Opportunity Center (UROC) Scholar, Ronald E. McNair Scholar and a Louis Strokes Alliance for Minority Participation Scholar. His research experience at CSUMB involves electrochemistry and last summer he conducted antibiotic research at the University of Texas at Austin. During summer 2018 he conducted microbial ecology research at the University of Oregon.
“Being recognized by President Ochoa and the CSU Board of Trustee's to receive this scholarship is a one of a kind privilege that I am so grateful for,” said Sierra-Rivera. “This scholarship will help me to fund my endeavors as I apply for graduate schools. I am honored to be able to represent CSU Monterey Bay, CSU system, and first-generation college undergraduates aiming for a higher education.”
Sierra-Rivera plans to be the first member of his family to earn a Ph.D. and then plans to apply his knowledge and experience within academia to help other first-generation college students from underrepresented minorities pursue opportunities in education.
More than 340 students have been honored with the Trustees’ Award since the scholarship program was established in 1984 by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. In 1999, the William Randolph Hearst Foundation partnered with the CSU Board of Trustees to supplement the endowment with contributions from CSU Trustees, CSU Foundation Board of Governors, and private donors.
Visit the CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement website for bios on all 23 scholars as well as donor information.
SEASIDE, Calif., September 20, 2018 – The California State University (CSU) “College Night” came to CSUMB’s University Center on September 19, 2018. The free event provided opportunities for local students, parents and educators to meet with representatives from each of the CSU’s 23 campuses.
Attendees learned about admissions requirements and eligibility for financial aid and outreach staff went over Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) deadlines and what types of aid are available. They also learned about several other forms of aid offered by the CSU including grants, scholarships and work-study programs. Staff also provided guidelines for navigating the CSU’s new online application service, Cal State Apply.
Following the workshops, students and parents had the opportunity to meet with representatives to help them decide which university best fits their needs. Each campus provides unique tools and opportunities designed to support students through their academic journey. Programs like academic advising and the first-year experience are being reimagined as part of Graduation Initiative 2025, the CSU’s latest efforts to improve graduation rates and foster student success.
“College Night” grew out of the CSU’s Counselors Conference, in which high school and community college counselors are invited to hear about the most up-to-date information needed to prepare students for the rigors of college and create a pathway toward a lifetime of success.
The Founding Vision statement of Monterey Bay states: “The identity of the university will be framed by substantive commitment to multilingual, multicultural, gender-equitable learning.”
The commitment to create a community of diverse learners and scholars is an expression of caring, valuing and support for all the individuals who are part of this community. We all share a responsibility to ensure that we live, study, and work in an environment that fosters care, respect, and belonging. We are fortunate at CSUMB to have a community of individuals with diverse journeys, perspectives, beliefs, cultures, abilities, and identities who are able to interact with and learn from each other every day. Ensuring that everyone in our community is respected and receives equal access and opportunity is critical to fulfilling the promise of Cal State Monterey Bay.
The Founding Vision of Monterey Bay defined a university that would be dedicated to the success of all the diverse peoples of California. Since our founding, we have remained committed to that vision and to maintaining a “culture of innovation,” which is enhanced by embracing the diverse perspectives, cultures and journeys that are present in our community. In this community we know that diversity and inclusive excellence are not just lofty words, but are necessary attributes of an education that provides the ability to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
I encourage all of us in our Monterey Bay community to not only foster a culture that embraces diversity and inclusion, but to also continually look for ways to leverage that diversity as an asset in improving the education of our students for the changing demands and requirements of global citizenship.
Our Office of Inclusive Excellence exists to advance excellence at CSUMB through inclusion and equity.
SEASIDE, Calif., September 26, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB), Cabrillo College, Hartnell College and Monterey Peninsula College have formed the Monterey Bay College Pathways Partnership (MBCPP), a partnership aimed at improving time to degree and degree completion rates for inter-institutional transfer students in the Monterey Bay region.
Using the Guided Pathways model, a proven model for improving student outcomes within individual higher education institutions, the MBCPP seeks to extend the concept to inter-institutional transfer students by creating a series of 2+2 programs (two years of community college coursework plus two years of university based upper division coursework). These four year cooperative programs are designed to facilitate degree completion and to limit students’ amount of non-transferable coursework.
The Pathways model includes the concept of meta-majors, clusters of majors that are aligned with their stated career or academic interests. By a process of gradually increasing degree focus from meta-majors to specific curricular disciplines and majors during their first two years of undergraduate education, students are far less likely to accrue non-transferable course credit.
Intensive academic advising is another aspect of the Pathways model, with the intent of assisting students at not only the inception of their college experience, but on a consistent basis throughout their academic trajectory. Using a combination of digital media based technologies, increased advisor to student ratios, and in some cases, mandatory academic advising for first year students, the Pathways advising model works in concert with the meta-major approach to greatly increase student focus during the first year(s) of undergraduate education.
The MBCPP seeks to take the individual institution Pathways model and extend the academic advising and academic major coursework integration to an inter-institutional model. Having had success with nationally recognized programs such as CSin3 and CS++, three and four-year cohort based computer science programs developed jointly by CSU Monterey Bay and Hartnell College, CSUMB has committed itself to creating a roster of similar degree programs. In disciplines ranging from Hospitality to Marine Science, these programs are intended to greatly accelerate time to degree and increase degree completion for CSUMB transfer students from the Monterey Bay region.
“Regional Stewardship has been a focus of our university during my time at CSUMB,” notes Eduardo M. Ochoa, the university’s president. “The MBCPP is another step in advancing student success in the Monterey Bay region. By working with our partners in the California Community College system, we can streamline the transfer process and allow students to shorten the time to degree. Shortened time to degree is closely associated with increased degree completion, as any student who has faced an extra semester or year of coursework to complete their degree knows well. Through the efforts of all MBCPP partners, we hope to see dramatic improvements in regional higher education outputs within the next decade.”
Increased inter-institutional cooperation is the foundation of the MBCPP, as well as a commitment to increasing the numbers of Monterey Bay region graduates with the skills and credentials for a digital/knowledge based economy. "Strong alliances among higher education institutions in our region is important as we improve pathways that lead to educational attainment for high-demand, high-wage 21st-century jobs,” stated Willard Lewallen, President of Hartnell College. “Improving social mobility is the key to strengthening our families and communities."
Extending this cooperation across CSUMB’s entire service area makes the inclusion of Santa Cruz County’s Cabrillo College a critical piece of the MBCPP equation. "Regional collaboration across our colleges is important for our students and our local economy. I am pleased that we are partnering with CSU Monterey Bay and our peer institutions to ensure that we have seamless pathways for our students to complete bachelor’s degrees that will lead to living wage jobs," said Matt Wetstein, Cabrillo College president.
In the case of Monterey Peninsula College, having an academic center immediately adjacent to the CSUMB main campus makes the MBCPP a promising program. “We serve students best when we collaborate and leverage our talents and resources on a regional scale, explained Walt Tribley, MPC’s president. ”The synergistic partnership we have will improve outcomes for students beyond what we could achieve as individual institutions.”
The number of students transferring to CSUMB from the three California Community College members of the MBCPP has increased more than 50% in the last five years, a trend that all MBCPP partners expect to continue. “The Pathways model is a formula for regional progress and improved academic outcomes for our transfer students from the Monterey Bay region,” stated President Ochoa, “and we believe that partnerships like the MBCPP are needed to provide next-generation opportunities for our graduates, and a next-generation workforce to fuel the Monterey Bay economy of the 21st century.”
SEASIDE, Ca., September 28, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) has partnered with the San Francisco based smart mobility company, Lime, to bring dock free electric scooters to campus. Lime representatives held a pop-up demonstration at CSUMB Friday, September 28, 2018 to introduce the electric scooters and give demonstrations.
All of Lime’s scooters are GPS and 3G-enabled, making it simple for riders to find, unlock and pick up a nearby vehicle using their smartphone. When the ride is finished, riders simply end the ride with the Lime mobile app and responsibly park by the street curb, or at a bike rack. All safety and proper riding information can also be found in the app.
Lime currently operates in over 100 markets, and is the largest shared bike and scooter provider in the U.S. Over 11.5 million rides have already taken place on the Lime platform since first launching just over year ago.
SEASIDE, Ca., September 18, 2018 – The Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) honored Joy Brittain, Senior Director of Early Outreach and Support Programs at CSUMB with the national Walter O. Mason Award for her service within the TRIO programs with the United States Department of Education.
The Walter O. Mason Award is the highest honor awarded by the Council for Opportunity in Education and recognizes individuals for outstanding contributions to college opportunity programs and the advancement of educational opportunity for low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities.
Walter O. Mason is credited as one of the creators of the Federal TRIO programs and this prestigious award is the highest national honor given by the Council for Opportunity in Education, for distinguished service and leadership.
The Farm of the Future: Ag Careers in Energy, Sustainability and Technology
SEASIDE, Ca., October 4, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) hosted the 2018 Greater Vision Forum Wednesday, October 3, 2018 at CSUMB’s University Center. Greater Vision is a collaborative event with the Grower-Shipper Association Foundation designed for students, professionals and community members that addresses contemporary issues in agriculture and society.
The event began with a keynote conversation entitled "The Farm of the Future and the Changing Workforce" by Dennis Donohue, Chairman, Grower-Shipper Association Foundation and Megan Nunes, Founder & CEO, Vinsight.
The keynote conversation was followed by a panel entitled "Careers: Energy and Sustainability in Agriculture" and was led by Rosie Armstrong, Director of Workforce Development: Agriculture and Healthcare Sector Partnerships. Hartnell College. The panel included Alyson Blume, Lead UX Developer, Wexus Technologies; Chad Forrest, CFO, Concentric Power; and Alejandra Sanchez, Sustainability Manager, Taylor Farms.
A final panel entitled "Careers: Technology in Agriculture" concluded the forum and addressed careers in new technologies needed on the farm. It was moderated by Abby Taylor-Silva, VP of Policy & Communications, Grower-Shipper Association and the panel included Jackie Vazquez, Director of Operations, Andrew and Williamson; Jennifer Skidgel-Clarke, Executive Director, California Leafy Greens Research Program; and Josh Ruiz, Director of Operations, Church Brothers Farms.
Hosting open community events is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
SEASIDE, Ca., Oct. 23, 2018 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) will host a nonpartisan Ocean Candidates Forum at the CSUMB World Theater Thursday, Oct. 25 from 7-9 p.m. The forum, moderated by Calif. Secretary of Natural Resources John Laird, will feature candidates for Calif. State Controller, U.S. House of Representatives District 20 and State Assembly District 29.
The coast of Central California has always played a critical role in both the science and policy of ocean management across the state and the nation. CSUMB is pleased to provide regional candidates for state and federal offices an opportunity to discuss the oceans, the challenges and a range of potential solutions.
Interested media should contact James Lindholm at jlindholm@csumb.edu for more information on the event or to schedule an interview. The event is free to attend and general public should RSVP online. The forum will also be available via live-stream.
Hosting events such as the Ocean Candidates Forum is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
This event is sponsored by the James W. Rote Distinguished Professorship in Marine Science and Policy.
SEASIDE, Calif., Feb. 11, 2019 – California State University, Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) Otter Student Union hosted the “All Black Gala” on Sunday, February 10 from 6-10 p.m. at CSUMB’s University Center featuring keynote speaker Michael Brown Sr.
The All Black Gala, also hosted by CSUMB’s Otter Cross Cultural Center and Associated Students, was a formal event in celebration of Black History and the immense diversity of Black culture and brilliance.
The keynote speaker was Michael Brown Sr., the father of Michael Brown Jr, who was shot and killed August 9, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri. Brown Sr. has since committed his life to turning the pain and challenges of losing his son into and opportunity for change. The “Chosen for Change Foundation” was born in loving memory of Michael Brown Jr., with the purpose of empowering youth by helping them realize their potential for greatness.
The All Black Gala also featured internationally-known activist and humanitarian Marcellus Buckley along with co-founder of the Truth Telling Project, David Ragland, who holds a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Toledo.
The Otter Student Union is a student-centered organization whose mission is to be the heartbeat of campus and a bridge to surrounding communities, providing spaces, opportunities, and advocacy that cultivate belonging reflective of CSUMB's founding vision.
Hosting community events is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
SEASIDE, Ca., February 5, 2019 – California State University (CSU) leaders, trustees, campus presidents and alumni will visit nearly 100 churches across the state during the month of February to encourage students to pursue higher education during the CSU’s Super Sunday event.
CSUMB’s Office of Admissions will host its own 'Super Saturday' event featuring keynote speaker and newly elected Monterey City Council member, Tyller Williamson, at the University Center Saturday, Feb. 23 from 8:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Williamson, a 2013 CSUMB Human Communication alumnus, is the youngest person to be elected to the Monterey City Council. He is also the first African-American, and first openly gay City Council member in Monterey.
CSU Super Sunday is one of many events supported by the CSU community to increase the preparation, retention and graduation of African-American students. More than a million people have received this message through Super Sunday efforts over the last 14 years with more than 100,000 congregants, students and families slated to do so again this year.
The year-round partnership between the CSU and African-American community leaders throughout the state provides additional outreach, support and preparation events such as college and career fairs, financial aid workshops, Cal State Apply clinics and more.
For more than a decade, the CSU has partnered with faith-based leaders to host Super Sunday during the month of February. CSU leaders bring an empowering message to churches throughout California about the importance of preparing for college.
CSU resources will be provided to help students and families foster a college-going culture at home, including information about preparing for college, applying to a CSU campus and applying for financial aid. For information see the list of Super Sunday partner churches.
SEASIDE, Calif., Feb. 7, 2019 – By 2023, the California State University's 23 campuses will be eliminating the use and sale of all single-use plastics including plastic straws, water bottles and bags.
A new system policy enacted in December establishes purchasing practices aimed at eliminating disposable plastic items—which make up a significant proportion of the waste campuses send to landfills—while giving preference to reusable, compostable or recyclable products instead.
According to the policy, all CSU campuses must eliminate plastic straws and carryout bags beginning in 2019. In addition, campuses must phase out Styrofoam food service items by January 2021 and discontinue sales and distribution of single-use plastic water bottles before January 2023.
The plan expands upon the Board of Trustees' Policy on Sustainability by making sustainability central to the CSU's business processes.
"This policy further positions the CSU as a national leader in sustainability," said CSU's Executive Director of Strategic Sourcing and Chief Procurement Officer Arunkumar Casuba. "Eliminating single-use plastics across our 23 campuses will rid our landfills and oceans of thousands of pounds of waste—saving marine life and further reducing our carbon footprint."
The momentary utility and convenience of single-use plastics like straws, takeout containers and water bottles comes with a big price. These items are not biodegradable or take hundreds of years to decompose.
In addition, single-use plastics frequently do not make it to landfills or recycling plants. According to Earth Day Network, 32 percent of the 78 million tons of plastic packaging produced annually is left to flow into our oceans. Much of it ends up in the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" located between Hawaii and California, which is the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world.
A number of CSU campuses have already eliminated the use of disposable plastics. For example, Humboldt State stopped selling water bottles in 2012, becoming the first public university in California to do so.
Others are working to meet the goal dates outlined in the policy by preparing alternatives including reusable/compostable meal containers, beverage containers and straws. Campus procurement, dining and waste management staff are also working together to fit the new products in with waste processing capabilities.
The new policy aligns the CSU with existing California state laws including AB-1884 (single-use plastic straws), SB-270 (single-use carryout bags) and SB-1335 (food service packaging for state agencies).
The CSU is on the cutting edge of discovering and developing new ways to cut emissions, increase energy and resource efficiencies, protect wildlife and secure the environment for future generations. Learn more about the CSU's Commitment to Sustainability.
Written by: Elizabeth Chapin, CSU Public Affairs.
SEASIDE, Ca., February 15, 2019 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB’s) Communication Across the Disciplines program has been awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant that will help improve reading and writing instruction across all majors at CSUMB.
The grant, totaling $99,441 and awarded under NEH’s Humanities Initiatives at Hispanic-Serving Institutions category, will help fund a three-year project entitled “Improving Learning and Achievement with Reading/Writing-Enriched Curriculum (RWEC) in the Disciplines.”
The project will initiate a sustainable program of systematic reflection and improvement of reading and writing instruction across all majors at CSUMB while extending work currently in progress within lower-division general education requirements. Furthermore, the project will expand faculty development on reading and writing instruction and include all faculty, in all disciplines, and all levels of instruction.
“We all continue to learn to read and write as we encounter and have to produce new kinds of texts in new situations,” said Communications Across the Disciplines associate professor, Nelson Graff. “This project supports faculty in the disciplines as they reflect on what skilled reading and writing look like in their majors and professions, then scaffold instruction across their majors to help students develop those skills.”
The goal of this infusion is that students reach their senior capstone experience with the reading, writing, and critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in completing those research and writing-intensive projects.
The NEH announced a total of $14.8 million in grants in December of 2018 that will support 253 humanities projects across the nation in 44 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
SEASIDE, Ca., February 25, 2019 – An international team of researchers, that includes CSUMB School of Natural Sciences assistant professor Nathaniel Jue, has published a major scientific step to understanding the biology of the great white shark, and how it’s genetic makeup may be useful in treatment of human conditions.
The research findings, published Feb. 19 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, describe the first time the entire genome of the white shark has been decoded in detail, and represent a breakthrough for scientists studying evolutionary adaptations in the marine environment.
In assisting in the assembly and analysis of both its genome and transcriptome (the set of genes active in the white shark), Jue’s work provided a key contribution to generating the first major genetic resources for this species.
Decoding the white shark’s genome revealed not only its huge size, one-and-a-half times the size of the human genome, but also a plethora of genetic changes that could be behind the evolutionary success of large-bodied and long-lived sharks.
“Generating this genome sequence, and the predictions of all the genes and other components in it, let us study the unique genetic mechanisms that underlie the biology of this amazing animal,” said Nathaniel Jue, associate professor at CSUMB’s School of Natural Sciences and a co-author of the study. "Through comparisons with other species, genetic adaptations in the white sharks can help us better understand how important processes like the repair of damaged DNA, which is a key issue in cancer biology, may function in other organisms including humans..”
The research team was led by scientists from Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Research Center and Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI), Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, and Monterey Bay Aquarium. The team also included scientists from Clemson University, University of Porto, Portugal and the Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, Russia.
“Decoding the white shark genome is providing science with a new set of keys to unlock lingering mysteries about these feared and misunderstood predators - why sharks have thrived for some 500 million years, longer than almost any vertebrate on earth” said Salvador Jorgensen, a senior research scientist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and co-author of the study.
The completed genome was compared to those from several other animals, including the whale shark and humans. The findings suggest that sharks have evolved to be more resilient than we are to cancers, and to several other age-related diseases that typically affect humans.
The study adds another big piece in the ongoing puzzle to uncover the secrets of these important predators. The authors of the study say that, aside from the potentially significant biomedical insights, this kind of information builds on our understanding of white sharks as complex, highly adapted creatures and adds to what we need to know to manage their populations better.
This research was funded by the Save Our Seas Foundation, Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, Hai Stiftung/Shark Foundation, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and in-kind support from Illumina, Inc., and Dovetail Genomics.
SEASIDE, Ca., February 25, 2019 – The Western Association of Educational Opportunity Personnel (WESTOP) has honored Kyrstie Lane, Associate Director of TRiO Student Support Services at CSUMB with the Staff of the Year Award for her commitment and service to her team and students.
The Staff of the Year Award is the highest honor awarded by the Western Association of Educational Opportunity Personnel and recognizes individuals whose commitment, perseverance, and contributions go “above and beyond” what is expected for the success of his / her students and respective program.
"[She] supports our students in landing opportunities beyond their wildest dreams, such as graduate school application approvals, scholarship awards, internship opportunities, helping students when their college experience takes a turn, and, most importantly, serving as one of their biggest support systems in an environment that was not meant for their success.”
WESTOP is one of ten regional associations dedicated to furthering educational opportunities for low-income, first-generation and disabled students. The award was presented at the 41st Annual WESTOP Conference, “Rising to Transform: Investing in the Future of Educational Equity.”
SEASIDE, Ca., March 1, 2019 – The American Institute of Architects, California (AIACA) announced the winners of the eighth annual Architecture at Zero competition for zero net energy (ZNE) today at CSUMB's Alumni and Visitor Center. The competition was open for entries from students and professionals worldwide.
This year, AIACA partnered with California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) to create a ZNE Student Recreation Center at the campus. ZNE structures are designed from the start to be energy efficient and offset the energy they consume through onsite renewable energy generation such as rooftop solar. Winners were chosen by a panel of international experts and awarded up to $25,000 in total prizes.
The competition strives to generate new, innovative ideas for ZNE construction to help achieve California’s goal for all new residential construction to be ZNE by 2020 and all new commercial construction to be ZNE by 2030.
“CSUMB students, faculty and staff practice transparent planning and environmental stewardship daily as we transform a former army base into an inspiring university campus. The campus is thrilled to partner with AIA CA and participants from around the world to develop zero net energy building designs for a Student Recreation Center that reduces our exercise of natural resources,” said Matthew S. McCluney, Senior Campus Planner at CSUMB.
Competition entries were juried by international experts including Paul Torcellini, Principal Engineer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory; Gregg Ander, President of Gregg D. Ander, LLC; Allison Williams, FAIA; Marsha Maytum, FAIA, LEED AP; Lynn Simon, FAIA and Cole Roberts.
SEASIDE, Calif., March 4, 2019– California State University, Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) Institute for Innovation and Economic Development (iiED) is set to host the 10th annual Startup Challenge Monterey Bay this spring.
The challenge, offering a total of $65K in prizes across four divisions of competition, has seen more than 600 companies participate over ten years and has awarded more than $300K in prize money.
Startup Challenge Monterey Bay is a new business competition and accelerator program that supports the founding, funding and growth of new and innovative businesses in the Monterey Bay region. It offers workshops, feedback, and mentoring to empower entrepreneurs in a competitive process while empowering entrepreneurs to communicate their ideas effectively to investors, customers and employees.
In ten years of competition, Startup Challenge Monterey Bay has trained 2,200 aspiring entrepreneurs from 620 participating companies who have gone on to create more than 150 jobs and raise more than $10 million in capital.
“The startup challenge new venture competition is an opportunity for people to start a business and to receive some coaching and mentoring to help them understand how to start their business,” said iiED executive director and CSUMB College of Business associate professor Brad Barbeau. “The goal of the startup challenge isn’t so much to crown a winner as it is to encourage people to go after their dreams to start a business.”
Applications to the competition are due by March 11, 2019 while the competition officially kicks off with a qualifying round April 6th and culminating with the final round and venture showcase May 10th at the Embassy Suites Monterey Bay in Seaside.
This year’s challenge offers four divisions – Venture, Social Venture, Main Street and Student. The Venture division is for businesses that are intended to scale into large enterprises and that can provide venture-capital level returns to investors; The Social Venture division is open to nonprofits and companies who make social enterprise a significant part of their company mission statement; the Main Street division is for small businesses and the Student division is for students in graduate, undergraduate, junior college or high school levels.
CSUMB’s Institute for Innovation and Economic Development (iiED), housed in the College of Business, hosts events such as the Startup Challenge to promote entrepreneurship in the Monterey Bay Region and foster the development of a vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystem in the region.
SEASIDE, Ca., March 6, 2019 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) will host the 17th Ethics and Responsible Business Forum Wednesday, March 13, 2019 from 3-5 p.m. at CSUMB’s University Center. The Ethics and Responsible Business Forum is designed for students, professionals and community members to discuss and debate the ethical dilemmas associated with contemporary developments in society.
This year the forum will discuss the timely and relevant issue of cannabis legalization and commercialization. In a debate-style presentation, two renowned keynote speakers will respectively speak to the benefits and perils of cannabis legalization. Panelists with ethical, business, regulatory and health expertise will offer their viewpoints and raise pertinent questions on the issue.
Keynote Speakers Include:
The objective of the forum is to determine whether the benefits of legalization outweigh the costs. Some critical questions that may be raised include:
This year’s event is a collaborative event organized by CSUMB’s College of Business, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Science and the College of Health Sciences and Human Services.
Hosting open community events is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community. Last year, over 320 students, faculty, and community members attended the event.
SEASIDE, Ca., March 28, 2019 – A special collaboration between the Monterey Jazz Festival (MJF) and California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) brings the 2019 Monterey Jazz Festival Artists-in-Residence Allison Miller and Derrick Hodge to CSUMB’s World Theater on Thursday, April 4, 2019 at 8 p.m.
“This collaboration blurs the lines between musical genres while respecting the cultural and historical legacies of jazz. This performance is important because it reaches out beyond the traditional jazz listening audience to widen and diversify the jazz community throughout the world,” said MJF executive director, Colleen Bailey.
Allison Miller is a New York City based drummer, composer and teacher who was recently named a “Rising Star Drummer” and “Top 20 Jazz Drummer” by DownBeat Magazine’s acclaimed critics Poll. She is a three-time Jazz Ambassador of the U.S. State Department, conducting clinics and master classes throughout the globe at universities and camps.
Derrick Hodge is a two-time Grammy Award-winning bassist and Blue Note recording artist and a graduate of Temple University. His range of accomplishments span multiple genres and include orchestrations and arrangements for the National Symphony Orchestra, Common and Kanye West. He has also written original music for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Chicago Brass Ensemble.
The partnership between CSUMB and the Monterey Jazz Festival focuses on the creation of provocative musical collaborations and was established in 2018 with the support of Robert Danziger and Martha Drexler Lynn.
SEASIDE, Ca., March 29, 2019 -- California Sea Grant has selected 23 recipients—the largest cohort yet—for its prestigious State Fellowship. This opportunity provides fellows with unparalleled and hands-on training at the interface of science, communication, policy and management at either a municipal, state or federal host agency in California for one year.
Amongst the 23 fellows announced, 12 were California State University (CSU) graduates and two were graduates of CSUMB.
“The State Fellowship program is very effective in increasing the capacity of host organizations with talent from California universities, while giving recent graduates an opportunity to apply their scientific training to policy questions,” says Shauna Oh, the newly appointed director of California Sea Grant. “Upon completion of their fellowship, many of the fellows remain in California’s marine policy and management community and have become leaders, making significant contributions to these fields.”
All fellowship recipients have graduate-level training at universities within California. This year’s cohort hails from the diverse disciplines of marine and watershed science, biology and ecology, marine fisheries biology, biodiversity and conservation, resource management, international environmental policy, and environmental science and management, while representing 15 universities throughout the state.
Anna Holder, State Water Resources Control Board - Office of Information Management & Analysis:
Anna Holder received a Master of Science in applied marine and watershed science from California State University, Monterey Bay in 2018. During graduate school, she analyzed survey and fishery catch data to evaluate whether and to what extent there is a relationship between environmental and demographic factors, and the occurrence of multiple brooding in rockfish (Sebastes spp.)
For her placement at the State Water Resources Control Board in the Office of Information Management and Analysis, Holder will combine her science communication and data science skills to analyze, interpret, and visualize environmental data in a way that is informative for water quality managers and the public.
Marguerite McCann, Fish and Game Commission:
Marguerite McCann graduated from California State University, Monterey Bay with a master’s in applied marine and watershed science in 2018. She completed a professional internship with NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, where she worked on projects relating to education and outreach. She supported and participated on a seafloor mapping and exploration mission onboard the R/V Nautilus, interpreted the multibeam sonar and remotely-operated vehicle imagery for the public, and created a digital outreach product to educate the public about deep-sea corals.
McCann’s work with the California Fish and Game Commission will involve developing a strategy to address issues relating to invasive red-eared sliders and bullfrogs. She will work with stakeholders to ensure this strategy addresses the needs of both the ecosystem and the community.
SEASIDE, Calif., April 8, 2019 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) is slated to host the 23rd annual Social Justice Colloquium beginning April 8 and concluding April 18, 2019. The keynote event, taking place Wednesday, April 17 at CSUMB’s World Theater will feature internationally-acclaimed Iranian film director Rakhshan Banietemad.
Banietemad has been called the “First lady of Iranian cinema” for three decades and has sketched the most striking portraits of women’s life in Iran seen through the eyes of the least privileged and unheard. Her documentaries shed light on pressing issues in Iran including women's prisons, AIDS and poverty.
Hosted in collaboration by CSUMB’s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and CSUMB’s International Programs Office, this year’s Social Justice Colloquium explores the influence of filmmaking and documentaries in social justice movements in Iranian society.
The full schedule of events is available at the Social Justice Colloquium home page. All events are open to the public and free of charge.
SEASIDE, Calif., April 24, 2019 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) President Eduardo M. Ochoa will host author and visionary Trebor Scholz to discuss his book Uberworked and Underpaid: How Workers Are Disrupting the Digital Economy at CSUMB’s World Theater on Monday, April 29, 2019 from 5-6:30 p.m.
Trebor Scholz is an author, scholar-activist and associate professor for culture & media at The New School in New York City. His book introduces the concept of “platform cooperativism” as a way of joining the co-op model with the digital economy. Scholz frequently presents on the future of work to media scholars, lawyers, activists, technologists, union leaders and policymakers worldwide. His articles and ideas have appeared in The Nation, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Le Monde, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.
The President’s Speaker Series is in keeping with Cal State Monterey Bay’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
SEASIDE, Ca., April 30, 2019 -- California State University, Monterey Bay’s (CSUMB) James W. Rote Distinguished Professorship in Marine Science & Policy program will host a panel of science policy experts to discuss the changing nature of the science-policy interface in our nation, state and region on Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at CSUMB’s Alumni and Visitor Center from 6-8 p.m.
The event, titled “Evolving or Devolving? The Changing Nature of the Science-Policy Interface,” will examine how the role of science in public policy has changed and how it will evolve in the future.
“It is no secret that the role of science in society, or at least in public policy, has changed in the past few years, particularly at the national level. It has never been more important for us, as scientists and stewards of the environment, to understand the relationship between science and policy, and how to facilitate the integration of the two.” said CSUMB Marine Science Chair & Rote Professor, James Lindholm. “Drawing on the deep experience of our three distinguished guests, we will explore how the endeavor of translating science to policy has changed over the years and what the future holds.”
This presentation is hosted and sponsored by the James W. Rote Distinguished Professorship in Marine Science & Policy.
The Rote Professorship has a strong foundation in the community. It supports annual and recurring events such as the Ocean Candidates Forum, workshops on science communication and invited speakers on a wealth of topics. It also funds undergraduate and graduate students conducting research on applied topics, as well as faculty research being conducted in support of governance at state, federal and international levels.
Hosting open community events is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
SEASIDE, Calif., August 9, 2019 – California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) hosted the 6th annual summer research symposium at the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library on Friday, August 9, 2019 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The symposium celebrated the research and creative activities of nearly 150 high school, community college, undergraduate and graduate students from CSUMB’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC), Monterey Bay Regional Ocean Sciences Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program, and Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) Internship Program.
The student-researchers who presented at the symposium came from across the nation to conduct research, both locally and nationally, across multiple disciplines. Research topics ranged from atmospheric sciences, marine biology, physics, meteorology, agriculture, social sciences, educational research, cyber security, kinesiology, psychology, mathematics, conservation science, and more.
The summer research symposium served as a culminating event highlighting the research and learning over the past ten weeks while providing a forum for students, faculty, community partners and guests to engage in lively discussion regarding research, innovation and education happening in our community.
“This symposium gives students a chance to showcase the scholarly activities they have been conducting over the summer. For many of them, it’s a chance to create a culminating product highlighting their learning over the past 8-10 weeks; it’s an invaluable experience that helps them prepare for graduate studies and beyond. These types of experiences often lead to further engagement and career opportunities for students, with all sorts of positive implications for regional economic growth," said Banks.
Hosting open community events is in keeping with CSUMB’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.
SEASIDE, Calif., August 23, 2019 – California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) began welcoming students back to campus today, officially kicking off CSUMB’s 25th anniversary year. Classes begin on Monday, August 26, but all incoming, first-year students are required to attend a weekend long orientation called “Otter Days,” starting Friday, August 23.
“It is always exciting to begin a new academic year. We are looking forward to welcoming our returning students, as well as our freshmen and transfers -- our new Otters. Our faculty and staff members are focused on maintaining CSUMB’s small-campus feel, even as our campus continues to grow and change,” said CSUMB President, Eduardo M. Ochoa.
CSUMB’s newest building, Academic III, is also now open for the fall semester. There will be a grand opening on October 11, 2019.